REVIEW: MUCUPURULENT - SOULREAVER

  

MUCUPURULENT - SOULREAVER (Morbid Records , 2002)

 

Produced By: Mucupurulent

Tracks: 1- Again, 2- Pain Lasts Forever, 3- Spine of Madness, 4- Back to the Bones, 5- Unbreakable, 6- Soul Reaver, 7- Nightcrawler, 8- The Return of the Squad, 9- Vermin, 10- Like Gasolin, 11- Drive Me Dead

Mastered by Timo Reichert

Recorded at Grind Master Flash Studio

Having never heard anythin of this band before I though Mucupurulent was more of a grindcore band but here we have this band that plays death metal with guttural vocals and with interesting guitar riffs. And I think this is the essential feature of Mucupurulent´s music, their riffs while being ultra heavy and fast have a rhythmic quality on them that makes each of the tracks extremely rhythmic (close minded purists will sure don´t like this) and the band has some keyboard that plays chord progressions in the background giving a lot of originality to this recording. The vocals are extremely guttural but you can understand the lyrics (the mix of this album is really good, specially on the killer drumming and the guitars). If you thought death metal was becoming stagnant then you should check Mucupurulent.

Favorite tracks: "Pain Lasts Forever", "Again" and "Nightcrawler"

Contact: www.morbidrecords.de

REVIEW: MOZEK MOTORS - TWIN TOWER TORTURE SESSIONS

MOZEK MOTORS - TWIN TOWER TORTURE SESSIONS (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Mozek Motors

Tracks: 1- Luzifers Elektrik, 2- Slaughterhouse Fuck, 3- Twin Tower Torture, 4- Rising Hell, 5- Dealing Pain

Cover Art by Mozek Motors

The first track here starts with silence and then an electronic drumbeat. Then, all of a sudden you get into "Slaughterhouse Fuck" which is a full speed grind track with extremely distorted bass and deathly vocals. The next track is even faster, with processed vocals in the background that are different from the ones in the previous track. One thing that is really particular here are the electronic drums doing blast beats and hyperfast rhythms: there are ultra fast double bass patterns and a lot of hihat smashing parts. The riffs are well constructed and my absolute ones favourites are the ones in "Rising Hell (kind of heavier and more rhythmic) and I think this is the way Mozek motors should go in the future. Grind freaks rejoice with Mozek Motors but be open minded because here you have other elements that are not common in the style.

Contact: brookrec@gmx.de

REVIEW: MOURNING BELOVETH - DUST

MOURNING BELOVETH - DUST (Sentinel Records, 2002)

Produced By: Mags

Tracks: 1- The Mountins are Mine, 2- In Mourning My Days, 3- Dust, 4- Autumnal Fires, 5- All Hope is Pleading, 6- It Almost Looked Human, 7- Sinistra, 8- Forever Lost Emeralds

Recorded at Academy Studios

We reviewed the original version of this release in the beginning of 2001. Now, Sentinel Records have rereleased this album and added some extra tracks that nmake this release even more interesting. Here we have the doom metal that have made Mourning Beloveth a respected band in the underground. Here we have the excellent production by Mack that extract all the sounds that the band does and puts them as the musicians have imagined to achieve the better possible result. Here we have the climatic parts with some Trouble influences and that seventies like guitar sound that is a trademark along the vocals of the Mourning Beloveth´s sound. One of the extra tracks here is taken from the band´s 1998 demo ("Forever Lost Emeralds") and the other one is from the band´s upcoming album ("It Almost..."). If you like music that shows feelings of depression and despair along with a lot of heaviness in the music then Mourning Beloveth is a good choice for you.

Favorite tracks: "The mountains are Mine", "Dust" and "Sinistra"

Contact: www.sentinel.com

REVIEW: MORTE INTERNA - SIT UP ON THE BORDER

 

MORTE INTERNA - SIT UP ON THE BORDER (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Morte Interna

Tracks: 1- Borned to Be Damned, 2- The Strange Winged Creature, 3- Sit Up on the Border, 4- A Fire Candles Litting, 5- Draging Along My Life

Cover Art by Morte Interna

Here we have five more tracks from this extremely noisy and experimental band from Italy. The songs here are better developed and they have better drumming sound, plus the deathly/distorted vocals are better mixed and can be listened in all their magnitude. The guitar continues to be extremely distorted but this time can be more appreciated. The great thing about Morte Interna´s music is the many changes that are on each one of the songs. There are breaks, distorted solos, rhythm changes, keyboards parts (check the end of "The Strange Winged Creature"). This time there are also some clean guitar parts that are followed immediately by the distorted one (as in the track "Sit Up on the Border"). This is madness guaranteed and total brutal experimetnation.

