REVIEW: CYBERNETIC ERROSION - MATERIALISATION OF ABOMINATION

 

CYBERNETIC ERROSION - MATERIALISATION OF ABOMINATION (Funeral Decadence Prods., 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded by Viy during 99-00

Cover Artwork by Viy

Track List: 1- Errosive Prayer, 2- Salt Iron Blood, 3- 2000 Years, 4- Black Box, 5- Limited Access, 6- Short Circuit (Materialisation of Abomination).

Viy O.D. is the mind behind Cybernetic Errosion and the only memeber who plays and programs all the instruments. The CD opens with some electronic rhythms and industrial noises before getting into the main riffs of "Errosive Prayer", an instrumental of death-industrial-electronic metal with really heavy riffs over an electronic base. After this fast first tracks...darkness takes command of the music, going into an electronic-atmospheric-gothic sounding track called "Salt Iron Blood" where we can hear Viy O.D´s vocals that are really depressing and sound great over the keyboards chords. What can we find here? Anguish, darkness, obscurity, experimentation through all the tracks (check for example "2000 years", it is like a soundtrack to a funeral...great!). I hope Viy can also release soon his other projects (they are in different veins than Cybernetic Errosion) that I would like to listen. Favorite tracks: "Salt Iron Blood", "Limited Access" and "Black Box". Contact: ulv815@hotmail.com

REVIEW: CRONOS - SUEÑOS DE VANIDADES

 

CRONOS - SUEÑOS DE VANIDADES (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Luka AudioEstudio, San Cristóbal.

Produced by Cronos

Photos by Carina, Malario and José María Prato.

Track List: 1- Antiguos Ritos, 2- Sueños de Vanidades, 3- A Imagen y Semejanza, 4- Nubes Negras, 5- Vuelo al Dolor, 6- Derrochando Mal, 7- Santos inocentes, 8- El Ocaso de Miles, 9- Los Dominios del rey.

Interesting release from this band from the province of Córdoba, Argentina, mixing things of heavy metal with some thrash and doom parts. This is a band that must be taking on account on the metal scene from Argentina because they are mixing influences from seventies, eighties and nineties metal delivering songs with great quality. One thing that I have to point out here is their heavy use of keyboards that on my way of thinking provides a bigger range of possibilities to Cronos music. There is a big contrast between the raw sounding guitars and the clean majestic keyboards here and soundwise I would have liked them to mix a little bit louder the snare drum that gets a bit lost in the mix. Favorite tracks: "Nubes Negras", "Antiguos Ritos" and "Vuelo al Dolor". Contact: cronosband@latinmail.com

REVIEW: CHRIS BURN ENSEMBLE - THE PLACE 1991

 

CHRIS BURN ENSEMBLE - THE PLACE 1991 (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Technical data:

Digital Recording by Martin Davidson, London, October 13th, 1991.

Editing, mastering and Design by Martin Davidson

Front cover photo from a book dating around 1890.

Track List: 1- Presponse, 2- The Piano Ate Card, 3- Pollock #82, 4- Southern Samba A Go-Go, 5- Hammer Hint, 6- Blocks and Arches.

Let´s do a list of all the instruments that we have here: flutes, saxophones, violins, cello, guitar, pianos, percussion, synthesizer and electronics, et, etc. All this instruments are used in the context of compositions for improvisers. The result is really heterogeneous...sometimes calm and melodic, sometimes crazy and noisy, sometimes more coherent, sometimes less. It is really interesting as an exercise for musicians to see how well nine musicians can interact while improvising and being spontaneous. Also it is interesting how sometimes an idea is developed in a really sort spam of time and some of them take more or less seventeen minutes to reach the climax (like on "The Piano Ate Card"). A really heterogeneous release. Favorite tracks: "The Piano Ate Card", "Hammer Hint" and "Blocks and Arches". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com   

REVIEW: CHARNEL HOUSE - SAMPLE OF MURDER

 

CHARNEL HOUSE - SAMPLE OF MURDER (Independent, 2000):

Track List: 1- Of Blood and Bone, 2-Tale of Murder, 3- No reason To Die, 4- Dance of the Dead, 5- Comatose In A Coffin. 

Is this death metal? No, but it has elemnts of the style. Is this thrash metal? No, it is more than that. In fact on this release Charnel House combines the power of death metal with thrash rhythms and riffs that are full of grooves and rhythms (for example on "Tale of Murder" there are riffs and vocals that wouldn´t be out of place in a Grip Inc. Release). Purist Death metal fans don´t worry !! Here there are some fast parts with killer fast drumming on "Dance of the Dead"!! Tharash metal fans rejoice while checking the same track in its old school thrash metal runs and guitar solos.. This guys should continue making music on this vein and emphasizing the more groovy parts. The overall sound of the recording is good but I think the guitars can be mixed better and that will give more power to the music. This guys are releasing their new CD "From Birth to Burial" too!! Favorite tracks: "Tale of Murder", "Comatose in a Coffin". Contact: www.mp3.com/ACharnelHouse

REVIEW: THE FORSAKEN - MANIFEST OF HATE

 

THE FORSAKEN - MANIFEST OF HATE (Century Media , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded and Mixed at Abyss Studios, August 28 - September 15, 2000

Engineered and Produced by Tommy Tägtgren.

Cover Art / Design: Mike Bohatch.

Track List: 1- Seers Hatred, 2- Deamon Breed, 3- Betrayal Within Individuals, 4- Collector of Thoughts, 5- Soulshade, 6- Intro/Manifest of Hate, 7- Dehumanized Perspective, 8- Truth of God, 9- Incinerate, 10- Inseminated by The Beast

Why do you think that so many great bands come from Scandinavia? Is it a cultural reason? Is it the climate? Is it the history of their nations? I don´t know what really is but here is another great band from those lands, this time directly from Sweden. The band has a sound that is not that much original (I would call it like a more modern Gothenburg sound ) and they have the amazing Tommy Tägtgren mixing and producing this recording and that gives them an extra point and extra clarity in the way their instruments sound. This is one of those releases that have no mercy for the listener, going at full power from the beginning with "Seers Hatred" to the end with "Inseminated by the Beast". I find some similarities with At The Gates, and with Dark Tranquility ("The Gallery" era) but those similarities are not so evident. Perhaps they should emphasize riffs like the ones i"Betrayal Within Individuals" that are trully original and the twin guitar solos. Favorite tracks: "Collector of Thoughts", "Dehumanized Perspective" and "Incinerate". Contact: www.centurymedia.com

REVIEW: BRUTAL MIND "DEMO 2001" / KRATER "HELL"

 

BRUTAL MIND "DEMO 2001" / KRATER "HELL" (Independent, 2001):

Track List: Krater - Hell: 1- Hell, 2- Clinic Death, 3- Darkness, 4- Fleshless Sorrow, 5- We aur sol suls to the Devil, 6- Hell - BG, Krater 1991.

Brutal Mind: 1- Die, 2- Gutringer

Michael from Bulgaria is the brain behind these two projects (one of them, Krater is from the beginning of the nineties and I think it has split up) whose music can be described as progressive/ experimental death metal. Krater´s music is full of great epic keyboards. It is interesting to see Michael´s vocals to be so different from what one is accustomed to listen. Brutal Mind has a more modern sound with some heavy metal touches in the guitars (to define it, the track "Die" has guitars that are sometimes heavy metal and sometimes black metal). In Brutal Mind the vocals are more guttural and the speed is one of the main features along with some tempo changes. Also there are some interesting influences of bands like Celtic Frost or the first Coroner in the guitars too. I would like Michael to use the heavy keyboards that he used to put on Krater´s music into Brutal Mind too .

 

REVIEW: BESTIA - DEMO 2001

 

BESTIA - DEMO 2001 (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

All instruments (except drums) and vocals recorded in home studio - March/May 2001

Mixed by Volly and Andres

Track List: 1- Intro, 2- Viirastus töusvas tules, 3- Igaveseks koos, 4- Läbi halli udu, 5- Igaviku laps, 6- Esoteric Madness.

