REVIEW: DOMAIN - THE ARTEFACT

 

DOMAIN - THE ARTEFACT (Nightmare Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Axel Ritt

Tracks: 1- Discover the Artefact, 2- Charade, 3- Mystery Stone, 4- Day Tripper, 5- Strangers From The Heart, 6- Blackhole Visions, 7- Seasons (The Circles Around the Moon), 8- Don´t Count on love, 9- Spirit of the Sun, 10- Almost Eden, 11- Downtown Babylon, 12- Heart on the Line, 13- Experience XTC

Cover Art by Sebastian Kozak

Recorded at Meadow Recording Studios

Here we have pure heavy metal in the vein of bands like Stratovarius, Yngwie Malmsteen and bands of the style. The band starts powerfully with "Charade", a song designed to be a hit in the heavy metal world. The musicians here have a lot of technical skills and they have created some european sounding melodies such as the ones in "Mystery Stone", that is a very "german sounding" track. One of the mmain elements here are the keyboards which are all over the tracks adding chord progressions and melodies in the songs. One thing to point out is the great sound that this recording has, specially on keyboards and guitars thata re essential for Domain´s sound. Pure heavy/power metal!!!

Favorite tracks: "Mystery Stone", "Strangers from the Heart" and "Spirit of the Sun"

Contact: www.nightmare-records.com

REVIEW: DIO - KILLING THE DRAGON

 

DIO - KILLING THE DRAGON (Spitfire Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Ronnie James Dio

Tracks: 1- Killing The Dragon, 2- Along Comes a Spider, 3- Scream, 4- Better in the Dark, 5- Rock and Roll, 6- Push, 7- Guilty, 8- Throw Away The Children, 9- Before The Fall, 10- Cold Feet

Cover Art by Marc Sasso

Recorded at Total Access Studios

Here we have in our hands the new album of Ronnie James Dio´s band. This time features new guitarist Doug Aldrich. The music here is not so different from the one in Magica (except because here there is no concept behind the lyrics), and as in that album some of the tracks are not as direct as in albums like "Holy Diver" or "The Last in Line". Here we have Aldrich replacing Craig Goldy´s riffs and solos in a really good way and we have also the rhythmic tandem of Jimmy Bain on bass and Simon Wright on drums that add a lot of power to the songs. And we have the genius Ronnie James Dio whose voice is as wonderful as always and if the other musicians are the skeleton and flesh of the music, then Ronnie is the soul of all the songs here.

Favorite tracks: "Killing the Dragon", "Scream" and "Before the Fall"

Contact: www.spitfirerecords.com

REVIEW: DEFORGE - SILENT TERROR INSIDE

DEFORGE - SILENT TERROR INSIDE (Independent, 2001)

Produced By Deforge

Tracks: 1- Fear West, 2- necrotic Skin, 3- Terminal Revolting Idea, 4- Back To life, 5- K.K.K.

Cover Art by Ettore Gaetano

Recorded at: Temple of Noise Studios

A modern death metal band with some thrash touches !!!! This is the style that this guys from Italy play. Full of brutality this band has chosen a more technical side to play their music. In fact the first thing that got my attention was the drumming sound, almost mechanical and that lets you listen all the complex rhythms that this guy is playing behind the drumkit. Then you have the deathly guitars with a really fat distortion that is essential to achieve the results that the guys in Deforge want. Plus, we have a bass player that plays many interesting arrangements through all the tracks. The mix of this CD is really good and makes things more brutal than it would be with a rawer production. This guys rule and lovers of death metal should check them.

Favorite tracks: "Fear West", "Terminal Revolting Idea" and "K.K.K."

Contact: konkhra@tiscalinet.it

REVIEW: DARK TRANQUILITY - DAMAGE DONE

DARK TRANQUILITY - DAMAGE DONE (Century Media, 2002 )

Produced By: Dark Tranquility and Fredrik Nordström

Tracks: 1- Final Resistance, 2- Hours Passed in Exile, 3- Monochromatic Stains, 4- Single part of two, 5- The treason wall, 6- Format C: For Cortex, 7- Damage Done, 8- Cathode Ray Sunshine, 9- The Enemy, 10-I, Deception, 11- White noise / Black Silence, 12- Ex Nihilo, 13 - Video: Monochromatic Stains

Cover Art by Niklas Sundin

Recorded at Studio Fredman

Here is the new album of Swedish death metal gods Dark Tranquility. Yes, one of the founders of the Gothenburg sound are here with "Damage Done". As always the band delivers technical death metal with that typical swedish flavor that we know bands like Dark Tranquility or In Flames have. This band has achieved its own identity and they show this on this latest CD with all the elements that ahve made them famous: fast riffs played with a lot of technical skills, clean guitar interludes, melodic guitar phrases and solos and powerful vocals. When looking back on Dark Tranquility´s career we can find that on each recording they have got a better mix and sound and this one is no exception being the album with tightest mix and more devastating guitars. A classic.

Favorite tracks: "Final Resistance", "The Treason Wall" and "The Enemy"

Contact: www.centurymedia.com

REVIEW: CYCLOPS - CYCLOPS FROM HELL

 

CYCLOPS - CYCLOPS FROM HELL (Independent, 2001)

 

Produced By: Cyclops

Tracks: 1- Welcome to me! (intro), 2- Metal Eye Beast, 3- Kill the Beast (Part One), 4- Bloody tears, 5- Metal Be With Us, 6- Stop this Hell

Cover Art by Mauro Vanzati

Recorded at Jam Studio

A slow melodic intro lets us into the heavy metal world of Cyclops. Here we have pure heavy metal with interesting guitar arrangements and clean epic vocals. The influences that I find here are those of Iron Maiden, some Helloween and a touch of old Queensryche. One extra point to these guys go for the excellent guitar solos (with lot of feeling and technique). All of the songs here have epic melodies and are of the kind of songs that are composed to be sung with your fist in the air. The mix is good but I would mix a little bit louder the guitars to make the result even heavier. There are some acoustic moments like in "Kill the Beast...". Plus there are lyrics thata re very sentimental (specially for people in Argentina) about the desparecidos and the killings that the militar governments did here in this country. Lovers of heavy metal don´t miss this one.

Favorite tracks: "Bloody Tears", "Metal Eye Beast" and "Stop this Hell"

Contact: www.cyclopsfromhell.com

REVIEW: COAL CHAMBER - DARK DAYS

COAL CHAMBER - DARK DAYS (Roadrunner Recs., 2001)

Produced By: Ross Hoghart

Tracks: 1- Fiend, 2- Glow, 3- Watershed, 4- Domething Told Me, 5- Dark days, 6- Alienate Me, 7- One Step, 8- Friend, 9- Rowboat, 10- Drove, 11- Empty jar, 12- Beckoned

Cover Art by Kris Mc Caddon

Recorded at Rumbo Recording Studio

In the life of the band the first album is what brings you immediate success, the second one is the one that solidifies your fame, but it is the third one the one that decides if you are going to continue being succesful or not. Knowing this, the guys and girl in Coal Chamber have started this third CD with a potential hit called "Fiend". The sound continues being the same as in their first two albums, that is heavy guitars with really fat sound, a clean bass guitar that follows closely the guitars, strong vocals and rhythms designed for the mosh pit or for headbanging. The mix of this album is good but no so different from the one in the first two albums. A third album to continue being among the top new metal bands.

Favorite tracks: "Glow", "Fiend" and "Empty Jar"

Contact: www.coalchamber.com

REVIEW: CHEMIKILLER - 4 SONG DEMO CDR

 

CHEMIKILLER - 4 SONG DEMO CDR (Independent, 2002 )

 

Produced By: Chemikiller

Tracks: 1- The blackest Night, 2- House of Blood, 3- Seek the Reaper, 4- Flesh Eaters

Cover Art by Chemikiller

Each Chemikiller songs sounds different fom the previous one!! The first track here opens up with a real thrash death riff before getting into a fast thrashy tun, then the second one, "House of Blood" is more rocking with more direct riffs and drumming. The third one is a more direct track and the fourth one is in a Motorhead style (and reminds me a little bit of Sodom´s classic song "Ausgebombt" from teh "Agent Orange" album). But each song is completely different from the other yet retaining the Chemikiller sound...and that is good. The singer here has a very special vocal range (sometimes closer to Tom Angelripper) and that also gives a lot of identity to the tracks. The sound of this four track demo is good and I would like te band to mix the guitar louder so they give some extra power to each of the songs.

