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Midnite Mitch

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Album ReviewReviews
November 6, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Astrofuzz – Self Titled

I know I say this in nearly all my local album reviews, but I love finding new music, and this time, I found a whole new genre. Meet Astrofuzz, a heavy, shoegaze band from Bendigo, Victoria. I love to see what the Bendigo music scene churns out, and Astrofuzz brings a raw, atmospheric, heavy edge that makes you wonder what other gems are waiting to be found.

Astrofuzz’s self-titled album is a heavy-hitting blend of distorted guitars, fuzz-drenched bass, rhythmic drumbeats, and reverb-laden vocals. I wasn’t sure how to describe it at first. It felt like an audial journey, a wave of sound you could get lost in. Before this album, I hadn’t heard of “shoegaze” as a genre, but it perfectly captures what’s going on here. That layered, wall-of-sound effect takes you deep, and once this album was on, I didn’t want to turn it off.

The album begins with Azimuth, an open, wall-of-sound introduction that showcases exactly what the band is capable of. There’s plenty of vocal effects, fuzzy bass, and a rhythmic drumline that feels both spacious and dense, pulling you into their world.

By the second track, Hex, the tempo picks up and there’s a hypnotic, droning vibe. Its ebb and flow has an almost trance-like effect, the rhythm grounding you before it breaks into new momentum. Screen Gazer ups the rock factor even more with hazier vocals and straightforward guitar riffs. There’s a slow, melodic solo here that’s backed by a big, open chord riff, creating a massive, immersive moment that hits all the right notes.

About halfway through the album, there’s Crucifix, a track that starts with an anarchic wall of sound. I’m not sure if they’re using a drum machine or real drums, but the layering of sounds is so intricate that even after a few listens, I’m still picking out new details. It might sound chaotic, but somehow it fits perfectly with the album’s overall vibe.

Howl, a track that leans into a punk aesthetic. This was probably the favourite for me, it’s short, punchy, and direct, with this crazy distortion effect on the vocals, giving it an added grungy layer, giving the album an unapologetic, raw edge. It’s brilliant!

I have now had the chance to review a few local Bendigo bands, and I’m starting to hear that bands in the scene just have a certain similarity or essential essence to them. Whether it’s something in the water or the air, I’m not sure but the Bendigo scene has this DIY underground sense that adds an edge to the music. This self-titled album was engineered, produced and mastered by the band themselves and utilising a local gem of a space named Yeehaa Studios, knowing this, you can appreciate the music and the process even more. It is 100% Astrofuzz, no outside influence, just the band trusting in their own music and journey to unleash it upon the masses.

Astrofuzz’s self-titled album takes you on an audial journey from start to finish. The heavy distortion, the introspective depth, the rhythmic drive, it’s an album that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It’s the perfect soundtrack for getting lost, whether in thought or in life. After listening to this, I’m going down the rabbit hole of shoegaze to find what other surprises this genre has in store. Go and check this band out! Go and check out your local scene!

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Album ReviewReviews
November 6, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Abramelin – Sins of the Father

Australian death metal veterans Abramelin are back, showing their commitment to quality over quantity in a massive way with their fourth album, Sins of the Father. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, Abramelin have been pushing the unleashing brutal death metal since the mid-90s—and even longer if you include their earlier incarnation as Archeon in 1988. For a group that’s spent over 30 years in the game, releasing only four full-length albums speaks volumes about their dedication to crafting albums that are powerful, uncompromising, and completely pulverizing.

Sins of the Father is everything you could want in a death metal release: a relentless, neck-breaking masterpiece dripping with horror-fuelled intensity. It’s got the gore-drenched lyrics, spine-chilling atmosphere, and raw aggression that make up the genre’s lifeblood, and it all comes wrapped in wickedly tight production. Every track here feels like it’s where it should be for maximum effect, and it’s clear that Abramelin haven’t lost an ounce of their fury.

