Riot!Entertainment

Mantic Ritual - Executioner (Nuclear Blast/Riot)

Mantic Ritual play thrash like they've lived it for 20 years... yet they only formed in 2008.

Mantic Ritual are a really young thrash band from Philly in the US. How young? They were formed just last year - that's right: 2008!

Universum members endorsed by ENGL amps

Members of Adelaide's Universum score major endorsements.

Adelaide act Universum have been moving ahead in leaps and bounds.

Marshall Law - Razorhead (DR2/Riot)

This isn't a bad release by any means, but it goes for too long - something that is one of its major drawbacks.

These guys have been around a really long time, and they play a style of classic/power metal that is pretty much what you'd expect.

Ignominious Incarceration - Of Winter Born (Earache/Riot)

Of Winter Born is a great mid-range album. It's not something you'd sell your mum for, but it's pretty damn good.

Some people don't like my work because I am occasionally a fence-sitter, and I am also, occasionally, really gung-ho about works that tend to strike other metalheads as being rather prole.

Ephel Duath - Through my dog's eyes (Earache/Riot)

Many metal fans are likely to baulk at this release... I'm a pretty tolerant journo and even I didn't get through the whole thing.

This release is one that I think a lot of people - especially diehard metal fans - wouldn't really consider to be metal.

Death Angel hits Australia - and they are all fucking excited

To the delight of thrash fans across Australia, Death Angel's March 2009 tour was announced late in 2008, and we are seeing these guys on our shores this week. To talk about this tour, I had the opportunity to chat with band member Rob Cavestany.

Early in 2008 I had the opportunity to talk to Mark Osegueda about Death Angel's ki