Bestia is a band from Estonia dedicated to black metal in its purest form. Raw guitars, screaming vocals, hyper fast tempos are some of the charachteristics of their music. Apart from this items, they use two things that are remarkable: riffs that are more rhythmics (as the one that starts "Igaveseks Koos" )and lots of hyper fast guitar melodies. In fact some of the riffs would not be out of place in a heavy metal band. Another thing to remark is that when they use this slower riffs, they use extremely dark tonalities in order to enhance the atmosphere of the songs. The overall sound is pretty good but I think that this guys in a Studio can do much better. This CD is total blackness guaranteed (and it ends with an ambient/electronic track called "Esoteric Madness"). Favorite tracks: "Viirastus Töusvas Tules" and "Igaviku Laps". Contact: www.zone.ee/bestia

REVIEW: BACHUS - DOMINE SPIRITUS

 

BACHUS - DOMINE SPIRITUS (The Flaming Arts, 1999):

Technical data:

Recorded at Atom Bomb Studios, January 1999

Engineered and Mixed by Evgeny Shmuletsov

Produced by Sombre Productions

Track List: 1- Dies Irae, 2- Sederunt, 3- Primogenitus Mortuorum, 4- Nemen Mi Mors, 5- Orgy/Part II, 6- Scirlin, 7- Morrigan, 8- Adonai, 9- Apocalypsis, 10- Calvary

A climatic intro with some whispering vocals leads us into "Sederunt", a slow and atmospheric black metal track full of keyboards and whispering voclas with electronic drums and no guitars. In fact the main instrument here are the keyboards and that turns this work into a more original one. The keyboards are used to create dark atmospheres and to enhance the different kind of vocals that are used throughout the release. This one must be listen to see the constant experimentation that some bands do. Contact: valkalac@mail.ru

REVIEW: AZRAEL - DIMENSION IV

 

AZRAEL - DIMENSION IV (Locomotive Music, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded in Studio Supersonics, Granada.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Mario Gutierrez and Josue M. Martin

Cover art: Carlos 10

Track List:1- En el Umbral, 2- Sacrificio, 3- Nada que Temer, 4- Sentencia, 5- Mujer de Hielo, 6- La Luz de Ishtar, 7- La Noche Cae, 8- Incierta Realidad, 9- Tres y el Apocalipsis, 10- En la Otra Dimensión.

Directly from Spain arrives Azrael´s forth album....this one is called "Dimension IV". An eerie introduction leads us into "Sacrificio" in the vein of the strongest power metal. The strangest thing that this band has are the choruses which sound really Spanish. Another thing that got my attention is the guitar sound that is really heavy (heavier than in most of power metal bands) and the drums are mixed in a way that makes them sound really pure, specially the hihat. Thanks god this band does not use too much the galloping rhyhms that most heavy/power metal bands (specially europeans) use nowadays. There are some interesting ideas, specially on the guitar solos and in some keyboard phrases. Favorite tracks: "Nada Que Temer", "Mujer de Hielo" and "La Luz de Ishtar". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com   

REVIEW: ALTAR - RED HARVEST

 

ALTAR - RED HARVEST (Crash Music., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Franky´s Recording Kitchen.

Produced by Peter De Koster, Berthus Westerhuis and Marcel Verdurmen

Artwork by Kelder and Kleijer.

Track List: 1- Sick, 2- The Stress Factor, 3- Spikes and Pain, 4- On the Throne, 5- The Unbeliever, 6- Red Harvest, 7- Generation X, 8- To my Friends (RIP), 9- Punishment for Decency.

Directly from the Netherlands here it comes one of the most emblematic bands from that country. Their music goes along the death metal paths with a more modeern touch that brings them also close to bands like Sepultura or Fear Factory. But this band puts more emphasis on brutality and in certain tracks like "The Stress Factor" on speed (this track has an excellent guitar phrase played over the chorus) and rhythm (killer double bass drumming in some tracks), without forgetting to add melodies here and there to spice up the results (as in the beginning of "Spikes and Pain" just to give an example). A really potent album from this band that has also the fame of being a great live act. Favorite tracks: "On the Throne" (melodies over a blast beat?!?!?!), "Red Harvest" and "Punishment for Decency". Contact: www.crash-inc.com

REVIEW: ACID DEATH - RANDOM´S MANIFEST

 

ACID DEATH - RANDOM´S MANIFEST (Black Lotus Recs., 2000)

Track List:1- Perfect Enemy, 2- Random´s Manifest Pt. 1, 3- Psycho love, 4- Sense of Annihilation, 5- Curse of Flesh, 6- In Sorrow, 7- Random´s Manifest Pt. II, 8- Misery colored yellow-black, 9- Teach To Kill, 10- Future Deadlock, 11- Random´s Manifest Pt. III, 12- W.A.R. (Wrong and Right)  

 Modern death metal in all its splendour. Acid Death, a greek death metal machine driven by an almost mechanical drum (courtesy of Costas T.). I loved the music of "Random´s Manifest Pt-1" with interesting keyboard parts, solos and a piano thrown into this death metal madness (really progressive...I wish this track would have been longer). The main element here is the antagony between the most brutal aprts and the dark melodies and experiments that this guys do through the whole recording....for example they do clean arpeggios after fast riffs or they throw a lot of clean guitars. There are also some keyboards enhancing all the results. Killer CD !!!!Favorite tracks: The whole recording. Contact: http://harmaforum.gr/Acid_Death/index_acid.html

REVIEW: NOMENMORTIS - HOW I LEARN TO BLEED... FOR THE THINGS I WISH TO FORGET

 

NOMENMORTIS - HOW I LEARN TO BLEED...FOR THE THINGS I WISH TO FORGET (Jackhammer Music, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded at Accelerate Studios

Track List: 1- Mercy Dies Right Now (intro), 2- War Chant of the Hated Spawn, 3- maggot Tribe, 4- Tedd Deireadh - Conjunction for Armaggeddon, 5- Left there something to live for?, 6- Seen Through the Thorns of Despair, 7- Empirium of Mist, 8- Something Almost Buried, 9- Another Starblaze...Another Tragedy?, 10- Unholy Voices of Reason - Godexpeller, 11- Outcry of Senseless Sacrificed - Let me die at Last, 12- Eternal Shadow has Arrived (outro)

Death metal !! Yes, death metal in all its magnitude is what this band brings us with their latest release (they are recording new stuff now). The music here is technical death metal with an emphasis in brutality and really well constructed guitar solos . Crushing rhythms and a fat guitar sound made this release a powerful one within the realm of death metal music. Favorite tracks: "Unholy Voices of Reason...", "Outcry of Senseless Sacrificed..." and "Left there something to live for?". Contact: nomenmortis@post.sk

REVIEW: NOMENMORTIS - PROMO 2001

 

NOMENMORTIS - PROMO 2001 (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered between 16 may and 18 june, 2001 at Tomako´s Sound Laboratory.

Track List: 1- Mitgefangen Mitgehangen (Neckbreaking Consequences), 2- Stunning Sweetness of Revenge, 3- Steel Wind Symphony, 4- Something Almost Buried (2001 Re-recording)

Nomenmortis, one of the main names in the Slovakian death metal scene is here with a demonstration of what they are doing nowadays. The music is brutal death metal with some vocals that are similar to those used by grindcore bands (because they are really guttural). There are all the elements of the style: fast rhythms, drums at a thousand miles per hour, guttural vocals, maniac solos. I think that the band should use more riffs like some of the used in "Stunning Sweetness of Revenge" which are one of the more interesting ones here. This promo has a good sound, specially on guitars (but I think that the final result when they finish recording their new CD will be much better). It is good to see that this band is evolving in a really good way. Contact: nomenmortis@post.sk

REVIEW: SANCTIMONY - ETERNAL SUFFERING

 

SANCTIMONY - ETERNAL SUFFERING (Father Productions , 1999):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Phoenix Studio - Riga, Latvia.

Recorded, Mixed and Engineered by Janis Levits

Cover Art / Design: Artur Berzins.

Track List: 1 - Christ Church, 2- the Castle Mound, 3- Autumn, 4- the Lost, 5- Eternal Suffering, 6-The Pray, 7- First Cross, 8- Satan Fallus

This is a band of death/black metal with some doom touches that comes directly from Latvia. Their sound is pretty brutal but they have some elements to point out that I think are what this band should use more often: first of all the guitar solos, really tasty, like the ones at the end of "Christ Church", second the more interesting riffs like the one in "The Castle Mound " (1:42)...those are elements that will set this band apart from others of the style. A third point to explore are the slower parts like the one at 2:29 of the same track (with excellent double bass drumming). Full speed is what we found in the beginning of "Autumn" and when we thought this was all in that track, a slower, more atmospheric part appeared (here is another element to explore, the tasty bass licks at 1:02). I don´t know if this band is recording new material but I would like to see how they have evolved since this recording. Favorite tracks: ""The Castle Mound", "Autumn", "The Pray" Contact: Guntis@it.lv

REVIEW: QUATOUR ACCORDE - ANGEL GATE (1998-2000)

 

QUATOUR ACCORDE - ANGEL GATE (1998-2000) (Emanem Disc , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at: 1,8,12 - Middlesex University by Joel Conde e Silva, June 23rd, 1998.

