Deathwhite is an obscure American gothic doom metal trio in the key of Katatonia, The Foreshadowing and The Old Dead Tree. The group's second output Grave Image does its spooky album cover justice. Fragile guitar harmonies meet sinister bass tones and sluggish drum and percussive patterns. Occasional minimal keyboard sounds enhance the atmospheric vibes. The tender, sorrowful and melodious vocals blend in perfectly. The dreamy and depressive soundscapes take the listener on an inspiring and emotive ride.

The band adds enough diversity to keep the album intriguing through ten songs and a running time of forty-nine minutes. That doesn't mean that the band experiments or offers any memorable passages but the group regularly transitions from slow and heavy passages to energetic and fast outbursts with ease. This is best accomplished in the extraordinary album closer ''Return to Silence''.

Immerse yourself in the atmospheric depths and emotional variations of skillfully executed doom metal with a gothic soul. Sit down alone in the dark, pour yourself a glass of your favourite type of alcohol, close your eyes and enjoy those ten bleak tunes to the fullest. Deathwhite's Grave Image isn't the type of record you should listen to three times a day but it works splendidly if you are in the right melancholic, philosophical and thoughtful mood for it.

Final rating: 80%

It was quite a shock to read how disrespectfully numerous self-proclaimed heavy metal fans on social media attacked Anvil before the release of the band's eighteenth studio album. People claimed the band has a lack of talent, doesn't deserve the recognition it got from the cult movie Anvil! The Story of Anvil released a decade ago and should just call it quits. Obviously, everyone is entitled to dislike the band's repetitive style, predictable patterns and old-fashioned underground image. If you however claim this band lacks skills and purpose, you are objectively wrong and shouldn't dare call yourself a heavy metal fan. Few bands, if any, symbolize heavy metal spirit as authentically as Anvil does. 

First of all, the band has been around since the late seventies, long before most genre veterans even saw the light of day or achieved success. Secondly, Anvil pioneered heavy metal in Canada as this genre was only known to a few obscure underground fans in the late seventies. Thirdly, Anvil are regularly quoted as major influence by the world's biggest metal bands such as Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer which also proves that the band didn't only influence heavy metal groups but also doom, power and thrash metal bands around the world. Fourthly, the band got a tough break when its label exploited the group and the band couldn't release any new material for years in the mid-eighties which made the group lose momentum under circumstances that were out of its control. Fifthly, the band never gave up nonetheless, carried on playing its type of music and never split up when other genre groups called it quits, went though extensive line-up changes or flirted with commercially successful genres such as alternative rock, grunge and industrial rock and metal in the mid-nineties. Sixth, the band never changed its style to please anyone or achieve commercial acclaim even if it meant losing money, playing small clubs and performing in front of ridiculously small audiences. Seventh, the band members sacrificed time with family and friends, went back to regular jobs and worked relentlessly to hold on to their dream. Eighth, the band is still touring the world, has released eighteen studio albums and doesn't release vapid live records or greatest hits effort every few years like so many other groups do to cash in. Ninth, the fan-friendly band members have always kept a great sense of humour and remained positive despite all the hardships they met. Tenth, there are numerous reasons why this is one of the few bands that has a cult documentary dedicated to its career that wasn't even the band's own idea when other genre groups need to claim how great they are themselves to show off with flashy self-made documentaries, endless retrospective tours and lots of fireworks and special effects that distract from routine performances on stage.

This band deserves even more acclaim, attention and respect than it has gotten in more than forty years of existence under the Lips and Anvil banners. If this type of music isn't your cup of tea, then ignore it and listen to something else. But if you are going to claim the band doesn't have enough guts, heart and soul, then let it be known that this band has accomplished more in its career than anyone who criticizes them will ever achieve. If you think Lemmy Kilmister, an alcohol- and drug addict who quit school, slept with any woman he could possibly lay his hands on and never even remotely changed his approach to music, is a legend, then you should consider Steve Kudlow a God among heavy metal musicians if you consider yourself authentic, credible and honest.

