REVIEW: EVERGLOW - A NEW LIFE

 

EVERGLOW - A NEW LIFE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Tony De Block

Recorded at Studio Midas

Cover Art by Cindy Baert

Tracks: 1- Into the Unknown, 2- Labyrinth, 3- Lost in the Woods, 4- Like a Shadow, 5- A New Life, 6- Golden Lion

This CD starts calmly with the introduction called "Into the Unknown" before getting into a powerful heavy metal with extremely well sounding guitars in "Labyrinth". And how powerful are the guitars !! This guys and girl have a lot of power in their riffs (which are different than in most of the bands of the style). There are many things that give a lot of power to Everglow´s music: first, as I mentioned above, the guitar riffs that are crushing, then the great work of the drummer (he makes a great use of the double bass drumming accentuating really well the guitar riffs along with the bassist), then Cindy Baert´s vocals which are melodics but are used in a way that follow the rkiffs and add a lot of atmosphere to the songs. Then come the keyboards and here I have to remark the really great work of this guy: he plays passages and chord progressions through all the recording, adding a lot of personality to Everglow´s songs. The mix is really well, specially on the guitars (I love the way they sound, really crushing). If you like heavy metal, power metal or styles with a lot of power and melody then ,check Everglow.

Favorite tracks: "Labyrinth", "Like a Shadow" and "Lost in the Woods"

Contact: cindy.baert@skynet.be

REVIEW: ELVIRA MADIGAN - WITCHES -SALEM (1692 VS. 2001)

 

ELVIRA MADIGAN - WITCHES -SALEM (1692 VS. 2001) (Northlore Records, 2002)

Produced by Marcus H.

Recorded at Madigan Studios

Cover Art by Luis Royo

Tracks: 1- Anno Domini 1232, 2- Orroborros and the Pilgrim, 3- Lilliannah - Demonologi Für Dömda, 4- Nocturne, 5- Crestfallen, 6- Kvinnorovet, 7- Häxor, maror och vitror, 8- Djävulens Novis, 9- Ecclesia Non Novit Sanguinem, 10- Interludium 1, 11- The Kindred (1692) , 12- Ritual (varsel del I), 13- Gregory IX, 14- Dark is the Seraphim, 15- Honeythorne

This is with no doubt one of the best CDs that I have ever listened. The perfect mix between heaviness, melody, atmospheres and feelings. The perfect mix from what is powerful and what is subtle. Here we have Elvira Madigan who is a one man band whose brain and heart is Marcus H. Marcus is behind every note that is played on this CD and he has achieved a masterpiece ! I have not listened to the previous Elvira Madigan´s album "Black Arts" but if it is half as good as this one then that would be a great album to listen!! The main thing here is the contrast between the heavy guitars (really well mixed) and vocals and the keyboards and melodies: yes, this things interact in some parts, in others clash one against each other, and in others they mix in a really subtle form. One thing that is essential to Elvira Madigan´s sound are the keyboards which give a lot of the feeling and atmosphere here (along with the guitars that make a lot of climatic passages that are fundamental here. This is a conceptual album with lyrics about witchery and inquisition whose complete story you can read on Elvira Madigan´s website. I have to say it again: One of the best CDs I have ever listened.

Favorite tracks: This is one of the CDs of the year!!!

Contact: www.elviramadigan.com

REVIEW: DRAWN AND QUARTERED - TO KILL IS HUMAN

 

DRAWN AND QUARTERED - TO KILL IS HUMAN (Moribund Records, 1999)

Produced by Drawn and Quartered and Keenan Kelly

Recorded at Vagrant Studios

Cover Art by Gabriel Byrne

Tracks: 1- Ministry of Torture, 2- Machete Bloodbath, 3- The Hills Run Red, 4- Open Mind, 5- Carnal Copulation, 6- To kill is Human, 7- Implements of Hell, 8- Christian Extinction, 9- Broken on the Wheel, 10- Punishment of Burning Torment, 11- Mangled Beyond Recognition

The brutal release of the month!! Yes, this CD is brutal as hell....with many blast beats and a lot of double bass drumming. The guttural vocals are extremely powerful and bring to mind Chris Barnes era Cannibal Corpse. The guitars are extremely huge and distorted giving Drawn and Quartered´s music a huge wall of sound to rely on. The bass player is really good at accentuating the riffs following sometimes the guitars and sometimes the drums adding a lot of bottom end to the music. The drummer is an octopus, specially in the fastest parts where he does blast beats without missing the timing of the track. The sound of the release is really good (even if the snare drum sounds a little bit hollow in some parts). A must for death metal fans and lovers of anything brutal.

