By Maxazine South Africa 
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are too many to listen to, let alone review. This ensures that too many albums are left behind, and that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors today, with short reviews.
Photo (c) Jorge Fakhouri Filho
Narnia – X
The Swedish counterpart to Stryper is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and is doing so by releasing its tenth album, entitled “X”, with the letter X representing the number 10 in Roman numerals. The band’s name and many of their early lyrics were inspired by the famous book series “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis. This tenth album by the Swedish Christian power metal band is also a highly enjoyable listen. Fans of the genre will all be satisfied. The stronger songs are positioned at the beginning and the end of the album, making the middle section feel somewhat less engaging, although this part still contains good tracks such as “Walk On Water” and “Jerusalem”, which have their roots in classic 1980s rock. This album is therefore suitable for both non-believers and rock fans who enjoy music infused with a Christian message. (Ad Keepers) (8/10) (Narnia Songs)
Sublime – Until the Sun Explodes
Thirty years after the self-titled album that became inseparably linked with the death of frontman Bradley Nowell, Sublime returns with its fourth record, this time featuring Bradley’s son Jakob Nowell on vocals. “Until the Sun Explodes” is deliberately positioned as an epilogue to the Sublime legacy: a tribute and thank-you from Jakob to his father. With 21 tracks and an extensive guest list including H.R. of Bad Brains, G. Love, FIDLAR and Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge, the album is ambitious in scope. The familiar blend of ska, reggae, punk and Californian energy returns on tracks such as “Ensenada” and “Can’t Miss You”, and Jakob sounds remarkably close to his father without blindly imitating him. The title track serves as the emotional centrepiece. Some critics found the album too long and inconsistent in quality, but the guest-friendly approach provides variety and the core of the record sounds authentically Sublime. A treat for fans and an interesting entry point for newcomers. (Anton Dupont) (7/10) (Atlantic)
The Bobby Lees – New Self
“New Self” sounds like a constructed attitude that wants to come across in an uncompromising, blunt manner and almost imposes itself on its surroundings. Opening track “Give” immediately sets the tone with its plucked bass line for what proves to be a short, aggression-regulating and affirmative therapy session. With a running time of less than twenty minutes, it is even shorter than many EPs. Nevertheless, the brief musical explosions make an impression at key moments. Take the line ‘My tank is running real low, because I keep on getting fucked’ from “Napoleon”, or the bass-driven and almost declaimed ‘This is some Elvis Presley shit, and I’m putting an end to it’ from “The End”. The phrase ‘I wish I could be my new self’ also lingers in the mind. This is partly due to the album’s most striking strength: the prominent role given to the bass guitar. In all its simplicity and distortion, it never fails to make an impact. Despite praise from the likes of Iggy Pop and Henry Rollins, however, the band remains miles away from their level in terms of substance. The energy, directness and attitude are all present, but thematically “New Self” remains primarily a raw outburst of frustration and self-affirmation, lacking the deeper layers that those artists often managed to achieve. (Bart van de Sande) (6/10) (Epitaph Records)
Sonic Whip – Sonic Whip II
After years of intensive touring both at home and abroad, Sonic Whip has found the time to record the follow-up to its 2021 debut “Triskelion”. Led by singer and guitarist Meryn Bevelander, Sonic Whip proves itself to be one of the finest live bands in the Netherlands. His guitar playing elevates the songs to a high level in a live setting. At the time of writing this review, Sonic Whip has just completed a successful performance at the Bridge Guitar Festival in Eindhoven. Other achievements include two Radio Wigwam Awards for Best International Band and Best Live Act. Sonic Whip is also not afraid to embellish its live set with its own interpretations of hard rock covers. This is something they occasionally do in the cover band Whip It Live!, of which this trio is also a part, although the Bevelander brothers swap instruments there and are joined by singer Yasmina van Eijk and keyboard player Tina Lopez Carbonell. The album is called “Sonic Whip II” because the music is beginning to develop its own identity. That said, Sonic Whip still colours a little too much within the lines and could afford to be more adventurous in order to develop a truly distinctive musical identity. Fans of solid indie rock and admirers of Foo Fighters, Audioslave and Navarone should not overlook this album. (Ad Keepers) (8/10) (Independent Release)
Simon Phillips – Protocol 6
Following the death of Jeff Porcaro, Toto did not seek a replacement for their founder and drummer. They were not looking for a copy, but for someone with a style of their own. Lukather and Paich chose Simon Phillips, an acclaimed session musician who was primarily active in jazz and fusion. Although most people will know him from Toto, Phillips has spent years creating impressive fusion music under the banner of “Protocol”, of which the sixth instalment has now been released. Through “Protocol”, Phillips has built a body of work in which he presents himself not only as a virtuoso drummer but above all as a composer and arranger. In that respect, Protocol 6 is a high point. Phillips explores the extremes, from the melodic and relatively calm “As The River Flows” to the fusion fireworks of “Code 4 Kryptos”. While unusual time signatures and complex rhythms are the leitmotif, they never result in incomprehensible displays of technical excess. And we have not even mentioned the magnum opus of Protocol 6 yet, because at over fourteen minutes in length, the varied “Event Horizon” is the ultimate proof that Phillips is much more than a drummer. He is someone capable of serving the needs of a band while still maintaining a distinctive signature in his drumming style. That is precisely what Lukather and Paich were looking for when they recruited him for Toto. (Jeroen Mulder) (9/10) (Phanom Recordings)