The title track, Sins of the Father, was my favourite and I think one of the standouts off the album, a blackened death metal whirlwind with a riff so catchy you can’t help but headbang along. The groove-laden verse riff has an infectious bounce, and I do love when a riff has that simple double kick rock beat behind it. I can’t wait to see this song played live, and I know this one will be a crowd favourite too. This track is Abramelin at their finest, with a perfect mix of groove, aggression, and atmosphere.

One of the more humorously titled tracks I’ve ever heard of, The Gory Hole, gives a nod to the band’s dark sense of humour, balancing the brutal assault with a touch of levity. It’s clear that these guys know how to have fun even while unleashing some of the most intense music you’ll hear this year. What a title!

Abramelin’s blend of horror-infused death metal is uniquely Australian, a sound as unhinged as a psycho killer’s soundtrack as he tears through the Outback. Tracks like Conflagration of the Dreamers and Man’s Best Friend deliver massive, neck-snapping riffs that make this album truly brutal. The guitar work is unreal, with precise tremolo riffs, groove-laden passages, and complex fretwork that showcase the band’s technical prowess.

Last Rite slows things down for a moment, offering a haunting, melodic introduction that stands out as one of the more atmospheric moments on the album. But it’s not long before the track returns to a blistering pace. Deceased Estate follows with a melodic opening and an intense tapping solo, while Meet the Meat closes with an irresistibly bouncy riff that caps off this assault in style.

The album’s finale, You Feed, I Bleed, is the longest and most ambitious track, clocking in just under six minutes. It’s an epic ender, encapsulating everything Abramelin excels at: intensity, horror, and high-caliber musicianship.

In Sins of the Father, Abramelin deliver a record that is raw, powerful, and unforgivingly heavy, a true testament to the raw power of Aussie death metal.

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InterviewsTour Interview
October 30, 2024
Midnite Mitch

Interview with Simon Dower (Abramelin)

Arguably the pioneers of death metal in Australia, Abramelin have completed their fourth full length studio album, ‘Sins of the Father’, available now, and released through internationally renowned label Hammerheart Records. Following on from their very well-received 2020 release, ‘Never Enough Snuff’, ‘Sins of the Father’ is an all-out brutal death metal assault on the senses; while lyrically, it continues to push the boundaries of horror and depravity.

Vocalist Simon Dower comments on the new album: ‘Sins of the Father’ is not a themed album, but rather a collection of grotesque tales inspired by massive amounts of extreme horror literature that I devour. We are very happy with the way that ‘Sins of the Father’ has come out; both musically and packaging overall. A lot of time and effort has gone into the Sins artwork to give the fans something special for their collections; something fresh and innovative that we feel no one else has really gone to such lengths before to do. We are also super excited to belt out some tracks from Sins at the forthcoming Pestilence tour, which will also double-up as our East Coast album launch shows.
 
The majority of the tracks on ‘Sins Of The Father’ were written by Matt Wilcock (Ackercocke, Werewolves) with all beats from the legendary David Hayley (Psycroptic). Long time member (in various guises), Rob Mollica (Earth, Butterfly) has even chimed with a song ‘Last Rite’ which brings some great variety in the musical arrangement of the new album. Inspired by 40+ years of horror fiction & film, lyrics by Simon Dower, as they were with ‘Never Enough Snuff’, are a deep exploration into all things grotesque and horrific in nature. With influences drawn from a variety of splatter punk and extreme horror authors, the lyrics, in usual Abramelin style, are not for the faint of heart.
 
ABRAMELIN on tour this November supporting Pestilence!
Nov 6th – Brisbane, The Triffid
Nov 7th – Sydney, Crowbar
Nov 10th – Melbourne, Max Watts
Tickets from www.swdpresents.com

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Album ReviewReviews
October 23, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Opeth – The Last Will & Testament

It’s been quite a while since I have been genuinely excited for a new Opeth album! Don’t get me wrong, Sorceress and In Cauda Venenum had their moments, but I’m an old school Opeth fan, I could put on Blackwater Park, Damnation or Deliverance any time! Well, get excited because the latest album The Last Will & Testament is here and it has that special something that the older fans have been wanting back in the mix for years, the death growl! That’s right, Mikael is screaming once again!