Favorite tracks: "The Strange Winged..." and "A Fire Candles Litting"

Contact: corallorouge@libero.it

REVIEW: MORTE INTERNA - WORLDS TOO CAN BE TRANSPLANTED

 

MORTE INTERNA - WORLDS TOO CAN BE TRANSPLANTED (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Morte Interna

Tracks: 1- Everything is Dead, 2- Survivor Heart, 3- To You My Deaf lover, 4- Worlds Too Can Be Transplanted, 5- The Stairs of The Fear, 6- On the last Hour, 7- A God Borned From a Poisonous Flower, 8- The Dance of the Devil´s Dolls

Cover Art by Morte Interna

This is really experimental!! We can define the music that Morte Interna does on this recording as metal because of the use of extremely distorted guitars (the guitar sound here is extremely raw, like he is using a distortion pedal with a full distorted amp). But the music here has a different feeling than all of the styles that you know. There are multiple rhythm changes and breaks that give a chaotic feeling to each of the songs here. There is the use of programmed drums that add an industrial feeling too and then there are the vocals which are sometimes deathly and sometimes screaming and sometimes distorted. There are guitar phrases that start fast and become faster, like scales or arpeggios and all of a sudden the song end (check "To You My Deaf Lover"). This is a CD that is not designed to be liked in the first listening, you have to listen to it carefully to understand completely what Morte Interna´s music is about. Really experimental.

Favorite tracks: "Survivor Heart", "On the Last Hour" and "The Stairs of the Fear"

Contact: corallorouge@libero.it

REVIEW: MOONLIGHT CORPORATION V 1.0

 

MOONLIGHT CORPORATION V 1.0 (Sector 19 Recs., 2002)

Compiled by Cynthia Paris at Sector 19

Tracks: 1- Delirium Tremens (Jailbird), 2- Militia Love (S.M.P.), 3- Dagon (Progeria), 4- Twilight World (Aiboforcen), 5- Name of God (Six Past Seven), 6- Tense and Taut (Mouth of Indifference), 7- Jesus Christ V 2.0 (Chaos Engine), 8- Mysterious (System 81), 9- Crucifixion (Arkam Asylum), 10 Human Fragments (Mnemonic), 11- AnimalFarm (Tin.RP), 12- Soul and Substance (Mind Flux Funeral), 13- She Said (St. John´s Eve), 14- Kein Traum (Monoid), 15- Dock to Dock 2001 (Autocad), 16- Fullbandwidth (Silencer), 17- Last Pray (Jailbird)

Mastering by Marisa Dery at The Tape Complex

Here we have this compilation that features sixteen bands from different sides of the electronic specter: from the industrial side represented by bands like Jailbird, to the almost dance in bands like Aïboforcen or Mnemonic or to the almost ambient machine sound of Progeria. Every band here features a lot of electronic sounds and passages and I think is great that we have such different personalities on one CD. There are results which I liked most like the ones of Jailbird, Aïboforcen or Arkam Asylum because they show a lot of the different moods that this bands can achieve while experimenting with their sound and they develop many good ideas on their tracks. This compilation is great for those who like electronic music or for the people who have not listened to it before and want to have a good idea of the different styles that they can find.

Favorite tracks: " Last Pray", "Twilight World" and "Crucifixion"

Contact: www.sector19.com

REVIEW: MIKE ADCOCK & CLIVE BELL - SLEEP IT OFF

 

MIKE ADCOCK & CLIVE BELL - SLEEP IT OFF (Emanem Disc, 2002)

Produced By: Martin Davidson

Tracks: 1- We Open Early, 2- Infanta, 3- Marooned in Red, 4- Near the Airport, 5- Real Lakes, 6- Shuffle and Deal, 7- Rural Roulette, 8- Sketches for a Frenzied Whirling, 9- Holy Appetite, 10- Azure for Beginners, 11- Lullaby for Young Owls, 12- No more Cancan

Cover Art by Mike Adcock

When I thought I have listened all, here come Adcock and Bell to prove me wrong. On this recording they show us extreme experimentation with sounds and phrases using instruments like piano, accordion, harmonica and also shakuhachi, khene, pi saw and other strange ones. Here we have the ultimate experimentation going from melodies to the most atmospheric passages where Bell plays the khenes with a softer touch. The use of multiple instrumentation add a lot of colours to the listener´s mind that is constantly defiedwith new phrases and sounds. The improvisations here are well constructed and they don´t seem chaotic at all as sometimes happens. Most of the tarcks have an eerie atmosphere that I think is due to the use of this winds instruments. For lovers of new sounds!

Favorite tracks: "Infanta", "Rural Roulette" and "Holy Appetite"

Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

REVIEW: MARTYRUM - CONQUERING THE LAND OF SIN

 

MARTYRUM - CONQUERING THE LAND OF SIN (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Martyrum

Tracks: 1- Conquering the Land of Sin, 2- Nordic Domain, 3- Creature of the Light, 4- Burning Blood, 5- Motorbreath

Cover Art by Martyrum

Pure brutal black metal is what we have here with some death metal sounds that give interesting contrasts to the music of this band. Here we have the ultrafast riffs with the tortured vocals that are essential to the blackness of Martyrum´s music. We have some melodies done with this riffs that make one note progressions. And we have here a killer drummer who is a double bass machine and that is fundamental to the essence of Martyrum´s music. All the recording is done at full speed, even the Metallica cover, the glorious "Motorbreath". The sound is good and the guitar sound more brutal with this production where they have been mixed loud enough as the drums to achieve the brutality that this release must have.