2-7 - Gateway Studio by Steve Lowe - July 14th, 2000 and 9-11 in concert at St. Michael and All Angels Church by Martin Davidson - July 17th, 2000

Track List: 1-One, 2-Slow Getaway, 3-The End of the Beginning, 4-Scraping Through, 5-Fermage, 6-Turnstyle, 7-Eye of the Needle, 8-Two, 9-St. Michael´s Mount, 10-Not in Fitful Visions, 11-A Box of Lucifers, 12-Three

I am crazy for this experimental string quartet !! Their music simply can not be described with words. First of all, there is a warning: all the instruments here were used without amplification or other electronics. And they sound really electronic in some parts !! Amazing!! There are three double bass solos on this recording appropriately called "One", "Two" and "Three". It is really interesting to see how in some tracks the basis of the piece is constructed over the double bass and cello and in others over the violin and viola turning upside down the scheme of the songs. I think that in this recording the fundamental thing is the experimentation, to break musical boundaries, to explore, to create atmospheres that our ears are not so accustomed to listen. Check for example the phrases in "Slow Getaway" ( 2:50) to see how the instruments interact to give form to the musical piece or the cuasi-noises in "The End of the Beginning" to see how this musicians are always walking on the edge. This are twelve interesting tracks for lovers of total experimentation. Favorite tracks: "Scraping Through", "Turnstyle" and "St. Michael´s Mountain". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com or emanemdisc@aol.com

REVIEW: PYRAMID - THE IMMACULATE LIE

 

PYRAMID - THE IMMACULATE LIE (Locomotive Music , 2000):

Track List: 1-Epilogue, 2-Hell Freezes Over, 3-Uthopia City, 4-Merciful Lies, 5-One of a Kind, 6-The Mastery of Flight, 7-Show Me, 8-Armageddon, 9-Virtual Superhuman, 10-The Prodigal Son

Pyramid is one of the most interesting bands from the Locomotive Music label: their music can be called progressive and because of the strength that their compositions have this is pure progressive metal. The album opens with a short piano instrumental called "Epilogue" before getting into "Hell Freezes Over with its complex riffs and changes (thumbs up for guitarist Tony Valles and keyboardist Javier Camps). The main influence for this band is obviously Dream theater (listen to the riff of "Hell Freezes Over" (3:32) that could have been extracted from "Images and Words". The main difference with the american band are the vocals from Javier Cespedes that sound really different from James La Brie´s (he made me remember of Toxik´s singer from the "World Circus" album) and the powerful guitar of Valles that is quite different from John Petrucci´s, even if they have a similar style. The songs in "The Immaculate Lie" are over five minutes long each one letting the musicians show all that they can do (specially on "Armageddon" that is almost fourteen minutes long with a lot of parts, changes and breaks). Excellent progressive band that I think in then future will find their identity and place in the progressive metal scene. Favorite tracks: "Uthopia Cry", "The Mastery of Flight" and "Armageddon". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com

REVIEW: PROFANITY - SLAUGHTERING THOUGHTS

 

PROFANITY - SLAUGHTERING THOUGHTS (Cudgel Agency Recs. , 2000):

Technical Data:

Recorded at the Brickhouse Studio (August-September 2000) by Albrecht Felsenstein and Profanity.

Produced by Profanity

Cover Art and layout by Profanity

Track list: 1-During the Hours of Darkness, 2-Drowned in Dusk, 3-Soultornado - Hate Burn inside, 4-The Springs Within, 5-Giants of Void Vortex, 6-Soulitude, 7-Strangulated with Thoughts, 8-When Colour Becomes Pallor

Germany´s Profanity have made a really heavy album. Death/thrash metal is the music they play full of souble bass drumming and no subtle things. Music design to crush you down like a ten ton hammer smashed on your head. Thomas Sartor vocals are guttural but at the same time understandable and fit perfectly the mood of the music that the band makes. It is amazing to see that this is a trio, because they have a really full sound, in fact I think that Martl has to make a lot of speed picking on his bass as a second guitar would do to fill every space. Profanity is a band designed to kick your ass and it seems to me that they have achieved their goals with this album (see "Drowned in Dusk" or "Soultornado-Hate Burn Inside" just to name a couple of the tracks presented here). Don´t ask melodies, don´t ask keyboards or female vocals. If brutality and power is what you wnat here is Profanity. Favorite Tracks: "Drowned in Dusk", "The Springs Within" and "Soulitude". Contact: www.profanity.de or brutal@profanity.de

REVIEW: PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - STICKS AND STONES

 

PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE - STICKS AND STONES (Sofa Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded in Sofienberg Cgurch, Oslo - February 2001 by Thomas Hukkelberg

Produced by Paal Nilssen-Love. Co-produced by Ivar Grydeland.

Cover Painting: "Tangle" by Terry Nilssen-Love

Track list: 1-No way Out II, 2-Snap, 3-Sweet and Lovely, 4-Butterfly Wings, 5-Gulebøy, 6-Dots, 7-Spots, 8-Fast Colour, 9-B, 10-Hedda, 11-No Way In

Master percussionist/drummer Paal Nilssen Love recorded this CD on February of this year in the Sofienberg Church in Oslo. To express himself as can be heard through all this recording he used three different kits: a stripped down kit (consisting in hihat, snare and cymbal), a conventional jazz kit and an extended kit with additional cymbals, bells and stuff. What can I say? This guy knows how to express himself through his instrument and he has a great technique to play it. I find very interesting the difference between all the tracks here, some of them more complex, some of them less but always imaginative and creative. Tracks like "Sweet and Lovely" or "Butterfly Wings" show how much Nilssen-Love can explore and improvise with his instrument giving new meaning to the term drum playing. Recommended for drummers and fans of experimentation. Favorite tracks: "Fast Colour", "Spots" and "No Way In". Contact: www.norcd.no/sofa or sofa@norcd.no

REVIEW: ONASSIS DAY - ONASSIS DAY

 

ONASSIS´DAY - ONASSIS´DAY (Locomotive Music, 1999):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Borsing Studios, Aarhus, Denmark.

Mixed by Jan Borsing

Track List: 1-Intro, 2-1000 Little Ways, 3-Domino Circle Effect, 4-4 F.F. (Fucking Freedom), 5-Hybrid, 6-Pockets, 7-Hate, 8-I, 9-Number, 10-Help Me, 11-X-Rules

I can see a lot of influences in the music of Spain´s Onassis Day but none of them are really so strong that you might say that they are a carbon copy: Biohazard, Machine Head, Korn, White Zombie, Alice In Chains, Tool, some other bands of "new metal", etc. I think that this guys want their music to be really direct with few subtle moments (I think the guitars and keyboards give the music in here their more interesting aspects). Good riffs remarking the rhythmic aspect of the music ("F.F. (Fucking Freedom)" is pure Korn 100%). The main feature and the point that I think this band should use more often in the future is the combination between the keyboard phrases with the ultra heavy guitars like in "Hate" (3:00). A promising band with a great sound. Favorite tracks: "Hate", "Hybrid" and "Number". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com 

REVIEW: OF THE WAND AND THE MOON - EMPTINESS EMPTINESS EMPTINESS

 

OF THE WAND AND THE MOON - EMPTINESS EMPTINESS EMPTINESS (Euphonious Recs., 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Soundscape Studio, Copenhagen, October 2000

Mastered at Sweep Masterling by Flemming Hansson

Photos by Lars Wahl - Layout by Søren Granhof Schjøtt

Track List : 1-Lost in Emptiness, 2- My Devotion will never Fade, 3- In a Robe of Fire, 4- Algir Naudir Wunjo, 5- Silver Rain, 6- Gal Anda, 7- Here´s to Misery (A Toast), 8- Can I erase the Demon?, 9- Reficul