Favorite tracks: "The Hills Run Red", "Carnal Copulation" and "Broken on the Wheel"

Contact: www.geocities.com/Drawn-An-Quartered

REVIEW: DIPNOI - TORN

 

DIPNOI - TORN (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Dipnoi

Recorded at Estudio Da Tribo

Tracks: 1- Torn, 2- Greed, 3- Melting

This is Dipnoi´s new material. This time we have a MCD called "Torn with three tracks. And this three compositions show us a lot of evolution from this brazilian band compared to their previous release "FKDDD" which we reviewed some issues back. The guitars sound more powerful, and specially vocalist Ricardo Matsumoto has gotten really better adding more strength to his voice. The drums are also really well mixed and here they can be listened in all its magnitude. One thing that I found interesting is that they have found a new sound here, like more weird with use of wah wah in the guitars and many guitar phrases (check the middle part of "Greed" to know what I am talking about). And here there are also the thrash feelings that are essential on Dipnoi´s music. You can listen them in the three tracks but this time mixed with new elements. A real great evolution. Now we await the new full length album.

Favorite tracks: The three tracks are really good. Dipnoi has evolved a lot !!

Contact: www.dipnoi.com

REVIEW: DEMURE - DEMO

 

DEMURE - DEMO (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Demure

Recorded at Xaphans Palace of Debauchery

Cover Art by Demure

Tracks: 1- Cosmic Gold, 2- New One, 3- Earthly Creatures, 4- Father Hubbard, 5- Wholly Shit, 6- Thoth

Here we have this band whose style can be described as sort of black metal with some viking metal influences and some shades of death metal (specially on the more guttural vocals that are used in some parts and in some of the guitar riffs). All the recording has sort of a dark feeling, specially in the parts that the band uses keyboards such as in the beginning of "Earthly Creatures". There are many guitar riffs within the same song (and that is one of the main features of Demure) that go from fast one note riffs to more rhythmic ones or some breaks along with the drums. The voclas here are of two types: there is the screaming one and the more guttural death metal type of voclas. Also in Demure´s music is very important the heavy use of bass guitar phrases such as the one starting at 2:40 in "Earthly Creatures". I would like the band to mix a little bit louder the guitars adding some more low bottom to them (even if they have the great bass adding a lot of bottom end to the sound). A really good option for lovers of black and death metal.

Favorite tracks: "Cosmic Gold", "Earthly Creatures", "Father Hubbard"

Contact: www.demure999.com

REVIEW: DEATHGUY - THE LEGEND OF ROMANCER

 

DEATHGUY - THE LEGEND OF ROMANCER (Trinity Records, 2000)

Produced by Deathguy

Recorded at Ghost Studio

Cover Art byThanit

Tracks: 1- Ballad of Sunset (intro), 2- Zero Frontier, 3- Lust Murder, 4- Lake of Tears, 5- Savage Seraphim, 6- Black Swan, 7- The Promised Land, 8- Beheader, 9- The Beast, 10- Marn, 11- Den Sungkhom

This CD starts with a melodic intro before getting into the really amazing world of this death/black metallers. Yes! Here we have this band whose music is a really great mix of elements of both death metal, black metal with a lot of original and interesting elements, such as the use of keybaords that give a lot of epic feeling to the songs or the guitar melodies that are fundamental for Deathguy´s style. The death metal appears in some of the riffs and some guttural vocals. The black metal can be listened in the fast riffs and some of the more screaming vocals (check for example the beginning of "Lust Murder"). This guys have a lot of technique that allows them to perform this song which have a lot of complexity in the many changes and moods (check for example "Zero Frontier" to see how many changes this guys make within the same song). The mix is good but I would have mixed a little bit different the guitars, maybe a little bit more fat or something like that. This is an absolute must for any metal fan!

Favorite tracks: All the CD is really great!

Contact: www.trinityrecords.com.hk orthepsitrakorn@hotmail.com

REVIEW: DARK FAITH - THE SENTENCE OF SATAN

 

DARK FAITH - THE SENTENCE OF SATAN (War is Imminent Prods., 2002)

Produced by Dark Faith

Recorded at "EL Refor"

Tracks: 1- Dark Faith, 2- Blinding Darkness, 3- Reflection, 4- Human Sacrifice, 5- Judas, 6- Religion, 7- Impure Son, 8- Necrophagus, 9- The Sentence of Satan

Here we have this black metal band coming directly from Spain!! Their music is raw in many places with fast guitars and drums and they have a lot of changes in their songs that make things really interesting! Ruth´s vocals are really devilish and fit the music perfectly. I liked a lot some acoustic passages in tracks like "Religion" who starts in a very calm way before getting into mayhemic black metal. The drummer is killer and makes a lot of fast passages, double bass drumming and breaks giving the band the dynamics they deserve. I like a lot when Ruth follows the guitar riffs with the vocals like in "The Sentence of Satan" (this track has also many killer guitar riffs). The sound of this recording is really good specially the drums that sound extremely well. Lovers of black metal will surely love this band!!

