[Heavy News] GATES TO HELL Announces New Album DEATH COMES TO ALL Out March 21st + New Single, 'Next To Bleed', Streaming Now + Available As 7-Inch Vinyl
The ground quakes, the surface fractures, and a colossal force rises from the abyss: GATES TO HELL have returned to deliver their undeniable truth—Death Comes to All. The Louisville natives charge onto the heavy music scene with their second full-length which will be released March 21st via Nuclear Blast Records. Check the link for initial single ‘First to Bleed’, preorder links, exclusive merch opportunities and more!
[Heavy News] BURNING WITCHES Announce May 2025 Debut Australian Tour
Swiss heavy/power-metal quintet Burning Witches bring their coven of traditional heavy metal witchery to Australian shores in 2025! Check the link for tour dates, latest single, artist links and more. For #musicmonday here at ISC, from the #heavynews desk.
[Archive/Riffs] Beer Factory, A.K.A. InnerStrengthCheck is Off to Froth!
Originally posted to our sadly dead-and-gone-unexpectedly old site (RIP 31.12.24), this is nonetheless still worth a read. It’s a pre-festival primer which includes a whole wealth of background on Adelaide itself, promoter/organiser Jason North, the venue/grounds, Indigenous Title of the First Nation of Kaurna Meyetta on which the grounds were situated, as well as a whole raft of additional context and info related to the festival itself. Our huge, extensive two-person review of Froth and Fury 2024 is available on the site and our podcast!
[Archive - Gig Review] CONAN + BELL WITCH, Max Watt's Melbourne, 08.11.2018
This was originally published on the now-defunct Overdrive Music Magazine during my time as Senior Contributor, whereby I attended this fantastic gig and reported back thoughts on the Melbourne leg of the 2018 Conan/Bell Witch tour. Thanks to Sebastian for permission to repost in both cases. Check out this retrospective from a great night - can you believe 2018 was that long ago already?!
[Riffs] I can't stop playing Doom.
Originally posted to our sadly now-defunct old website (RIP) late 2024, authored by fellow contributor Hamza. It’s a great little retrospective on his experiences in the video gaming space, particularly with one of the OG greats in DOOM. Check out some interesting thoughts and custom content he’s discovered via the community in this article. We have plenty more gaming content coming where this one came from, too - old and new.
[Archive] Review: Alithia - 'The Moon Has Fallen' LP.
Note: This review was originally posted on our now-defunct website (RIP), authored by fellow ISC contributor Hamza in 2024. Hamza provides a fantastic analysis of Melbourne-based progressive/post-rockers Alithia by way of The Moon Has Fallen LP. Check the link for the full review, album stream and more.
[Archive] Review of Februus’ 2024 LP, ‘Surveillance Orgy’.
Another archival review painfully extracted from the carcass of our old website (RIP). In this review, Hamza tackles something a little more on the heavier end of his metal-listening wheelhouse in progressive death metallers Februus and their 2024 album, Surveillance Orgy. The album is out now on Transcending Obscurity Records; check link for album stream, Bandcamp links and more!
[Archive] Review of Rat Lord’s 2024 LP, ‘Blazed In The Northern Sky’.
Another review exhumed from the archival corpse of our sadly now-defunct old website (RIP), check here for review and associated links for Norwegian crust-grinders Rat Lord and their brutish, fast and fun LP, Blazed In The Northern Sky. It’s quick, nasty, fun and full of snark. Well worth revisiting in 2025.
[Archive] Review of Hypergiant’s 2017 LP, ‘Father Sky’.
Originally posted on Overdrive Music Magazine in 2017 (now-defunct, RIP) and later posted to our also-now-defunct prior website (double-RIP), this is an archival review of progressive Australian post-metallers Hypergiant’s 2017 LP, Father Sky. It still holds up today, and this holds a special place for myself as the first official music-journo album review I ever wrote. Check the link for album Bandcamp links!
[ARCHIVE - REVIEW]: Phobia - ‘Generation Coward’ LP.
Another archival review from the carcass of our old and now-dead website (RIP). This is a review of Orange County, US grindcore nutters Phobia’s blistering Generation Coward LP. A caustic take on the cowardice of flamewars and online avarice, it’s an album still well worth checking out!
[Archive / Riffs]: RIP Dreare, or have a nice hiatus; here’s a very late, very loose review of "Foregone".