This is an album produced, composed and performed under the influence of alcohol and misanthropy as the booklet says. Of the Wand and the Moon is a project of Saturnus guitarist Kim Larsen. And is a really depressive one !! Depressive, but really well composed, since Larsen here is only asisted by other musicians on bass, cello, flute and percussion, and he has achieve a great result, plasmating his emotions on CD. Larsen´s vocals are the main factor to accentuate the sense of anguish, depression and loneliness that the listener gets while listening to this recording. Don´t expect blast beats, don´t expect heavy guitar riffs, don´t expect screaming or guttural vocals, here you have this music that can only be defined as Larsen´s soul reflection. Take as an example songs like "In a robe of Fire" with its slow tempo, with the violin melodie slithering underneath the vocals. The beauty of "Silver Rain" and its acoustic guitars and keyboards...Please, welcome emptiness with open arms !!. Favorite tracks: "Lost in Emptiness", "In a Robe of Fire" and "Gal Anda". Contact: www.vow.dk/euphonious 

SLOVAKIAN METAL SCENE REPORT - by MARTIN from NOMENMORTIS

 SLOVAKIAN SCENE REPORT

Metal scene in Slovakia has begun to form between 1986-1989, these times our country was under the communist government. There were some rock or hard rock bands before, (some of them exists until now as a part of official popculture), but metal was almost banned for its symbols like long hair, clothing, hard and noisy music and lyrics not worshipping the communist leaders, prominents and ideals. People with long hair, jeans, metal atributes and other things were treatened as rebels, sometimes almost „enemies of socialism". Problems in the school or with the police and „decent citizens" were quite usual. I remember it, being 29 now, and metalhead since 14.

The situation has a bit changed after 1989, when the communism fell. Since then our scene really developed, when it comes to the bands and zines. Almost all our bands now sing in English (although not all of them can speak this language), music is on very good level of quality, in many ocassions comparable to the best bands from USA or other more known scenes. Some bands have already released a CD‘s, there are about 3 domestic labels, about 30 or more zines, 1 magazine, and maybe 3 radios, playing also the metal. On the other hand the fanbase is weaker than it was 10 years ago, and people listening to metal and looking "„not too socially conform" are still outcasts or enemies in the eyes of various idiots, be it politicians, church, rednecks, scumheads from any sort and lowlifes like that. Of course this kind of music is totally ignored in TV, and almost totally in other massmedias. Real metal here still lives in the deepest underground.

Since the beginning of 90‘s the strongest genre here is death metal, but we have also some grind, doom, black, thrash and other metal bands.

 Eastern Slovakia has quite large metal scene nowadays. These are the bands from Košice, a second largest town in our country (250 000 inhabitants).

NOMENMORTIS – Existing since 1992, 2 rehearsal demos (1993, 1994), 1 official (8/1994). After a lot of personal changes the debut CD album „How I Learn To Bleed...For The Things I Wish To Forget" was released in 8/2000 on Japanese Jackhammer Music. Style: hyperblasting brutal death metal. New stuff, MCD „Misanthrone" (33 min., 10 tracks) was recorded in May 2001, prepare yourself for total extreme.

c/o Martin Lukáč, Lomonosovova 2, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia, nomenmortis@post.sk

CONTEMPT-Existing since 1990, 3 official demos in proggresive atypic techno death style, after line up changes they play totally fast brutal death metal in Vader/Nile vein. Actual, this time only rehearsal demo, is „Live In Room" (10/2000). Their drummer also plays in Nomenmortis, on the other hand bassplayer from N. plays in Contempt also. Material for their debut CD was recorded in March 2001. It’s good stuff, but too much similar to Nile. The CD is supposed to be released in 11/2001 on Empire Records.

c/o Ľubo Lokša, Tatranská 13, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia

OBLITERATE-Existing since 1992, with 2 demos, split 7EP with Excreted Alive, MC on Soundless Productions (Lithuania), promo 1999 and CD album „The Feelings" (7/2000, Erebos Productions). They play top quality grind core, raw but technical, with some death metal, HC and industrial elements. Their new material was recorded in August{September 2001, it contains 9 tracks in total time about 30 min.

c/o Ladislav Polák, Lidické námestie 7, 040 22 Košice, Slovakia

CARESS-Existing since 1995, with demo, also on CD „Psychiatric Hospital" (5/1999) and live demo CD (2000). Technical death/thrash/progrock/jazz extravaganza. Also drummer from Obliterate plays there. The vocalist is a person behind Without Shame festivals.

c/o Ján Košč, Sputniková 8, 040 12, Košice, Slovakia, koscj@hotmail.com

ERYTROSY- Existing since 1992, with 1 demo (7/2000) and CD „Incomplete Minds". These times they played US style death metal, influenced by Cannibal Corpse too much. After line-up changes they recorded a new album in 1998, released in 2000 again on Metal Age Productions. Now they play top quality death metal, fast and aggressive, more original, although still slightly in US vein. New 4 track promo was recorded in August 2001.

c/o Stanislav Lastivka, Ludmanská 3, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia

MORDUM-Existing since 1991, with 2 rehearsal demos, official demo „Systems" (1996, since 2001 also on CD) was highly praised for its technicality and complexity, comparable to Death and Pestilence. After some personal changes (now with Erytrosy’s drummer) they started to play more raw, intense music with the elements of old school death/thrash, grind and HC. Actual demo is "Destroy Future" (10/2000).

c/o Marek Beluško, Krosnianska 41, 040 22 Košice, Slovakia.

CARNAL-A band of former guitarrist from Mordum, with guest musicians from Phantasma and Mordum and with drum machine. Some kind of technical and brutal death. No official release.

c/o Roman Köröši, Lesnícka 7, 040 11 Košice, Slovakia

PHANTASMA-Existing since 1992, they claim themselves as satanic band. So far they did 2 MC albums and CD "Jahve" (1999) on Immortal Souls Productions. Their style could be described as raw but technical death metal with melodical, in older times jazz-influenced parts. They use keyboards also. New material was already recorded.

P.O.Box 73, 040 11 Košice, Slovakia

THORWALD-A new (1999), promising, and quite alcoholic band. They have a demo from 2000, in raw grind/crust style, with socially oriented lyrics. Their new stuff is more brutal, oriented to grind/death.

c/o Tomáš Németh, Wurmova 11, 040 23 Košice, Slovakia.

DECOMPOSITION-Another new band (1998-99), gore/grind, with 1 demo and 6way CD on Bizarre Leprous Productions.

c/o Patrik Horváth, Zupkova 23, 040 22 Košice, Slovakia

CRUENT STERCURARO-New gore grind act (2000), playing live, they recorded the debut material in March 2001. Very good stuff, ask for the CD on:

c/o Adam Prokop, Ladozska 11, 040 12 Kosice, Slovakia, cruent@post.sk

FEAST OF ROTTEN CORPSES-Another brutal project of Mordum, Erik (ex-Nomenmortis, Contempt) and some other members of KE scene. No release

CHAOTIC EVIL-Another new band (1998), death metal, no release.

ETERNITY-Modern metal/hardcore band, existing since 1998 or something, with self-released CD.

XIBALBA-One of the first brutal bands in Košice, existing since 1990, with 3 demos (thrash/black, thrash/death, then thrash/progressive) and with CD „Grey Infinity" (1998), progressive metal. Now in the state of deep hibernation.

MENTALLY PARASITES-Very old band (1989), with 3 demos (grind), some vinyls and material for the album, never released, in metal/grind/HC style. Now defunct, write to Obliterate, Ladislav is drummer of M.P.

S-3A-American old school style hard core, with original drummer of Nomenmortis on guitar. Good live act, with material for CD. I really like their music.

c/o Roland Novák, Hanojská 4, 040 13 Košice, Slovakia

NOSEBLEED-Metal/HC band, with self released CD.

SELFCAGED, progressive metal, with self-released CD.

NOSTRUM-Progressive rock, good stuff, if do you like this kind of musis also.

STONE COLD BITCH-Hard core metal band, quite popular here, with demo and material for CD, I don’t know if it is released yet.

c/o Bohuš Michalko, Vencová 32, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia

LATERAL-New band, too young to play real metal, but if you are interresting in Korn/Limp Bizkit trends...

HELL FIGHTERS-Heavy metal, but nor my mother knows if they still play or not...

Well, that‘s basically it from the city I live in. Next are the bands from Prešov and that area.