Favorite tracks: "Nordic Domain", "Creature of the Light" and "Burning Blood"

Contact: http://martyrum.cjb.net

REVIEW: MAPLE CROSS - PROMO 1/02

 

MAPLE CROSS - PROMO 1/02 (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Mapple Cross

Tracks: 1- Invincibles, 2- Simply Simplicity, 3- Au Revoir

Cover Art by Mapple Cross

Recorded at Boogie Cellar 

This band is really amazing!! They are heavy as hell, but they have some rocking riffs. And also they have guitar melodies. And they have a combination of screaming vocals with extremely epic and powerful choruses (check the first track called "Invincibles"). There are extremely brutal parts but there are also melodies and arrangements through all the recording. But all the melodies here add power to the songs and don´t make them lighter (they are arrangements designed to hit the listener harder. The sound of this recording is extremely raw and I think that with a little more time in the studio this guys can make this better (or maybe they wanted this direct sound so the musci crushes you like a kick in your face). The three tracks on this Promo CD leaves you wanting more from this bestial band from Finland!!

Favorite tracks: The three

Contact: maplecross@surfeu.fi

REVIEW: LUNAR REIGN - LUNAR REIGN

 

LUNAR REIGN - LUNAR REIGN (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Lunar Reign

Tracks: 1- Dark Horde, 2- Black Pullet, 3- Laws of Pluto, 4- Heart as Demon, 5- Solomons Key, 6- Ill Will of the Woods, 7- Shattering of the Crystal, 8- Dream of the Necromancer

Cover Art by Lunar Reign

Recorded by Elixium 

Lunar Reign´s music is extremely raw, bestial, yet climatic black metal. Why I am saying this? Because besides the faster and wilder parts that belong to the style, this recording has a lot of atmospheres created by the keyboards and synths that give a lot of dark feeling to each of the tracks. There are also some melodic guitar lines that also help to give this sort of desolation feeling to the tracks (check for example the guitar in "Laws of Pluto"). For lovers of bestial black metal here you have fast riffs with hyper speed drumming (I would like the band to mix a little bit louder the guitars and the drums, I think that can give more power to the songs and mix better with the keys). The vocals are screaming ones as they must be in black metal and there are also some chanting vocals, like in "Black Pullet" that give an eerie feeling to the songs.

Favorite tracks: "Dark Horde", Heart As Demon" and "Shattering of the Crystal"

Contact: http://lunarreign.demonichorde.com

REVIEW: LUDMILA - LUDMILA

 

LUDMILA - LUDMILA (Independent, 2000)

Produced By: Ludmila

Tracks: 1- Orma gravida, 2- Falena, 3- Iova, 4- Dochodjaga, 5- Nuda Quiete

Cover Art by Ludmila

Here we have this amazing project whose two members are Paola Bianchi (voices) and Luca Valisi (bass and drum machine). The main thing on this recording are the atmospheres that are created through the interesting sound that Luca extracts from his bass and from the angelical voices and harmonies that Paola delivers through the five tracks on this MCD. The drum machine gives a mechanical / industrial feeling to some of the tracks that contrasts a lot with the calid voice of the great Paola, this gives an interesting feeling of tension and release to each of the tracks here. There is some clean guitar in many parts of the songs, and this guitars play interesting arpeggios or open chords in order to add a darker feeling to the songs. This is really a project to don´t miss a step!!

Favorite tracks: The five

Contact: http://stage.vitaminic.it/ludmila2/

REVIEW: LEFT HAND SOLUTION - LIGHT SHINES BLACK

 

LEFT HAND SOLUTION - LIGHT SHINES BLACK (Mass Produktion, 2001)

Produced By: Left Hand Solution

Tracks: 1- Light Shines Black, 2- Soiled Souls, 3- Missionary man, 4- Lucid Dream Desire, 5- The Crooked Smile, 6- Raven Wings, 7- Vision, 8- Persistence of Memory, 9- Heart Laid Bare, 10- Orient Nights, 11- A Road To Nowhere

Since listening to this album Left Hand Solution (this is their third album) has become one of my absolute favorite bands. For me this guys and girl shows us how to make incredibly good songs that sound powerful and at the same time have a lot of feeling in them. A big part of this is due to singer Mariana Holmberg who has a n extremely personal voice and he uses a lot of middle ranges (in some places she reminded me of ex Phantom Blue Gigi Hangach because of the tonality in which she sings and because of the power that she delivers). The guitar riffs are heavy and effective making a great combination with the non complex drumming that leaves a lot of space to the guitars and vocals to develope each of the songs. A must for any metal fan. Pure energy

Favorite tracks: All the CD

Contact: www.cabal.se/massproduktion

REVIEW: LAST RITES - PSYCHO KILLER

 

LAST RITES - PSYCHO KILLER (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Last Rites