Favorite tracks: "Flesh Eaters" and "House of Blood"

Contact: www.chemikiller.cjb.net

REVIEW: CHAOS THEORY - THE SMOKEY BASEMENT EP

 

CHAOS THEORY - THE SMOKEY BASEMENT EP (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Chaos Theory

Tracks: 1- Not for Me, 2- Shame, 3- Give Up

Recorded in a Smokey Basement

Chaos Theory´s music is difficult to label but it has a lot of elements of eighties thrash metal and of pure heavy metal, such as the vocals and certain rhythms (some passages in "Shame" reminded me of early Anthrax). But despite this, Chaos Theory does not sound like an eighties thrash band. In fact they have a modern guitar sound and a bass player whose bass lines can be clearly listened through the whole recording. The guys here have good technical skills that help them to create the great music that we can listen on this EP. The mix of the three songs is clear and I really hope that this guys record more songs soon to listen the way in which the band evolves. This is a good sign that bands that have been influenced by thrash have developed their own sound, like Chaos theory did and are making a big thrash metal comeback. Thrash is back !!!

Favorite tracks: The three

Contact: www.chaostheoryonline.com

REVIEW: CELESTIAL DAWN - GENESIS

 

CELESTIAL DAWN - GENESIS (Independent, 2001)

 

Produced By: Celestial Dawn

Tracks: 1- Celestial Dawn, 2- Breakdown, 3- Spectre, 4- Another Rising Sun

Cover Art by Brian Kosovan

Recorded at The Sound Module

This is pure heavy metal!! Here we have this band whose music is metal in its purest form. It has all the elements of the genre, distorted guitars, open riffs that let the vocals do the melodies, and we have a drummer that knows how to play rhythms living a lot of space for the guitars to do their job, there are also melodic guitar solos that creates epic melodies in the songs. The vocals are closer to eightioes thrash metal ones than to typical metal because of the use of some relly high pitches (that bands like Toxik or Hexenhaus used a lot in their music). Here you have a good mix of the instruments that lets you hear perfectly each one of the instruments. Lovers of heavy metal in its purest form will surely like Celestial Dawn´s music

Favorite tracks: "Breakdown" and "Spectre"

Contact: www.celestialdawn.com

REVIEW: CATHOLICON - 2002 & 1999 PROMO DEMOS

 

CATHOLICON - 2002 & 1999 PROMO DEMOS (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Catholicon

Tracks: 2002 Promo: 1- Dawn of a Dark Age, 2- Gallery of God´s Love, 3- 14th Century Apocalypse, 4- Embodiment of All That is Not, 1999 Promo: 5- 14th Century Apocalypse, 6- Coronation, 7- Heir To The Throne, 8- Remember the Fallen

Since I have just reviewed the 2002 promo demo cd from Catholicon I will review here their promo demo from 1999. Here you can listen how Catholicon´s music has evolved between the two demos. In the 1999 the guitar sound was closer to death metal while the vocals were more of teh black metal type. Also there was less keyboard work than in the 2002 demo (even if it is present in this older version of "14th Century Apocalypse"). The sound is far more primitive in the older demo and you can feel that the mix was not as good as in the new one. A good starting point to compare the evolution of Catholicon´s music.

Favorite tracks: "Coronation" and "Heir To the Throne"

Contact: www.fuckyourgod.com

REVIEW: CATHOLICON - PROMO DEMO 2002

 

CATHOLICON - PROMO DEMO 2002 (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Catholicon

Tracks: 1- Dawn of a Dark Age, 2- Gallery of God´s love, 3- 14th Century Apocalypse, 4- Embodiment of all that is Not

Cover Art by Catholicon

Recorded at Underworld Studio

This is Catholicon´s new promo demo and here they show their brutal mix of death metal and black metal with some grind touches (in some of the fastest parts). This guys are one of the most brutal bands in the underground and I really like the way in which they have made a fusion of different styles and achieved their own identity through that (in some parts there are also some keyboards that accentuates one of the riffs in a great way (check "14th Century Apocalypse")). There are also multiple types of vocals here: from a screaming and shrieking one to one that is closer to screaming grind (because it is really distorted) to a more guttural one....and this voices interact through the four tracks in an amazing way. If you like the aforementioned styles, check Catholicon´s music.

Favorite tracks: The four

Contact: www.fuckyourgod.com

REVIEW: CARNALITY - BRUTAL EXECUTION

 

CARNALITY - BRUTAL EXECUTION (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Carnality

Tracks: 1- Forever in Your Grave, 2- Cadaveric Orgasm, 3- Frozen Human Meat

Cover Art by Francesco Rapini

Recorded at: Fear Studio

This is a three tarck MCD from this extremely brutal band from Italy. The music can be related to "Blessed are the Sick" or "Covenant" era Morbid Angel (because of the complex riffs that are played really tight and that emphasize the rhythmic brutality and not only the simple speed) or with bands like Sinister because of the brutality of the vocals and the drumming. One thing that I have to point out is that this guys have achieved a great sound and the recording is really well mixed and that makes the music even more brutal and powerful (in fact I think differnt than those bands that think that the worst the sound is the music sounds more brutal....I think that bands like Carnality show that having a polished sound add a lot of heaviness to your music. Thumbs up also for the killer drummer that is a rhythmic beast and essential to Carnality´s sound.

Favorite tracks: the three. They are a showcase of extreme brutality

Contact: brutalcarnality@yahoo.it

REVIEW: BUNUH - THE TORSO KILLER

 

BUNUH - THE TORSO KILLER (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Bunuh

Tracks: 1- Cold Blooded Murder, 2- I Shall kill Again, 3- Humaneater, 4- Killed and Dismembered, 5- Raining Blood, 6- Nymphic Land, 7- Psychiatric Disorder

Cover Art by Nurul

Recorded at TNT Studios

Directly from Singapore comes this extremely brutal band. Bunuh´s music goes along the path of the most bestial death metal with ultra fast riffs and extremely guttural vocals (sometimes closer to grindcore). This guys use also a lot of rhythmic riffs that make the songs even heavier than using only speed. Is precisely in this riffs and rhythm changes where the band shows that they are really well rehearsed and that they are extrmely tight. The only melodies that you can hear on the songs are the ones done by the guitar solos and maybe some guitar melody.The sound of this recording is good and makes the whole recording even more brutal. Also I have to remark that this CD comes in a digipack presentation with a CD that is semitransparent. Lovers of brutality rejoice!

Favorite tracks: "Cold Blooded Murder", "Humaneater" and "Nymphic Land"

Contact: bunuh2002@hotmail.com

REVIEW: BOOMERANG - WEAVEWORLD

BOOMERANG - WEAVEWORLD (Trance Music, 2002 )

Produced By: Boomerang

Tracks: 1- Mourning Sun, 2- Keepers of Light, 3- The Cold One, 4- Into the Night, 5- Weaveworld, 6- Shores of Ithaka, 7- Like Black Like White, 8- Dismanteling Fortress Architecture, 9- Of Blood and Honour

Recorded by Stefan Grötzinger

Pure metal!!!!! And this is thrash metal the way it used to be in the eighties but with a more modern sound and some power metal touches and melodies !! There are fast drumbeats in the thrash metal way and vocals that can be harsh and at the same time melodic. The songs here have a lot of hooks and they are epic (without using the same german melodies that a lot of power metal bands copy again and again) and powerful. I find really interesting the voalist who adds a lot of the power that the band has and at the same time sings melodies that you can follow and sing. The band has a really european sound (why is it that you can always distinguish europena metal from american metal because of the way the compositions are done?). I find interesting that bands like Boomerang are making a comeback of thrash metal into reality with their powerful music!!

