[GIG REVIEW] SYLOSIS + ANGELMAKER @ MAX WATTS, MELBOURNE 14.02.25
Returning for some outright decimation of Australia’s capitals for the first time since 2013, progressive modern thrash metal titans Sylosis demonstrated to Melbourne’s eager audiences that not one iota of energy or musical talent has atrophied since. On Valentine’s Day, to boot! Check the link for gig review written by Mal, as well as recants of Angelmaker’s crushing set, plus stellar, crisp pics courtesy of Jason Vidic (Vidic Images)!
[Heavy News] MESHUGGAH Announce ‘Immutable - The Indelible Edition’ LP, Unveil Music Video for ‘Ligature Marks’
Meshuggah. An ever-dependable, technical and progressive metal powerhouse, who’ve endured genre-trends and rejected tradition for decades now. They’ve just released a work-up/bonus-features-packed Indelible Edition of previous LP The Immutable, with digipak, vinyl and other versions available. Check the link for order details, album bio and link to music clip for reworked single in ‘Ligature Marks’. Hail to the Kings.
[Tabletop Thursdays] 13.02.24, Part 1: Elodie’s First Kickstarter in ‘BRASS RPG’ for Steve Dee’s ‘The World WEll’.
What an incredible team I have, eh? You may recall that a few weeks back, resident RPG-design and visual-arts expert, Elodie, announced an upcoming Kickstarter campaign launch alongside the accredited and prolific Sydney-based games designer Steve Dee. Her contribution being, the very rad mecha-RPG BRASS, alongside Steve’s ‘The World Well’, and an additional title in Un-leashed. Beta playtest article with feedback from me, your host Brady, also coming soon! So yes, I can confirm in advance - it DOES rock. Support the indie RPG scene!
[Review] - Newest ISC Staffer Dean Explores Saor’s ‘Amidst The Ruins’ LP.
On mutual agreement, latest staffer Dean and myself have agreed to let the words speak for themselves for his formal addition to the Inner-Strength Check Podcast canon. And what beautiful, evocative words they are indeed! Check the link for our newest staffers’ resplendent coverage of atmospheric folk/black metal act Saor’s latest LP, Amidst The Ruins. You can also find album order links, multiple recent singles, full album streams and much more. Another fantastic staff introductory piece, the first of many!
[Review] Into The Void - ‘Dysphoria’ LP.
Introducing our first piece of fresh content from new addition to the Inner-Strength Check team in Spiro (a.k.a The Hype Guy)! For his first piece, Spiro has elected to provide a great review of the 2024 album Dysphoria, by Michigan-based alternative-rock/nu-grunge outfit Into The Void. Check the link for the full review, album and singles links and more. As well, we’ve re-included an important appeal Spiro recent put out in support of Jampot Studios. Many thanks for an awesome review!
[Podcast] Ep. 35: Interview with BRETT CAMPBELL of PALLBEARER.
Renowned doom metal merchants PALLBEARER make their return to Australia in March 2025 for an electrifying tour promising to deliver their signature blend of haunting melodies and crushing riffs. Joining them on all dates will be special guests UK doom metal titans CONAN. I was fortunate enough to catch up with vocalist/guitarist Brett Campbell earlier today. Check the link for full video interview, Spotify/alternative podcast platform audio-only versions, ticket links, tour dates and more!
[Heavy News] SYLOSIS Set To Lay Waste To Australian Crowds - Tour Kicks Off!
Sylosis have just dropped onto our shores and are ready to spread modern thrash-metal havoc across Australian shores from today onwards! Check the link for tour dates, ticket links, background info on artist/recent singles and links for same in the scorchers ‘Deadwood’, ‘Servitude’ and ‘The Path’. Their first time here since 2013, we can personally vouch for an energetic and grandiose show. Get amongst it!
[Heavy News] Australian doom outfit Ghostsmoker drop sludge-ridden new single ‘Elogium’.
The hypnotic hypnotic dirge and dense atmosphere of ‘ Elogium’ shows why they are one of the finest sludge and doom bands in Australia today. The Melbourne-based doom-peddlers have crawled up from abyssal depths to spew forth a fine pile of well-crafted gristle. Yes, that’s possible. Don’t believe me? Click the link to listen to the stream direct, stream/download new single, check Melb/Syd tour dates and pre-order Inertia Cult, which drops March 21st, via Art as Catharsis records.
