Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-Armored Saint, Von Groove, Tyketto, Confess, & Corrosion Of Conformity

Index

Armored Saint is a band you can always count on to deliver. You remember the song 'Can U Deliver', well, yes they can! The new album comes out five and a half years after the previous studio album 'Punching The Sky'. This album is a banger. It gets started off perfectly with one of the albums strongest tracks 'Close To The Bone'. A very hard driving tune that sets the tone well. It's apparent that everyone is still at the top of their game. I started listening to these guys in high school and it's great that they are still banging albums out. You can expect a good heavy album with well crafted songs. The music overall feels fairly uniform in terms of feel. A good metal album with modern production. At this point, you don't know how much gas any of these bands have left in their tank, but Armored Saint still sound confident and full of energy. Great release!

Release Date: May 22, 2026

I was absolutely excited to hear the announcement that after around 25 years, Von Groove was going to release new music. I have been a huge fan of the band and outside of some touring the last couple of decades, they have been a bit quiet. 'Born To Rock' definitely brings some noise to their scene. The great songwriting is once again apparent here. The groove in their name is definitely fitting in their music. The band have offered up good catchy rockers through the album and even some lighter tracks. Some of my favorite rockers are 'Champion', 'Adrenaline' and the title track. I really dig the sound of 'Do It All Over Again'. Has a bit of a Def Leppard feel to it. On the lighter side of things you can't go wrong with the single 'Angela' or even the awesome closing track 'Always Endlessly'. Glad to have you back guys. Another stellar release!

Release Date: May 15, 2026

I have been listening to Danny Vaughn for a very long time. From Waysted to Tyketto to even From The Inside. His voice has really enhanced every band he has worked with. That is one of the new album's strengths. He sounds great! Musically, this is an absolutely excellent album. Could be my second favorite album by the band. Melody really flows through each track, but there are a lot of different personalities to this album. You'll get the straight ahead rockers like the opening track 'Higher Than High'. You also get the groove from 'Harley's & Indians'. The melodic stuff hits a high as well with songs like 'The Picture'. There really is something for everyone on this latest record. The flow is very good as you make your way through the album. I have always liked Tyketto and this record will get plenty of listens. Great job on the new record!

Release Date: March 20, 2026

Well, not sure how I missed these guys. Been around 2 decades and a handful of albums to their name. I dig them. Sampled this latest release and fell in love with just about everything on it. Lot's of personalities in these tracks. Good rocking stuff throughout. Some with polish to them, others with a bit more grit. One thing is for sure, all of it is catchy and memorable. The band is a hard rock band in nature and does have a slight progressive feel in places. 'Silvermalen' is the most Iron Maiden sounding tune I have heard in a bit. The song has a bit of an epic feel and was a great way to close out this album. 'Beat Of My Heart' is a nice acoustic piece that gives you a different side of the band. I also loved the opener 'Color Vision' which starts things off with a bit of groove and great drive. I will definitely be checking more out by Confess! Easy recommendation!

Release Date: May 15, 2026

Hard to believe that eight years have passed between the last album and this new album. Even though that was a bit of time, the results of the new album were worth the wait. The album feels like 2 albums rolled in one and at least with the vinyl it is presented in that fashion. Good raw heavy stuff reigns in the first part of the album. The second half has a bit of the groove thing going on. Pretty catchy stuff with the same raw and dirty feel as the first half. It's definitely a very good listen all the way through. I have been a fan for a long time and have always loved not only the band's intensity, but the basic approach. These songs sound like the band just belted them out in a garage. I would even go as far as to say that this may be one of my favorites by the band to date. If you dig your metal on the raw side with great groove to it, this is a very cool slab of tunes!

Release Date: April 3, 2026