Favorite tracks: "Reflection", "Religion" and "The Sentence of Satan"

Contact: www.unholycross.com

REVIEW: CRUSH EFEKT - ECLIPSED

 

CRUSH EFEKT - ECLIPSED (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Crush Efekt

Recorded at Slaymaker Studios

Cover Art by Sean Alley

Tracks: 1- Big Man, 2- Eclipsed, 3- Falling, 4- Education, 5- No Going Home, 6- The Last of Me, 7- Anthem For the Weak, 8- Powertrip, 9- My White trash Neighbors

Crush Efekt is really brutal, but not in the same sense that a brutal death metal band could be. Even if they share a lot of the brutality that this kind of bands have, Crush Efekt has a sort of hardcore feeling to their music. I think that is because of two factors: first of all the vocals that are more of the screaming type, and then there are certain drum patterns that brutal death metal bands don´t use and Crush Efekt uses a lot. Don´t get me wrong...Crush Efekt is not hardcore, but they have some elements of the style that fit perfectly their more brutal music.There are powerful guitar riffs here with a raw guitar sounds that makes things even heavier! And there are a lot of blast beat parts which are fast as hell (it seems that this guys has eight arms in many places). As I said before the vocals are of the type that add a lot brutality to the music because of their screaming tyoe (not guttural). The sound of the recording is really good, specially on the guitars that are the main element here and on the devastating drums. Brutality guaranteed.

Favorite tracks: "Eclipsed", "No Going Home" and "Powertrip"

Contact: www.crushefekt.net

REVIEW: CRAWLING SUN - LES MERCHANDS DE DESASTRES

 CRAWLING SUN - LES MERCHANDS DE DESASTRES (Tumbleweed Records, 2001)

Produced by Crawling Sun

Recorded at Turtle Recordings

Cover Art by Giselle Blanck and Bryan Rode

Tracks: 1- Quarentine, 2- Under Heaven, 3- Fall from Grace, 4- After Love, 5- Ride On, 6- Easy Kill, 7- Hurt, 8- Butterfly High, 9- Suffering, 10- Fate of Our World, 11- Merchant of Fear, 12- Never Again My Friend

A beautiful acoustic passage starts the first song called "Quarentine" before getting into a mid tempo heavy rock track. This band is a great mix of rock, metal with a lot of climatic passages and changes. To see this you just have to put the CD an listen to "Quarentine" and see how this guys go from heavy to atmospheric and climatic passages (the keyboards are fundamental and I like the way this guys use them adding a lot of harmonies and melodic passages to their music). The tracks on this CD are very differnt one from each other letting us listejn to alot of differnt sides of Crawling Sun´s music personality. The heavy guitars add a lot of power to the songs and they are really well combined with the keys making a perfect blend of delicated phrases and heavy riffs. The sound of the recording is extremely good with a great guitar mix that makes Crawling Sun even more powerful. I have no doubt that this guys are creating a style of their own.

Favorite tracks: "Quarentine", "Easy Kill" and " Fate of Our World"

Contact: www.crawlingsun.com

REVIEW: COBOLT 60 - MEAT HOOK BALLET

 

COBOLT 60 - MEAT HOOK BALLET (VME Records, 2002)

Produced by Endre Kirkesola

Recorded at Dub Studio

Cover Art by Jon Tornnesen

Tracks: 1- Chainsaw Michelangelo, 2- The Explorer, 3- Night Stalker, 4- Daddy Dearest, 5- One To Go, 6- Salvation Principle Result, 7- Meat Hook Ballet, 8- Incineration (The Apical of Fire)

Guitar riffs! Here you have plenty of them ! And I really like bands that can do this and put many guitar riffs in a really coherent way. And Cobolt 60 can do this perfectly! Going from brutal riffs to more climatic ones within the same track and giving their music a lot of changes. Despite what you could think by watching the album cover, this is not a grind band. In fact Cobolt 60 is closer to death metal but the guitar riffs are differnt from this style and the vocals too. There is a certain eighties thrash feeling that allows this guy to give more hooks to the song and gain a lot of interest from the listener. The interesting thing here is also that Cobolt 60 is a duo consisting of Mr. Hustler on drums and vocals and Dod on guitars, bass and backing voclas. And they make this great music with a lot of passion and fury. I recommend this CD to people who want new emotions...this guys surely will provide them to you.

Favorite tracks: "Chainsaw Michelangelo", "One To Go" and "Daddy Dearest"

Contact: http://home.no.net/cobolt60

REVIEW: BURIAL PLACE - DAMNATION

 

BURIAL PLACE - DAMNATION (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Burial place

Recorded at No Brain Studios

Tracks: 1- Introspectrum, 2- A Bloody journey to the Land of tragedy, 3- Ancient Gods, 4- Presences

Here we have this band that starts the tape with a great orchestral and extremely dark intro before getting into an original style of black metal full of orchestrations and clkimatic melodies and adding a great female vocalist (with operistic type of vocals). The main thing here is the complexity of the compositions that have many different atmospheres within each of them changing a lot the rhythms and doing many melodic arrangements with the guitars and with the keyboards and female vocals. One thing that I have to praise here is the really good sound that this guys and girl have achieved on this recording that make all the interesting arrangements shine (and don´t become buried in the mix like in some bands happen). I hope this band can really soon release a longer recording for delight of all the metal ears out there.

