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Gaerea​’s public image is dominated by a purposeful anonymity. Nameless members, wearing masks onstage, that sort of thing. But there’s no obscuring their intentions on this fifth album. Loss is a bold swing for the big leagues from a band determined not to be tethered by their black metal roots.

The weightless electronic pop of LBRNTH alone would have been enough to damn Gaerea for heresy in ​’90s Scandinavia, but the dominant mode here is an adventure into modern metalcore at its slickest. Submerged dextrously slips between introspective interludes and high-impact heaviness, while Phoenix proves both accessible and utterly bludgeoning.

Elsewhere, there are times when the unnamed frontman’s clean vocals echo the phrasing of Architects’ Sam Carter, and indeed Loss can often feel like that band, of their early years had involved as much influence from Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir as Botch and Dillinger. As with that band’s evolution, Gaerea’s dark sound feels well-equipped for an upwardly mobile trajectory, particularly on anthemic opener Luminary and the undeniably banging Hellbound.

There’s even a ballad of sorts in closer Stardust, its super-smooth intro arguably a step too far even when the distorted guitars eventually kick in. For the far greater part, though, Loss balances blastbeats and broad appeal with genuine skill.

And while the band’s sigil masks hide their true identities, Gaerea’s lyrics delve deeply into their innermost feelings. Suffice to say that Submerged and Cyclone don’t deal with watery peril or meteorological phenomena, but rather their emotional equivalents. The deployment of such relatable themes is yet another way for the Portuguese enigmas to consolidate their commercial potential. Gaerea seem set on promotion to metal’s premier league, and Loss makes that development far from inconceivable.

Verdict: 3/5

For fans of: Lorna Shore, Architects, Orbit Culture

Loss is released on March 20 via Century Media.

Expect some biting bubblegum guitars, massive shout out loud choruses and grooving basslines from Nicky Hughes to get you involved with their musical melancholy from the first track to the last. It’s a record that bristles with energy and doesn’t stop to often for breath, taking their cues from all era’s of pop punk, Love | Hate | Demons is designed to be played live with everyone in the room bouncing and singing along.

So not quite prog but meticulously crafted, conceptual and emotional pop punk from this Welsh duo that will evoke some heavy nostalgia while bringing freshness to the genre. 7/10

Kill By Mouth – Necessary Evil (Self Released)

A four track EP now and it’s the long awaited release from Swansea thrash/groove band Kill By Mouth. The multiple time M2TM South Wales finalists are like a steamroller of aggressive riffs on stage, bringing a dangerous edge to any show they play. So does that translate to the record? In a word yes as they’ve managed to capture their on stage energy with these four tracks.

Cardinal Point brings a chug, the influence of Pantera or Exhorder obvious here, Cassar’s vocals a bellowed shout as the riffs lock in tight with the rhythm section of Rich’s bass and Gregg’s drums as this noisy quartet is rounded out by guitarist Lee, the four piece definitely wants you to bring your mosh shorts for their music.

The shift to a doomy groove in the middle of Cardinal Pont has them playing with dynamics. However 228 come straight out of the crossover stomp of Suicidal Tendencies and even Anthrax with the solo section. Both of these songs have been remixed for this record and sound bigger here than before as KBM using some Left Channel/Right Channel stuff to make it a record that has an old schools sound.

Johnny Volcano is, and I quote, about a man who’s head explodes, and it’s got a gnarly grind to it that builds, ticking like a time bomb with some more great solos. It’s one of two new songs for this EP, the other being Lost Love which gets a bouncing groove going underwritten with synths.

Necessary Evil, has been a long time coming but Kill By Mouth have put a lot into this EP giving them something strong to shop around labels and as a way of taking their live intensity home! 8/10

Contrasts – False Idol (Self Released)

Returning with a refreshed line up, alt metal band Contrasts, now deliver their debut EP False Idol. Recorded at Long Wave Studios.

Despite only being formed in 2021, during the pandemic, the band started releasing singles immediately so with False Idol they have managed to collate these recordings and position them into a showcase of their collective talents. All the band members are South Wales scene veterans, some of whom have played with bands like Whitechapel, FFAF and Hawthorne Heights and Contrasts bring some inspiration from these bands, while also relying on their own backgrounds in music.

On False Idol which features lyrics about trauma and mental health struggles, beginning with Ghost In My Head, Contrasts barrel out of the gate with maturity and some experienced songwriting as they pair heavy, down tuned djenty riffs with huge choruses all augmented by some atmospheric/syncopated synth patterns.

From here the Space Between brings more heavy dissonance and the full range of clean harsh vocals featuring Aaron Roberts of De’Lour, while there’s an ambient break on Armageddon before the title track closes out the EP with more of that modern metal bluster.

Veteran instincts with renewed creative drive has produced a strong debut EP for Contrasts. 7/10

No Murder No Moustache – As Everything Else Decays (Self Released)

A bit of Celtic punk rock now from No Murder, No Moustache aka Owen Crawford, a one man crusade against hate and injustice, who has been lighting up stages for a number of years now, playing heartfelt punk music using often just an acoustic guitar, like the troubadours of old, singing songs of rebellion, resistance and taking a lot of inspiration from his own life and experiences too, be it unethical regimes, anti-fascism, mental health, grief, they are all given an open and honest platform.

Sticking to that ethos of being a D.I.Y punk he is very active as a campaigner for grassroots music and against the corruption we see every day, but always with pointed optimism that is so often lacking. With this record he’s looking inwardly on this one, it’s a reflective record that tell tales from his past, delving deeper into Owen’s ideals, struggles and past for inspiration directing it through the bouncy Celtic punk of band such as The Pogues, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy’s.

Acoustic and electric guitars are joined by mandolin and banjo, on Celtic Skies and Dic Penderyn, there’s a more than just that though, the arrangements here’s also as some rock toners and in a very un-punk move there’s even a few guitar solos too, especially on Wasted. There’s also moments of restrained beauty such as the piano and strong driven As Darkness Falls, while One More Round is a ska/thrash tribute to the Cardiff nightlife that turns into a mortality tale.

No Murder No Moustache is an insight into Owen Crawford’s creative mind, totally D.I.Y with anthemic influences and a sense of hiraeth. Most of all though it’s an entertaining collection of Celtic Punk. 7/10