Sylosis – Conclusion of an Age
Nuclear Blast Records

(4/5)

Hailing from the birthplace of Heavy metal, Syolosis has risen and will show the world that the UK still has Metal flowing through its veins! Combining the methods of, more, modern Metal with the methods of old school Thrash metal, Syolosis has released their debut album Conclusion of an Age. Being called “Modern Thrash metal” by Nuclear Blast Records, this band truly does fuse the two different styles of Metal to create an unbeatable combination. Vocalist Jamie combines an excellent screaming technique with singing to fully cover every musical aspect presented by the rest of the band. With the total mixture in vocals, I would normally put this band into the “Metalcore” category, but the actual music this band puts forth quickly changes my mind. Honestly, I thought I’d heard almost everything modern Metal had to offer, but Sylosis has helped prove me wrong. Really, you just have to hear this album to understand how awesome these guys are! To get a good understanding of their musicianship and excellence, I recommend listening to any of the tracks from this album, but some specific examples include “Transcendance” (Track 4), “Conclusion of an Age” (Track 6/Title Track), “Teras” (Track 8), and “Last Remaining Light” (Track 10). Overall, this is another great Metal band that I’m excited to see where they go in the future. With two EPs and their debut album Conclusion of an Age now under their belt, there’s no stopping Sylosis from taking this world by storm!

Michael Stollaire – Holy Avenger
Platinum West Records

(3.5/5)

Looking for some tunes to get that party started!? Look no further than Michael Stollaire’s debut solo album, Holy Avenger! Truly showcasing Michael Stollaire’s amazing guitar playing abilities and great vocals, this 13-track album takes you on a Rock ‘n’ Roll journey. Although the music is great, there are a few things I didn’t particularly like about this album. My first major concern is the drum tracks. The actual drumming fits perfectly with the rest of the music, but the quality doesn’t seem quite up to par. The mics don’t sound like they’re set in the prime locations for picking up sound. The other main issue is the lyrics. Again, they work for the songs, but they feel a little bit elementary compared to most of the other music I hear. The topics written about are great, but I feel like they weren’t covered effectively enough. Other than those two issues, this album is great! Michael Stollaire definitely knows what he’s doing with guitars and his singing fits perfectly with the music. As far as specific tracks go, I’d recommend listening to “Knock the Walls Down” (Track 11), “This Country Boy Can Rock (VH Mix)” (Track 4), “Hell Comes Alive Here Tonight” (Track 7), and “Island Blues” (Track 8). These four tracks really represent some of the skills Michael has as a musician and writer. Overall, if you’re looking for a great album to kick out the jams for your next bash, get your hands on a copy of Michael Stollaire’s Holy Avenger!