WAYD-Existing since 1994, with 1 demo (1996), and CD „The Ultimate Passion", released in 1998 on Metal Age Productions. Very good and inovative band, using the elements of technical death and thrash, progressive rock, jazz, a lot of melodies. Their new CD was released this year, on the same label. Great music, really recommended!

c/o Richard Majer, Prostějovská 28, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia

PERVERSITY-Existing since 1995, death metal act with 2 demos, the 2nd, „Personal", is very good, quite brutal and technical death metal. Promising stuff. Drummer of Insepultus played in P. also, but now there is a new line-up again. Their actual material sounds really good live.

c/o Jozef Košč, Mukačevská 51, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia

CELLEARIUS-Melodic heavy/death metal band with some doom and thrash influences. 1 demo from 1999, quite promising stuff.

c/o Martin Lončák, Prostějovská 7, 080 01 Prešov, Slovakia (also the address of Underground Ecstasy distribution and Voice Of Aggression zine).

BLEEDING-Some death metal, not too much to say until now. Future will tell...

INSEPULTUS-One of oldest death metal bands (with roots in 1988) in Slovakia, with 3 demos and MC. Then their debut CD „Stigma Of Souls" was released on Czech Leviathan Records, in 1999. They were temporarily non-active because of line-up problems, but play again now. Their style is melodic death metal.

c/o Rado Priputen, Puškinova 20, 083 01 Sabinov, Slovakia

Some bands are also in northern part of eastern Slovakia, bordering with Poland.

ANAL SURGERY-Raw grindcore act, playing live since 1998, but with no release.

c/o Vilo „A" Gribus, Komenského 9, 085 01, Bardejov, Slovakia (also the contact of Jesus Wept zine)

SCUM-quite good European old school death metal, with 2 demos. I have no actual infos, try to ask at Jesus Wept zine

ANTHAIB-Black metal, it is all that they have told me about themselves. From Bardejov area.

NOSTALGIA DREAMS-Quite promising soft doom metal band with female vocals. They have demo „Invia" from 1998. Some of members also play in:

MYSTICAL NIGHTCHARM-Some kind of athmospheric death/black/doom, no release

VAGINAL GYNECOLOGY-Death/grind or something, no release.

c/o Michal Šichula, Šandal 20, 091 01 Stropkov, Slovakia

Southeastern Slovakia, not too great scene:

SACRED GOD-Some kind of death/thrash, one of younger bands. No release. From Sečovce.

TREMOR-Death/black or something, no release. From Trebišov.

MORSIRET-They try to play death metal, with some demo. From Trebišov

 

Northeastern Slovakia, bordering with Poland and Ukraine. Town Humenné once was a „metal fortress of East", with a lot of grat metal shows. Rumours say that all bands from there are R.I.P. now.

DAYBREAK-A really good melodic death metal band with guitar virtuoso. Music is influenced by Death and maybe some Swedish bands. They have a demo from 1996 (re-released on Erebos), with female vocalist also, and Promo 98 (male vocal only), both worth to check out.

c/o Peter Uher, Laborecká 16, 066 01 Humenné, Slovakia

AMORBITAL-Death metal, between melodical and brutal vein, maybe influenced by Krabathor. They have demo (1996) and CD „Invidia", released in 1999 on French Shock Wave Records. Quite good stuff.

c/o Rado Lipovský, Štúrova 550, 072 22 Strážske, Slovakia

BIZARRE OF BRUTALITY-Ambitious, but now probably hibernated death/doom/black, or atmospheric death band, with demo, promo CD (1996, resp. 1998) and MC „Metaphor" (2000, Erebos).

c/o Miroslav Jankaj, Osloboditeľov 43, 067 81 Belá nad Cirochou, Slovakia.

USELESS SACRIFICE- Progressive doom metal band with clear male vocal, very good, with demo from 1996 and promo 1998. Good made stuff, worth to check it out.

c/o Maroš Čornanič, Gaštanová 92, 066 01 Humenné, Slovakia

PERSECUTOR-Good thrash in classical Kreator vein, with demo from 1996.

c/o Ľubo Barna, Třebíčská 6, 066 01 Humenné, Slovakia

SONOROUS RELUCTANCE-Thrash in more modern vein, with demo from 1998.

c/o Peter Dzvoník, Hrnčiarska 15, 066 01 Humenné

DELUSION-Doom/black, with demo from 1998.

c/o Dávid Potučko, Študentská 1444, 069 01 Snina

Others from the east:

L.T.T. Power violence with ex-Mentally Parasites drummer, from Vranov.

MOON-Some death metal, from Rožňava, 1 demo?

TREST-Thrash/jazz/rock, some demos, from Poprad

______________________________________________________________________________________

Central and northern Slovakia:

DESECRATED DREAMS-Midtempo, quite melodic death metal, with 2 good demos (1997, 1999). Their debut CD is released on Metal Age productions. Really killer classical death metal release, take a look for that!

c/o Ľubo Michalovič, Vrlíkova 1884/72, 031 01 Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia

HAMMERHEART-Classical heavy metal in the vein of Iron Maiden, surprisingly catchy stuff. Some demos and Promo CD’s.

c/o Denis Beláčik, Jilemnického 20, 031 01 Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia.

ACOASMA-Fast death metal, maybe influenced by Vader. They did 2 good demos and were about a recording a CD. But there are probably dead, the guitarrist now plays bass in Dementor.

c/o Rasťo Schmögner, Papiernická 6/9, 034 01 Ružomberok, Slovakia.

BETRAYER-Thrash in the vein of older Sepultura, quite o.k. Some demos available.

c/o Dávid Gibala, Nová doba 491/1, 027 43 Nižná, Slovakia

DOOMED-Doom/death, maybe with some experiments. One demo.

c/o Pavol Ondrúšek, Jesenského 1180/55 024 01 Kysucké Nové Mesto, Slovakia

LUNATIC GODS-Formerly know as Bestialit, these times death/grind, not too great. Now they are among most inovative acts, using the elements of death, doom, black, progrock alltogether with technical guitar, melodious parts, keyboards and 2 different vocalists. They did 1. album on Italian Polyphemus Records, the second, „Sitting By the Fire" on their own label Metal Age Productions, together with new EP. But as I‘ve heard recently, they kicked out the vocalist. New album „Wilderness" was already recorded

c/o Metal Age Productions, P.O.Box 42, 038 61 Vrútky, Slovakia

metal.age@mt.sknet.sk, www.metalage.sk

PROTEST-One of oldest bands here, existing since 1988 or 1989. They released 2 or more demos, from thrash/death to death grind, CD in atmospheric death/grind style (Metal Age, 1996), and now they will release a new CD, more experimental (but recorded 3 years a go) and new MC, more in grind vein. all on Metal Age

c/o-write to Metal Age Productions

MYSTIC DEATH-Very promising, but now defunct black metal act, maybe the best one here so far, very fast but atmospheric. Their album „Voices Of The Obscure Worlds" was released in 1998 on Metal Age.

c/o-Metal Age or Simargl, Pivovarská 43, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia

MENTALITY-Brutal but inovative act, using the keyboards in death/grind. They released a demo in 1996, then MC „Teonanacatl" in 1999, on Immortal Souls Productions. Very good insane stuff, but this band does not exist anymore.

Immortal Souls Productions, c/o Juraj Haríň, Brezová 9, 034 01 Ružomberok, Slovakia, immortalsouls@immortalsouls.sk, www.immortalsouls.sk

P.I.T.-Brutal grindcore with drummachine, quite good new band, with demo „Human?", 2000. Formerly known as Malignant Suppuration,,with 1 rehearsal demo. There are the planes about split release with Shit For Brains (some grind from the same town).

c/o Ján Lovás, Jilemnického 25, 036 01 Martin

ANTARES-Some doom/death from Martin, demo available.

EDITOR-Thrash metal legend, now hard core, 4 demos, 3 albums.

c/o-Metal Age Productions

SANATORIUM-Quite known „brutal naturalistic death metal" band, with 3 demos and album CD „Arrival Of The Forgotten Ones" on their label Erebos Productions (now Forensick Records). They released the second CD this year, the new stuff „Internal Womb Cannibalism"is more in US (Lividity, Disgorge) brutal vein.

Sanatorium/Forensick Records., c/o Martin Belobrad, Bajzova 29, 010 01 Žilina, Slovakia,

GOREOPSY-Gore brutal death metal in US vein, with drummachine. They released MC (2000) on Erebos.

c/o Miroslav Piták, Osiková 11, 010 01 Žilina

V.E.C.-Grindcore, with demo from 1998.