Tracks: 1- Psycho Killer, 2- Chainsaw, 3- Skeleton, 4- Paradise Lost, 5- Poisonous

Recorded at Nadir Studios 

What we have here? This is pure thrash metal !!!! Here are the technical riffs that amde the style so big in the eighties, here we have the suffering vocals done by Dave (he uses two types of vocals, one is more classical thrash metal and the other one is closer to bands like Kreator or Carcass), here we have alos the excellent guitar solos (thumbs up for Jan!). The songs here have the coimplexity of the style and at the same time has this memorable choruses and parts that make you start singing the vocals along with the music. The drummer uses a lot of double bass and that adds a lot of extra heaviness to the five songs on this CD. One thing to remark is the good souns that this recording has adding a lot of modern sound to this guys music while helping each of the instruments to be listened clearly.

Favorite tracks: "Chainsaw", "Skeleton" and "Psycho Killer"

Contact: www.last-rites.net

REVIEW: KURGAN´S BANE - THE FUTURE LIES BROKEN

KURGAN´S BANE - THE FUTURE LIES BROKEN (Independent, 2000)

Produced By: Kurgan´s Bane and John Grant

Tracks: 1- Through the Camer, 2- Just Look at Me Now, 3- Warm Winter Nights, 4- Frankie Five Angels, 5- Headless Mice, 6- Feudal Tourniquet, 7- Nap in E Minor, 8- The Curtain and the Rose, 9- Bad Blood, 10- Regina

Cover Art by Luis Nasser

Recorded at Secret Sound 

Kurgan´s Bane is a band whose style can be defined as progressive metal. It is progressive because of the complex song structures, the many different moods, melodies and atmospheres and the multiple changes. It is metal because of the distorted guitars and the power that each track here has. Here we have members of great bands like Sonus Umbra and we have Pete Laramee, a great guitarist who delivers great riffs and makes tasty solos on the tracks. Each of the songs on this CD has a distinctive personality and many interesting arrangements. A special note must be done on Lisa Francis vocals that are really powerful and give a lot of beauty to the songs constructing melodic lines that fit the musiand at the same time play with different feelings. Lovers of progressive music, here you have Kurgan´s Bane !

Favorite tracks: All the CD

Contact: www.kurgansbane.com

REVIEW: KAVIAR KAVALIER - STUDIO Y

 

KAVIAR KAVALIER - STUDIO Y (Obscene Productions, 2002)

Produced By: Kaviar Kavalier

Tracks: 1- Die Moderne Gummiklinik, 2- Julia, 3- Juanita, 4- Riesengebirge, 5- Erzlahung Zu Gummispielen, 6- Schuska Naslapo, 7- Baby Sex Complex, 8- thcaN ahcsitaf aID, 9- Gummiklinik, 10- A Trip to Växjö, 11-Kaviar, 12- 11th Street, 13- Exzess in San Salvador, 14- Galle Frau, 15-Viva

Cover Art by Chymus

Recorded at Gummistudio

This is what i call a weird band!!! The music of this duet (featuring Necrocock, ex Master´s Hammer, a classical Czech band) can not be described easily. They have many electronic elements and their music is full of keyboards and drum machines and at the same time they achieve heaviness through the use of this instruments and a distorted guitar (sort of a Rammstein but much more weird). The main thing here are the atmospheres that this two musicians create through their heavy use of keyboards and the experimentation that they do on all the tracks. There are some female vocals but they are used like another instrument and notm as the main vocal line. This guys are exploring new sounds and elements in the metal realm achieving strange results. Here we have also as bonus tracks the songs from the "Dreams of Kaviar" album. Weird stuff!!!

Favorite tracks: "Schuska Naslapo", "Julia" and "Baby Sex Complex"

Contact: www.obscene.cz

REVIEW: INTESTINAL DISGORGE - WHORE SPLATTERED WALLS

 

INTESTINAL DISGORGE - WHORE SPLATTERED WALLS (Lofty Storm Recs., 2002)

Produced By: Lofty Storm Records

Tracks: 1- |The Hooker Butcher, 2- No Use Crying Over Spilled Bitch, 3- Force Fed Diarrheal Slime, 4- Swamped in Liquefied Fecal Watter, 5- Bitch-ka-bob, 6- Bathing in Urine, 7- Dismemberment on the Bloated Body, 8- Sectioned With a Circular Saw, 9- From Stalking to killing, 10- Chewing on Coagulated Geriatric Feces, 11- Suffocated with a Used Adult Diaper, 12- Consuming Liquefied Insect-ridden Feces, 13- Methods of Disposing of Bodies, 14- Necrocoprophilia, 15- Rotting on your own excrement, 16- Masturbating on Overflowed Diarrheal Toilet Water, 17- Depraved Beyond all Comprehension, 18- Drenched in Gelatinous Sewage, 19- Intercourse With a Maggot Infested Emaciated Corpse, 20-Submerged in Festering Bodily Fluids, 21- Dining on Sludgeous Intestinal Contents, 22- Unheard Screams

Recorded at the Sewer Room

Intestinal Disgorge are sick as hell!! And they have reflected this sickness in their rotten music. This grind beasts have created here twenty two tracks of pure grind in its rawest and most distorted form. The tracks on this CD are super fast but with some slower parts (recalling old Autopsy records) with extremely guttural vocals (and some screaming...are those female screaming?). The guitars sound really distorted and fat and the bass is completely distorted too creating a wall of sound that Intestinal Disgorge uses effectively. Thios is what I call the sickest gore grind full of putrified song titles that fit perfectly the music of the band. Lovers of gore grind will love with no doubt this release from Intestinal Disgorge.