This album is a concept piece, about a gentleman from the post-World War I era, who’s last will and testament is being read to his children and an adopted orphan. I have only read a few of the track lyrics, what has been released so far, and Opeth tells a story well. I am eager to read the rest of the album, or I will just have it on repeat and figure it out as I go, you know, like the old days before The Google! Right from the opening note of Section 1 to the closing note of the epilogue titled, A Story Never Told, you know this is an Opeth album, you know this is a good Opeth album, it has the familiar production and album sound as well as that unbelievable atmosphere that you know they can create.

The biggest change for the band and this album is the addition of Walt Varynen, previously of Paradise Lost and Bodom After Midnight, which is a couple of incredible bands to have on your resume. This is his first album with Opeth and yet, it sounds like he has been writing with them for years, the change blends in seamlessly, it’s incredible.

The album kicks off with Section 1, which immediately sets the tone with some classic Opeth riffs, dark intricate and moody, reminiscent of the older albums. It’s the perfect way to ease the listener into the experience, blending nostalgia and a new perspective, which will hopefully bring some of the pre-Heritage fans back on board. Mikael Akerfeldt’s vocals are always a highlight for me, and he is in fine form, the death growl, which every fan has been crying for returning and having it sound as good as ever! This is what you want!

This is Opeth’s 14th album, and speaking earlier of a nostalgic feel, it has that Opeth sound of playing between the light and the dark. The transitions from growling, heavy sections to the delicate, acoustic driven sounds are flawless, it reminds me of Ghost Reveries. Section 2 has this riff that is a straight-up, four-to-the-floor, hard rock riff that feels like it could be played for days without ever getting old. It’s a masterclass in dynamic songwriting, something Opeth has always excelled at.

Listening to The Last Will & Testament is like reconnecting with an old friend, maybe not one from your distant past like Blackwater Park, but more like someone from the Ghost Reveries or Watershed era. The album has that same comfortable familiarity, full of twists and turns, but never predictable. Opeth has always been a band that rewards patience, and this album is no different. Each listen I found new layers and new intricacies to appreciate.

The Last Will & Testament is a remarkable return to form for Opeth. It has the perfect balance between their progressive edge and the heavier elements that defined their earlier work. It may not be Deliverance or Blackwater Park, but it will be interesting to see where fans put this album against the rest. For long-time fans, this album feels like the one we’ve been waiting for. For newer listeners, it offers an excellent entry point into the world of Opeth, a world filled with darkness, light, and everything in between.

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Gig ReviewsReviews
October 1, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Review] Cradle of Filth @Northcote Theatre 27/09/2024

It’s been 5 years since Cradle of Filth have haunted these shores, playing their Cruelty and the Beast album in its entirety. The Australian Invasion 2024 tour has nearly sold out across Australia showing how much we love the Filth! Cradle of Filth have sold out 170 Russell the last couple of times and on this tour they are playing at Northcote Theatre, which is a 500 person increase in capacity and it still sold out! This would be my 4th time to the venue, and I decided to change it up and stand upstairs this time around to see if the sound is better or worse, I was not disappointed.

Northcote Theatre fills up quickly, it is already half full at 7:20 when locals Hybrid Nightmares take to the stage. This is the bands 3rd time in supporting Cradle of Filth, having had the chance to tour with them previously, I’ve seen these guys around the scene since they first started and it’s unreal seeing bands hard work pay off. Bringing in their A game tonight for a sold-out show, Hybrid Nightmare’s melodic black metal sound gets the crowd moving and headbanging within their 25-minute time slot, they play phenomenally, and the outfits tonight are on the simplistic approach, as opposed to previous years that I have seen them. It is quite clear that Cradle of Filth are an influence on these guys when it comes to stage performance. It’s always good seeing bands that put effort into their stage craft as well as their music, even if it as simple as wearing uniform colours.