VNÚTROMATERNICOVÝ KANIBALIZMUS-Grindnoise, with some split demos. Ask Erebos for details.

RUTHLESS-Death metal, no release, from Žilina. Maybe R.I.P.

UNDEAD-Death metal, no release, Žilina. Maybe R.I.P.

GLORION-Speed metal, Žilina.

DEMENTOR-Probably most known death metal band from Slovakia so far, with career since 1988. They released 2 demos (1992, 1993), MC album on I.S.P. in 1994, 1. CD on I.S.P. in 1996, 2. on Quabalah Productions (Spain) in 1999 and the new one is „Enslave The Weak" on French Osmose Productions, 2001. Dementor plays really fast death in US style, very influenced by Morbid Angel. Now they play with guitarrist, formerly playing in Nomenmortis.

c/o René Blahušiak, Vajanského 154, 020 01 Púchov, Slovakia

AFFRONT-Death/thrash/HC/grind, with ex-Dementor vocalist. No release.

c/o Peter Ondruš, Streženice 56, 020 01 Púchov

EMPTINESS-a band with ex-Dementor members, with 4-track promo.

FACE OF AGONY-Very good thrash metal band in US vein, with demo (1997) and CD (1999)

c/o Marcel Chleban, Štefánikova 1641/30, 020 01 Púchov, Slovakia

TYPHOID-Good quite brutal death metal band in US style, with demo (1997) and CD „Ruptured Self Control" (Immortal Souls Productions, 2000). They new mini CD will be out soon, on the same label.

c/o Roman Regina, Komenského 337, 972 12 Nedožery-Brezany, Slovakia.

CRIMEN EXCEPTUM-Some black metal, with one demo, judging from their interviews they are just kids without any knowledge what the dark arts and philosophies are about.

EMBOLISM-Once very mediocre death/grind, with some demo and split tape with Agathocles. Now they play very good grind in Haemorrhage vein, with CD (Erebos, 2000), and 4 way EP.

c/o Roman Kračmer, Žarnova 12/9, 971 01 Prievidza, Slovakia

PATHOLOGY STENCH-Existing since 1992, with 1 demo (1994) and 2 CD’s, the 1. on Immortal Souls Prods., 1997, 2., „Accion Mutante" on Shindy Prods., Czech Rep., 2000. Well played technical and brutal death metal in US style, quite known band.

c/o Báro Barančík, Tulská 16, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

SURGICAL DISSECTION-Very good death/grind band, with demo (1997) and CD „The Inborn Malignance" on Erebos Productions, 1999. New CD will be out on Erebos in early 2002.

c/o Martin Majer, Moskovská 48, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, surgicaldissection@hotmail.com

PYOPOESY-Interresting, once brutal, now more melodic midtempo death metal, with 3 demos, the actual one is „Tyrannus" (2000).

c/o Miro Lupták, Tatranská 95, 974 01 Banská Bystrica

N.C.O.-Thrash/death/HC metal, from Banská Bystrica, with several demos.

SLEEPING PROPHET-Doom metal in old British vein, with 1 demo.

c/o Marek Michalko, Kráľovohoľská 1, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

ABSTRACT-Atmospheric instrumental metal extravaganza, good and interresting, with 2 demos.

c/o Peter Lengsfeld, Moskovská 25, 974 01 Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

UNCONCERN-Techno death metal, 2 demos, promo MC, for those who like Death, Cynic, Atheist, Pestilence and Meshuggah.

c/o Jaro Vojtek, Na Štepnici 5, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia,

DISILLUSION-Techno death metal, 1 demo (1998).

c/o Adrián Kulich, G. Svobodu 1999/72, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

WAYMANYKA SHASTRA-Industrial/death/thrash/core metal, good music in Fear Factory/Pitch Shifter vein, 1 demo (1998).

c/o Vlado Kučera, Lieskovská cesta 2356/12, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia

CONDEMNATION-Heavy/death metal, melodical music with doom and black influences. 2 demos (1997, 1999), 1 promo. Their debut CD will be out soon on Metal Age Productions.

contact –M.A.P.

Others:

DISSIDEO-Deth metal, 2 demos.

CYRHOZA-Grind core or something.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Western and southern Slovakia:

CLINICAL-Swedish style raw melodic death metal band with 2 demos, promising, but R.I.P. Their drummer used to play in Dementor.

DEPRESY-With no doubt one of the best Slovakian death metal bands. Existing since 1991 they developed their style into mystical, dark, melodious but still brutal death metal with deep vocals. So far they did 3 demos, MCD (but about 50 min., with 1995 demo as bonus!) and CD on Shindy productions. Totally briliant stuff, on the same level as old Septic Flesh and Hypocrisy, with some astral keyboard intermezzos.

c/o Roman Špatný, Karpatská 40, 911 01 Trenčín, Slovakia

ESSENCE OF EXISTENCE-Ambitious atmospheric and symphonic death/black metal band with self-released CD. From Trenčín.

c/o Matej Sova, Moyzesova 3, 911 01 Trenčín, Slovakia, mattopd@hotmail.com

KARRION (ex-CARRION)-Their first demo was in death/grind vein, then they started to work on more melodic death metal with deep vocals. Their 2nd demo from 1997 was quite good, they were about recording a CD. In 2000 they released a new demo.

c/o Peter Horňák, Trenčianska Turná 330, 913 21 Trenčín, Slovakia

MYSTERIOUS ECLIPSE-Dark atmospheric death/doom/black metal with 2 good demos. The 1st from 1998 suffers of bad sound, their 2nd was released on Erebos in 2000.

c/o Juraj Štefanec, Hollého 12, 915 01 Nové Mesto nad Váhom, Slovakia

EXALTATION-some grind or brutal death band from the same area as M.E.

 

SYNTHETICALLY REVIVED-US style brutal death metal band, existing maybe since 1998. Debut demo will be released soon.

c/o Rado Godál, Komenského 346/15, 972 23 Dolné Vestenice, Slovakia

 

THALARION-Being on scene for more than 10 years they became to be one of the most succesfull and greatest Slovakian bands. From early thrash/death beginnings (back then under the names Bastard and Fatal Infection) they released a debut MC album as Thalarion in 1996, a really interresting death/black/thrash/doom/folk music. After an unhappy episode with Wild Rags Records they finally signed a contract with Danish Mighty Music. Their 1st album there was released in 1998, the 2nd in 2000, both with truly great majestic death/doom with strong influence of traditional ancient Slovakian melodies, great male/female vocal duels and strong atmosphere. Recently they signed a new contract with the Mighty Music, for the next 2 albums.

c/o Juraj Grežďo, Streďanská 1530, 955 01 Topoľčany, Slovakia, thalarion@ba.telecom.sk

DEHYDRATED-Slovak death/grind, then death metal legend. Since 1992 they relased 2 demos, split CD with Bestialit on Metal Age and album „Ideas" (1998, MC on Metal Age, then on CD, Copremesis Recs. Czech republic. Very technical and brutal but also melodical death metal.

c/o Braňo Jurák, Brezová 15, 921 01 Piešťany, Slovakia

APOPLEXY-Started in 1992 or something. As a technical death metal band released a demo and album, very good stuff, very melodic. It was in 1996. Now they released a MC on Akne productions, with more brutal, but still very melodic compositions.

BRAINBLEED-Raw death/grind band, with 1 demo (2000). This year they released split CD with Czech patho/grinders Bizarre Embalming, on CS Copremesis Records. Members of the band also played

in:

SATACASS, black metal band, quite o.k., with demo from 1999.

c/o Tomáš Zavadil, 906 32 Jablonica, Slovakia

STAGNANT-Very good and quite known thrash metal, with 3 demos. Strong live act, someone from them also played in Czech Krabathor and Hypnos.

c/o Patrik Zálešák, Clementisa 39, 909 01 Skalica, Slovakia

NO PROMISES-Existing since 1992, from grind they developed into melodic but aggressive death metal with thrash and heavy influences. Their demo from 1998 was released on split CD with Dust Components on Malaysian Psychic Scream Entertainment. Someone from them is in Czech Melancholy Pessimism now.

c/o Palo Šebesta, Nešporova 14, 909 01 Skalica, Slovakia.