Favorite tracks: All the ones that are here

Contact: http://burialplace.no-brain.com

REVIEW: BRICK BATH - I WON´T LIVE THE LIE

 

BRICK BATH - I WON´T LIVE THE LIE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Eric Meyer and Brick bath

Recorded at Brick Bath Studios

Cover Art by Eric Meyer and Ken Seaney

Tracks: 1- Inner Peace, 2- Bone Dry, 3- Pain my friend, 4- Sick of you, 5- Undone, 6- I won´t live the lie, 7- Crucified, 8- Simple Life, 9- So Wrong, 10- Oppression Kills, 11- Need, 12- Legacy, 13- Erased, 14- Die Alone

Here we have this extremely powerful band who is a top number in the underground. This is a self produced CD where they have achieved an extremely HUGE sound, specially on the guitars and drums that smash your brain into pieces. I listened this release at top volume and it surely makes you bang your head along with the drumming and the rhythms. Eric Meyer´s guitars are crushing and they have nothing to envy to the ones of famous bands like Testament, Slayer or Pantera. The same with drumming. Here we have four top quality musicians who deliver a full energetica lbum with no mercy !!!! I like a lot the way in which the drummer supports the changes and the different breaks and shythms. I would recommend you to check tracks like "Pain My friend" to know what I am talking about. The vocals have a lot of power too and Joseph Mc Caw knows where to be more energetic and where to be calmer. A must for those who enjoy powerful music.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is really powerful and energetic. Killer!!!

Contact: www.brickbath.com or www.mp3.com/brickbath

REVIEW: BRENDAN PERRY - EYE OF THE HUNTER

 

BRENDAN PERRY - EYE OF THE HUNTER (4AD Records, 2000)

Produced by Brendan Perry

Recorded at Quivvy

Cover Art by Chris Bigg

Tracks: 1- Saturday´s Child, 2- Voyage of Bran, 3- Medusa, 4- Sloth, 5- I Must Have been Blind, 6- The Captive Heart, 7- Death Will be My Bride, 8- Archangel

Here we have this solo album from one half of the great band called Dead Can Dance. Here Brendan show us really dark and calm compositions that he could have used for Dead Can Dance´s albums but he prefered to use them in a different context here. The songs are mainly acoustic, slow and really climatic with Brendan´s voice singing the sad and almost arcane lyrics over the music. As always, Brendan shows us that he is a great composer who has many ideas going on in his mind and he can translate them to music easily. The songs here are really fluent and have some spontaneity....they sound fresh. This is a good solo album. Now we want a new Dead Can Dance album!!

Favorite tracks: "Saturday´s Child", "Sloth" and "Death Will be My Bride"

Contact: www.4adrecords.com

REVIEW: BRAINSTORM - METUS MORTIS

 

BRAINSTORM - METUS MORTIS (Metal Blade Records, 2001)

Produced by Achim Köhler and Brainstorm

Cover Art by Jan Meininghaus

Tracks: 1- Metus Mortis, 2- Blind Suffering, 3- Shadowland, 4- Checkmate in Red, 5- Hollow Hideaway, 6- Weakness sows its Seed, 7- Into the Never, 8- Under Lights, 9- Cycles, 10- Behind, 11- Meet Me in the Dark, 12- Strength of Will

It is always good to listen to bands like Brainstorm because their music is what you can call heavy/power metal but they never fall in the cliches of that style. Brainstorm prefers to play heavier and more rhythmic riffs instead of the usual galloping and running riffs that most of the bands do (specially those tha are from Germany). Here we have a really heavy band with fat sounding guitars and a great mix that helps a lot to the final result. Here we have also a powerful singer like Andy Franck who is melodic but powerful and he never abuses the high pitched vocals. There are really good guitar solos and many parts on each tracks really well conected: the musicl ideas are really well developed on this CD. Lovers of heavy and power metal who don´t like copycat bands will like Brainstorm.

