![[ALBUM REVIEW] THE BAND CAMINO - ‘NEVERALWAYS’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1757060143795-7BY44YWDEIWC5UI7SKIP/NeverAlways_OfficialArtwork.jpg)
[ALBUM REVIEW] THE BAND CAMINO - ‘NEVERALWAYS’ LP.
The Band Camino’s 2025 album 'Neveralways' is a compelling blend of introspective lyricism and vibrant indie rock energy.
![[Review] CONDITION CRITICAL (US) - ‘Degeneration Chamber’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1756727114789-G3WTTOT9PZRUBSQZZD2C/conditioncritical.jpeg)
[Review] CONDITION CRITICAL (US) - ‘Degeneration Chamber’ LP.
[Album Review: Condition Critical - Degeneration Chamber]. Nope, not even inclement weather, power outages or a dead first draft can keep this thrasher down! See here for latest review from ISC host Brady, exploring a ripping, technical affair via these independent New Jersey modern-thrash upstarts. One for the thrashers and mosh-fiends, Degeneration Chamber drops Sept 5th, 2025.
![[Gig Review] THE DILLINGER Escape Plan @ Northcote Theatre Melbourne (AU), 13.08.25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1755267466021-XP4KMF4OESQ00R2JNUY1/The+Dillinger+Escape+Plan++-+Northcote+Theatre+130825-33.jpg)
[Gig Review] THE DILLINGER Escape Plan @ Northcote Theatre Melbourne (AU), 13.08.25.
[Gig Reviews]: Truly a special blessing and an honour for Inner-Strength Check! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I was joined on Wednesday, 13th August to witness The Dillinger Escape Plan’s final Australian procession in Melbourne, with a Calculating Infinity-centric set helmed by original vocalist Dimitri Minakakis! TDEP were joined by fantastic hip-hop punk/electro-heads Ho99o9 to make up one amazing evening!
![[Review] BRUXIST - Self-Titled LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1754304102969-V3R54P1Q173U416RCJZJ/548669.jpg)
[Review] BRUXIST - Self-Titled LP.
It’s been a minute between album reviews from your podcast host, and I’m glad I settled on this pick! Comprised of several Aussie underground veterans, Bruxist brings you a cleverly devilish mix of crust, d-beat, Swedish buzzsaw/riffage and even a healthy drop of Norwegian blackened darkness. Read on for full review, and be sure to support the latest self-titled LP via links, courtesy of Gutter Prince Cabal.
![[REVIEW] RISE AGAINST – ‘RICOCHET’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1753607276427-I1W8CUFI0V8XA7SCO05Z/RiseAgainst_Ricochet_Digital+Cover.jpg)
[REVIEW] RISE AGAINST – ‘RICOCHET’ LP.
Rise Against unleash a barrage of musical artillery that mostly hits the mark on their tenth album in 25 years, 'Ricochet'.
![[GIG REVIEW] ATREYU + MEMPHIS MAY FIRE w/ FUTURE STATIC @ Northcote Theatre 12.07.25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1752573366691-532RCO91RVC4PDON71WB/Atreyu+11+Super+clear+pic+2.jpg)
[GIG REVIEW] ATREYU + MEMPHIS MAY FIRE w/ FUTURE STATIC @ Northcote Theatre 12.07.25.
Atreyu, Memphis May Fire and Future Static played a sold out show to a satiated Melbourne crowd at Northcote Theatre.
![[Gig Review] TESTAMENT w/ HIDDEN INTENT @ Northcote Theatre, Melb (AU), 21.06.25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1750680260952-RCYEO323PBEMSPXPW7UN/Testament+-+Northcote+Theatre+210625-25.jpg)
[Gig Review] TESTAMENT w/ HIDDEN INTENT @ Northcote Theatre, Melb (AU), 21.06.25.
Eleven long, thrash-gig-filled years of our lives. And yet, Testament nonchalantly pop in from across the pond and, alongside local thrash-units Hidden Intent, completely lay waste to everyone since @ Northcote Theatre, Melbourne (AU) on Saturday, 21st June. Care of The Phoenix.au, Metropolis Touring NT staff, touring crew, and Richie Black Photography. Cheers.
![[Gig Review] CHURCH OF CROW - DOOM FESTIVAL III @ Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (IT), 02.05.25 (Part II).](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1750247731340-1S29AABC8HKRGVPU1EB3/20250503_2246392.jpg)
[Gig Review] CHURCH OF CROW - DOOM FESTIVAL III @ Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (IT), 02.05.25 (Part II).
