Lollipop Magazine

Fates Warning – Darkness In A Different Light – Music Stream

November 7, 2013

Fates Warning has undergone numerous lineup changes since its inception 30 years ago. Thankfully, the band is ageing gracefully.

Tyr – Valkyrja – Music Stream

November 6, 2013

The Faroese folk metallers in Tyr deliver some badass music to back up the badass cover art of their latest, Valkyrja.

Gwar – Battle Maximus – Music Stream

November 5, 2013

“Madness at the Core of Time” is a cut above their standard thrash-fodder, featuring an impassioned delivery from Oderus Urungus.

Armed For Apocalypse – The Road Will End – Music Stream

November 4, 2013

Circle pits and hair whips, declaring: “All we want to do is rock.” Chunky, meat-and-potatoes modern metal.

Ayreon – The Theory of Everything – Music Stream

October 29, 2013

Their Wiki describes them as “rock opera, prog metal, prog rock, space rock, symphonic metal, folk metal, and power metal.” Is that all?

Monster Magnet – Last Patrol – Music Stream

September 18, 2013

Even if their new stuff isn’t as world-beatingly awesome as that of their glory days, it’s guaranteed to be way more badass than most new rock ‘n’ roll.

Maps – Vicissitude – Music Stream

September 17, 2013

Chilly electro indie rock that you quickly warm up to, in the vein of Junior Boys or Supersystem. Maps is one dude – James Chapman from Northampton, England.

Turisas – Turisas2013 – Music Stream

September 6, 2013

Their faces smeared with their trademark red and black face paint, the Finnish folk metal warriors of Turisas ride into battle again.

Pillar Point – Diamond Mine – Music Stream

September 5, 2013

It’s tough to describe the smiling sounds of tracks like “The Reeling” and “Sleepyhead” as anything but celebratory.

Devildriver – Winter Kills – Music Stream

September 5, 2013

Devildriver’s best, 2007’s The Last Kind Words, wasn’t that different from great Devildriver records before and after it, but it trimmed all the fat.

Watain – The Wild Hunt – Music Stream

August 27, 2013

Sweden’s black metal hellions Watain have been on a fearsome tear. The Wild Hunt finds them expanding their ambition with ballads and other left turns.

True Widow – Circumambulation – Music Stream

August 26, 2013

“Stonegaze” crew out of Dallas that mixes stoner influences with the shoegaze sound.

Supermachine – Music Stream

August 23, 2013

Recording sounds great, but if you were a fan of Scissorfight, most of these songs are a waste of the guitarist’s and bassist’s gonzo talent and locked groove.

James LaBrie – Impermanent Resonance – Music Stream

August 23, 2013

Prog metal superstar vocalist James LaBrie – who’s going on 22+ years with Dream Theater – is back with his third solo album, Impermanent Resonance.

William Beckett – Genuine & Counterfeit – Music Stream

August 22, 2013

Unfailingly earnest indie rally-rock from the former frontman of The Academy Is… (and a singer on the “Snakes on a Plane” song, score!).

SMP – Death of the Format – Music Stream

August 22, 2013

SMP delivers “Metal Madness” with metal aggression (and a delightfully wanky guitar solo) over a dance/industrial skeleton, along the lines of Rammstein.

Essence of Mind – Indifference – Music Stream

August 21, 2013

Norway’s answer to anthemic synth pop, while there’s nothing here to topple Apoptygma Berzerk or Zeromancer, there are many potential singles here.

Cathedral – The Last Spire – Music Stream

August 21, 2013

The near seven-minute “Tower of Silence” closes Cathedral’s 20+ year run as doom giants, The Last Spire being their last album of new recordings.

Revocation – Music Stream

August 20, 2013

Unlike most “tech metal” bands, Boston’s Revocation actually have some great hooks and songs that stick with you.

Chixdiggit – Double Diggits – Music Stream

August 20, 2013

Combines Chixdiggit’s second and third albums: 1998’s Born on the First of July and 2000’s From Scene to Shining Scene, plus eight bonus tracks.

Siva Six – Superstition – Music Stream

August 19, 2013

The Greek Gothers nailed it with 2011’s The Twin Moons, and this 15-track Superstition EP continues the distorted whispers, frantic beats, and industrial chaos.

Battlecross – War of Will – Music Stream

August 16, 2013

Thrash metal, pure and simple. Battlecross wastes no time ripping your face off with polka beats and riffs in thirds (Slayer, Dark Angel, everyone since).

Deville – Hydra – Music Stream

August 16, 2013

There’s enough metal chug and stoner swagger to keep this a rock record, but the polished production will make the shaggy wary of commercial overplay.

Helalyn Flowers – White Me In / Black Me Out – Music Stream

August 15, 2013

Helalyn Flowers combine a strong, beautiful female singer and a strong electro metal-tinged male rock beast, so it’d be hard to go wrong, yes? Well, no.

Amon Amarth – Deceiver of the Gods – Music Stream

August 15, 2013

Amon Amarth are the AC/DC of Viking death metal. They found and perfected a style, and they rarely deviate from it.