Favorite tracks: "Blind Suffering", "Hollow Hideaway" and "Into The Never"

Contact: www.metalblade.com

REVIEW: BORN OF FIRE - BORN OF FIRE

 

BORN OF FIRE - BORN OF FIRE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Larry Elea and Born of Fire

Recorded at Mindz Eye

Cover Art by Born of Fire

Tracks: 1- Centrifuge, 2- Lifemares, 3- In the End

This is a MCD containing three tracks of pure classical heavy metal. Here you have all the elments that the style must have. You have the heavy guitars, then you have melodies, then you have a bass that accentutaes really well along the drummer and you have a singer with a really big vocal range (in the vein of Geoff Tate - Bruce Dickinson). The drummer is good at making interesting arrangements and adding a lot of power to the music along with the guitarist. There are interesting guitar passages (also here there is some use of clean guitars to make some parts more climatic like it happens on "Lifemares"). I would like the mix to be a little bit less raw, specially on the guitar and I think that can make the music even more powerful. I liked a lot the way in which "In the End" starts with the clean guitars and the bass playing interesting notes while the singer makes interesting vocal inflexions. Lovers of heavy metal will surely love Born of Fire. I hope to listen more from them soon.

Favorite tracks: The three here are really good metal songs

Contact: SddDrums@aol.com

REVIEW: BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA - SNAPPED

 

BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA - SNAPPED (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Blunt Force Trauma

Cover Art by Blunt Force Trauma

Tracks: 1- String them Up, 2- Snapped, 3- Antichrist, 4- Heretic, 5- Consumed, 6- Blunt Force Trauma

Here we have an extremely brutal band!!! And when they recorded this six song EP they were a trio. Since then, they have added a new member to the lineup so I think they will sound even heavier in the future. The music here is brutal death metal with incredible drumming (this guy is killer with the double bass) and a huge guitar sound that some famous band would envy. I feel some Morbid Angel and Sinister influences here and there that feel really good mixed with Blunt Force Trauma´s trademark sound. The vocals are extremely guttural and they add a lot of brutality to the band´s music. All the riffs here are designed to crush the listener (and I think that is why the bass follows a lot the guitars adding a lot of bottom end to the sound) and they achieve easily the wanted effect. This is waht I call a devastating release !

Favorite tracks: "String Them Up", "Antichrist" and "Blunt Force Trauma"

Contact: www.bluntforcetrauma.net

REVIEW: BIOMECHANICAL - DISTORTED

 

BIOMECHANICAL - DISTORTED (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Biomechanical

Cover Art by Biomechanical

Tracks: 1- The Awakening, 2- Do You Know Me, 3- In the Core of Darkness, 4- Distorted

This band is great, fantastic!!!! Mix the power of a deth metal band in the riffs, add a vocalist in a heavy/power metal fashion but with more quality and vocal range than most you know. Then add a lot of eighties speed metal touches as bands like Hexenhaus or Toxik used to do (I mean, complex riffs and many changes taking the voice to its limits) and then you have an idea of what Biomechanical sounds like. Add to this a really modern sound with devastating guitars and here we have one of the best bands I have listened. Also, you have to know that this band has a lot of melodies and interesting choruses combined with amazing keyboards, great guitar solos and some clean guitars in some parts that make things even more interesting getting easily the listener attention. Check this band or die!!!!!

Favorite tracks: The four contained here

Contact: www.biomechanical.co.uk

REVIEW: BAALPHEGOR - THE END OF DESCENT

 

BAALPHEGOR - THE END OF DESCENT (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Baalphegor

Cover Art by Baalphegor

Tracks: 1- The Pact, 2- Always Here, 3- Eaten Alive

Here we have this MCD from this death metal band coming directly from Spain.This band is extremely powerful and I liked the way they sounded with the drumming which sometimes sounds like programmed specially on the double bass drumming (great one through all the tracks). This guys have really good riffs (I liked a lot the ones for example at 0:30 of "Always Here" and the one that follows it....) and they have a lot of brutality to offer. Each of the tracks have many changes and that gives a lot of dynamics to the band´s music making it really interesting. The band sounds really tight while doing all this shifts and changes never missing a beat. There are some more melodic riffs in some parts of "Always Here" which I would strongly recommend to use more often because they are really good. Now we await a full length release from this brutal guys !!!

Favorite tracks: The three contained here are a great showcase of what this band is capeble of doing

Contact: www.baalphegor.com

REVIEW: ASSCAVERN - GINGY BILLIGUS MOTAMUCHKI

 

ASSCAVERN - GINGY BILLIGUS MOTAMUCHKI (Independent, 2000)

Produced by Donkey

Recorded at The Barn in Palestine

Cover Art by Doey

Tracks: 1- Practice (Intro), 2- Piss Flood, 3- A Niggers Ass is My Lunch, 4-Burnt Priest, 5- The Honkey Donkey, 6- Dirty Baby Born from a Pigs Ass, 7- I hope you rape me, 8- Peel my cock apart, mom, 9- Gingy Billigus Motamuchki, 10- Shit on my Dirty Dick, 11- Piss in My Ass (Reprise)

This guys are porn grind freaks with a scathological sense of humor. Their music is extremely fast and noisy most of the times. There are slower riffs that sound really mechanical as you can hear in some aprts of "Burnt Priest". The drums are programmed and that makes the music more weird and strange. The combination of this programmed drums with the noisy guitars are the main element that makes this machine type sound that Asscavern´s music has. The sound is extremely noisy and in some faster parts is difficult to listen what is going on, maybe a better mix of guitars couls help. If you like extremely fast and grinding music then you would like Asscavern a lot!!