Anvil's Legal at Last doesn't reinvent, progress or innovate the band's sound but remains faithful to its roots as it has always been. Tight heavy metal soundscapes meet ecstatic hard rock reminiscences and doom metal components. The band's chemistry consisting of sweaty yet melodic riffs, dynamic and skillful bass guitar sounds, tight and precise drumming and roughly charismatic vocals is second to none. The timeless organic production makes the final result sound even more efficient. 

Legal At Last might not be the band's masterpiece but it's really solid and doesn't include any stinkers at all. Instead of describing any particular songs on here, let me simply suggest you to listen to the whole thing. If you don't feel anything while listening to these twelve heavy metal anthems, you should either go see a doctor or listen to something trendy like Billie Eilish. I will spin this record again and again and attend one of the band's fantastic live shows as soon as they are coming back to my region. Anvil is more than a heavy metal band, it's a resilient ideology to hold on to your dreams no matter what. Long live Anvil!

Final rating: 70%

Releasing an acoustic live album might have been the only thing that was still missing in Metallica's experimental career after a collaboration record with Lou Reed, concerts with symphonic orchestras and cover albums. The concert recorded in the band's hometown of San Francisco was organized for a good cause as all proceeds went to the All Within My Hands foundation. The final result is quite a mixed bag however.

On the positive side, the set list is quite creative and includes four very different cover songs as well as rarely performed tunes such as the moody ''Bleeding Me'' and a surprisingly smooth, melodic and abridged interpretation of ''All Within My Hands''. The songs performed here have a country and southern rock vibe going back to the style of the band's Load and ReLoad era in the mid-nineties. The quartet was supported by Avi Vinocour on mandolin, Henry Salvia on keyboards, Cody Rhodes on percussion and David Phillips on pedal-steel. The atmosphere of the show is quite intimate and a welcome change from the band's sold-out arena performances.

While some tracks such the energetic ''Hardwired'' or the dreamy ''The Unforgiven'' work well in their acoustic reinterpretations, some songs lack energy, focus and grit such as the toothless ''Enter Sandman'' and the oddly chosen experimental opener ''Disposable Heroes''. The concert's flow is interrupted by numerous lengthy announcements, interactions with the crowd and improvised soundchecks. About a sixth of the record's running time is wasted with those overlong breaks that could have been filled with some additional renditions of Metallica classics instead.

In the end, Helping Hands... Live & Acoustic at the Masonic is a welcome release for faithful Metallica fans and should particularly please to those who liked the band's experimental southern rock era in the mid-nineties that gets an unexpected comeback here. However, the record's flow is its most important downside and a studio recording of these acoustic versions would have been a more appropriate option. As a matter of fact, an acoustic record with Metallica classics, cover tunes and perhaps a handful of new tracks would be a welcome release for old and new fans. As it is now, this release doesn't exploit its entire potential and remains an odd side note in the band's massive discography. At least, the charismatic quartet is still willing to experiment thirty-seven years into its career instead of keeping things safe.

Final result: 70%

Father of All Motherfuckers seems to indicate a really angry punk rock record that doesn't take any prisoners and criticizes everything wrong with politics and society these days. Well, we've got that all wrong because veterans Green Day deliver a traditional garage rock and hard rock release that goes back to the sounds of the seventies. It recalls bands such as Mud, Slade and Sweet.

The opening title track ''Father of All...'' is a quite rhythmic stomper with simple melodies and slightly high-pitched vocals that bares few ressemblances with Green Day's usual style and rather recalls side projects such as Foxboro Hot Tubs.

''Oh Yeah!'' is obviously influenced by the infamous Gary Glitter but the band turned a potential controversy into a good action and donated all royalties from the sales of said song to International Justice Mission and Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

''I Was a Teenage Teenager'' stands out as the mellowest and longest tune on the album, recalling rock ballads in the key of The Beatles but also Green Day's own softer side.

The whole ride already ends after twenty-six minutes and fails to leave a deeper impression. The songs are nostalgic party tunes and might be great fun to listen to at the parties. However, the material lacks the typical band sound and especially profound lyrics and unique trademarks. On the other side, reinventing yourself and doing the opposite of what fans expect from you still goes along with the essence and spirit of punk rock music. Father of All Motherfuckers certainly is an acquired taste but one has to respect that Green Day still continues to explore new sounds thirty-four years into its career instead of keeping things predictable and safe.

Final rating: 60%