A Canadian band under the influence of something strange and beautiful produce a powerhouse set of intergalactic metal hymns.

In the wilds of Canada, there are cosmically strange things happening and they involve metal. Perhaps it would be best to stay generic, as to not arouse the suspicion of some secret government agency or the alleged aliens involved. On the other hand, when aliens land in Canada help make some good metal it’s worth the effort to let the metal community in on it. Take this as your fair warning in the underground, Kontact has arrived and wants to broadcast their alien metal message directly into your brain with their debut album “Full Contact“.

The band features The Alien on bass and vocals, Unknown behind the drum kit, and finally Matt B1257+12 Z and Morh Morf Xela trading riffs on guitars. Prior to their abduction and indoctrination by mysterious alien forces, these individuals spent time with notable metal bands like Blackrat, Traveler, Hrom, and Chieftan. At the core of this quirky offering, there is a rock-solid set of experienced musicians who come together nicely on this project.

Set to be released on January 19^th, 2024, “Full Contact” by Kontact is set to usher in an alien world from beyond through a collection of 8 astral hymns backed by mind-melting metal. Dying Victims Productions presents this dystopian sleaze metal UFO jaunt via CD and vinyl LP formats. For the vinyl fans and collectors, there will be a regular edition on black vinyl, with insert, poster, sticker, postcard and download code, and a special edition on ultra clear vinyl, with insert, poster, sticker, postcard download code and two patches.

Without question, the post-thrash/punk era of Voivod is a distinct influence on the band and is most evident in the vocal delivery. The Alien delivers his cryptic words in a tone that sounds like alien apocalyptic preachings being broadcast through the sound system in a bar at the end of the universe. With that, there is a generous helping of music that showcases traditional, melodic, sleaze, and prog metal. Throughout the record, there is also a distinct presence of synthwave elements for added flavor. It cannot be understated how solid the music is, there’s a lot to like here.

The album opens with “Emperor of Dreams” and “Doppelgänger” which are a pair of crushing metal songs. The Alien delivers their cryptic sermon in a voice that comes across like some sort of cosmic robotic lizard and there are vocal chops on display in those parts that soar very high. The band delivers crushing bass and drums, which are a great medium for the dual guitar attack to shred the air with lighting sharp riffs and licks.

Kicking in next is “Heavy Leather” which is a sleazy Faster Pussycat romp that comes together nicely. The synthwave intro sets the tone to start, and then this it gets gets right to business flirting with the raunchy side. Following that, “Astral Vampire” and “Ixaxar” ramp up with the power metal vibes. Then, “Watcher at the End of Time” takes an intergalactic trip into the slow and crunchy prog side of things.

Rounding out the record are “Bloodchild” and “Spectral Fire”, which are two of the strongest offerings on this album. These are a pair of straight up metal jams that showcase what this band is all about: outstanding metal chops and the cosmically influenced meanderings of an astral vampire. Hands down, my favorite tracks.

Wrapping Up:

Perhaps it’s the secret messages in the music that have taken root in my brain or it’s just that this album has grown on me. These cryptic alien hymns are calling out and the more I listen… the stronger and louder the message is. There is a strong sense that this must be shared with everyone in the NWOTHM underground! YOU WILL COMPLY AND ENJOY! Seriously though, there is a lot to take in with this record. There’s a growing mythos around the band that presents something fun to dig into. To go along with this, there is a healthy amount of production value and imagination that has gone into breathing life into this throughout the record. There are little things here or there that just help complete the picture. The vocal delivery may not be for everyone, and that’s OK. This band came together and made something unique and interesting in the known universe. For all we know, the universe that isn’t known to us, as well. You can’t deny that this is a group of talented musicians who went all in to make this record and it’s one hell of ride across the galaxy.

THENWOTHM Score: 8/10