Favorite tracks: "Burnt Priest", "A Niggers Ass is My Lunch" and "Peel My Cock Apart, Mom"

Contact: www.asscavern.com

REVIEW: ARSON - LACERATE THE SKY

 

ARSON - LACERATE THE SKY (Resurrection A.D. Records , 2002)

Produced by Eric Rachel and Arson

Recorded at Trax East

Cover Art by Pat thompson

Tracks: 1- Indefiance, 2- Cast In Shadows, 3- Perfect Truth, 4- My Empty Graves, 5- Remnants, 6- Closed Wounds, 7- Motives for Nightmares, 8- Changeling, 9- Limb from Limb, 10- Proceed To Proceed

Here we have this powerful band whose music is somewhere close to death metal but they are not what you would called a classical death metal band or something like that. In fact this guys make a lot of emphasis on the heaviness of their riffs being them fast or slow (check the second track "Cast In Shadows" to see what I am talking about). The similitude with death metal can be raised because of the vocals that are screaming ones but this band is much more being really technical in many breaks and changes. The guitars sound extremely heavy and the drummer uses a lot the cymbals in order to make things even heavier. There are some interesting guitar solos and melodies and the vocals are devastating too. The sound of the recording is really good in the guitars and vocals, maybe it needs a small twitch on the drums cymbals (not the Ride cymbal that sounds really great). This CD is a must for fans of the most extreme and powerful styles in metal.

Favorite tracks: "Indefiance", "Remnants" and " Limb from Limb"

Contact: www.arsonism.com or www.resurrection-ad.com

REVIEW: ARSIS - DEMO 2002

 

ARSIS - DEMO 2002 (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Arsis

Recorded by James Malone and Michael Van Dyne

Tracks: 1- Ellegant and Perverse, 2- Wholly Night, 3- Worship Depraved, 4- Seven Whispers Fell Silent, 5- Veil of Mourning Black, 6- Fortune´s Envy, 7- Close, 8- Painted Eyes

Here we have Arsis, which is a duo of talented musicians: James Malone and Mike VanDyne decided to play together while attending Berklee College of Music. And on this recording you can feel how tallented this two guys are. I really liked the way Malone and VanDyne mix the most extreme metal genres, such as death metal or black metal with a lot of virtuosism (you have to check Malone´s guitar solos which are really complex to play...and a footnote: It has been a long time since I last listened to a guitar solo that uses a harmonizer!!). One thing that gains extra points for arsis is the complexity of their riffs and drumbeats which are not straightforward as in many extreme bands prefering to use riffs in the vein of Death, Carcass, Cynic or Atheist in many places. The vocals are brutal and add a lot of extreme feeling to Arsis music. Buy it or die!!!

Favorite tracks: One of the most powerful releases of the month. All the tracks are perfect

Contact: www.worshipdepraved.com or www.mp3.com/arsis

REVIEW: ARCHÆUS - THE ANNIHIL CHAPTER: A SOURCE OF FIRE

ARCHÆUS - THE ANNIHIL CHAPTER: A SOURCE OF FIRE (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Archæus

Recorded at Archæus place

Tracks: 1- Epitome 1 (The Source), 2- On the Wings of Pain, 3- The Whole Suffering, 4- Epitome 2 (the Nihil Procession), 5- Apoca...lips. 6- The Realm of Chasm, 7- Gate of Deliverance

This is absolutely mayhemic black metal , this is absolutely unholy and blasphemic black metal for dark souls and minds!!! Here we have this band that play the rawest kind of black metal, but at the same time they have some different features: first of all there are some slower parts that are really climatic and almost atmospheric (as in the middle of "Apoca...lips" where they change completely the rhythm of the song creating a whole song structure within the main structure). Another main feature is that despite being fast and furious and having an extrmely raw sound they make some melodies in the main riffs that shows a completely differnt side of Archæus. There is also some use of keyboards in the instrumntal intros called "Epitome1 and 2" and also in the beginning of "The Realm of Chasm" that is sort of an intro to "Gate of Deliverance". The drummer is extremely fast and makes incredible blast beats in many places and also creates some interesting patterns in other parts. I think that a better mix will make the music of this guys even more wild and powerful. Black metallers rejoice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite tracks: "ON the Wings of Pain", "Apoca...lips" and "The Realm of Chasm/Gate of Deliverance"

Contact: http://members.lycos.fr/archaeus

REVIEW: ANDARK - REGNANT AURA

 

ANDARK - REGNANT AURA (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Andark

Recorded at Alpha Omega Studios

Layout by Fabio Verga and Andark

Tracks: 1- Beyond Destiny´s Path (intro); 2- Astral Fire Glitters; 3- the Last Embrace