Favorite tracks: "Keepers of Light", "Weaveworld" and "Mourning Sun"

Contact: www.dc-net.de/trance-music

REVIEW: BLASPHEMER - LIFE KILLS

 

BLASPHEMER - LIFE KILLS ( Independent , 2002)

Produced By: Blasphemer

Tracks: 1- Life Kills, 2- Slaughter the Pig, 3- Bat Man Suicide, 4- Strange Abortion, 5- Another Shade That Fades, 6- Outro

Layout by Andrea Cattaneo

Recorded at: GB Studios

One of the most brutal releases that arrived to me this months. This band from Italy is devastating from the first second to the last. This guys know really well how to make songs that have all the most brutal elements: fast parts, crushing guitar sound, guttural vocals. The guitar riffs are well constructed and they seem to be very difficult to play, specially in the fastest parts. The sound of this recording is fairly good, specially on the guitars (that in some brutal bands get buried in the mix) and that adds even more brutality to Blasphemer´s tracks. Plus, there is one funny 22 second song that starts with Batman´s melody in the bass and finishes with a deathly explosion, called "Bat-Man Suicide". If you want brutality here you have this "Life kills" that will satisfy your urge.

Favorite tracks: "Slaughter the Pig", "Life Kills" and "Strange Abortion"

Contact: extremesickness@hotmail.com

REVIEW: AZAGHAL - OF BEASTS AND VULTURES

 

AZAGHAL - OF BEASTS AND VULTURES (Evil Horde Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Jani Loikas

Tracks: 1- Helwettiläinen, 2- Welho, 3- Reign, 4- Kaikki Elävä Kuihtun, 5- Of Beasts and Vultures, 6- Peto - 666, 7- Minä Olen Tie, 8- Verenjano, 9- Epilogue, 10- 13 Candles

 Recorded at Cursed Studios

This band is bestial !! And they have made something that I like a lot that is that mix of all the rawest elements of black metal and mixed them with riffs that are closer to heavy metal and also have added acoustic and climatic parts. And the final result is also helped by a really great mix (some black metal bands should check Azaghal to see how their music can sound more powerful with a sound liek this one). There are many interesting atmospheric part with acoustic guitars and keyboard solos and parts such as the one at the end of "Helwettiläinen". The vocals are those typical in the black metal style but this guys have also added some vocals closer to death metal that add a different side to Azaghal´s music. I have to point out the really good quality packaging that this CD has (I think that this is typical from Evil Horde releases). 

Favorite tracks: "Welho", "Of Beasts and Vultures" and "Minä Olen Tie"

Contact: www.evilhorderec.com

REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY - WAGES OF SIN

ARCH ENEMY - WAGES OF SIN (Century Media, 2002 )

Produced By: Fredrik Nordström and Michael Amott

Tracks: 1- Enemy Within, 2- Burning Angel, 3- Heart of Darkness, 4- Ravenous, 5- Savage Messiah, 6- Dead Bury their Head, 7- Web of Lies, 8- The First Deadly Sin, 9- Behind the Smile, 10- Snow Bound, 11- Shadows and Dust, 12 - Lament of a Mortal Soul, 13- Bonus Video: Ravenous

Mixed by Andy Sneap

Arch Enemy is a band that always surprise the listener with something new in their music. A soft keyboard intro in "Enemy Within" starts this powerful CD. In fact the first track starts with a riff that wouldn´t be out of place in a classic power metal band then starts the faster parts and the death and stronger than hell vocals of new singer Angela. She is amazing, in the vein of extreme vocalists like Holy Moses´ Sabina Classen, really extreme. As always, there are complex guitar riffs and a lot of guitar solos (Mike Amott is killer here). I have to speak about the production: Having Fredrik Nordström and Andy Sneap in the production and the mixing Arch Enemy is having the best production in their whole career, sounding better than ever, you can hear each melody, each drumbeat, each scream, all is crystal clear here! Arch Enemy is a band that every metalhead should check because they have a lot of power while having always new ideas..

Favorite tracks: All the CD. Arch Enemy always makes masterpieces

Contact: www.centurymedia.com

REVIEW: ANTIMATTER - SAVIOUR

 

ANTIMATTER - SAVIOUR (The End Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Michael Moss, Stuart O´Leary and Mac

Tracks: 1- Saviour, 2- Holocaust, 3- Over Your Shoulder, 4- Psalms, 5- God Is Coming, 6- Angelic, 7- Flowers, 8- The Last Laugh, 9- Going Nowhere, 10- Over Your Shoulder (acoustic), 11- Flowers (acoustic)

Cover Art by Mark Kelson

Recorded at Academy Studios

This is the new band from ex Anathema man Duncan Patterson who is here playing all the guitars, bass, keyboards and programming. Here Duncan is helped by Michael moss on guitar, bass and keys and he has a lot of guest vocalists, from the enchanting voice of Michelle Richfield to the one by Hayley Windsor and the special appearance of Danny Cavanagh (Anathema) in the acoustic version of "Flowers". The music here is extremely climatic with heavy use of clean guitars and keyboards. Here the main goal is to explore deppressive sides of Duncan´s musical personality. I want to point out the excellent work that Michelle Richfield has done here on the vocals, adding a lot of feeling to each of the songs on this CD. This CD is a future classic. 

Favorite tracks: All the tracks. I love the music Duncan does.

Contact: www.theendrecords.com

REVIEW: ANEURYSM - AWARE

 

ANEURYSM - AWARE (Independent, 2001 )

Produced By: Aneurysm

Tracks: 1- The Cavern, 2- Larva, 3- Inner Side, 4- Ruin, 5- Torment, 6- The Hunt, 7- Ways, 8- All In the Name, 9- CD Rom Track

Cover Art by Giorgia Carteri

Recorded at Pink Noise Studios

Aneurysm is a band whose music is extremely difficult to label (something like progressive death modern metal can be closer but I think is not fair to describe their music that way because their compositions go well beyond this styles). In fact I have to say that their vocals are sometimes death metal and sometimes cleaner and more melodic and sometimes closer to gothic. The main thing here are the technical skills of this four musicians from Italy. This guys change from riff to riff, from rhythm to rhythm, from clean to extremely heavy within the same song without missing a note. The band is extremely tight and the songs are realy well composed. Palms go to all the musicians because of the excellent work that they have done on this CD (specially the guitarists...Peter is really a virtuoso). One thing that also makes the results better is the extremely great sound that the recording has. Check this CD now!

Favorite tracks: All of them are masterpieces

Contact: www.aneurysm.it

REVIEW: AMUN RE - MAGIC KINGDOM

 

AMUN RE - MAGIC KINGDOM (Real Treat Recs., 2001)

Produced By: Amun Re

Tracks: 1- Bad Dream, 2- Shadowhunter, 3- Anathema, 4- Reach for the Stars, 5- Avalon, 6- Twilight Pyramid, 7- Child of the Light, 8- I Wish it Back Again, 9- Diablo, 10- Under Dark Skies, 11- Magic Kingdom

Cover Art by Norbert Sigart

Recorded at Holy Gasoline Recording Studios

Here we have this progressive metal coming directly from Austria. If you want melodies here you have them. They are done mainly through the guitars, keyboards and vocals (here we have beautiful voal harmonies done by a male and a female vocalist that know really well their job). But the main thing here are the keyboards: they play melodies, chord progressions and do a lot of orchestration of the tarcks of this CD. The male vocalist is not of the type that you expect in a band like this. In fact he uses more the middle range of his voice instead of using high pitched vocals (he achieves good harmonies with female vocals that are also in the middle range). I would like Amun Re to mix a little bit louder the guitars so the music will have more power. Lovers of progressive metal will surely like this one.

Favorite tracks: "Shadowhunter", "Twilight Pyramid" and "Under Dark Skies"

Contact: www.amunre.com

REVIEW: ALL TIME PRESENT - DISTANT MICROPHONES PICK UP BOTH DIRECT AND REFLECTED SOUND

ALL TIME PRESENT - DISTANT MICROPHONES PICK UP BOTH DIRECT AND REFLECTED SOUND (Evolving Ear, 2002 )

Produced By: Chris Forsyth and Rich Gross

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Detail 1 , 3-MOCA, 4- MOCA, 5- Detail 2, 6-8 Fringe 1, 9-10 Fringe 2, 11-12 Fringe 3, 13- the true sound of the improv underground

Cover Art by Littlegem Design

Recorded at Bar XVI, Red Room, MOCA-DC, Fringe Festival and Ear Space

Here we have an experimentation album that features a man whose work we have reviewed before: Chris Forsyth. Here Chris has been joined by two other guitarists and two percussionist in order to create the music without boundaries that All Time Present does. The CD starts with an eerie track with a lot of guitar arpeggios that deliver sort of a strange sounding eastern melody when combined. Then comes the heavier experimentation with lots of sounds going on in each one of the compositions...none of this guys have any problem in being spontaneous and breaking musical boundaries on each phrase or sound that they play. A must for those who like new music and experimentation.

