The latest heavy metal album reviews, including releases from '77, Cokegoat, Coven 13, Funeral Circle, Harsh Toke, Heart Of A Coward, Iron Mask, Lord Fist, Possession, Psalm Zero, Sandrider, Sons Of Huns, Storm King, Tad Morose, Theocracy, Tombstoned, Tothem, Varga and Wombbath. 

The ratings are on a 5 star scale.

'77 - 'Maximum Rock 'N Roll' (Listenable)

Genre: Hard Rock
’77 hearken back to the Bon Scott-era of AC/DC (the band’s name is a reference to the release of Let There Be Rock); and boy does this Spanish quartet rock out! When you hit "Down and Dirty," you feel as though you are in fact in 1977 and jamming alongside Angus Young’s European counterpart.

Vocally, if you grew tired of Brian Johnson as the front man of AC/DC you will enjoy the gruff delivery of vocalist Armand Valeta, who really captures the blues and balls that the later era of AC/DC post Back In Black really lacked. There have been a more than a few copycats of this style, but consider ’77 the best of this bunch and a very strong band in their own right.

Rating: 3.5
(Tom Campagna)

Cokegoat - 'Vessel' (Economy Of Motion)

Genre: Doom/Stoner Metal
The Chicago six-piece band Cokegoat generate a wall of sound on their debut album Vessel. They have three guitarists supplying the riffage, and three different vocalists, which adds variety.

Their music is death-tinged stoner/doom metal. They vary the pace from glacial to frantic, constantly changing things up. Even though the songs are fairly short they leave plenty of room for instrumental breaks and solos. There are a few lulls, but Cokegoat provide a different twist on the genre.

Rating: 3.5
(Chad Bowar)

Coven 13 – 'Destiny of the Gods' (Shadow Kingdom)

 Genre: Traditional/Doom
As discovered by brief discussions with peers, Destiny of the Gods, the newest from old school doomsters Coven 13, can be a polarizing record. At least in the vocal department. None can deny however, that their first new album since 1987 is loaded with slick, classic doom riffs.

Those dark and brooding riffs call to mind such acts as Black Sabbath and Cathedral. Lyrically beholden to history and fantasy, the vocals are delivered with passion and drama. Their variation of style (and pitch) from moment to moment may be off-putting for some. Time may change opinions, but this return is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 3
(Matt Hinch)

Funeral Circle – 'Funeral Circle' (Shadow Kingdom)

 Genre: Doom Metal
Funeral Circle take their doom pretty seriously. And their debut self-titled is seriously doomy. This Canadian quintet channels atmosphere from the ethereal realms of darkness, creating spectral riffs and haunting vocals.

Slow-motion groove and howling solos collide with sweeping and epic cleanly sung vocals. A distinct air of mystery pervades Funeral Circle in its entirety, spreading the shadow of the occult across its 50 minute span. Huge riffs and monstrous tone ring with the sound of true doom. Funeral Circle sound far more ancient and reverent than you'd expect from a band not spawned in an archaic European burial ground. 

Rating: 3.5
(Matt Hinch)

Harsh Toke – ‘Light Up and Live’ (Tee Pee)

Genre: Psychedelic Metal/Stoner Metal
With a name like Harsh Toke and a label like Tee Pee Records, you should know exactly what Light Up and Live sounds like without even hearing its first wah-drenched, fuzzed-out notes. These four songs practically reek of spilled bong water and the jam freak outs are extensive. “Weight of the Sun” clocks in at well over 14 minutes, and it wears out its running time a quarter of the way through.

There’s just nothing on Light Up and Live that labelmates Earthless didn’t do far better earlier this year on From the Ages, their own four-song stoner jam album. You might cough and sputter after taking a hit off of Harsh Toke, but this stuff certainly isn’t getting you high.