CRANIOTOMY-US style brutal death metal band, with CD-R demo, 2000, released as MC on Akne Productions this year.

c/o Vladimir.Simansky@uniag.sk

 

DYSANCHELY-Atmospheric death metal band, once also with 2 female vocalists! They released 2 demos, CD „Tears" on Leviathan Records in 1998, and new MC.

c/o Dodo Zachar, Golianova 6, 913 01 Trnava, Slovakia

HÖRGHET-Raw death metal, with drummachine, dark stuff, maybe with some influence of Morbid Angel. Demo from 1998 is with lyrics in Slovak language. Quite listenable music.

c/o Matúš Somorovský, Myslenická 253, 902 03 Pezinok, Slovakia

ČAD-Chaotic death grind with various, sometimes strange vocals. Demo (1998) and CD (2000), on Swedish Downfall Records.

C/o Štefan Chrappa, Kozmonautov 8, 902 13 Pezinok, Slovakia

GALADRIEL.-Very good doom/death metal with male/female vocals. So far they released a demo and 3 CD‘s on Unknown Territory, England. Also very good live act.

c/o Dodo Dateľ, Budatínska 47, 851 06, Bratislava

SUNGATE-Symphonic instrumental metal with 2 promo CD albums. From Bratislava.

ORKRIST-Symphonic black/doom metal band, maybe with promo CD.

contact: crom@centrum.sk

SIGHISOARA-Another new band from Bratislava, probably doom/black.

ETHEREAL PANDEMONIUM-Atmospheric black/doom metal, with MC album (1998) and CD „Arcanum Lunae" (2000) on Czech Leviathan Recs. Quite good music.

c/o Daniel Feranec, Nad Lúčkami 55, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia

RAVENARIUM-Fast, brutal but melodical and unorthodox black/death metal. With demo (1999) and material for debut CD (2001). Good music.

c/o Andrej Máte, Riazanská 56, 831 08 Bratislava, Slovakia

MEÁN GEIMRIDH-Pagan/black metal with quite funny lyrics in Slovak language. 1 demo from studio, 1 live (1999).

c/o Martin Dratva, Andrusovova 1, 851 01 Bratislava, Slovakia

DEVIANT VIRAL SOURCE-Cyber grind core one man band with several split releases, from Bratislava.

VIREMIA-Grind core band from Bratislava area.

ABORTION-Slovakian grind/crust/mince core legend, with 3 demos, 7EP, split and 2 CD’s, one on Rock Extremum Records in 1997, the second on Copremesis Records in 2000. Very good, straightforward, sometimes fuuny music. Known and respected band, also for their live shows. Now playing with guitarrist from Suffocate.

c/o Anton “Lepra” Varga, Hl. námestie 12, 951 13 Branč, Slovakia (also contact of Death Fist zine and Bonesawer distro).

ANGEL’S DECAY-Old school brutal death metal band with MC on Akne Productions, 1999.

c/o Marek Terneny, Clementisova 45, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia

CORRUPTED MELODY-Atmospheric death metal band with black and doom influences, with female vocals also. 2 demos, the second, from 1999, is really good.

c/o Juraj Žember, Ďumbierska 3/3, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia

SUFFOCATE-One of the older bands, existing since 1992. Their first demo (1994) was in US brutal death style, the second was influenced also by HC. Since then they released MC „Exit 64" and CD „Lustforheaven" (1998, 2000) on Erebos Productions. Very aggresive and brutal music with elements of grind core, death metal, HC, and nowadays also with some industrial touches.

c/o Gellért Pásztor, Tešedíkovo 428, 925 82, Slovakia, rpapp@telecom.sk

REANIMATOR-Technical death metal, fusioned with jazz and industrial, very interresing and intelligent music. Some demos available, „Bar-Do-Thos-Grol" from 1996 is f.e. really worth to check out.

c/o Martin Papp, Jazerná 39, 927 00 Šaľa, Slovakia.

BLOODSUCKER-Some black metal project of Reanimator.

I don’t think these are all metal bands in Slovakia, although I’ve mentioned also some HC and progrock bands from my hometown, but nobody knows all, so enjoy this guide as it is written.

REVIEW: MERENDINE ATOMICHE - THE HOLY METAL

 

MERENDINE ATOMICHE - THE HOLY METAL (No-Brain Recs. , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded in No-Brain studios in Zianigo di Mirano (Venice) between may and august 2000

Produced by Merendine Atomiche

Cover Art: Emanuele Tenderini (God´s Hand)

Track list: 1-War or Peace, 2-Holy Metal, 3-The Truth, 4-The Guardian, 5-Mental Agony, 6-Cd-Rom track with "Holy Metal" video

Merendine Atomiche from Padova, Italy are a really good band that will make really happy to those fans of old and new thrash metal. Why do I think this? Because they have make an interesting alchemy of old thrash riffs in the vein of old Metallica, Testament, Exodus, Sacred Reich, etc. (listen the beginning of "The Truth"), a little bit of modern metal (Pantera, Machine Head, Sepultura) and they have added a modern sound to it (check the drum sound through all the CD ). "War or Peace", the first song has all this elements through its multiple parts and changes. Excelent job of Luca Zandarin on vocals, making a fusion of thrash, death and heavy metal singers, with a lot of personality (which I think is really important in this kind of bands). Excelent work of Luca Cerardi on drums and of David Bisson and Giulia Cerardi who constructs the whole tracks in a really powerful manner. They have also a "Tribute to Metallica" CD and a demo called "Demo 1997". I hope to hear more from them soon. Favorite tracks: "War or Peace", "The Guardian" and " The Truth". Contact:  www.merendineatomiche.no-brain.com or demonheart@libero.it

REVIEW: MARDUK - LA GRANDE DANSE MACABRE

 

MARDUK - LA GRANDE DANSE MACABRE (Blooddawn prods. / Regain Recs., 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Abyss Studios

Recorded and Mixed by Tommy Tägtgren. Produced by Marduk

Graphic Design by Roger Forslund

Track List : 1 - Ars moriendi, 2- Azrael, 3- Pompa Funebris 1660, 4- Obedience Unto Death, 5- Bonds of Unholy Matrimony, 6- La Grande Danse Macabre, 7- Death Sex Ejaculation, 8- Funeral Bitch, 9- Summer End, 10- Jesus Christ...Sodomized.

The CD starts slowly...Slowly? Marduk slowly? Yes !! The intro called "Ars Moriendi" is a really melodic and doom like way to begin the CD. But this only lasts a couple of minutes before getting in to the sonic avalanch of "Azrael". What has always amazed me of Marduk but more on each album is their capability of being chaotic and extremely technical at the same time adding more than simple aggression and speed to their songs (B War is one of the best black metal bass players, adding a lot of arrangements to Marduk´s music and the band is really tight and professional). The two instrumental tracks here show this and also a future classical "La Grande Danse Macabre". Obviously this will make short minded people and assholes alike to scream that Marduk have sold out but the fact is that they get better every time without limiting themselves. Favorite tracks: "La Grande Danse Macabre", " Bonds of Unholy Matrimony", and "Azrael". Contact: www.marduk.nu or regain@telia.com 

REVIEW: MÄGO DE OZ - LA LEYENDA DE LA MANCHA

 

MÄGO DE OZ - LA LEYENDA DE LA MANCHA (Locomotive Music, 1999):

Technical Data:

Recorded in Estudios Box, Madrid, España.

Produced and mixed by Goyo Esteban

Cover Art: Gaboni

Track List: 1-En un Lugar..., 2-El Santo Grial, 3-La Leyenda de la Mancha, 4-Noche toledana, 5-Molinos de Viento, 6-Dime con quien andas, 7-Maritornes, 8-El bálsamo de Fierabrás, 9-El pacto, 10-La ínsula de Barataria, 11-El templo del Adiós, 12-Requiem, 13-Ancha es Castilla

This is the Mago de Oz CD that was recorded before their magnum opus "Finisterra". The story that is told here is the one of Don Quijote de la Mancha a classic of the spanish literature. Violins, bagpipes, keyboards, flutes, everything is helping this spanish sextet to create their music and give them a much needed identity in the fields of heavy/power metal. There are influences here, of course, the most notorious ones are of Iron Maiden (in the twin guitars), Skyclad and Helloween (in the vocals). What I like more here is the heavy use of this unconventional instruments that are not used just to do effects but to make harmonies, melodies, phrases, textures. I find very clever the use specially of the violin (it seems to me that Mohamed the violinist is the key part of Mago de Oz). Another good point for this band are the really interesting lyrics through their songs. Fans of heavy metal and power metal will be delighted with this release. Favorite tracks: "Molinos de Viento", "El Santo Grial" and "El Bálsamo de Fierabrás". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com 

REVIEW: MÄGO DE OZ - FINISTERRA

 

MÄGO DE OZ - FINISTERRA (Locomotive Music, 2000):

Technical Data:

Recorded in Estudios Box, Madrid, España.