This is Infected Rain’s first time in Australia, playing on a near sold out tour, where you would want to make sure you come in hot and make a great first impression, WELL GODDAMN! Did they ever!? Straight off the bat, they sound great, with heavy groove laden guitars and some electro backing tracks. Lena takes the stage, and everyone stops to watch and listen to her first scream, what a wicked voice! After the first song, a guy yells “WILL YOU MARRY ME PLEASE!?” the crowd laugh and Lena just smiles, laughs, and kicks on, showing that she can take the heckling and then also have the ability to carry the stage talk when tech issues happen after the second or third song, “There’s a problem in the kitchen!”. It is an important skill when being a front person for a band, you need to be able to make chat and you also need to be able to keep it from getting weird and awkward, Lena clearly has no issues in that area. Once they get over the tech issue and the songs are rolling, Infected Rain have the room at their control, bodies are moving, heads are banging, Lena commands and Melbourne responds. The band have an amazing energy, the guitarist is constantly throwing himself about and putting his whole body into his performance, the bassist plays incredibly well, just sitting in the pocket of the songs and creates the perfect heaviness, she then takes center stage at one point and has a little bass melody, as a fellow bassist, I appreciate this moment!  At the end of their set, a massive circle pit opens, it’s a great view from above, and it’s probably the biggest one I’ve seen in this venue, taking up nearly the entire floor. For a first time in Australia, I think they were convinced to come back, I have definitely been convinced to catch them again!

I don’t think I have missed a Cradle of Filth tour for the last decade, since turning the Godspeed on the Devils Thunder tour, they are one band that I have consistently made an effort to see live each time they come to Australia, I think I have even done Silver Tiger Media’s live review the last 3 times! I really enjoy Cradle of Filth! The intro to Existence is Futile begins and the crowd go nuts, Zoe Federoff, the latest female vocalist/piano player comes in with her intro note held beautifully and the band kick into Existential Terror. From the upstairs section, the sound is coming through reasonably clear but from the looks of things Dani, is not overly happy with what is coming through his inner ear monitors, there is a quick word with the stage sound tech before kicking into Saffron’s Curse and She is Fire but I don’t know what it is for Him, but he seemed bothered by something. The band are playing tight as always, the leads and twin melodies are cutting through mix as expected but we hit Dusk and her Embrace and something jumps, whether a guitar paused too soon or not soon enough, but something was amiss, but the band recovered so quickly, it was impressive, which is why I wanted to mention it. Yes, bands can play flawlessly and it’s always a good time but for me, after seeing them so many times and probably never seeing a mistake, not that I’m calling this instance a mistake, but seeing how a band you idolize handles a slight on stage and then recover so quickly is remarkable. Cradle of Filth write amazing music, they play incredibly well, and they handle situations with ease. It happened, they recovered, to anyone else, probably not even noticed, but to me, someone who has seen them play a fair bit now, and literally taking dot points on their performance, I thought THAT fact was incredible.

Dani’s stage banter is always a good laugh, he always has some Aussie joke, this time it was a comment about illicit crimes, something that we (Aussie’s) would know all about. He then also made the comment while introducing Necromantic Fantasies “This is a newer one, all you old school fans can go to the bar now, I saw you walking”. The encore kicks in with A Bruise Upon The Silent Moon, which is the intro to probably one of my favourite Cradle of Filth albums, Damnation and a Day, I get super excited to finally hear something off this album and the band kick into Promise of Fever! It was unreal! Finishing up their set with Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids, Her Ghost in the Fog and of course, From the Cradle to Enslave, the crowd are relentless, you can’t help but move around and bang your head to theses songs! When those keys kick in for …Cradle to Enslave, you just get this energy!