Favorite tracks: "MOCA", "Fringe 3" and "Fringe 2"

Contact: www.evolvingear.com

REVIEW: ALL IN VAIN - THE BACKSIDE OF HUMANITY

 

ALL IN VAIN - THE BACKSIDE OF HUMANITY (Spreadit Agency, 2002 )

Produced By: All in Vain and Marrtosh Music

Tracks: 1- Annihilation of the Sun, 2- Psychological limbo, 3- Darkstars (Meteorites), 4- Introspection, 5- The Longed Wisdom, 6- Fallen Angel, 7- Revelations, 8- Epilogue

Cover Art by All in Vain

All in Vain is a band whose music can be described as death/thrash metal with no doubt! They have vocals that are clearly death metal (there is one screming vocal type that sound really original and different from what is common in the style). And this guys also have a lot of thrash emtal influences which can be heard in the riffs and guitar melodies that they make through all the recording (and also in some of the choruses). There are really good melodies, acoustic interludes and twin guitar work that add a lot of dynamics and different feelings to All in Vain´s music. The sound of the recording is good and raw and the guitars which are the key elment here are really well mixed and that allows the listener to appreciate every detail here.

Favorite tracks: All the CD

Contact: http://digilander.iol.it/allinvain

REVIEW: ABNORMITY - DEMO 2002

 

ABNORMITY - DEMO 2002 (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Abnormity

Tracks: 1- Fallen In Eternal Dislove, 2- The Perfect Sadness

Cover Art by Henk Van Rensbergen 

Recorded at Trastero Studios

This is a band whose music is climatic because of the way in which the guitars are used and extremely heavy because of the use of fast parts and extreme vocal parts in the black metal way (but there are also clean vocals parts that add a lot of variation to the songs). The two tracks on this MCD are long and let the band do some changes within them going from fast and heavy riffs to more climatic parts with a lot of clean guitars such as the beginning of "The Perfect Sadness" (and they also have riffs changes that are surprising within the songs). The mix of this CD is extremely raw in the heavier parts but surprisingly clean in the parts with clean guitars and vocals. I would like to listen more from them soon.

Favorite tracks: Both tracks.

Contact: http://www.geocities.com/abnormityband

REVIEW: AARNI / UMBRA NIHIL - SPLIT CD

 

AARNI / UMBRA NIHIL - SPLIT CD (Firebox Netstore, 2002)

 

Produced By: Firebox Recs.

Tracks: Aarni: 1- Uddo Sathla, 2- Myrrys, 3- Lider Umdrarum vel Coniunctio, 4- Transcend Humanity, 5- Reaching Azathoth, 6- Anima; Umbra Nihil: 7- Follow and Believe / Fall without Relief, 8- A Mere Shell, 9- My Way to the Lakeshore, 10- Determination, 11- Water in Lungs

Design by Milzer

Aarni starts this CD with a very atmospheric beginning of the first track. This track reminds me of some experimental bands and solo projects out there because of the experimentation with sounds and dissonances. Then comes a completely different track "Myrrys" which is slow paced and extremely heavy yet climatic with many clean guitars and speaking deep vocals. The main thing in Aarni´s music is the use of the instruments and voices to create atmospheric and experimental music (almost doom in many places because of the slow pace of the tracks).

Then comes Umbra Nihil starting with a more melodic approach and with more doom/death like vocals that makes the music darker and more somber. Then they have hyper distorted guitars that contrast with the keyboards adding a lot of darkest colours to their music. One thing essential here are the guitar melodies which make the songs even more deppressive and interesting. There are many parts where the bass work is essential such as in the middle of "A Mere Shell" where the bass plays a melody that is soon combined with the guitars and whispering vocals. A must for fans of doom. 

Favorite tracks: Aarni: "Myrrys" and "Transcend Humanity". Umbra Nihil: "A Mere Shell" and "Determination"

Contact: www.firebox.fi

REVIEW: ZøRN - ZøRN

 

ZORN - ZORN (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Zorn

Cover Art by Zorn

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Manifesto, 3- Serial killer, 4- Homo Creato Dall Nula, 5- Odiami

This is a brutal band that comes directly from Italy. Their music has many powerful riffs and in some places like on "Manifesto" or the beginning of "Serial killer"they use a particular guitar sound (sort of an elecrtonic noise or something like that) that makes the song more weird. The main thing here is the heaviness of all the tracks and the combination of brutality with arrangements and interesting rhythms (check for example how this guys develope the track "Serial Killer" starting with a clean guitar intro and then guetting into a twisted rhythm before getting into the full speed part. Then they add some melodies that give a lot of originality to the songs. The vocals are powerful in the vein say of Max Cavalera and singers in that style. A strange thing is listening the vocals in italian (as I think in spanish sound weird too even if it is my main language). It is incredible to see how many great bands are coming from Italy and Zorn is one of the ehaviest I have listened.

Favorite tracks: "Manifesto", "Serial Killer" and "Odiami"

Contact: www.zornband.com

REVIEW: WATCH ME BURN - WATCH ME BURN

 

WATCH ME BURN - WATCH ME BURN (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Watch me Burn

Cover Art by Watch me Burn

Tracks: 1- Lester, 2- 3 2/3rds NUMB, 3- Roadkill

This is an extremely burtal band, specially in the screaming vocals....they are brutal as hell!!!. This woman reminds me a little bit to Holy Moses Sabina Classen because of the energy and bestiality that she uses in the vocals. In fact she is amazingly bestial through the three tracks that are on this MCD. The music is also very extreme and changes rhythms a lot , from slow to fas, then back to slow and then fast again and maybe then even faster. There is also an ultraheavy guitar sound that combines perfectly with the bass thta has a cleaner sound and contrasts with them. The drummer is hyper fast and knows how to make tight rhythm changes that are essential in Watch Me Burn´s music. But the spirit and soul here are the savage vocals which in five minutes (that is what this MCD lasts) smash your brain against the wall. Here we have intensity and brutality !!! !!! Now we want a full length CD from this savage band from hell.

Favorite tracks: The three

Contact: www.angelfire.com/mt2/watchmeburn

REVIEW: VISIONS - A TRIBUTE TO BURZUM

 

VISIONS - A TRIBUTE TO BURZUM (Unholy Records, 2002)

Produced and Compiled by Hagen

Cover Art by Klaas Lageveen

Tracks:

CD 1: 1- ABORYM : Det Som Engang Var, 2- AEIGISHJALMAR: Jesus Tod, 3- BLACK QUEEN: Inn I Slottet fra Droemmen, 4- CRYOGENIC: Dunkelheit, 5- EARTHCORPSE: Lost Wisdom, 6- EWIGKEIT: Ea 2000 - Out for the Count, 7- FORNOST: Wende Im Zeichen des Mikrokosmos, 8- FUNERAL PROCESSION: Der Ruf Aus Dem Turm; 9- JUDAS ISCARIOT: War, 10- KRIGSTROMMER: Lost Wisdom, 11- KRYSTAL: Balferd Baldrs; 12- LUROR: Key to the Gate

CD 2: 1- NOKTURNAL MORTUM: Journey To the Stars, 2- ORTHAUGR: Der Weinende Hadnur, 3- PAGAN HELLFIRE: Frijos einsames Trauern; 4-SARNATH: Stemmen Fra Tarnet, 5- SCHIZOID: En ring til a Herske, 6- STARCHAMBER: Han Som Reise, 7- THE SYRE: Black Spell of Destruction, 8- TRONUS ABYSS: Moti Ragnarokum; 9- WOLFSBURG: Ein Verlorener, vergessern trauriger Geist; 10- WOODS OF FALLEN: Beholding the Daughter of the Firmaments, 11- HERRENVOLK: Daudi Baldrs

If you say you like metal then you must have this double CD in your recording collection. This is a 23 track collection of Burzum songs played in different versions by a lot of underground bands that have given the tracks their own twist in order to give tribute to a really influential band (or one man band) in the black metal underground. The tribute starts with a crushing version of "Det Som Engang Var" played bestially by Aborym which shows you the way that all the tribute is: really climatic and extremely brutal and heavy at the same time. One thing that I liked a lot is that all tracks sound really brutal, even the calmer ones and each of the bands have added their own personality on each of the tracks, from the guitar sound, to the drums sound to the way the compositions are played. There are versions that are closer to the original and some that have been changed a lot in order to add the band personality to them. Another good thing on this tribute is that despite the number of bands the sound of the overall recording is really good and there is not a big difference on the sound quality depending on which band is playing. Buy this or kill yourself!