Originally posted on our now-defunct old website (RIP), authored by the venerable Hamza in what I, as your host, feel is one of his best pieces! (They’re all great BTW). Check the link for a review and retrospective of both the album Forgone as well as general musings of related band,Dreare. Some great post-rock word-smithing here; do check it out.
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep. 27: Interview with REECE of Australia’s DIPLOID.
Originally posted to our sadly now-defunct old website (RIP) in May of 2024. Diploid are one of Australia’s most interesting underground extreme metal acts, blending metallic hardcore, grind, noise, electronica, post-metal and much more into a fierce live show. I caught up with bassist/electronic noise-maker Reece about their most recent EP ‘Mantra’, touring prospects, band history and much more!
[Archive/Riffs]: Win: toe is coming.
Originally posted to our sadly now-defunct old website (RIP) by fellow author Hamza Siddiqi on June 12th, 2024. Hamza wrote a fantastic little retrospective/hype piece on critically lauded math/post-rockers toe ahead of their 2024 Australian tour with Dumbsaint. Be sure to check this one out; plenty more from my team’s older posts also incoming! Riff on.
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep. 26: From 2023 to 2024: A Review of Just About Everything, Pt I.
Featured Image Credit: @koniaowskyoceanrt on Instagram. Note: This is an archival repost, originally posted to our now-defunct prior website (RIP old site 22.03.2024, sniff). Check the link for a massive retrospective/prospective analysis of 2023 and into 2024 regarding mass burnout, occupational challenges, the socioeconomic and policy environment of mental health and wellbeing in 2023/2023 and my own lived experiences, hopes and challenges in the same regard.
[Archive] ISC Podcast, Ep. 25: Interview with TONY FORESTA, Vocalist of MUNICIPAL WASTE.
Note: This is an archival repost, brought back to life from the bones of our sadly now-defunct prior website (RIP). Check the link for both video and audio-only versions of the fun and insightful conversation with Tony Foresta, vocalist and frontman for thrashers Municipal Waste ahead of their 2024 tour of Australia. We also talk side projects, recording, musicianship and so much more!
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep. 24: Interview with SERENA CHERRY of UK Metal Crew SVALBARD.
Note: This is an archival repost, derived from the bones of our sadly now-defunct old website (RIP). Originally posted May 2024, check the link for a wonderful, fun and sincere interview with Sereena Cherry, frontwoman, vocalist and guitarist for the up-and-coming Bristol, UK metallers Svalbard. Check link for video and audio versions of what was a fantastic chat, as well as relevant album details, tour details, singles and more.
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep. 23 - Interview with MATT PIKE and COADY WILLIS of HIGH ON Fire.
Note: This is an archival repost, brought back to life from the bones of our sadly now-defunct prior website (RIP). Iconic U.S. rock band, High on Fire, released their newest LP, Cometh the Storm, on April 19 ‘24 via MNRK Heavy. I was fortunate to be able to interview both Matt Pike and Coady Willis of the band! We discuss Coady's arrival into the band, the songwriting, band dynamics as a power-trio and of course both international touring and the recording process.
#TabletopThursday, 16.01.25 - Of Orcs, Burnouts, Space Bar-Fights and Bedtime Monsters.
#TabletopThursday for16th Jan features: Rallyman Dirt, two elongated greentexts adventures about two orcs - one, a total d-bag, one based as hell. And some words on Starforged, collaborator Elodie’s latest happenings, some lore, and other stuff. It’s 2am, time to sign off after another great week of nerding out.
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep 22.: Interview with ANDREW CRAIGHAN, Guitarist of MY DYING BRIDE.
Note: This is an archival repost, originally posted to our now-defunct prior website (RIP old site 22.03.2024, sniff). Check the link for our March 2024 interview with Andrew Craighan, guitarist for perennial UK doom veterans My Dying Bride. We discuss the 2024-released LP among many other topics pertaining to musicianship and sustaining a career in the industry. It’s a sincere, earnest and fun conversation. Thanks again to Andrew and MDB!
Relevant podcast links and additional album/artist info also contained within this post.
[Archive] ISC Podcast Ep.21: Interview with KYLE THOMAS, Guitarist/Vocalist of EXHORDER.
Note: This is an archival repost, originally posted to our now-defunct prior website (RIP old site 31.12.2024, sniff). Check the link for our March 2024 interview with Kyle Thomas, frontman, singer and guitarist for veteran US thrash-metallers Exhorder. In the episode we cover a whole smorgasbord of topics - almost too many to mention! See also: artist links/bio details, a statement from the band regarding newest LP Defectum Omnium and more.