Favorite tracks: "Methods...", "Drenched..." and "Unheard Screams"

Contact: www.loftystorm.hpg.com.br

REVIEW: INNER EYE - FROM ETERNAL TO DESTINY

 

INNER EYE - FROM ETERNAL TO DESTINY (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Inner Eye

Tracks: 1- Deceived Memory, 2- Legitimate Blame, 3- Pack of lies, 4- Cultivated Ignorance

Cover Art by Inner Eye

I really love technical music, and here we have four musicians who know how to play their instruments in many difficult changes, breaks and stops, and odd tempo parts. The music here can be defined as thrash metal with eighties influences but also with some touches of bands like Death or Watchtower. The main thing here are the guitars that deliver riff after riff with complete precission, the bass that does a lot of arrangements and follows perfectly the drums in the odd tempo parts (which are extremely difficult to play. The singer gives a lot of the thrash metal spirit that is present on this recording. Each song here has a lot of arrangements and are really complex. There are many melodies here and guitar solos (check "Legitimate Blame" to feel the good taste of the guitarists. I hope this guys record new songs really soon because this CD left me asking for more.

Favorite tracks: The four on this CD

Contact: inner_eye@lycos.it

REVIEW: INGERMANLAND - BEYOND EQUATOR

 

INGERMANLAND - BEYOND EQUATOR (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Oddleif Stensland

Tracks: 1- Networked Vibrations, 2- Mindware lost, 3- The First Moment, 4- Delusion of Madness, 5- Sleeping With Worms, 6- At Dewy Prime

Cover Art by Oddleif Stensland

Recorded at RVPM Studios

Here we have this norwegian progressive metal band whose main goal is creating compositions with great instrumental quality and many arrangements that always surprise the listener with their melodies and multiple changes. And the musicians here (a trio plus one guest musician on keyboards) have amazing technical skills that are necessary for playing this compositions (check the odd timing that the drummer uses in some places). One thing that I found strange are that the vocals are completely different from the ones that can be heard in bands of the same style. This vocals are rawer and add heaviness to the songs...and that is one important point here....the songs are heavy and have a raw sound while having many rhythm changes and arrangements. It is like heavier progressive metal. A must for lovers of complex compositions and great musicianship.

Favorite tracks: "Mindware Lost", "The First Moment" and "Sleeping With Worms"

Contact: http://ingermanland.freeyellow.com

INTERVIEW WITH PERPETUAL DUSK

How do you feel about your "Incarnated Darkness" CD now that it has been released? 

I am very proud of it. Even though it sounds fuckin' great, I really Think that we can always improve our music. For an instance, I'd record "Incarnated Darkness" one more time, just to make it faster.

Do you have the songs for the debut album ready? 

Most of them are ready, but there's always room for more good ideas. When it comes to omposing, Perpetual Dusk  works constantly until the song is fully recorded. Then, there's no way back.

How did the line-up changes affect the sound of Perpetual Dusk´s music?

The current line-up is more aggressive and solid than the old one. Our songs are more sophisticated and complex, but we're still extreme, so cohesion and aggressiveness have to be our biggest musical foundations.

How is the process of composing a Perpetual Dusk tune?

It all begins with a couple of riffs. We take it to the studio and start throwing ideas over it, until we have a structure. Once the song it's structured, we take notes and build the more  complex parts at home. Then we go back into the studio and  modify the whole thing. Then we add lyrics. We had situations in which the songs became so complex that we had to rewrite them all over, but most of the time there's a point where we're totally satisfied with it and nobody touches a thing. We just find a way to play them faster and heavier. 

How important are the keyboards in Perpetual Dusk´s music?

VERY important!

What are the lyrics on "Incarnated Darkness" about?

The lyrics fit perfectly in the concept of the album. They're all about What shall happen when darkness takes over, when the unholy and heathen Desires of the hidden ones finally take place.

How would you compare the music in "Incarnated Darkness" with the one in "Waiting for the nightfall"? 

Despite the fact that both are from the same band, I'd say "Incarnated Darkness" is a more mature and complex record.

Which is the band´s equipment live and in studio?

The equipment of a record studio has a big difference from the one that works on a stage, we like to use on stage something  that we can setup faster and works like the studio equipment. The big difference is on the guitar amps (Laney, Mesa Boogie, Marshall), that are replaced on stage by amp simulators. 