Produced and mixed by Goyo Esteban

Mastered in Masterphonics, London

Cover Art: Gaboni

Track List:

CD 1: 1-Prólogo, 2-Satania, 3-La cruz de Santiago, 4-La danza del fuego, 5-Hasta que el cuerpo aguante, 6-El señor de los gramillos, 7-Polla dura no cree en Dios, 8-Maite Zaitut, 9-Duerme..., 10-Es hora de Marchar

CD 2: 1-Fiesta Pagana, 2-El que quiera entender que entienda, 3-Los renglones torcidos de Dios, 4-Kelpie, 5-Tres tristes Tigres, 6-A Costa da Morte, 7-La Santa Compaña, 8-Conxuro, 9-Astaroth, 10-Finisterra

A child´s voice talking about certain not so good charachteristics of humanity and the sound of a bagpipe start this Finisterra CD. Mago de Oz is a metal band from Spain with great arrangements in their music and with extensive use of instruemnts that are not so common in metal bands like violins, bagpipes, flutes, etc. This double studio CD is a masterpiece that will people that think that heavy/power metal is a stagnant genre. Here, apart from the obvious influences that any heavy metal band has there are melodies that have some oriental touches and some flamenco, gypsy and spanish music too. The more similar band that I can relate them to is Skyclad (eventhough Mago de Oz is completely different in their approach to music than this band). There are calm moments like on the beginning of "La Danza del Fuego" and faster songs and this makes the twenty tracks contained here really easy to listen and not boring. It is really interesting also, how this guys can touch really actual themes in their lyrics making a history through all the album. Really sarcastic lyrics to refer to modern problems along with certain defects that a lot of people have in their minds and souls. Favorite tracks: "La Cruz de Santiago", "Hasta que el cuerpo aguante" and "Los renglones torcidos de Dios". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com .

REVIEW: LONDON IMPROVISERS ORCHESTRA - THE HEARING CONTINUES...

 

LONDON IMPROVISERS ORCHESTRA - THE HEARING CONTINUES... (Emanem Disc , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at: Gateway Studios, London by Steve Lowe - September 4th, 2000.

Editing, Mastering and Design by Martin Davidson.

Track List:

CD 1: 1-Proceeding 3, 2-Concerto for Soft-Loud-Key-Box, 3-Morton´s Mobile, 4-Fire-In the Air, 5-Dingos Creep, 6-How can you delude Yourself?, 7-Drop The Handkerchief

CD 2: 1-Proceeding 4, 2-Red Rose Theme, 3-Orphy: US, 4-Birthday Piece, 5-Music for Pianos, percussion & Harp, 6-Pulse Piece, 7-Prior to Freedom

I am not used to listen to such big ensembles of improvising people and the feeling is quite strange for me, because I always thought that improvisers or intuitive music bands were smaller. But here they are this ALL STAR BIG BAND of improvisers musicians to demolish my preconcepts through this amazing two CD set. Saxophones, trombones, clarinets, bamboo pipes, violins are all present here to create this sonic symphonies that are presented here. Warning: People afraid of experimenting and not so open minded will be horrified by this music. I take my hat off in front of this group of musicians that can go through experimental tunes like "Proceeding 3" (wave like sounds) or "Concert for Soft-Loud-Key-Box" to name just a couple of tunes. Another thing that amazed me is the use that this musicians do of silences ( an overlooked factor in most musicians) and dynamics, despite being so many people in the orchestra. Open your mind and enjoy this new offering from this selection of amazing musicians. Contact: www.emanemdisc.com or emanemdisc@aol.com

REVIEW: LOL COXHILL - DIGSWELL DUETS

 

LOL COXHILL - DIGSWELL DUETS (Emanem Disc , 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at: 1-6 Welwyn Garden City (Diswell House) May 11th , 1978

7-16 Oxford (Museum of Modern Art) May 26th , 1978

Track List: 1-First Encounter Part I, 2-First Encounter Part II, 3-First Encounter Part III, 4-Side One Part I, 5-Side One Part II, 6-Additional Ending, 7-Side Two Part IV, 8-Side Two Part II, 9-Very Short Piano Solo, 10-Sode Two Part V, 11-Embraceable Who?, 12-Embraceable You, 13-Side Two Part III, 14-More Substantial Piano Solo, 15-Side Two Part I, 16- I Can´t Get Started

This is an album recorded in concert on May  1978. The first six tracks consist in duets between Lol Coxhill on soprano saxophone and Simon Emmerson on electronics and the other ten pieces in duets between Coxhill and Veryan Weston on piano. Eerie music is the one contained on this recording. Strange atmospheres and phrases are recreated by the musicians with strong emphasis on intuitive and improvisational techniques. The search for new textures to explore with their respective instruments is amaxing...Coxhill makes his saxophone scream, wail, whisper, howl and everything in between. Check as an example the beginning of "First Encounter Part three" to see the interaction with Emmerson´s electronics. For my taste I like more the results in the duets with Weston on piano because of their harmonic quality that it has more cohesion in the way they experiment with them. For example, pieces like "Side Two Part Four" or "Embraceable Who?" show a more melodic side of the duo and a betterinteraction. Favorite tracks: Embraceable Who?, Side One Part One, Embraceable You. Contact: www.emanemdisc.com or emanemdisc@aol.com

REVIEW: LOCKWELD - INDUSTRIAL REQUIEM

 

LOCKWELD - INDUSTRIAL REQUIEM (Dragon Flight Recordings, 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at 20 Studios.

Artwork: Stephen Hasner

Track List: 1-Black resin, 2-Blue Collar Noose, 3-I know how long your legs are, 4-We Are all Sheep, 5-They are Lost, 6-Bleed through the Scriptures, 7-At the End of a Gun, At the Edge of a Knife, 8-Holy, 9-Industrial Requiem, 10-Stainless Steel, 11-A reading, a teaching and a Jihad, 12-It´s not me, 13-Feast of the Assumption, 14-4:44, 15-Dissipated Existence

Ambient/noise/industrial would be the apropriate term to describe the sound of Lockweld. A recording full of noises, sound textures and strange climates with some electronic vocals but whose main goal seem to be to explore waves of sounds that can be  obtained through electronics. Do not ask for melodies or heavy rhythms or guitars and conventional instruments. The fifteen tracks contained here are very similar and very different at the same time: they all have a similar structure that is developed through the whole track but each track explores a different aspect of the noise/ambient spectre. Only for fans of this kind of music. Contact: www.holyterror.com/lockweld or www.dragonflightrec.org

REVIEW: LILITU - THE EARTH GODS

 

LILITU - THE EARTH GODS (Vortex Motions Recs. , 2000):

Technical Data:

Recorded and Mixed by Adam Chandler in Athens, GA

Mastering by Blakk.

Track list: 1-Introduction/The Seventh Aeon, 2-Firmament, 3-To Burn Before the Sun, 4-Dead yesterday, 5-Rise and Fall, 6-The Earth We Shall Inherit, 7-The Earth Gods

How sublime and beautiful can be the arrangements that some bands make in their music !! Lilitu is one of this bands that apart from their great musicianship show great ideas and they can translate them to music with extreme quality. The Earth Gods is a record to listen time after time without getting tired of it...the perfect mix between black and gothic metal, full of keyboards, screaming vocals and deep vocals all over the songs. Here we have extensive songs where the band can get deep into your soul with their blackened melodies, with their dark arpeggios, with their obscured guitar phrases, with their black atmospheres and anguished vocals. Some influences of Amorphis, Anathema, Paradise Lost or early Katatonia can be heard here but all mixed down to get Lilitu´s personality. The overall sound of the recording is good, bu there are like three sound qualities: one is the keyboard and vocals sound that are really good, another one are the guitars that are maybe a little thin for my taste, and the last one is the drum sound that is really opaque, specially on the snare drum. I think this guys would have shown better their great ideas with a bigger budget that would have allowed them to get a better mix. Apart from this I find this to be like the missing link between gothic metal and death/black metal. Favorite tracks: "Firmament", "To Burn Before the Sun" and "The Earth we Shall Inherit". Contact: www.emerald-factory.com or www.vortexmotions.com