Eóin Boylan

When I first caught a glimpse of the album art for Terra Tenebrosa’s “The Purging” I have to admit I was struck by the disturbing nature of the cover photograph.  Three anonymous, un-moving figures the middle one (apparently the leader) wearing a twist...

Derry riff merchants Triggerman have been honing their craft around Ireland for the best part of the last decade. Easily the ballsiest band in the North, their popularity and exposure has grown massively in the last few years thanks to their grueling gigging schedule (includ...

The Iron Witch is a heavy beast; a loping, carnal monstrosity, equal parts aggression, groove and intensity.  It is mainly found around the blackened corners of deepest, darkest Liverpool, preying on the ears of unsuspecting metal-heads (usually herbally inclined) with...

Swedish Post-Metal powerhouse Cult of Luna have been away for quite the while after 2008’s excellent Eternal Kingdom, thus my pressing play on their first disc in 5 years, Vertikal is accompanied by equal parts anticipation and aversion.  Eternal Kingdom was such...

It’s a bleak, freezing December night in Belfast, silent due to some idiots protesting elsewhere in the town and filled with the kind of bleak loneliness synonomous with atmospheric metal.   A perfect night, therefore, to interview the two founding members of...

I'm a judgmental bastard. It comes with the territory. Some music-writery-type-people won't admit it (though most will), but they're judgmental bastards too and, like me, will form opinions on things within a matter of seconds. So, with my music-writer (i.e.: bas...

Around five years ago I was writing  for my university magazine and was being sent the kind of average pop/ indie/hipster garbage that assumedly populates the inbox of every “writer” at the NME on a daily basis. Suffice to say, you can imagine my delight whe...

When I was a kid, I was one of the wee dicks you’d see parading round every city in the UK back in the late 90s/early 2000’s. Big black trench-coat, New Rock boots, an over-engorged sense of entitlement and a penchant for My Dying Bride, all within my own persona...

It’s been almost three years since John Frusciante escaped the beige-coloured world of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. One can only assume he was fed up with the linear, monotonous tripe they began writing and releasing (just like the rest of the music-loving population). S...

You’re probably aware that making an over-opinionated, sarcastic music writer shut up is a rarely-achieved (some may say even mythical) feat. Self-proclaimed stoner metal kings XII Boar can count themselves amongst the few from here on out, because the first time I lis...

Considering this is a self-produced record, the quality is seriously impressive. The whole thing sounds professional and polished and if you told me this was a flagship release on an independent label I’d definitely believe you. The EP itself is a fusion between the tr...

Sometimes I can spend what seems like an age trawling blogs and bandcamp pages and finding nothing but tripe and mediocrity. Then there are days when something truly wonderful lands smack bang into my lap.   This happened recently when I was given the task of writing ab...

Bloc Party are back with their latest single which is out now! Here is what we thought -  Robin Wallace - Hi. My name is Kele. I have been going to counseling to increase self awareness and build confidence as I used to doubt my own abilities. I drew the line at da...

Philadelphia’s Ladder Devils have fused their 2010 EP 'Forget English' with 5 new tracks to form 'Nowhere Plans', a 9-song divergence into their bizarre, aggressive yet somehow rather catchy style.   The record starts off ferociously, with a riff t...

Royal Thunder are a hard rock/metal band from Atlanta.  Considering this is the most generalized description of all time, I’ll go a bit deeper.  They have a girl singer so comparisons with Blood Ceremony are pretty easy, except with the folky influence replac...

Atmospheric post-rockers The Pirate Ship Quintet have been quiet as a mouse since the release of their excellent self-titled EP back in 2005. Like most good things, new album 'Rope For No-Hopers' was well worth the wait, as the boys from Bristol have undoubtedly out-...

Ohio’s newest upstarts Brujas Del Sol are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the psychedelic rock scene. With their first two recorded efforts, Moonliner vol.1 and Moonliner vol.2 they have achieved something close to impossible: harnessing the classic des...