Featured Image: Dean. Well, we’re back on the second day of posting our doom-aficionado’s apex Italia journey into metal’s logical conclusion - a two-day festival in a regional Italian church! Featuring: Gli Alberi, Nero Kane, Dead Chasm, In Autumn, The Rite, Hands of Orlac, Epitaph & Abysmal Dawn. To quote the guy hung upside down for a long time in Life of Brian: “You lucky, lucky bastard!”.
![[REVIEW] STANDOVER (NZ) - ‘…When A Clenched Fist Is No Longer An Option’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1750217029840-N0IZ2R9ST4GG7IJXL4O5/475770143_593864023804155_607402825164242248_n.jpg)
[REVIEW] STANDOVER (NZ) - ‘…When A Clenched Fist Is No Longer An Option’ LP.
I’m physically exhaling with relief, as a pseudo-intellectual, pretentious dude (aka, every metalhead, ever). Taking a break from endless pontification and metaphor-heavy meandering BS, I’m smacked upside the jaw by some stress-tested, tried-and-true metallic hardcore in the classic late-90’s/early-aughts vein by New Zealand’s Standover and latest bruiser ‘…when a clenched fist is no longer an option’. I’m all for musically being smacked upside the head with good ‘core. Let’s go.
![[GIG REVIEW] CHURCH OF CROW - DOOM FESTIVAL III @ Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (IT), 02.05.25 (Part I).](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1750172695629-LOYJV0I2BHL6T2XKPB32/crownihiliom.jpg)
[GIG REVIEW] CHURCH OF CROW - DOOM FESTIVAL III @ Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (IT), 02.05.25 (Part I).
(Featured Image credit: Ombeline Cannele). Man’s gone and done it again, tut-tut! ‘Least esteemed dooms-man Dean left it ‘til after his holiday to get this onto the desk. But, speaking of holidays, our bearded adventurer has wandered into a small church in Italy on his travels, where he experienced multiple days of doom-metal glory in an iconic, intimate setting. Yep, here’s Part 1 of his Church of the Crow Doom Metal Festival III coverage - we’ll have Part II out tomorrow!
![[Gig Review] ATHEIST + Supports, Leadbeater Hotel (Melb, AU), 08.06.25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1749481348294-L9LKWPNDY9XSLNQRGBCG/27.jpg)
[Gig Review] ATHEIST + Supports, Leadbeater Hotel (Melb, AU), 08.06.25.
How many words/which words can be used to describe a night of musical perfection? A night 35+ years in the making, featuring one of the most important and influential bands in extreme metal via Atheist? Supported by Australian death-metal legends Alarum, Vexation and Anoxia?! No idea, but for the best-guess attempt & some stellar images by Jason Vidic (of Vidic Images), check out our gig review.
![[Review] BRUTEFEST 2025 @ The Tote Hotel, Melbourne (AU), 17.05.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1747729637246-RNRKHQTNPROJWMK6SSTZ/Stalker+-+Brutefest+2025-36.jpg)
[Review] BRUTEFEST 2025 @ The Tote Hotel, Melbourne (AU), 17.05.
Brutal Truth have an album titled Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses, yeah? Well, extremely-stacked extreme-metal lineups demand extreme reviews!
Check here for our written/photographic coverage of Brutefest 2025 at The Tote in Collingwood, Melbourne (AU) 17.05, feat: Burnout, Mortuary Sickness, Black Jesus, Sufferance, Resistance, Vexation, Choof, Pizza Death and co-headliners Abigail (JP) & Stalker (NZ)!
![[GIG REVIEW] From The Archive: DIRECT UNDERGROUND FEST, Max Watt’s Melb (AU) 07.09.2019.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1746433797817-EV52PXEC9PW1EW3XH8FS/darkfuneral.png)
[GIG REVIEW] From The Archive: DIRECT UNDERGROUND FEST, Max Watt’s Melb (AU) 07.09.2019.
First of several Music Mondays articles for this week is a prior review exhumed from the Overdrive Music Magazine archive (many thanks to Seb Graham for consent to do so)! It also appeared on our own now-defunct website, but it’s back again! Necromancy! Speaking of, check out Brady’s review of Direct Underground Fest 2019 - feat. Dark Funeral, Immolation, Reaper, Abramelin and Christ Dismembered. Blastbeats are eternal.
