![[Heavy News] CONTRARIAN's George Kollias and Jim Tasikas Back in the Studio!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1741069079808-Q56LZV9TTLJM11C6UF5J/kolliasdrumming.jpeg)
[Heavy News] CONTRARIAN's George Kollias and Jim Tasikas Back in the Studio!
Rochester (NY)/ Athens (GR): from the #heavynews desk we have word George Kollias (drumming legend of Nile fame) hasn't let the Euro-circuit conclusion allow for laurel-resting. Nope, he's right back in the studios in Greece for prog-death-metal project Contrarian w/ guitarist Jim Tasikas. The pair are laying tracks under the guise of George Bokos of Athens' Grindhouse Studios! The latest LP comes courtesy of Willowtip Records.
![[ARCHIVE/Review] Opeth - 'The Last Will and Testament', 03.12.24.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1740029489507-5H6LCYYNE8MX2F4T6USP/image-34.png)
[ARCHIVE/Review] Opeth - 'The Last Will and Testament', 03.12.24.
Originally posted to our sadly, as of NYE 2024, unexpectedly now dead/defunct old website (RIP), I’ve exhumed a fantastic review of The Last Will and Testament Swedish progressive death metal titans Opeth, crafted by fellow ISC staffer Hamza early Dec 2024. Check the link for full review, links to tracks/artist commentary, plus a few little nice extras around the upcoming tour. Also, listen to Sliknita. My man Hamza can write and drum.
![[Review] Alarum - ‘Recontinue’ LP](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1740110589583-74KEZY88JG1SNXISJ8BP/481070267_1216400333699347_180761954938397027_n.jpg)
[Review] Alarum - ‘Recontinue’ LP
Featured Image/Footer Image Credit: Wilkography. One thing you can certainly tell with reviews is when a musician reviews them! Hamza’s breakdown of Alarum reaches similar intricacy and depth to that of the band themselves on progressive death-metal/jazz-fusion opus Recontinue, which dropped in 2024 to high critical acclaim. Check the full review which is, like the band, both heady and passionate! Plus artist/album order links, clips, and more.
![[Review] Mandroid of Krypton - ‘Cosmic Sarcophagus’ LP.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1739873472907-0E3PMKI53YHP12Q6YFCN/459037345_26577216451922124_4403489910850976326_n.jpg)
[Review] Mandroid of Krypton - ‘Cosmic Sarcophagus’ LP.
One of many, many reviews on my backlog as podcast/blog host, stymied by an unfortunate demise of our old website on NYE 2024. Nevertheless, check out the full review of Cosmic Sarcophagus, an LP released Nov 2024 by Swiss progressive thrashers Mandroid of Krypton! It’s an expansive and ambitious effort, and worth a listen. Check link for the full review plus full album stream, artist links and more! Bring a spacesuit for this one.
![[Heavy News] Into Eternity to Headline ProgStorm, Canada’s First Progressive Metal Festival!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1739776435014-95B0QM2O5JHJX60NXFDN/intoeternity.jpg)
[Heavy News] Into Eternity to Headline ProgStorm, Canada’s First Progressive Metal Festival!
Seems I’ve got two things to be jealous of regarding our Canadian Canuck Commonwealth kin, right now - 1. Not frying in Australian summer, and 2. Into Eternity announcing HUGE news by way of headlining Montreal’s first-ever progressive-metal festival - Progstorm! Scope out the details, links to the festival/tickets etc, announcement from the band and more! Merci beacoup!
![[Heavy News] MESHUGGAH Announce ‘Immutable - The Indelible Edition’ LP, Unveil Music Video for ‘Ligature Marks’](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1739510149510-G7E4Y3IWMC7Y1PI4UYN5/meshuggahcover.jpg)
[Heavy News] MESHUGGAH Announce ‘Immutable - The Indelible Edition’ LP, Unveil Music Video for ‘Ligature Marks’
Meshuggah. An ever-dependable, technical and progressive metal powerhouse, who’ve endured genre-trends and rejected tradition for decades now. They’ve just released a work-up/bonus-features-packed Indelible Edition of previous LP The Immutable, with digipak, vinyl and other versions available. Check the link for order details, album bio and link to music clip for reworked single in ‘Ligature Marks’. Hail to the Kings.
![[Archive] Interview With OPETH’s MARTIN MENDEZ + Australian/NZ 2025 Tour Details.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1737534970321-ZWJZODG02GL6Z7D57841/image-34.png)
[Archive] Interview With OPETH’s MARTIN MENDEZ + Australian/NZ 2025 Tour Details.
Originally posted to our prior website, which died an unexpected and sudden death on 31.12.24 (RIP), we have revived a seminal interview from late ‘24 with Martin Mendez, long-term bassist for Sweden’s progressive-metal titans Opeth. Check the post for video interview, as well as full details (ticket links, bio, artist links, The Last Will and Testament order links etc) of their upcoming November 2025 Australian/NZ tour!
![[Archive] Interview with MARK PALFREYMAN of Australian Prog-Metal Institution ALARUM.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1736152351338-UIL5DK5Q6Y8D3EZI84AM/alarum2-1.jpg)
[Archive] Interview with MARK PALFREYMAN of Australian Prog-Metal Institution ALARUM.
Archival post, picked from the carcass of our dearly-departed old website (RIP). This warrants sharing again; a fantastic Q & A with Mark Palfreyman, bassist/vocalist of Australian progressive metal legends Alarum in April 2023. They’ve since released a new full-length in Recontinue. Check the article for links to that and more!
![[Riffs] Forgive me Mikael, for I have sinned](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1736066553513-RCPZ9101EFV2DYGTA6OV/ezgif-6-17ddfb98a6+JPG.jpg)
[Riffs] Forgive me Mikael, for I have sinned
Originally posted on our prior website which experienced an untimely death on NYE 2024 (RIP). Our main-man Hamza shared some pre-release repentance and excitement ahead Opeth’s latest full-length release The Last Will and Testament. Which, coincidentally he also reviewed and posted in 2024 on said old site. That will be uploaded soon, but for now, here’s some nostalgic album pre-release stoke for Sweden’s finest.
ISC Podcast Ep. 7: Review of IHSAHN’s ‘The Fascination Street Sessions’ LP, 06.03.2023
Originally posted on our old website, which unfortunately has met an untimely end (thanks, WordPress!). RIP. This episode is a brief one, naturally so when reviewing a short but powerful EP in Fascination Street Sessions by progressive black metal maestro Ihsahn. Original post date: March 6th, 2023.
![[Archive Review] - Alarum - Circle's End - (03.11.2022)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/67738900deaf1a5f243892aa/1735713576242-VEB5RHNF23ID3FJPRCEE/alarum.jpg)