Rating: 2.5 
(Kevin Sirois)

Heart of A Coward – 'Severance' (Century Media )

Genre: Metalcore
New doesn’t mean different; the same old thing comes in new packages every day. On Severance, Great Britain’s Heart of A Coward perform brave new heart surgery on metalcore’s tired elements. Jamie Graham (Sylosis) leaves behind the tattooed demands of his old band and sounds laser sharp. Striking guitars annihilate all tonality.

They’re mathematically precise enough to free the drums from carrying all of the beat. TesseracT champion this technique, but HOAC are their own masters. “Monstro, “Nauseum” and “Psychophant” are genetically mutated organisms of metalcore might. Heart Of A Coward are a cruise missile blasting out the crypts of earlier bands who couldn’t find the target. HOAC vaporize it.

Rating: 4
(Todd Lyons)

Iron Mask – ‘Fifth Son of Winterdoom’ (AFM)

Genre: Power Metal
Combining the precision of complex musical passages with catchy memorable songwriting is Iron Mask’s focus on their fifth release Fifth Son of Winterdoom. Their second release to feature vocalist Mark Boals, the band shifts their sound towards an even catchier and anthem like focal point. Founding guitarist Dushan Petrossi displays fluidity and dexterity to his playing that is astonishing.

Opener “Back Into Mystery” does an excellent job of combining both progressive and power metal elements, as it is one of the best songs of their career. At over an hour long, the songs tend to blend together and become a tad monotonous. On par with their last release, Iron Mask are growing as songwriters and are writing more memorable material as of late.

Rating: 3.5
(Dan Drago)

Lord Fist – ‘Wordless Wisdom of Lord Fist’ (Ektro)

Genre: Heavy Metal
Lord Fist are the perfect throwback to a time when metal was played with driving aggressive riffs, amazing guitar solos and a dramatic mystical vocal approach. On their latest EP Wordless Wisdom of Lord Fist, the band has created a magical collection that any fan of Angel Witch or Diamond Head would salivate over. The guitar playing is top notch as every song features frantic, mind blowing leads.

Opener “Lord of the Night” builds gradually into an all out epic tour de force. A raw production serves the music flawlessly as the release isn’t hampered by today’s technology. The recording captures the band in an organic way that enhances the listen. Along with Night Demon, Lord Fist stand out as a true inspiration to the early wave of NWOBHM and capture the spirit perfectly.

Rating: 4
(Dan Drago)

Possession (Belgium) - 'His Best Deceit' (Iron Bonehead)

Genre: Black Metal
Here’s yet another rancid release from Iron Bonehead Productions. Belgium’s Possession play primitive black metal straight out the playbook of early Bathory and Sodom. Picture a collision between Bathory’s self titled first album and In The Sign Of Evil from Sodom, and you’ve got the gist of it.

Very sloppy with a rancid atmosphere and a loud production, Possession hit all of the genre’s right notes with a delivery straight from 1984. Completely unoriginal in every way, His Best Deceit, a four-song demo release on cassette, is a good example of how black metal’s primitive beginnings resonate even to the present day.

Rating: 3.5
(Dave Schalek)

Psalm Zero – ‘Force My Hand’ (Last Things)

Genre: Industrial Metal
NYC industrial duo Psalm Zero feature guitarist/harsh vocalist Andrew Hock of post-black metal band Castevet and bassist/clean vocalist Charlie Looker, formerly of Extra Life and Dirty Projectors. Force My Hand is the A-side of their upcoming 7-inch of the same name and it features two tracks – “Force My Hand” and a cover of Today is the Day’s “Willpower.” One is very good, the other is, well, not so good.

The good twin is undoubtedly “Force My Hand” with its grumbling percussion and absorbing vocals and guitar lines that erupt into something akin to a post-hardcore temper tantrum. It’s an intriguing song that shows great promise for Psalm Zero, but “Willpower” is a real head-scratcher, turning the schizoid Today is the Day track into an acoustic nap. Still, that first song displays potential.

Rating: 3
(Evan Mugford)