We like to use the follow set of equipment on stage:

-B.C Rich and Ibanez Guitars 

-Yamaha Basses

-EMG and Dimarzio Pickups

-Behringer Pre-amps

-Roland Synthesizers

-Zildjian and Paiste cymbals and mapex

drums. 

Any final words? 

Thanks for your support! Keep up the great work! 

Hail Satan!

REVIEW: IMPURE DOMAIN - PROGRESSION OF IMPURITY

 

IMPURE DOMAIN - PROGRESSION OF IMPURITY (Independent, 2001)

 

Produced By: Impure Domain

Tracks: 1- The Armageddon Scenario, 2-Ecstasy by Losing Race, 3- The Gathering of the Black Powers, 4- By Light Forgotten, 5- Dying Aptera Humana Gens, 6- Requiem larvae

 

This CD starts wonderfully with a devastating guitar riff followed by some bass phrases and then a combination of brutal as hell music and some keyboards and original elements. The music here has elements of death metal (in some of the vocals and guitar riffs), of black metal (also in the vocals and the fastest parts), of industrial music and many more styles, all perfectly combined in order to create Impure Domain´s chaotic music. This guys have a lot of variation in their songs blending many different riffs to create the song structures. My favourite parts are when they combine the heaviest riffs with the more melodic side like in "The Gathering of the Black Powers" adding a lot of atmosphere to the songs (a special note goes to the bass player who makes remarcable melodic lines in each of the songs). If you like originality and music with many changes and arrangements then you will like Impure Domain.

Favorite tracks: "The gathering...", "By Light Forgotten" and "The Armageddon Scenario"

Contact: www.impuredomain.com

REVIEW: IMPURE DOMAIN - VIVERE DI MALE / THE EVIL WITHIN

 

IMPURE DOMAIN - VIVERE DI MALE / THE EVIL WITHIN (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Impure Domain

Tracks: 1- Trance Blood Chant, 2- As A Wolf Among The Sheep, 3- The Perverse Charm of Prevarikation, 4- Mysanthropya Apokalyptyka, 5- Type Triple-Six: Emey Defeated; 6- K.K.K. (Kold Karma of Kaos), 7- Love / Evol ov Evil, 8- The Razorblade Ritual-Kore, 9- The Rise of Hyperboream, 10- 2 B "Byond", 11- Neural inferno (Nihilist Disturbed Mix)

Recorded at SDR Studios 

Impure Domain is a band that always surprises the listener. This CD starts in a really electronic way with a lot of keyboards and distorted sounds, electronic vocals and melodies. The heavy guitars appear in the second track which is almost black metal but mixed with some extremely calm passage where the clean guitars does a lot of arpeggios and the distorted guitar plays only sustained chords and some notes. It is incredible the combination of ultrafast parts with keyboards passages and total experimentation that this band does in all the tracks. I think this CD is a progress when compared to the previous "Progression of Impurity" in sound and ideas, and also in the madness that each of the songs here deliver. Madness guaranteed.

Favorite tracks: "Trance Blood Chant", "The Perverse Charm..." and "The Rise of Hyperboream"

Contact: www.impuredomain.com

REVIEW: HESSION / WHARF / FELL - IMPROVABILLY

 

HESSION / WHARF / FELL - IMPROVABILLY (Bruce´s Fingers, 2002 )

Produced By: Hession/ Wharf/ Fell

Tracks: 1- Between the Clock and the Bed, 2- Enter, Leave, 3- The Interior of Sight, 4- Self Portrait with Burning Cigarette, 5- The Angel of Hearth and Home

Cover Art by Jo Fell

Recorded at Darkside Studio 

Here we have this recording of three masters of improvisation and experimental music. The CD starts with a fast tune with superb drumming and a lot of interesting experimental sax phrases. Then we have the incredible double bass lines that can beheard through all the recording (Simon Fell not only uses the double bass to create lines to support the sax melodies and phrases, but he also uses the instrument to create sounds that are beyond what one could think can be expressed with it). There are tracks that are more chaotic and others that are closer to jazz standards (like for example "Enter, Leave"). It is amazing how this three muscians can develope a lot of original ideas within a song format. This CD is a must for lovers of experimentation.

Favorite tracks: "Between the clock...", "Enter, Leave" and "The Angel..."

Contact: www.brucesfingers.com

REVIEW: GRAYSCALE - WHEN THE GHOSTS ARE GONE

 

GRAYSCALE - WHEN THE GHOSTS ARE GONE (Sound Riot Recs., 2002)

Mastered at Finnvox Studios:

Tracks: 1- The World Today, 2- A Dead Season, 3- Gray Singer, 4- Squeeze, 5- The Fire Inside Me, 6- Absent, 7- Shape in the Shadows, 8- Cast Aside, 9- When the ghosts are Gone

Cover Art by Francesca Di Leandro

Recorded at LaLa Records

The opening with "The World Today" lets us into the world of this finnish band. Their music can be defined as extremely arranged gothic metal. I am saying this because this band has some elements of gothic music, specially on the vocals and at the same time has a heavy guitar sound and multiple arrangements on the keyboards and the guitars that add a new dimension to each of the nine tracks that are on this CD. The dark feeling is all over this recording and this feeling is created through each melody that is done on the songs. The sound of the recording is really good and that makes the darkness even darker and the sadness even more evident. A must for lovers of dark styles.