Favorite tracks: A must for anyone that is into metal

Contact: www.unholyrecords.com

REVIEW: UNHOLY MATRIMONY - LOVE AND DEATH

 

UNHOLY MATRIMONY - LOVE AND DEATH (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Vladimir

Recorded in vladimir´s bedroom

Cover Art by Vladimir

Tracks: 1- A Prelude To love and Death, 2- Le Philtre , 3- Following the Black Star of thoughts, 4- The Feeling of not Belonging, 5- War, 6- Vomiting Bitter Tears of Disgust, 7- La fatalité de l´amour véritable, 8- Memory must Remain, 9- Hymn de la mort d´isout, 10- Selbstmord

Vladimir Cohet is a genius. This guy has created this wonderful piece of art that is this CD, full of dark ethereal music that is a great combination of melodic atmospheric passages and heavy twisted ones. The music here has powerful guitar riffs in many tracks but the essential thing here are the melancholic melodies that are in all the tracks even in the heavier ones. The music has elments of black metal like for example some fast rhythms and the screaming vocals . there are acoustic passages like the ones in "The Feeling of not belonging which are amazing and gives a lot of originality to the tracks. I think Vladimir is really good at doing orchestrations and harmonizations of musical pieces. As an example of this I suggest listening to the track "Le Philtre" which is magnificent. Vladimir also has other musical projects that I would really like to listen soon.

Favorite tracks: All this CD is magnificent

Contact: www.unholymatrimony.cjb.net

REVIEW: TORN TO PIECES - PROMOTING ALCOHOLIC DISEMBOWELMENT

 

TORN TO PIECES - PROMOTING ALCOHOLIC DISEMBOWELMENT (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Torn To Pieces

Recorded in jena - Altes Gut

Cover Art by Benner

Tracks: 1- Madness and Silence, 2- Gory Reconstellation, 3- For A Minute, 4- Indoctrination, 5- Flesh and Beer

The music contained on this four track CD is extremely brutal, despite having some really slow passages like the one in "Madness and Silence" . This guys have a lot of elements of death metal, specially in the vocals that are extremely guttural, but the riffs are different. In fact, they use some crushing slow riff and some rocking riff too (check for example again "Madness and Silence" in the bridge of the song to see the riff that I am talking about). I think the guitars should be louder on the mix because they are essential to Torn To Pieces music and on this recording they are buried in the mix and the drums cover a little bit what the guitars are doing. I think that mixing better this release is going to be killer! (louder guitars, and lower vocals) The brutality of the music is essential in the four tracks here and I think Torn To Pieces achieves great levels of brutality through their heavier than hell riffs and guttural vocals. I think one of the points that this band should use really often are the slow passages because they add a lot of heaviness to their sound. Lovers of brutality will sure like this one.

Favorite tracks: "Madness and Silence" and "For a Minute"

Contact: www.torntopieces.cjb.net

REVIEW: TIMES EXPIRED - THE ELEMENTS E.P.

 

TIMES EXPIRED - THE ELEMENTS E.P. (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Times Expired

Recorded at Machine With Magnets Studios

Cover Art by Fred Raymond

Tracks: 1- Trust, 2- Ghost, 3- The Elements

This is a three song EP from this guys that mix elements of metal and hardcore in a way similar to the one that bands like Biohazard uses. In fact they have a very big hardcore influence that can be heard mainly through all the vocals that this guys use. The guitar sound sounds big and modern and they use a lot of rhythmic riffs that are designed to make the audience jump in a live show! The drums sound is good and the man behind the drumkit is the risponsible of doing the rhytmic patterns which are essential to Times Expired´s sound. The vocals follow the ones used in this style using two or more vocals to create the vocal lines and then more to create the choruses. Lovers of metalcore and related styles should check Times Expired.

Favorite tracks: "Trust" and "Ghost"

Contact: www.timesexpired.com

REVIEW: THINE - IN THERAPY

THINE - IN THERAPY (Peaceville Records, 2002)

Produced by Thine

Tracks: 1- Best Kept Secret, 2- Feel, 3- In Therapy, 4- Homewrecker Extraordinaire, 5- Never Learn, 6- Contact Point, 7- In Red Rooms, 8- Last better Day, 9- Deny Everything, 10- The Bar, 11- Running, 12- Bleaker Audio

Here we have this ethereal yet experimental release. The sound here has (in my opinion) shades of bands liek Anathema, Pink Floyd and some Katatonia. The melancholic vocals are essential for Thine´s sound nad also the harmonization that backing vocals do with te main ones (as for example in bands like Alice in Chains this harmonizations are fundamental). There are distorted guitars but they are used to make arrangements and melancholic melodies that add a lot to the feeling of the songs. Feelings like sadness, despair, sorrow and sensations like beauty, depression and many more are present on this CD. The songs have a lot of hooks for the listener in the choruses and despite the depressive kind of melodies you will find yourself singing the choruses along with the recording. A good option for lovers of the bands that I mentioned above.

Favorite tracks: "Best Kept Secret", "In therapy" and "In red Rooms"

Contact: www.peaceville.co.uk

REVIEW: THE NATIONAL CEMETERY ORCHESTRA - BEYOND THE SHADOWS

 

THE NATIONAL CEMETERY ORCHESTRA - BEYOND THE SHADOWS (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Karl Nix

Recorded at Spare Bedroom Studios

Cover Art by Karl Nix

Tracks: 1- Lost in a Dream, 2- Red Skies, 3- Time Bleeds Away, 4-Pergamum, 5- Nevermore, 6- Martyr, 7- Oblivion, 8- Stormfront, 9- Quake, 10- Utopia

Karl Nix has done it again! After the previous The National Cemetery Orchestra that we reviewed some issues back he has released this even more experimental CD with heavier guitar sound and a better mix. For those who doesn´t know him Karl Nix is the brain behind The National Cemetery orchestra and he composes and plays all the tracks here. The music on "Beyond The Shadows" is wilder and heavier than on "As Twilight Fades into Night". Here there are instrumental tracks as fast and furious that many black metal bands would really love playing. Some of the tracks here even have electronic blast beats!!!! Here we have as always the omnipresent feeling of darkness but this time Karl has added a lot of guitars to every track. This is a prefect mix of heaviness and experimentation by this really open minded musician.

Favorite tracks: "Lost in a Dream", "Time Bleeds Away" and "Stormfront"

Contact: www.mp3.com/NatlCemteryOrchestr or Nthrazz@hotmail.com

REVIEW: TERATISM - EX INFERNUS

 

TERATISM - EX INFERNUS (Root of All Evil Records, 2002)

Produced by Teratism

Tracks: 1- Resurrection Denied, 2- Hate, 3- Children of Scorn, 4- Resurrection Denied (live)

Here you have more than sixteen minutes of unholy black metal bestiality from this guys. Teratism is a band that have in its lineup members and ex members of bands like Theatre of the Macabre, Anal Blast, Mourning and Azrael...sort of a black metal dream team. The CD opens with an intro for "Resurrection Denied" and when the band enters the sound becomes lower (I think this guys must mix everything higher in order to make the music be listened better). The music on this MCD is pure raw black/death metal with fast guitars with one note riffs, blast beats in some parts and many dark elements. There are some slower moments but pure blasphemic black metal is the main rule here. One of the best thing here is the combination of different types of vocals (all adding brutality) .The tracks have a lot of fury and I think that with a better sound the result can be more devastating (in fact some of the tracks come from Teratism´s demo, I think they can be remixed a little bit). Black metal madness is here!

