First ever 147 break at the #crucible. #snooker

https://youtu.be/W1Al5c3iH3A

10/10 #CVE impacting #Jira, #Confluence, #Crowd, #Bamboo, #Fisheye #Crucible
Example why open source projects should be funded by companies which are using foss as a base.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/security/security-bulletin-december-11-2025-1689616574.html

#Atlassian

Robs top 10 releases of 2025

This year has been another top year in the heavy metal world with an abundance of great releases from bands around the world. With there being so many, it has been hard to choose my top ten, but in the end I got there and these are my picks for this year! They are in no particular order and I have included one or two EP’s as I think they are all very deserving of praise! What do you think of my choices and do you share similar favourites? Let me know!

Myth Carver – “Twist of Fate EP”

Myth Carver were another new discovery for me this year. Initially the song that welcomed me to the band was “King of the Pyre” and I was instantly hooked. Just their style of heavy metal caught my attention. So when I received the EP in my inbox I was super excited. Everything from the huge sounding production, the guitar tones and perhaps even that slight Eternal Champion influence if I dare say. This EP totally hits hard in all the right ways and shows that the band have a bright future ahead of them!

Bandcamp: https://mythcarver.bandcamp.com/

Tower – “Let There Be Dark”

The dark haunting undertones and commanding vocals of Sarabeth are something about Towers “Let There Be Dark” that just got me absolutely hooked and lost in their music. It is one of those records with so many killer tracks, that you will want to listen to it over and over again. Tower are still one of those bands I am yet to see live so fingers crossed they make it to the UK again soon!

Bandcamp: https://towernyc.bandcamp.com/

Trovão – “Diamante”

Brazilian band Trovão were a new discovery for me this year but as soon as my ears fell on their music I was absolutely blown away. Everything from the nostalgic production to the insane guitar work that feels like a firework display throughout is just a spectacle in itself. It is not often that you come across something truly special but I feel that Trovão are one of those bands. I am eager to see these guys live at KIT legions in 2026 if I can make it!

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Trovaoheavy

Seven Sisters –
“Shadow Of A Fallen Star Pt.2“

Seven Sisters hail from UK soil, and as a fellow Brit, I’ve seen them live quite a few times now. Their music is pure art. Like a canvas you can get lost in, it’s woven with magnificent musicianship and masterful writing. Shadow Of A Fallen Star Pt. 2 is intricate and immersive, a clear display of brilliant ideas seamlessly blended to bring joy to your ears. The epic final track is more than just a closer. It’s a reflection of how truly epic this band are.

Bandcamp: https://sevensistersheavymetal.bandcamp.com/

Wanted – “Cutting Edge “

Now when I came across Wanted I instantly felt that oldskool attack! Proper 80’s vibes mixing hard rock and heavy metal together to create a delicious blend pleasing the tastebuds. Cutting Edge had so much excellent stuff going on from sizzling guitar work to production that just enhanced the sound overall. A killer album and one I would highly recommend checking out!

Bandcamp: https://wantedbandofficial.bandcamp.com/

Vigil Hunter – “Vigil Hunter”

This album makes my top list for 2025 because it captures the spirit of late 80s and early 90s American heavy metal with sharp production and standout performances. Alexx Panza delivers both first-rate vocals and tight, shreddy guitar work. The songs move between uptempo energy and melodic ballads, drawing on classic influences while staying original. It’s a debut built for longevity, with tracks that will stay in rotation and come alive on stage.

Bandcamp: https://vigilhunter.bandcamp.com/album/vigilhunter

Crucible – “Hail To The Force” 

“Hail to The Force” was probably one of the most recent albums I reviewed and as I went through it my speakers started letting off a burning smell and smoke! Well not literally but Crucible made an album where I thought that was going to album. If your looking for a record which goes all out leaving nothing standing in its way then look no further. And if your one of those metalheads that goes nuts in the pit or is the front letting every bit of energy escape from your body “Hail To The Force” is going to satisfy those metal cravings!

Bandcamp: https://crucibledk.bandcamp.com/album/hail-to-the-force

Haunt – “Ignite”

What can I say about Haunt. They have to be one of the hardest working and most passionate bands in the Nwothm realm, pretty much putting out an album each year. And every time they deliver scorching heavy metal that strikes hard and that makes you want more. This album has classic melodies, guitar phrase squeals and silky smooth vocal lines from Trevor that every Haunt fan has come to love. One minute your headbanging to smoking heavy metal and the next your lost in a dream. Excellent album and one of the best since Mind Freeze!

Bandcamp: https://hauntthenation.bandcamp.com/

Starforce – “Beyond The Eternal Night”

Starforce were one of my top discoveries of 2025 and absolutely blew me out of the water. This is one of those bands where the music just blasts right through you leaving your body shaking. The sheer power and intensity felt on each track just put a huge smile on my face and left me thirsty for more. And the vocals from Mely “Wild” Solis – holy cow she has some pipes on her! Everything about this band from their insane talents to the production just creates a totally epic record!

Bandcamp: https://starforcemx.bandcamp.com/

Ambush – “Evil In All Dimension”

Ambush returned gloriously in 2025 with their new album “Evil In All Dimension” and what an absolute belter of an album It is. To me this by far their best material to date with tracks that destroy like the title track “Evil In All Dimension”, the epic “Maskirovka” and the very Judas Priest esque “Bending The Steel.” Not only did I get a sonic assault on my ear canals but I also got to see their epic-ness live for the first time at KIT rising. Brilliant album and brilliant band live!