Here we have this MCD from this italian band that makes epic black/death metal with many different moods within each of the songs. Here we have an introduction that is really calm and orchestrated with some violins. The comes the first track called "Astral Fire Glitters" that starts very raw in a certain black/death fashion and then gets in an amazing calm passage at 2:37. I think this guys have really good musicianship and they explore a lot of different things specially in this calm parts where they have the opportunity to show a different side of their music. Here we have a lot of keyboards arrangements with a lot of chord progressions and some melodies that contrast deeply with the two types of vocals (there is one that is closer to death metal more guttural and one that is more screaming...and also we have a high pitched voice courtesy of Roberto Beccalli and a female voice on "The Last Embrace" done by Cristina Meroni). Now I am waiting the new release from this amazing band. A great release.

Favorite tracks: The three tracks are raw, dark and epic at the same time

Contact: www.andark.3000.it

REVIEW: AGAMEMNON - ANGRY BEYOND FORGIVENESS

 

AGAMEMNON - ANGRY BEYOND FORGIVENESS (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Kharis

Recorded at Dungeon Studios

Cover Art by Anubis

Tracks: 1- Watchtowers of Night, 2-Queen Maeh´s Ride, 3- Perseus Treachery, 4- Horrors of the Inquisitium, 5- Window Through Eternity´s Continuum, 6-Desertion of the Churchyard

This is an extremely ethereal and atmospheric release by Kharis, the only compoaser and musician behind Agamemnon. Kharis is also the one that plays all the keyboards (which are the only instrument here) and does all the vocals.The result is a darker than hell album with a lot of moods and feelings (all of them dark and sad). The compositions here are really calm and have many different shades that Kharis has developed really well. All songs are quite long and that allows Kharis to give a lot of variations in the harmonies and melodies that he plays here. One weird thing is that the music here was recorded originally in a rehearsal in 1996 and in 2002 Kharis revidsed the lyrical concept and rewrote some part. Despit what it says in the booklet, the sound is good (even if there is some tape noise in the background). People who liked things like Koan or Esperanza or atmospheric bands like those ones would surely like Agamemnon.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is extremely dark, atmospheric and sad !!!!

REVIEW: AESMA DAEVA - THE EROS OF FRIGID BEAUTY

 

AESMA DAEVA - THE EROS OF FRIGID BEAUTY(Root of All Evil Records, 2002)

Produced by Aesma Daeva

Cover Art by Aesma Daeva

Tracks: 1- Lysander, 2- Devotion, 3- In My Holy Time, 4- The Eros of Frigid Beauty, 5- Overature, 6- The Minstrel Song, 7- Lysander II

This is Aesma Daeva´s second full length album and if the first one "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written in Waterwas excellent this one is better. Here you have all the elments that have made John Prassas a reknowned composer....here you have the ethereal melodies, the cold female vocals, the beautiful atmospheres and the darkness of the feelings that this music provoques on everyone that listens to it. Here John has gone beyond boundaries adding a lot of harmonies and elements that were in the previous album but this time they are multiplied by ten adding new sides an d perspectives to Aesma Daeva´s music. Here John has shown us all his compositional skills and has improved the sound when compared to the previous album making the music sound deeper and more introspective. Just one thing more....you have to got this album!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite tracks: All the CD. As always Aesma Daeva delivers the best.

Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

REVIEW: ABSCESS - THROUGH THE CRACKS OF DEATH

 

ABSCESS - THROUGH THE CRACKS OF DEATH (Peaceville Records, 2002)

Produced by Abcess

Tracks: 1- Raping the Multiverse, 2- Mourners Will Burn, 3- Through the Cracks of Death, 4- Escalation of Violence, 5- Serpent of Dementia, 6- An Asylum Below, 7- Tomb of the Unknown Junkie, 8- Monolithic Damnation, 9- Die for Today, 10- 16 Horrors, 11- Vulnavia

Chris Reifert and company are back!! This is the follow up to their "Tormented" album and here we have many of the features that we lkove from this band. In fact, there are some welcome changes like faster riffs and better guitar solos. As most of you know Chris Reifert played drums on Death´s "Screaming Bloody Gore" album and later founded classic band Autopsy. That band was a really influential one in the underground and here we have half if that band because we have also Danny Coralles on guitars. Here we have the guttural vocals that have made Autopsy and Abscess famous and also here there are slow as hell riffs like the ones Autopsy used to play (check the middle part of "Through the Cracks of Death"). The sound of the recording is really much better than in all previous Abscess albums, specially on the guitars where you can listen the great riffs that this guys use and the amazing guitar solos. A classic.

Favorite tracks: "Mourners will Burn", "Serpent of Dementia" and "Monolithic Damnation".

