It is impressive to realize that KREATOR have been a stable force in the Metal scene since the mid ’80s, releasing new music at a steady pace without ever dropping below the quality standards set by their most legendary records. That level of consistency alone is remarkable. Studio album no.16, “Krushers Of The World”, comes crashing in with an album cover packed with Easter eggs, nodding to the releases that cemented the band’s reputation as an unrelenting Thrash powerhouse.

It’s true that people often become harsher critics toward those they know and love than toward complete strangers. I suppose it’s part of human nature, though too often this behavior is driven by jealousy and ends up being deeply unfair to the recipient. I need to put this disclaimer upfront: Even though I know Eirini (also known as Absinthe Green), I did not approach “Of Love And Pain” with a soft eye. Quite the opposite. I was driven by curiosity and excitement to discover what a person I consider a friend had been hiding so well all these years. Before digging into the music, one thing is certain: the album title is painfully literal, describing both the band’s journey and the birth of these eleven striking songs.

In general, Metal music has always been welcoming to different styles. Over the years, countless bands have incorporated elements most of us would never have expected to hear on a Metal record. To me, this highlights the diversity of the scene as a unique space where almost everyone can find a place. Of course, this is not a universal truth, as there are still those who struggle with anything outside a narrow comfort zone. UUHAI expand that space even further with their unique amalgam of Heavy Rock and Mongolian influences, presented on their debut record, “Human Herds”. Honestly, I never imagined I would be using these words to describe a new album, and I love it.

It’s nice to see there’s a good variation of great Hard Rock / Heavy Metal music coming out of Sweden still. HELLSMOKE is a fairly new band, and “Hellucination” is the band’s second album, following the 2020 self-titled debut. New band, yes, but sure there’s a lot of experience within the band, with the most known to a broader audience being Rimbert Vahlström of the SYRON VANES fame. I wouldn’t say that HELLSMOKE sound very much like SYRON VANES but there are some similarities, at least when comparing to latter releases from Rimbert’s old band.