“Prediluvian” marks as the 6th Studio album for Yossi Sassi and The Oriental Rock Orchestra which was released on the 13th of March 2023. The Album concept art by Amir Rozanes, Album design by Liza Murashkovsky, AI cover art by Sol Avi Erez, Original space images by ESA/Webb (N. Bartmann), manipulated, warped and recoloured by Liza Murashkovsky, Executive Producer & Management – Amir Rozanes. The album was engineered and recorded by Liron Schaffer at Black Rock Studios, Santorini, Greece and Mixed and Mastered by Liron Schaffer & Jonathan Jacobi at Jaffa Sound Arts, Tel- Aviv Jaffa.
The album starts off with an ambient “On Shoulders of Nephilim” which starts off beautifully on a Bouzoukitara, and features an eclectic solo that’s sure to soothe the nerves. “Uriel Machine” brings forth an amalgamation of a variety of sounds and instruments with a bang. The song takes on progressions with odd time sequences and crafty hooks that’s sure to mesmerize one and leave the tune ringing in your heads for real long time. “Oopart” gears up with a crunchy guitar sound and sooner than later we hear a blend of Eastern melodies juxtaposed on Western rhythms. The song leverages the same tune and changes octaves to plant a crafty jazzy solo, that’s sure is music to one’s ears.
Although almost a year late, Voluntary Mortification a Christian deathcore band based out of Lansing, Michigan released their debut album “Suffer to Rise” on the July 22nd, 2022 via Rottweiler Records. This concept album tells the tale of Paul’s soul’s descent into the torments of hell and his ultimate redemption. It also speaks of Paul’s regret at shunning the notion of the afterlife before his death, to him ultimately emerging “renewed and reinvigorated as a vindicator for Truth in a world that has lost its way”. The band aims to be “a light in the darkness for those who are broken and hurting”.
German Melodic death metal band Sacrificium, formed in 1993, are out with their magnum opus “Oblivion” after a 10 year long wait. The album is being released under the Record Label of Nordic Mission on the 10th March 2023. The release celebrates the band’s 30th anniversary. The band have released three albums so far Cold Black Piece of Flesh (2002), Escaping the Stupor (2005) & Prey for Your Gods (2013) and has its roots in a band called Hardway, formed by Sebastian Wagner and Oliver Tesch. In 1991, the session drummer Markus Hauth took the direction more towards a hard rock sound. In 1992, Hardway performed at the reputive Steiger 14 club in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Simon Bibby, the One-man show behind Thy Listless Heart has come out with his debut album “Pilgrims on the Path of No Return”, which was released under the Hammerheart Records on the 18th of November 2022. Simon played guitars for the British Christian metal band Seventh Angel (formed in 1987 by Ian Arkley). Although with Seventh Angel the sound was a combination of Doom and Thrash metal, the Listless Heart offers Grand Doom with death metal growls hinting a different sound. Having loved his work with Seventh Angel, I can’t wait to spin this album.
The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! is the sixteenth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 2, 2022, on frontman Dave Mustaine’s Tradecraft label via Universal. It is the first Megadeth album to feature drummer Dirk Verbeuren, the second Megadeth album to feature guitarist Kiko Loureiro, and their first studio album in six years since Dystopia (2016), marking the longest gap between two studio albums in the band’s career. The album has been in production for more than two years.