Bandcamp: https://ambush.bandcamp.com/

#ambush #crucible #haunt #heavyMetal #mythCarver #newAlbum #newWaveOfTraditionalHeavyMetal #robsTop10NwothmAlbumsOf2025 #sevenSisters #starforce #thenwothm #top10Albums #top10AlbumsOf2025 #top10NwothmAlbums #top10ReleasesOf2025 #towernyc #trovao #vigilHunter #wanted

Crucible – Hail to the Force Review

By Steel Druhm

By: Nameless_n00b_604

Whether you’re a fledgling artist or an industry veteran, the process of making music is hard, strewn with obstacles internal and external. For the speed/US-inspired power metallers Crucible, that obstacle was Mother Nature, who gifted them a massive snowstorm that drastically impeded their studio time to record their debut album Hail to the Force. The Danes, thus, banged out the entire ten-track, thirty-seven-minute record in a week. For a young band recording a debut together, that’s nuts. But we’re not here for the story—we’re here for the album, a throwback affair of promo-purported “ferocious aggression with strong melodies and epic heavy metal atmospheres.” Did Nature not want this thing made, or was she testing Crucible to give Hail to the Force the fire they need to stand amongst the Metal Gods they venerate?

Crucible really likes the ’80s. Throughout Hail to the Force, Crucible administer Judas Priestly heroics at Riotous speeds, ripping Defenders of the Faith leads on the title track and injecting “Savage Weapon” with Thundersteel adrenaline. Openers “Deathdealer” and “Embrace of Steele” are as archetypically speed metal as they come, awash with thundering drums and bass by Ole Iversen and Kenneth Frandsen respectively, soaring vocals by Phillip Butler (Pectora) and massively palm-muted riffs by guitarists Thomas Carnell (Impalers) and Jon Brogård. “Manic Minute” sees Butler deliver power metal wails as the band rages with Motörhead delinquency, while “Far Beyond the Grave” revels in the retro futuristic aesthetics of Iron Maiden’s Somewhere in Time. They even recall fellow throwback acts, deploying belligerent vocals on “Evilforce” reminiscent of Livewire and the modernly loud, yet organic production of Riot City. Without question, Crucible is married to their influences.

Crucible brings talent and vitality to Hail to the Force, but never escapes their influences’ shadows. Stomping the pedal down and rarely letting up, with “Evilforce” and “Mad Minute” showcasing their most frantic capabilities, Crucible can’t be accused of sluggishness. Neither could their guitarists be justly labeled as shlubs: their solos are brimming with sharp, vintage shredding and tasteful sweeping. But too often, Crucible stick to the speed metal playbook like glue. “Deathdealer,” “Savage Weapon” and the title track mimic thrashy power metal riffs and piercing wails done countless times before them, leaving little of their own DNA in the mix. Rhythmically, Crucible keeps it basic, only flirting with groove on “Far Beyond the Grave” and some surprise stop-and-starts throughout. Unexpectedly, the instrumental “While My Guitar Gently Sweeps” with its Bladerunner-evocative synth-scape, relaxed tempo and root-note-escaping bass lines showcase Crucible at their freshest and reveal how one-note much of the other songs can be. Hail to the Force is undeniably fun, but its derivativeness leaves it stuck in the realm of mere tribute.

Sadly, awkward songwriting pulls Hail to the Force down further. Crucible’s short-and-sweet songcraft is admirable, demonstrating a willingness to self-edit, but many tracks feel somewhat half-baked. “Deathdealer’s” solo ends anticlimactically, while “Mad Minute” wraps up with little resolution following its solo. Despite short runtimes, over-repetition remains a problem, with “Redwing” wearing thin its Maidenesque “oh-oh” bridge and the title track wearing its name out with overuse. Vocals can also flounder, as Butler’s lines—kept primarily to a high, strained register—are sometimes clunky. “Embrace of Steele’s” chorus sounds off-balance, like it’s rushing through its last couple lines, while the melismatic runs in “Far Beyond the Grave” don’t sound strictly in-key. Butler’s best performance is on “Splashed to the Four Winds,” a Judas Priest-like bruiser where he plays a veritable Halford and, coincidentally, sings lower than normal. Nothing on Hail to the Force is bad or—worse—boring, but enough nitpicks keep most of Crucible’s offerings from reaching their fullest potential.

Hail to the Force is enjoyable, but I know Crucible have more interesting material in them. Crucible know how to trim down, which is half the battle of good music, but now they need to learn when to let loose. If the power and chutzpah Crucible exhibited on this record were to appear on a more adventurously diverse sophomore release, it would make for a gangbusters follow-up. But as is, fans of the olde school will likely appreciate Hail to the Force’s retro aesthetics, youthful enthusiasm, and proficient musicianship. I just hope Mother Nature cuts Crucible a break for their next one.

Rating: Mixed.
DR: 6 | Review Format: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: From the Vaults
Websites: crucibledk.bandcamp | facebook.com/cruciblespeedmetal | instagram.com/cruciblespeedmetal
Release Date: September 12th, 2025

#25 #2025 #Crucible #DanishMetal #FromTheVaults #HailToTheForce #HeavyMetal #IronMaiden #JudasPriest #LiveWire #Motörhead #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #Riot #RiotCity #RiotV #Sep25 #SpeedMetal

#TheMetalDogArticleList
#BraveWords
“It Was A Crucible, And I’m Thankful For It” – ICED EARTH’s JON SCHAFFER Reveals His “Shocking” Story; Video

https://bravewords.com/news/it-was-a-crucible-and-im-thankful-for-it-iced-earths-jon-schaffer-reveals-his-shocking-story-video/

#ICEDEARTH #JONSCHAFFER #ItWas #Crucible #video #BraveWords #metal #music