Contact: www.peaceville.co.uk or www.peaceville.com

REVIEW: ZAO - PARADE OF CHAOS

 

ZAO - PARADE OF CHAOS (Solidstate Records, 2002)

Produced by Barry Poynter, Jesse Smith and Scott Mellinger

Recorded at Poynter´s Palace

Cover Art by Asterik Studio

Tracks: 1- The Buzzing, 2- Suspend / Suspension, 3- Parade of Chaos, 4- Angel Without Wings, 5- Killing Cupido, 6- Free the Three, 7- Man In the Womb, 8- A Pirates Prayer, 9- The Ballad of Buddy Bigsby, 10- How are the weak Free?

Zao is back!! This time more violent than ever! Here we have the crushing riffs that were in their previous releases but this time the screams are louder the riffs are heavier and the sound is bigger !! Here we have this trio of devastating guys that melt your brain through the ten tracks of this CD. Here we have the drumbeats from hell that lives the listener banging his head. This are songs that were meant to be played live. I imagine a Zao concert with hundreds ofmetalheads moshing and jumping along with the songs. The songs here have a lot of interesting changes and guitar arrangements that make the result really powerful and interesting and also the songs have a lot of catchy choruses that you can scream along !! A must.

Favorite tracks: "The Buzzing", "Angel Without Wings" and "Man in the Womb"

Contact: www.solidstate.com

REVIEW: VINTERRIKET - ADVANCE FROM "KÄLTE" 7" EP

 

VINTERRIKET - ADVANCE FROM "KÄLTE" 7" EP (Parasite Records, 2002)

Produced by Vinterriket

Cover Art by Vinterriket

Tracks: 1- Der Schrei Der Leere; 2- Züngelnde Winterflammen

Here we have this two track CDs with two strong compositions by Chris. This compositions are from february and march of 2002 so they are the newest material from Vinterriket. On the first track we have some raw parts with screaming and blast beats combined with a lot of keyboards passages and interludes that give a lot of identity to Vinterriket´s music. This way to mix darkness and violence in the same compositions is an art that Vinterriket has developed in a really great way. The second tracks is kind of more introspective and melancholic and shows us a more atmospheric side of Vinterriket´s music (here Chris screams but the screams are mixed lower letting us listen much more the eerie keyboards phrases and interludes). Let there be darkness with Vinterriket´s music!!

Favorite tracks: Both tracks are beautiful works of art.

Contact: www.vinterriket.com or www.parasiterecords.org

REVIEW: VINTERRIKET - PROMO 2002

 

VINTERRIKET - PROMO 2002 (Neodawn prods., 2002)

Produced by Vinterriket

Cover Art by Vinterriket

Tracks: 1- Fragments Eines Schatten, 2- Tötendes Licht, 3- Am brennenden nördlichen Firmament, 4- Stumme Wintersnacht, 5- Forge of Souls (Graveland Cover)

Here we have Vinterriket´s new promotional CD. This consists in some tracks taken from different releases like splits or 7" and a Graveland cover. Here we can see that Vinterriket has achieved their own style with raw guitars and a lot of keyboards (in fact I think the keys are the main element here adding a lot of atrmosphere to the tracks). Chriostopher ´s voclas have a more dominant role here than in the previous material that I had listened before and he sings melancholic melodies through all the recording and screaming when its necessary. And that is the main thing here: melodies with a lot of darkness. This is definitely a release for lovers of darkness and music with a lot of interesting arrangements.

Favorite tracks: The five contained here are great

Contact: www.neodawn.de or www.vinterriket.com

REVIEW: VARGSRIKET - SATANIC EXECUTION COMMANDO VARGSRIKET

VARGSRIKET - SATANIC EXECUTION COMMANDO VARGSRIKET (Records, 2002)

Produced by Vargsriket

Recorded in February 2002

Cover Art by Grym

Tracks: 1- Black Orders, 2- Luciferian, 3- My Blood- My Enemy, 4- Vargsriket, 5- Prologue To Honour, 6- Minions of Satan, 7- Oath of Blood, 8- Sanguinem Sacrificim, 9- Antichristian Battle Tune, 10- Hater of the Nailed One, 11- Willing to Compromise; 12- impale the Bastard

Here we have this band that is a legend in the black metal realm. There music is full of hate and extremely fast in some places and more climatic in others (like in "Sanguinem Sacricim"). Here the main thing are the guitar riffs combined with some hyper fast part with blast beats and a lot of crushing rhythms all over the tracks. Also here we have some interesting interludes with dense atmospheres and some spoken vocals. What I liked a lot here is the bass guitar which is mixed really loud and helps the devastating result of this CD (it gives a lot of power to the riffs because they accentuate a lot of them). The vocals are screaming in the black metalstyle and they spit lyrics about hatred of god and war to cristianity. Lovers of black metal will enjoy this one with no doubt!!

Favorite tracks: "My Blood - my Enemy", "Sanguinem Sacrificim" and "Hater of the Nailed One"

Contact: www.vargsriket.com