![[REVIEW] MACHINE HEAD - ‘UNATØNED’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1746349356885-29627CIH7I53OBORL89V/image003.jpg)
[REVIEW] MACHINE HEAD - ‘UNATØNED’ LP.
Time for our latest album review here at Inner-Strength Check! Today, we take a detour from Australian election shenanigans to bring something decidedly less chaotic/painful to your sensory organs. Pod host Brady provides thoughts on Machine Head’s 11th studio opus, UNATØNED, released April 25th via Nuclear Blast Records. Check link for review plus single streaming, album order, artist/label links and more!
![[Gig Review] NERVOSA & Supports @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, 19.04.2025.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1745495168713-BNP4RWCSGUFHT5HWO2SZ/Nervosa+-+The+Northcote+Social+Club+190425-36.jpg)
[Gig Review] NERVOSA & Supports @ Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, 19.04.2025.
‘Girls Rock’, huh? Nah, man. If Saturday’s outright devastation of the Northcote Social Club Melbourne by Brazilian death-thrashers Nervosa (with breakneck local supports Resistance and Mason) is anything to go by - girls THRASH. Check out our review and photography coverage of a truly blistering, fun and frantic night of riffs via the link.
![[Review] TRIA PRIMA - ‘Three Primes of Alchemy’ EP](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1744537676910-R5DJ3MYY38SGAE78CMVP/triaprimaband2.jpg)
[Review] TRIA PRIMA - ‘Three Primes of Alchemy’ EP
The lost arts of alchemy foretold the ability to meld metal, matter, elements and more in a carefully-prepared concoction. We can say much the same of Ukraine’s Tria Prima, whose Three Primes of Alchemy EP is combed over by fellow ISC staffer and honestly-probably-a-wizard-IRL, Dean. Check out the review, with further artist/album links available as well! Slava Ukraini.
![[Review] Drudkh - ‘Shadow Play’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1744445473350-1XVJDCWUYG089UY2MTQP/p5k9tajoj0qe1.jpeg)
[Review] Drudkh - ‘Shadow Play’ LP.
Ukrainian atmospheric black metal veterans Drudkh offer their latest musical outing to the world, Shadow Play, released on March 21st via label Season of Mist. Check out ISC staffer Dean’s comprehensive review of this sojourn into their latest darkly aesthetic offering, as well as full-album and single streams, artist/label/album order links and more.
![[Archive Review] Brian Campeau - ‘Old Dog, New Tricks’ LP (19.07.18)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1744095660954-S8PS8WG9AR1IL2YY1MXF/From+The+Vault+%231+Brian+Campeau+-+Old+Dogs%2C+New+Tricks+LP.png)
[Archive Review] Brian Campeau - ‘Old Dog, New Tricks’ LP (19.07.18)
Reposted from the sadly now-defunct Overdrive Music Magazine, with permission from owner Sebastian Graham. Check out ISC staffer Hamza’s prior review from 2018 of an interesting fork from our usual - Australian folk/indie acoustic singer-songwriter Brian Campeau’s 2018 LP Old Dogs, New Tricks! Link also contains artist/label socials, as well as a little intro preamble from your host, Brady. More treasures from the vault to be posted across 2025! Thanks again to label Art as Catharsis.
![[ALBUM REVIEW] THORNHILL - ‘BODIES’ LP. ](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1743674857885-VGRV3BJ95E9WWOKN5JDA/THORNHILL-BODIES-3000X3000.jpg)
[ALBUM REVIEW] THORNHILL - ‘BODIES’ LP.
If you missed Thornhill’s recent Bodies album preview shows and can’t wait to hear the LP, here is your chance to familiarise yourself with this first-class metalcore creation, the night before its official release.
![[GIG REVIEW]: GHOSTSMOKER + Supports @ The Bendigo Hotel, 29.03.25.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1743590066945-0ZAAM6895AYSBIOAY2U8/DSCF2051.jpg)
[GIG REVIEW]: GHOSTSMOKER + Supports @ The Bendigo Hotel, 29.03.25.
Brutal Truth once titled an album titled Extreme Conditions Demand Extreme Responses. I couldn’t think of a more fitting analogue to Dean’s review! Leviathan Gigs Demand Leviathan Content, and this here review is stacked floor to ceiling with the finest detail regarding Ghostsmoker’s devastating headliner show on Sat 29th March @ The Bendigo Hotel, Melbourne. No expense has been spared for supports Bentham’s Head, Mammon’s Throne or AGLO, either! [Featured Image Credit: Rajesh Kotian aka Raj of Blackened Lights Photography].