Favorite tracks: "Resurrection Denied (live)" and "Children of Scorn"

Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

REVIEW: TEARS OF DECAY - SAPROPHYT

 

TEARS OF DECAY - SAPROPHYT (Cudgel Agency, 2002)

Produced by Tears of Decay

Recorded at Audiocheck Studios

Cover Art by Thomas Westphall

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Blind Reality, 3- Tears of Decay, 4- Der Übermensch, 5- Bellum Ominum Contra Omnes, 6- Homo Homini Deus Est, Pt. 2, 7- Soul Suicide, 8- Saprophyt, 9- Kill Fuck Die, 10- Outro

Ultra brutality!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is what we have here. It is amazing how Tears of Decay has managed to express all their anger, hate and despair in one CD. Here we have all the elements that can make a release extremely brutal. Specially if you like double bass drumming here you have a master class from this killer drummer that is Dirk Bakker. Crushing fast riffs are the main thing here but there are slower temnpos like the ones at 0:40 of "Bellum Ominum Contra Omnem" that are heavier than an elephant!! The vocals on this CD are guttural at the most extreme level and also we have vocals of the screaming type. The mix is good and I would like this guys to mix a little bit louder the snare drum and some of the toms (just a little bit...to fit perfectly the guitar avalanch that Tears of Decay creates). You wanted brutality, here you have Tearsd of Decay

Favorite tracks: "Tears of Decay", "Soul Suicide" and "Der Übermensch"

Contact: www.tears-of-decay.de or www.cudgel.de

REVIEW: TAETRE - DIVINE MISANTHROPIC MADNESS

 

TAETRE - DIVINE MISANTHROPIC MADNESS (Mighty Music, 2002)

Produced by Taetre, Andy La Rocque and Tony Felencovich

Recorded at Los Angered Recordings

Cover Art by Aurelien Palice

Tracks: 1- A Veil of Madness, 2- Virus, 3- Paint a Whore as a Saint, 4-No love, 5- Opathetic Organic, 6- Diabolical Age, 7- Destroy the Dreamvoid, 8- Paradox, 9- Fathers Foe, 10-Reclaiming The Spirit, 11- Living the Dream, 12- Deathportal

If you want a perfect definition of what modern death/thrash metal means then you have to listen to this CD. Here we have a lot of death metal in the vocals, in the sound and in a lot of drumming patterns, then we have also a lot of thrash metal in some riffs, in some of the clean guitar parts in some of the vocal lines and also you have a modern sound. I think that this guys have used all this elments to create powerful songs which have been helped by a great mix (King Diamond´s Andy La Rocques is behind the mixing table and he knows what to do with all the volume and equalizing knobs). Here we have solos that are similar to those played in the golden age of thrash (by guys like Exodus´Gary Holt, Testament´s Alex Skolnick and others). On this CD everything is designed to make things powerful: I have one expression for this...."controlled brutality", because they are extremely brutal but they don´t abuse speed and they don´t become soon a ball of noise like many other bands. A great choice.

Favorite tracks: "Opathetic Organic", "Reclaiming the Spirit" and "Paradox"

Contact: www.mightymusic.dk

REVIEW: SOMNUS - THROUGH CREATION´S END

 

SOMNUS - THROUGH CREATION´S END (Root of All Evil Records, 2002)

Produced by Somnus

Tracks: 1- The Gate of Wolves, 2- Warlock´s feast, 3- Dawn of Spirits, 4- Tribunal of Woe, 5- The Deceiver, 6- Lament for Winter´s Passing, 7- Creation´s End, 8- Unfullfilled Prophecy (live), 9- CD ROM Bonus Track

Somnus new album starts powerfully with "The Gate of Wolves" at full speed with all the elements that have made the music of the band known in the underground scene. Here are the guitar riffs which are complex and have some swedish death metal influence, here are the brutal vocals combined with the excellent female vocals, here is the drumming with heavy use of double bass and ride cymbal patterns (really original way of playing). And above all here are the keyboards and the guitar melodies and solos. And if the drumming the heavy riffs and vocals are the skeleton around which Somnus music is constructed, then the keyboards and the guitar melodies and solos are the flesh and soul of it. The complexity of the songs is essential for Somnus sound as also is the sadness and darkness that everything transpires here. A must.

Favorite tracks: Every single note played here

Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

REVIEW: SIC SEED - AKA THE DEVIL BABY

 

SIC SEED - AKA THE DEVIL BABY (Sinternational Recs., 2002)

Produced by Sic Seed

Tracks: 1- Subliminal Envy, 2- Disconnect, 3- Last Right

Here you have three tracks, a little bit more than nine minutes of pure bestiality. The music here is pure brutal death metal with some modern metal influences from the heaviest bands of the genre. Powerful double bass drumming (with some modern metal influences in some of the rhythms tat make more powerful the music than a blast beat would do), a bassist that is really tight and has a really clean sound that fits really well with the guitars and the drums, guitars that are heavy as hell and an ultra wild and screaming vocalist that adds a lot of the brutality to the bands music. I hope this guys release soon a longer CD because their music is ideal to listen at full volume and we want more of their songs!

Favorite tracks: The three.

Contact: www.one40.com/sicseed or www.sinternational.net

REVIEW: SHE´S GORE - SHE´S GORE DEMO 2001

 

SHE´S GORE - SHE´S GORE DEMO 2001 (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Thanit

Recorded and mixed by Thanit

Cover Art by Thanit

Tracks: 1- God on Fire, 2- Fuck me, fuck my dog, 3- Hair in Teeth, 4- Fuck With Hate, 5- Wet Dream may Cum, 6- Tonight

Here we have another project from thanit Thepsitrakon who is also a member of Deathguy (whose CD we review on this issue too). The music here is brutal death with no subtle elments and some grindcore touches in some parts. Here we have extremely brutal death metal riffs played at super speed and with guitars that are tuned really low in some places. Here we don´t have the melodies from bands like Deathguy because this is a pure brutal holocaust demo. The vocals are extremely guttural (not at the point of some grind bands where you can not discern if it is the vocals or another noise) and add a lot of bestiality to the tracks. Maybe the mix is a little bit low for my taste (specially the drums) but I think that Thanit can solve this problem easily. For lovers of utter brutality.

Favorite tracks: "God on Fire", "Hair in teeth" and "Tonight"

Contact: thepsitrakorn@hotmail.com

REVIEW: SHELLYZ RAVEN - DESOLATION

 

SHELLYZ RAVEN - DESOLATION (War is Imminent Prods., 2000)

Produced by Shellyz Raven

Tracks: 1- Falling, 2- Lady of Shadows, 3- Heavenly Torment, 4- Sweet Sister Torment, 5- Desolation, 6- Frost, 7- Forlorn, 8- Nihilist, 9- Monochroma

Shellyz Raven is aband in the vein of bands like The Gathering ("Nightime Birds" era), full of keyboards, with heavy guitar riffs and a great female vocalist (with this middle pitch voice that don´t abuse the higher notes). In fact, here we have nine songs that rely heavily on the keyboards passages along with the crushing guitar riffs which are the axis along which spins Shellyz Raven´s music. The songs are really well constructed and have many elements that catch inmediately the lsitener´s attention and don´t let it go until the end of the recording. First of all are the enchanting vocals, then the riffs that are really open so the keyboards can develope progressions and melodies over them along with the vocals. I habve to say that the mix is really good, specially on the keyboards and vocals which are essential here.

