Defences

With their 2022 debut album, Cardinal Black showed the world how the budding guitar hero in their ranks could thrive in a band environment. Here, Chris Buck explains how its follow-up has taken his playing and songwriting to the next level

The Fateful Symmetry MUTE 7/10

Before The Future LOST SOUND TAPES/SELF-RELEASED 8/10

With 28 albums’ worth of songs to choose from, “hopefully there will be some surprises”.

A monthly look at must-hear artists from all corners of the guitar world, from the roots of their sound to the tracks that matter most

Chaos, blood, death, resurrection – Kerry King and Tom Araya look back on the tumultuous journey of the thrash icons who pushed metal to new extremes