Favorite tracks: "The World Today", "The Fire Inside" and "Cast Aside"

Contact: www.soundriot.net

REVIEW: GRAND ALCHEMIST - INTERVENING COMA CELEBRATION

 

GRAND ALCHEMIST - INTERVENING COMA CELEBRATION (Sound Riot Recs., 2002)

Produced By: Rune Thoen and Grand Alchemist

Tracks: 1- Faced (intro), 2- A Nailed Visual Effect, 3- Down Again, 4- Incurable Longing, 5- Approach (Open the Shell), 6- Intervening Coma-Celebration, 7- Sensemachine, 8- Psyche and a Flower to the New Lifetime, 9- Minds Delusion Sleeps for Creation, 10- Solemn and Sophisticated, 11- Under my Shallow Skin, 12- Snap Up the Raw of Existence

Cover Art by Sigurd and Rune Thoen

Recorded at Studio Elg

Here we have one of the best bands to come from the underground !! The music of this band is really amazing and each of the tracks that are on this CD has wonderful arrangements (incredible keyboards on all the songs!!) and interesting guitar riffs that add heaviness (as the deathly vocals do) while retaining the beauty and darkness of the band´s sound. Each of the songs here has an obscure epic feeling that is achieved thanks to the excellent keyboards arrangements that are fundamental to Grand Alchemist´s sound. The drumming here leaves a lot of place to the guitar but at the same time does a lot of interesting work (check the double bass in tracks like "Down Again"). Each composition is extremely well developed and has many ideas and changes that make the music here extremely interesting.

Favorite tracks: All the CD. One of the records of the year

Contact: www.soundriot.net

REVIEW: FLESHGRIND - LIVE IN GERMANY

 

FLESHGRIND - LIVE IN GERMANY (United Guttural Records, 2002)

Produced By: Rich Lipscomb

Tracks: 1- Sorrow Breed Hatred...Bleed on Me, 2- Litany of Murder, 3- Ejaculate on Entrails, 4- The Supreme Art of Derangement, 5- Anger

Cover Art by Barbie Collado

Recorded at the Fuck the Commerce Open Air Festival 2000

Fleshgrind is a band that sounds heavier live than in studio. Their brutal death grind music is here much more bestial than on their previous albums, sounding rawer and more devastating. I expected a live recording with muddy sound but this one is really clear and each of the instruments is clearly mixed and you can understand even the fastest parts. On this live recording you will find hyper fast rhythms with many blast beats, ultra distorted guitars that will blow your brain, extremely guttural vocals and all the elements that have made Fleshgrind one of the most bestial bands in the death grind scene. There are five songs on this MCD and from the first to the last you will not have rest. This guys are like a grind machine that devastates everything that is on their way!

Favorite tracks: "Litany of Murder" , "Anger" and "Ejaculate on Entrails"

Contact: www.unitedguttural.com

REVIEW: FLESH MADE SIN - MASTERWORK IN BLOOD

 

FLESH MADE SIN - MASTERWORK IN BLOOD (Independent, 2002)

 Produced By: Marc Ter Braak

Tracks: 1- Thrash is Back Pt. II, 2- Lustful Killing, 3- Tormentor, 4- A Master´s Work in Blood, 5- Taste the Knife, 6- Slicing the Throat

Cover Art by Kim Mirer

Recorded at the Harrow Studios

Recorded in the famous the Harrow Studios this six song CD is a showcase of brutal death/thrash metal. Here I can feel influences of classical bands like Kreator or Destruction mixed with newer ones. And this gives an interesting sound to the guys in Flesh Made Sin. Their music is an example of how well can merge thrash metal with its riffs and arrangements with the brutality of death metal. I would like to remark the excellent job that the drummer is making on this recording adding a lot of odd arrangements besides the hyper fast rhythms. There are crushing riffs and brutal as hell vocals that are the essence of Flesh Made Sin´s music. The sound is extremely good and that adds points to the final result. Check this amazing band from The Netherlands.

Favorite tracks: "Tormentor", "Taste the Knife" and "Slicing the Throat"

Contact: www.fleshmadesin.nl

REVIEW: FAUST - ...AND FINALLY FAUST

 

FAUST - ...AND FINALLY FAUST (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Faust

Tracks: 1- Raping the Virgin, 2- History Losers, 3- Pig God Dog, 4- Immortality

Cover Art by Faust

Faust is a band whose music is on the limit between death metal and black metal. The vocals are completely guttural and closer to death metal while some fast parts and some guitar riffs clearly remind the listener of black metal style. This recording is very professional and has really good sound that makes each riff and every drumbeat more efective (the drums sound weird, almost mechanical). The guitar riffs are fast and brutal and melts the listener´s brain in some of the fastest parts. Also the guitars give the identity to the band through some arrangements and melodies like the ones in 2 . This band has also some interesting technical skills in order to play the breaks and changes that are on many of their tracks (there are also some interesting guitar solos). A really good release directly from Italy.