Favorite tracks: "Lady Of Shadows", "Desolation" and "Monochroma"

Contact: www.unholycross.com

REVIEW: SAXORIOR - SAXOT

SAXORIOR - SAXOT (G.U.C. Prods, 2002)

Produced by Kai Uwe Schneider

Recorded at Polygamstudio

Cover Art by Saxorior / Tibor Pallagi

Tracks: 1- Welcome to Another World, 2- Roots of Time, 3- Misguided Promise, 4- Battle of Wittekind, 5-Vicious Circle, 6- Hic Nulla Pax, 7- Fire of Retaliation, 8-Siegfried (Oberture frei nach R. Wagner), 9- Tubular Bells (frei nach Mike Oldfield)

This is one of the albums of the year!!! This CD starts with an epic intro full of keyboards and orchestration before getting into one of the best combinations of brutality and epic melodies that I have ever heard. Imagine for example a band with the riffs of Carcass (era "Heartwork") with some elements of pure heavy metal and death metal and add to it a lot of keyboards for this epic feeling that I have mentioned before and you will have a little idea of what Saxorior´s music sounds. Add a huge guitar sound and a great drumming with lots of double bass parts and you will be closer. Then you have different types of vocals one that sounds lower than the other and that helps a lot to the feeling. Also you can add to the mix two free versions: one of Richard Wagner´s "Siegfried Oberture" and the other one to Mike Oldfield´s "Tubular Bells" both in epic and heavier than hell versions and then you will know how is the sound of one of the best bands I have listened.

Favorite tracks: A masterpiece. Each tracks is amazing!

Contact: www.saxorior.de or www.guc-area.de

REVIEW: SATARIAL - HEIDENLARM

 

SATARIAL - HEIDENLARM (Beyond Prods., 2002)

Produced by Giovanni Indorato

Cover Art by Sephiroth Graphics

Tracks: 1- Lover of the night, 2- Russian Traditional Song, 3- In the Flame of Sabbath, 4- Russian traditional Ballad, 5- Satarial, 6- Satarial untradition Ballad, 7- Do not Baptize my land, 8- Russian Traditional Ballad, 9- The Cup of Heady Pain, 10- Russian traditional Song, 11- Divine Race

I have listened some music from Satarial before, but this is much better.In fact here we have a great mix of metal music with ancient music and sounds. It is great to listen to "Lover of the Night" with the heavy guitars and the flute and keyboards playing melancholic melodies over them while the deathly vocals clash against the female operistic vocals creating a great feeling. One thing that I liked a lot from this recording is that they have mix Satarial´s music with some traditional Russian songs that have a great ancient feeling on them and helps a lot to create the atmosphere that Satartial wanted to create on this album. The sound is amazingly clean and the guitars are really well mixed as well as the other instruments....you can hear every instrument perfecly in a re ally clean way! I can say with no doubt that this is one of the albums of the month!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is great!

Contact: www.beyondprod.com

REVIEW: SACRIFICIAL - AUTOHATE

 

SACRIFICIAL - AUTOHATE (Mighty Music, 2002)

Produced by Asmus Thomsen

Recorded at Riamuf Studio

Cover Art by Frederik Risom

Tracks: 1- Angel Eyes, 2- In Front of Turmoil, 3- Out of Touch, 4- Confrontation Zone, 5- Victimized, 6- My Kingdom Arise, 7- Away With the Skies, 8- Unadapted, 9- Soul Sale

Here we have one of the best sounding bands of the month (and maybe of the year). This band proves what I been saying for a long time. A band with a perfect crystal clear mix like the one that Sacrificial has sounds much more brutal than bands that sound much more dirty. Here we have a powerful drum that creates heavier than hell rhythms while the guitars play devastating riffs that combined with the bass guitar creates this world of death/thrash metal that Sacrificial plays. Here we have a vocalist that spits with a lot of hatred the vocals through the nine tracks that make this powerful CD. The tracks are fast wbut speed is not the main thing here because I think the band reaches its heaviest point when they play some sort of breaking or some rhythmic riffs that are maybe slower but have a lot of heaviness. If you want a brutal band with great sound then Sacrificial is a good option for you.

Favorite tracks: "Angel Eyes", "Confrontation Zone" and "Soul Sale"

Contact: www.mightymusic.dk

REVIEW: SADISTIC BLOOD MASSACRE - 100% SCHMUTZCORE

 

SADISTIC BLOOD MASSACRE - 100% SCHMUTZCORE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Sadistic Blood Massacre

Recorded at Himinborg Studio

Cover Art bySadistic Blood Massacre

Tracks: 1- Intro (Return of Texas Chainsaw Massacre), 2- Schweine massacre, 3- Shameless Exhibition of a Shaved Cunt, 4- Corpse Pulsating plate, 5- Her Masters Evildong, 6- Dildo in the Beautycase, 7- Auf´m´Rechng Gxappt, 8- What an we do with a mutilated corpse?, 9- Corpsefucker, 10- Outro (Who has killed Mr. Burns?)

Here we have this death grind band with gore and porn lyrics and an extremely brutal sound. This band has many elments of grindcore like for example the hyper guttural and distorted vocals and they have some elements of death metal in the slower parts. The songs are potent and well crafted with a lot of emphasis on brutality. I think this guys should mix the guitar a little bit louder and the drums too to sound even more brutal. I liked most when thy slow down a little bit like in some parts of "Shameless Exhibition" which sound much heavier than the fastest parts. If you are into grind and brutal death you will like Sadistic Blood Massacre´s music with no subtle elments. Brutality and intensity in ten tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Schweine Massacre", "Corpse Pulsating Plate" and "Corpsefucker"

Contact: sadisticmassacre@aol.com

REVIEW: RUNES ORDER - THE ART OF SCARE AND SORROW

 

RUNES ORDER - THE ART OF SCARE AND SORROW (Beyond Prods. 2002)

Produced by Runes Order

Recorded at Odal Sonica Maze

Cover Art by Jose Iraglia and Argento

Tracks: 1- Twisted Act 1, 2- The Night and his tears, 3- Lies in the Woods, 4- Walls Sweat Images, 5- Night Hunter, 6- A Moment of Agony, 7- Murder is a Faith, 8- Dead Inside, 9- Slaughter, 10- Twisted Act II, 11- Decide, 12- Deceit Forest, 13- Love is a Cold lie, 14- Sacrifice Murder Memories

This CD starts with the ethereal "Twisted Act 1" with keyboards and a lot of climatic parts getting into drums with deathly vocals (which are processed) and adding melodic distorted guitars to create Runes Order own brand of music. Their music is extremely dark and atmospheric with a lot of sadness in the melodies. Here the main point is the obscure nature of each note that is played ....here everything seems to be designed in order to bring anguish and sadness to the listener (even the cries sound in "The night and his tears"). There are a lot of keyboards here that play minor chord progressions while the whispering vocals say the dark lyrics. There are also more electronic tracks like "Lies In the Wood" which are perfect for Runes Order experimentation. I would call this incredible band an experimental one with a focus on the dark spectre of music.

Favorite tracks: The whole album is amazing

Contact: www.beyondprod.com

REVIEW: REV.99 - EVERYTHING CHANGED AFTER 7-11

 

REV.99 - EVERYTHING CHANGED AFTER 7-11 (Pax Recordings, 2002)

Produced by 99 Hooker and Ernesto Díaz Infante

Cover Art by Jeanine Zelkas

Tracks: 1- Christian Music, 2- The Price of Bananas, 3- Britney Spears Autopsy, 4- Everything´s been done before (remix), 5- Where´s the 3 Martini War?, 6- Radical Episcopalianism, 7- Etude Brut, 8- Iron Engineer - 99 hooker, 9- Variable Terror, 10- The Child´s Immortal Soul, 11- What happened?, 12- Iron Engineer - Ross Bonadonna, 13- Moloch in Oxygen Text, 14- Man What Are you doing here, 15- Iron Engineer - Akio Mokuno, 16- Howlers, 17- Notes on a Nervous Breakdown

Experimentation at top level and in maximum proportions! Here we have Rev. 99 which is an amazing group of musicians whose main desire is to experiment with their instruments taking their music to new dimensions and breaking boundaries all the time. Here we have musicians like 99 Hooker, Ernesto Díaz Infante, Chris Forsyth (we know what this guys are capable of doing because we have listen some of their recordings before), Ross Bonadonna and many more. Here we have a lot of experimentation with sounds but all done with a lot of coherence ....check for example "Etude Brute" to see what this guys do and how their music is always trying something new without loosing the main scheme of the song. What I like most is the use of electronics that add a new feeling to the band. If you like experimentation then you should check Rev. 99