Even after years of seeing Cradle of Filth live, they still don’t disappoint, I notice something a little different each time I see them, but I have never left disappointed! I left the show, thinking I will be heading back upstairs for gigs at the Northcote Theatre, it’s a good view and great sound. Also I will go and find another Hybrid Nightmare show, go check out Infected Rain’s back catalog, whilst also remembering how Cradle of Filth have lasted this long in the business. They are damn good at what they do!

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Gig ReviewsReviews
September 3, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Review] Amaranthe @ Northcote Theatre Melbourne, 31/08/2024

I have been waiting for this night for a very long time. I first listened to Amaranthe when a friend of mine told me to go and put on The Nexus album way back in 2013 and after 11 years and 5 albums later, they have finally come to Australia!

Amaranthe may have arrived in Melbourne on a miserable cold, windy and no sun kind of day, but that doesn’t deter any fans from showing up early to get in line and wait for a night of singing some incredibly catchy songs and I’m sure there are plenty of people who have been waiting as long as I have for this night to come about. You can’t get a warmer welcome than adoring Aussie fans, right?

Once inside Northcote Theatre, I move straight to the usual spot, right in front of the mixing desk, it’s usually where I find the best mix, where I start to look around and see a line forming at the side of the venue, then suddenly it cuts across the dance floor, mosh pit, middle of the room area and wonder what the hell this is about, then realise, that’s the freaking merch line! I don’t think I’ve seen the line come out like that before in this venue, mind you, I have only been here 3 times before now and this is Amaranthe’s first Australian tour, so, I guess that is fair, but still a welcome surprise.

With a sudden jump start of drum and bass intro music, right smack bang on the 8pm start time, most of the crowd jumped in shock as The Last Martyr walked out on stage. Melbourne local, female fronted metalcore with drum and bass/electro backings, The Last Martyr were a great choice for opening up the night, bringing their A game with plenty of movement, crowd involvement and a tightly played set, although it did take me a song to realise they did actually have a live drummer playing, I could hear an incredibly well mixed drum sound and thought that it must have been part of the electro backing tracks but then, neatly packed away to the side of the stage, there they were sitting, absolutely killing it. The Last Martyr weren’t here to muck around though, they were smashing out songs consistently, with minimal stage banter, even throwing in a great cover of Bombfunk MC’s Freestyler and having a guest vocalist appear from nowhere to add an extra element to one of their tracks. I think the guest vocalist completely smashed it and played his part in their set quite well. (Guest vocalist may or may not have been a certain STM review writer’s younger brother, definitely not a biased opinion).

The lights go down, and a spoken word intro comes on speaking of control, freeing your mind, AI, the general themes these days within the world and most of Amaranthe’s tracks. The opening notes to Fearless are played and the crowd instantly goes nuts. Unfortunately for Australia, Mikael Sehlin, their heavy vocalist had to step off the tour due to personal reasons but Samy Elbanna, who has filled in the part on previous tours is here with them tonight, who holds his own quite well. Elize Ryd was hard to hear to start with during the set but then I also noticed a fair amount of delay being added to her vocals, which then muddied her up a little. Nils Molin sounded absolutely incredible, that guy can sing! Amaranthe smashed out 19 songs in their 90-minute set tonight! That’s some hard work, and quite a selection in songs from their back catalogue. They cover something off all their albums, picking the singles of the era’s.

Finally seeing and hearing these songs played live was an incredible feeling and the band were so energetic. Constantly moving around the stage, jumping up on stage boxes, noticing that they do have a great system in place where whoever is singing has the main center stage, so there is constant movement and each singer gets the limelight, that’s what you call teamwork. Coming into Boomerang, Elize and Nils were standing on opposite sides of the stage tossing a literal boomerang to each other in their sections. Elize took the laydown, couch singer style approach for Crystalline, Nils and Elize do a great back and forth on stage with Strong, which Amaranthe had a guest female vocalist do the recording, but I did enjoy the male counterpart in that song as well.

