Invasion - The Master Alchemist

Convinced (quite rightly) that the best metal is about ‘wizards and magic’, this London trio have both applied this logic and set about tearing up the metal rulebook with super short songs, one-take recordings, no bass, no solos, no bullshit – and the result, this 21-minute adrenaline-fuelled, arsenic-laced debut, is a filthy joy.

Equidistant from Black Sabbath and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, they divine some soul from Chan Brown’s cosmic wail, but beyond that it’s all bombast and skeletal bluster. ‘Rainbows’ is without question one of the songs of the year and The Master Alchemist is a force to be reckoned with.

(This is Music Ltd)