Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Cauldron
Title
New Gods
Type
LP/EP
Company
The End
YOR
2018
Style
Traditional
9/19/2018 - Review by: David Loveless
Retro-heavy metal act falls flat on fifth full-length
Canada's traditional heavy metal trio, Cauldron, absolutely blew me away with their first two albums. 2009's 'Chained To The Nite' and 2011's 'Burning Fortune' were heavy metal gold and sounded like they could have been written and recorded in the mid-80's. From that point on, I was an instant fan, a "first day buyer", and eagerly waited for future releases. However, the music that followed just didn't live up to the first two albums. The next few albums, 2012's 'Tomorrow's Lost', and 2016's 'In Ruin', felt like something was missing. They still had that classic 80's sound, which I really enjoy, but the aggressiveness was gone, and I just couldn't adapt to that change from this band.

That brings us to 2018, and the release of their fifth full-length album, 'New Gods'. Unfortunately, aside for a few good tracks such as "Never Be Found" and "Last Request", there really isn't anything that memorable here. I really miss the chunky, heavy riffs of the first few albums and hope they return to that form some day. It almost seems as if they are running out of ideas and are trying too hard to sound retro. Unfortunately on 'New Gods', it doesn't work out too well, at least to these ears. The good news is, this band is full of talent and I have faith that they will deliver another great album one day, but the band new is, this is not the day.

Recommended for fans of: NWOAHM, NWOBHM
PERSONAL BREAKDOWN:

ENJOYMENT
2.5
MUSIC
2.5
VOCALS
2
PRODUCTION
3.5
ARTWORK
1
LYRICS
2


  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    2.5 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: CAULDRON
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Burning Fortune
2011
Earache
Eric Compton5/13/2011
4.5
Chained To The Nite
2009
Earache
Eric Compton4/2/2010
4.5
Chained To The Nite
2009
Earache
Vinaya Saksena8/28/2009
3
In Ruin
2016
The End
Eric Compton5/31/2016
3
New Gods
2018
The End
David Loveless9/19/2018
2.5
Tomorrow's Lost
2012
Earache
Eric Compton1/1/2014
3

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: CAULDRON
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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