Amaranthe come back out to an encore of Archangel, That Song and ending on Drop Dead Cynical, with a track like That Song being in there, the crowd completely took over with the drum beat and clapping along, to which the band then dropped in some lyrics to We Will Rock You, they definitely gave the crowd their monies worth in involvement and entertainment. With songs like these where they are pop metal, written with catchy lyrics and melodies so that they will get stuck in your head for days on end, the crowd did their part for the night and were walking out with minimal voices after singing and screaming along all night, me included.

Judging by the grins on Amaranthe’s faces by the end of the set, I would say that it was a successful and long overdue first tour of Australia. I would suggest they already have plans of keeping Australia amongst their touring locations. I would definitely go again.

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Album ReviewReviews
August 22, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Orpheus Omega – Emberglow

I have been listening to Orpheus Omega for about 9 years now, since the release of Partum Vita Mortem back in 2015, and like a fine wine, this band just gets better with age! Meet Emberglow, the 5th album from Orpheus Omega and yet again, this is one that just gets better each time you hear it, each time I’ve put it on, I’ve found another reason to enjoy it!

From start to finish this album will have you headbanging and singing along, it is chocked full of killer riffs and catchy as hell chorus melodies, like we have come to expect anything less from this band. There are so many songs on this album that I can’t wait to hear live!

I could probably name all the tracks on the album as to which ones I would like to see played live but tracks like We Were Kings, Emberglow, which I think has been played live before the release of the album and Atomizer are going to be incredible. They have the energy and bounciness in the songs that will get a crowd going nuts, but for me, I would love to see the tracks Destiny Machine and Marionette live, they would probably be harder to pull off just for the vocal efforts required.

Which brings me to the most impressive feature of this album, Chris Themelco’s vocals. He has stepped up to the ring and come in swinging, hard! This album has so many different styles and voices on it that I wasn’t even sure if it was the one person! It is incredibly well done. If you have a listen to the tracks Destiny Machine and Marionette, he has some crisp clean vocals that then tear into his harsh melodeath style, which have only become better over each album recording, in my opinion, it sounds effortless to the listener, but I’m sure it’s not on the singer. Destiny Machine has a Matt Heafy vocal influence, not because of the sound of the vocals themselves but more for the experimentation of the vocals, Chris is showcasing what I’m guessing is his full range of his capabilities here. Throughout this album, you can hear how Orpheus Omega have been experimenting with their song arrangements. This is something that every band should do, it shows that you want to improve and become diverse in your overall sound as a band, in Emberglow’s case, Orpheus Omega have nailed it!

The title track of this album, Emberglow, definitely brings in the Children of Bodom influence, the riff and arrangement sound like it could slide into one of the later COB albums quite well. This track was very Children of Bodom meets Trivium, if Heafy featured on something that Alexi Laiho (RIP You legend) wrote the music to! Which I’m shattered now that I’m writing this, sounds absolute killer and not a real thing BUT we do have this album, which is pretty damn close!

Emberglow is everything we have come to know and expect from an Orpheus Omega album whilst also experimenting and evolving their song writing and sound. If the Gothenburg Scene Melodeath is your jam and if you haven’t caught them live, go and do yourself a favour, chuck this album on, and any of the past albums that matter, I still love Partum Vita Mortum then go and catch them live, this band does not disappoint.

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Album ReviewReviews
August 10, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Dog – Self Titled

How good is finding incredible bands in your own local underground scene? That is where you find musicians writing for the love of playing and a passion for art, you find the people that just write songs cause that’s what they are feeling, and you can’t find a band around with more feel in their riffs than Bendigo’s, Dog.

Meet Dog, stoner desert sludge groove metal rock, and probably some more adjectives, I don’t know exactly what it is labeled but goddamn, these 6 tracks on their first self-titled album took me on an audial journey that I didn’t even realise was coming. From start to finish, its heavy, rhythmic droning arrangements kept me hypnotized and then the next thing I knew, it was over, and of course I had to start it again, what else was a man to do? The riffs throughout each track repeat but I never found that I got bored or tired of hearing them, the changing of the drum patterns under each riff progression keep the listener engaged and interested to hear the next.