Favorite tracks: "Britney Spears Autopsy", "Radical Episcopalianism" and "Variable Terror"

Contact: www.paxrecordings.com

REVIEW: RESURRECTION A. D RECORDS - SUMMER SAMPLER 2002

 

RESURRECTION A. D RECORDS - SUMMER SAMPLER 2002 (Resurrection A.D. Records, 2002)

Tracks: 1- ARSON: Close wounds, 2- SPITVALVES: Last Place, 3- KNUCKLE SANDWICH: American Song, 4- DARK DAY DAWNING: Aphrasia, 5- KICKED IN THE HEAD: Cannonball, 6- THE BAD LUCK 13 RIOT EXTRAVAGANZA: Oh rebekkah how you stalk me; 7- POWERHOUSE: When they come for you, 8- POCKET CHANGE: Bridge too Far

Here we have a sampler from this label that specializes in heavy music but not in any style within the metal realm. So we have eight very different bands here. First starts Arson with their death/ thrash metal with top power, changing fast to Spiritvalves which is more sort of a punky band with winds section or something like that....weird. Then come bands like Dark Day Dawning which I thought was going to be a black metal band but it changes their music soon adding some rocking riffs...another strange band that desereves a good listen! Knuckle Sandwich is pure rock and roll as is also Kicked In the Head (with some sort of punk attitude). Then comes the heaviest band called The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza with some death elements and a lot of samplers (I would reallylike to listen more from this guys) that give sort of a machine like feeling to their track. This is a good sample of what this eclectic label releases.

Favorite tracks: Dark Day Dawning "Aphrasia", The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza" Oh Rebbekah..." and Arson "Close Wounds"

Contact: www.resurrection-ad.com

REVIEW: RECUEIL MORBIDE - HURT BY HUMAN RACE

 

RECUEIL MORBIDE - HURT BY HUMAN RACE (Deadsun Records, 2002)

Produced by Stephan Buriez and Recueil Morbide

Recorded at LB Lab Studio

Cover Art by Deather and David Najbrt

Tracks: 1- Harmonity, 2- In Cage, 3- Divagation Esoterique, 4- Tas de Chiennes, 5- Embrace, 6- Never Core Enough, 7- Petrify (Frozen Expectation), 8- Earthwound, 9- Sublime Pleasure

This guys have no mercy!! They crush your brain from the very first second of the first track that starts at full speed with crushing riffs and rhythms. There are many breaks and changes in Recueil Morbide´s music. But this band is not full speed in all the tracks...in fact the second track "In Cage" starts slowly but heavier before getting at full speed again. The vocals are extremely guttural and make great impact in the listener while shouting along the guitar riffs. What I like most is the many changes that each track has and the drums passages (this drummer is killer and plays a lot of difficult passages in which he demosntrates a lot of technique, specially with the double bass. Also here we have a lot of guitar solos that sound relly well contrasting with the brutality of the band. A must for brutality lovers.

Favorite tracks: "Divagation Esoterique", "Embrace" and "Earthwound"

Contact: www.deadsunrecords.com

REVIEW: RAVENCLAW - WHERE MIGHTY RAVENS FLY

RAVENCLAW - WHERE MIGHTY RAVENS FLY (Atlantida Productions, 2002)

Produced by Ravenclaw

Recorded at W.A.R. Studio

Cover Art by Ralf Brandstäter

Tracks: 1- In Battle, 2- Fenriswolf, 3- Shores of Heaven, 4- Valhall (Der Rabenwinter), 5- Ravenclaw, 6- A Vikings Journey, 7- Hermodr a Helferd (Burzum cover), 8- Power and Might, 9- Sword of Honour, 10- Set Sail (A Vikings Journey Part II), 11- Weltenbrand, 12- Atlantida (Fighting for Atlantis)

Starting with the sound of a dialogue of the "Conan the Barbarian" movie here we have this extremely climatical band. In fact this is a duo featuring Alex and Ruslanas. The music is full of dark and melodic passages in the beginning with keyboards that create enchanting melodies while there are background sounds that add some moods to the feelings of the songs. The vocals are mostly spoken and fit perfectly the amazingly dark climates that this guys create. Then what a surprise!! Starting at track number 4 "Valhall" the musci chnages and a programmed drum enter and the keyboards start doing more noisy stuff getting soon into a blast beat with sort of a flute going on....really weird!! There are songs that have many mooods like the long "Set Sail ..." which starts with an ancient melody played with sort of a bagpipe. If you like different moods on one CD then you should check Ravenclaw!!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is really a masterpiece

Contact: atlantida@ukmerge.omnitel.net

REVIEW: QWESTION - Y

 

QWESTION - Y (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Mike Griffith

Recorded at In the House Studios

Cover Art by Mike Griffith

Tracks: 1- The Mask, 2- Freeprov, 3- Chaos Theory, 4- A Little Swim Before the Walk, 5- Forest of the Norm, 6- Muse, 7- 3one2, 8- Yachacha

Here we have Qwestion music...and this is one that is difficult or almost impossible to label. It has heavy guitar sound in many parts, it has programmed drums (or drums that sound like electronic percussion), it has some samplers and scratching turntables and stuff like that, it has some bluesy and jazzy melodies (check "Freeprov" to see this and be amazed). The music here is instrumental and really complex to play, specially on some changes of rhythms and on the improvised guitar melodies "check again "Freeprov"). The musicians here have a lot of quality and they are really well rehearsed and know how to play together (some tracks have really difficult tempo changes like for example "Chaos theory" which is extremely difficult to play. The sound is good but I would like them to mix louder the guitars to add some extra power to the songs. A must for people who like originality and experimentation.

Favorite tracks: "Chaos Theory", "Forest of the Norm" and " Yachacha"

Contact: www.qwestion.net

REVIEW: QUIETUS - DESTROYER OF WORLDS

 

QUIETUS - DESTROYER OF WORLDS (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Quietus

Recorded at The Shed

Cover Art by Chris Waters

Tracks: 1- Bow (In the Beginning), 2- Bloodsworn, 3- Destroyer of Worlds

I would call Quietus music a mix of ambient (because of some almost ambiental passages), black metal (because of some screaming and spoken vocals and some fast riffs), death metal (because of some riffs and vocals) and industrial (because of the machinal sound of the drums, the samplers and electronic sounds and some distorted vocals that are on the songs contained on this CD). In fact I find elements of this styles here but all have been processed and twisted into the form of Quietus music. The main thing here is experimentation by Chris Waters the only mind behind the music. The only low point here is the sound which buries some of the guitar riffs making them almost inaudible. I think Chris can remix this three tracks because they are really good and with a better sound they can be more effective.

Favorite tracks: The three contained on this CD

Contact: www.geocities.com/quietusband

REVIEW: PSYCROPTIC - THE ISLE OF DISENCHANTMENT

 

PSYCROPTIC - THE ISLE OF DISENCHANTMENT (Independent, 2000)

Produced by Psycroptic

Recorded at Red Planet Studios

Cover Art by Bill Dean

Tracks: 1- Carnival of Vulgarity, 2- The Sword of Uncreation, 3- Condemned by Discontent, 4- Netherworld Reality, 5- The Isle of Disenchantment, 6- Of Dull Eyes Borne, 7- Pycropticpath, 8- Beneath the Ground We Dwell, 9- The Labyrinth

Psycroptic is brutality guaranteed. Here we have this band that spits dethaly riff after deathly riff, drum beat after drumbeat creating a bestial world of death metal in each of their tracks. The riffs are fast and the guitars have a sound that is not similar to the one used by most of the bands of the style. Yes, there sound is more compressed, more compact,, allowing the guitarist to play superfast and technical riffs with razor sharp precission.. Besides the faster more brutal parts, the drummer plays some complex staff, specially some part where he uses a lot the ride cymbal like following some guitar parts. The vocals are extremely heavy and guttural in many places adding a lot of deathly feeling to the music. If you like brutality plus complexity, then check Psycroptic.

Favorite tracks: "The Sword of uncreation", "The Isle of Disenchantment" and "Of Dull Eyes Borne"

Contact: www.geocities.com/psycroptic