[Heavy News] BENEDICTION Release Video For New Single, Engines Of War +Album Pre-Order For RAVAGE OF EMPIRES Commences
For Music Mondays, straight from the Heavy News desk: British death metal legends, BENEDICTION, have unleashed the first single from their upcoming new studio album, Ravage Of Empires,due to be released on April 4, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records. ‘ Ave a good peep at this one, guv’nor! There’s links to the single stream for ‘Engines of War’ + upcoming LP. Righto cobber, get your brutal on, innit!
[Heavy News] LORDI take fans on a nostalgic trip with lyric video for new single 'Retropolis'
Finland’s Lordi have been bringing the glammed-up horror-themed heavy metal and hard to international audiences for decades now. From the Heavy News desk for Music Mondays here at ISC comes the anthemic single ‘Retropolis’, inspired by 80’s pop culture. Check out the post for link to single, full-album stream/order link re: upcoming LP Limited Deadition, album details/bio, artist bio/socials links and more!
[Archive Review] Nest - ‘Metempsychosis’ LP.
This post has been through the wringer! Originally posted to Overdrive Music Magazine in 2019 (many thanks to Sebastian for permission to repost) in my time as Senior Contributor, it then made it onto our old blog in December ‘24 - right as our previous website met its’ demise. This is one well worth revisiting, however, as Nest’s bludgeoning LP Metempsychosis is an abrasive, expansive sludge/death metal bruiser that clearly stood the test of time.
ISC Podcast, Ep. 34: [INTERVIEW] with OBSCURA frontman/Guitarist STEFFEN KUMMERER.
Originally posted on our now-defunct old website, dead as a doornail as of NYE 2024 (RIP) - check the link for both video and audio-only podcast formats re: Brady’s interview with Steffen Kummerer, frontman/guitarist of German progressive/technical death metal juggernaughts Obscura! Recorded on 22nd Dec ‘24, it’s an interesting exploration into the writing and process behind latest LP A Sonication, with additional artist/album bio, order links and much more within!
[Heavy News] ALCEST Release New Video For 'Amèthyste'
Renowned French post-black metal/shoegaze outfit Alcest have just dropped a lush new music video for the single ‘Amèthyste’ off their fantastic LP Les Chants De L'Aurore released June 2024. Peep the link to check out the new video, as well as artist links and additional statement from Neige around where they’re at. Enjoy the vibes!
[Heavy News] THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN Announce August 2025 Australian Tour
MASSIVE! Absolutely massive! The Dillinger Escape Plan return from their prior hiatus to provide you lucky Aussie heavy-music-enjoyers another final opportunity to see their incredible, intense live show on our shores one last time! This one cannot be missed.
[Fantasy Friday] Free League’s Dragonbane Two-For-One Kickstarter.
Featured/Blog Post Image Credits: Free League Publishing and associated artists (see within for details). Not content to just burp up an also-ran GPT-slop copy-paste of promo releases, I’ve added in some thoughts and commentary (plus contributor/creator links to separate projects) alongside this belated Tabletop Thursday/Dicey News re: new Dragonbane RPG double-hitter Kickstarter in Secrets of Luvataan/ Hardships of The Wilderness! Play this RPG to Conan.
[Heavy News] NERVOSA Announce First-Ever Aus Tour in ‘15 Years of Nervosa’
One of Brazil’s finest modern death-thrash exploits, Nervosa, are slated to tour Down Under for the first time! That’s going to be a ripping pit and a neck-injuring great time, especially as they’re celebrating 15 years of mayhem. Get the skinny on tickets (onsale this week, including VIP packages), tour dates, venues, latest singles, artist links and more right here! Get your thrash-mania on, ‘Straya.
[Interview]: with Tabletop Designer, Steve Dee
Steve Dee is one of Australia’s most prolific tabletop designers. I probed him about his upcoming Kickstarter project, The Worldwell, and his philosophies on design.
[Heavy News] XOTH Announces U.S. West Coast Tour, Launching April 4th!
Seattle (WA) - Death/thrash/black metal futurists, XOTH, are thrilled to announce their U.S. West Coast Tour, beginning on Friday, April 4th in Tacoma, WA, where the band will share the stage with the legendary 3 Inches of Blood. Along the way, XOTH will join forces with a host of killer bands, including Starcourt, Street Cleaner, and Upon Stone. Check the link for you lucky-ducks in the US - full tour dates and much more!
[Music Mondays] Mon 3rd Feb, 2025.
This week’s Music Monday contains more than you shake a stick at! Multiple recent Heavy News items - album releases! Recent Riffs (articles)! Reviews and more! Plus a whole swathe of updates from the equally-busy Musolegion community - more album reviews, gig reviews and several packed Musolegion Recommends pieces exploring bands from Iceland, Japan and Central Asia! Dig in, music-lovers.