Dog is straight from the underground; its rough, its raw, its ambient, if you are after some sort of clean-cut rock/metal album, this probably won’t be for you but if you are into the likes of Clutch style riffs, Orange Goblin heavy sludge tones and plenty of reverb in your vocals, then look no further, this is what you need.

This album is stacked full of sludgy, fuzz driven tracks that take a life of their own. These songs sound completely natural, like they recorded a jam session that just happened out of the blue. Their engineer has done well to keep the ambience alive in recording these tracks, with so many little melodies sprinkled throughout that add to the feel still being caught in the mix, it’s kept the live organic sound but with a nicely cleaned edge to bring this album together.

If you are going to only give one song a listen off this short album, make it Like Embers. This track sums up’ Dog s sound nicely, it has all the elements of every other song, but brings the tempo up a bit in comparison. The vocal style of Like Embers sounds like he is singing in pain, he adds an extra bit of grit to his voice, they also add a nice little tremolo style guitar solo into the mix for good measure. My favourite part of Dog’s overall sound would be their bass, it has this filthy fuzz driven sound that holds everything together, not that I’m biased towards the bass, but this is a killer bass tone! Bassists take note!

I enjoy finding underground albums, they feel like they have a life of their own. They sound original, fresh, you can hear the heart of the musicians. That’s what you will find in Dog, these guys are just playing to what they feel, the riffs repeats, the melodies soar, and the drums will hold you there in the moment, It’s all in the feeling.

Take a chance on the underground, you never know what you may find once you start looking into it, while there could be a lot of hard listens in your local scene, you can come across something different and standout, like Dog.

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Album ReviewReviews
May 30, 2024
Midnite Mitch

[Album Review] Munitions – Remote Death

Melbourne Death Metallers, Munitions are back to take heads with their second EP, Remote Death, bringing back their neck breaking riffs and showing us that they have what it takes to back up a solid first EP, Black Winds.

In the two years since Black Winds was released, Munitions have been busy getting in some incredible milestones, already nailing their first international support slots, tearing up the local metal scene, then somehow also finding the time to get a brand-new EP written and recorded.

Second releases can be a tricky thing, you need to be able to back up, improve or at the very least, keep the same level of creativity/intensity as your first. Some bands can’t pull it off but goddamn, Munitions improve on all aspects that Black Wind originally gave us. Building off those already solid foundations, the sound of this EP is probably the biggest change that hits your ears first. Once again using their local recording studio, Dangertones, in Melbourne, they have captured everything perfectly and its incredibly well mixed. Anyone who follows the local Melbourne scene would have heard some of Dangertones previous album works and should investigate working with them.

These new songs are like sharpening a blade, they already have the weapon, the skills to wield it, now they are just making it a more efficient killer and that’s what these songs are, killer! This time around with the release they have filmed a video clip for the song Trapped, check it out on YouTube. The standout track for me was Manufactured Demise, I had it on repeat, I couldn’t stop. This song has dynamics, well written guitar solos, an excellent tremolo riff that then drops into the slower chunk version of the riff and you just get that headbanging feeling with a stank face, you know that face you get when you hear a riff and you just know that you’ve heard something incredible, yeah, THAT face.

If you’re into film clips and visuals, Trapped is the first track here with a film clip of the gents blasting it out. Great track to pick for a film clip and seeing the guys do what they do best. The second single released here before the rest drop is …And This Is How You Die, this is everything you want in an introduction of the band, heavy, groovy, tasty and well played. If you haven’t listened to Munitions before, go and put this track on, listen, then get excited for Remote Death’s release!

This is another incredible effort from a band that has not been around the scene for very long, mind you, if you look at the line up from this band, they are all scene veterans. They know what they are doing and there is no stopping them now that they are on a roll. This is definitely a band to watch out for!

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