Moonlight Haze – Beyond (2025) – Review

Posted on 21 May 2025 by RockmusicRaider — Leave a reply

Moonlight Haze‘s 2022 piece Animus was one of the Power Metal highlights of that very same year. Founded in 2018 by two Temperance survivors – Chiara Tricarico and Giulio Capone – they went on to create what today is a well-known band in the Italian PM sub-section of metal.

The 2022 piece took it away with new-found oomph and a pretty healthy swagger. You know, traits that make you win over fans and sell a ton more records than before. So, what’s it gonna be this time beyond those old records? Let the Metal o’ the Light illuminate you.… [...] Click to raid more!

Dimman – Consciousness (2025) – Review

Posted on 15 May 2025 by RockmusicRaider — Leave a reply

Where did Jenna Kohtala go? That’s the first question that came to mind once we fired up Dimman‘s newest piece, Consciousness. On Songs and Tales of Grievance, she provided this perfect female counterweight. A much-needed feature to offset those male Neanderthal urges, maniacally roaring about the soundscape in search of a few mammoths to hunt.

The fact that Dimman morphed into a 4-piece all-male act was the second surprise. This may severely limit the possibilities this band has to improve on their sound and to take things to the next level.

So, the RMR crew is donning … [...] Click to raid more!

Alukta – Merok (2025) – Review

Posted on 11 May 2025 by RockmusicRaider — Leave a reply

Ah, yes. French Black Metal is on the menu again. And frankly, the RMR crew has a sweet spot for these folks. Bands like Seth or Corpus Diavolis dazzled us to no end and garnered raving reviews with access to our latest Top 10 to boot. Looks like the French unconsecrated grounds are fertile soil for those devilish shenanigans.

Then, someone opined that Alukta here move down the ritualistic lane. And that stopped the old geezers of the review desk cold in their tracks. French Black Metal with a ritualistic twist? Something like the terrible Darkend? No, it’s something … [...] Click to raid more!

Ominous Ruin – Requiem (2025) – Review

Posted on 9 May 2025 by RockmusicRaider — Leave a reply

Ha! 2025 didn’t yield its usual crop of brutal Death Metal pieces yet and we’re behind on quota. Management is fuming and will be cutting benefits if the review desk won’t get a move on.

So, luckily, our scouts found an obscure Extreme Metal band from the Bay Area that stubbornly stuck to the smelly underbelly of the alloy-laced underground. Meaning, despite endlessly riffing about stages and soundscapes, they didn’t quite get to that breakthrough yet. The famed metal nirvana many a band attempted to reach but few ever did.

So, let’s explore. Ominous Ruin state that they did something … [...] Click to raid more!