Favorite tracks: The four

Contact: www.deathmetal.it

REVIEW: FALCONER - CHAPTERS FROM A VALE FORLORN

FALCONER - CHAPTERS FROM A VALE FORLORN (Metal Blade, 2002 )

Produced By: Falconer

Tracks: 1- Decadence of Dignity, 2- Enter the Glade, 3- Lament of a Minstrel, 4- For Life and Liberty, 5- We Sold Our Homesteads, 6- The Clarion Call, 7- Portals of Light, 8- Stand in Veneration, 9- Busted To the Floor

Cover Art by Jan Meininghaus

Recorded at Los Angered Studios 

Falconer is a band of pure power/heavy metal with many changes in the guitar riffs and the rhythms. They use a lot of parts with double bass drumming (they have achieved a killer sound with the drums). The songs here have an epic feeling on them that is achiueved through some melodies and through the choruses. One thing that I liked from Falconer is that they don´t sound like a German band (tey are from Sweden) as most of the bands in the style do lately (as an example of this take bands like Freedom Call which sound extremely german), and the singer uses his middle range really effectively (yes!! He don´t abuse the high pitches!!). The guitar player prefers to use original riffs and changes of moods instead of the typical one note runs and galloping that some bands in the style overabuse. Falconer is a good option for people looking for something different in the realm of pure heavy metal.

Favorite tracks: "Decadence of Dignity", "For Life and Liberty" and "Stand in Veneration"

Contact: www.metalblade.com

REVIEW: F.O.B. - BLAME?

 

F.O.B. - BLAME? (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: F.O.B. and Petr Houska

Tracks: 1- Convertable Arrival (intro), 2- Child No More, 3- Vomit the Soul, 4- Bad Morning, 5- Bastards from Hell, 6- Hypocrisy - Morgoth´s Net of Lies, 7- Flowing Waves of Life (outro)

Cover Art by F.O.B.

Recorded at Kovarik´s Barn

Technical and ultra brutal death metal is what we have here. Plenty of arrangements and rhythm changes the music of this band is extremely bestial, specially due to the guttural vocalist that gives an extreme feeling to each of the songs that we can listen on this tape. The thing that I liked more are the guitar arrangements, thata re original and creative within a brutal death metal context. The sound of the recording is good and lets us appreciate all the guitar parts, the drum patterns changes and the extreme vocals. This guys have no mercy and through all this album they will melt your brain while you listen thei crushing compositions.

Favorite tracks: "Vomit the Soul", "Hypocrisy" and "Bastards from hell"

Contact: fob@seznam.cz

REVIEW: EVENFALL - CUMBERSOME

 

EVENFALL - CUMBERSOME (Century Media Recs. , 2002)

Produced By: Boban Milunovic

Tracks: 1- Rawish; 2- Frontloader; 3- Dogma; 4- Entre Dos Tierras; 5- In Absentia Christi; 6- Overcast Sky; 7- Cumbersome; 8- Vangelis Mundi; 9- Unworshipped; 10- Conspectu Mortis II

Cover Art by Carlos del Olmo Holmberg

Recorded at Boom Room Studios

Here is the follow up to "Still In the Grey Dying" and Evenfall has become really soon in one of my favorite bands. Why? Because of the quality of their songs. First of all I love Roberta Staccuneddu´s vocals which contrast with the more deathly ones by Ansgar Zöschg. Roberta has an angelical voice and has a lot of inflexions in her vocal range which allows her to sing the more difficult melodies in a great way. Thumbs up also for Max Boi who plays the keyboards that are essential to Evenfall´s music: He makes excellent chord progressions and amazing melodies through all this album. The music atmosphere is really dark and the main risponsibles here are the guitarists who play dark melodies through all the tracks and also play heavy rhythms that make Evenfall´s music completely original when combined with keyboard calm melodies. A must for everybody!!!!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazing !

Contact: www.centurymedia.com

REVIEW: EVAN PARKER - SIX OF ONE

 

EVAN PARKER - SIX OF ONE (Psi Records, 2002)

Produced By: Martin Davidson

Tracks: 1- One of Six, 2- Two of Six, 3- Three of Six, 4- Four of Six, 5- Five of Six, 6- Six of One, 7- At Sixes and Sevens

Recorded by Adam Skeaping

Here we have solo improvisations from master musician Evan Parker. This are soprano saxophone solo improvisations that were originally recorded on June 18th, 1980. Here Parker shows all his skills in developing saxophone lines and ideas in a solo context when all the attention of the listener is on his instrument. And he also shows that he has the technical skills to play them (some of the lines played here requires a lot of knowledge of the instrument and as we know from listening some of his work, Evan has a lot of them). Here you have seven tracks in which Evan Parker explores each of the possibilities of the instrument. He plays fast and slow, really intense or soft but always deliver some new sounds that the listener will find interesting. Solo experimentation at its best.

Favorite tracks: "Two of Six", "At Sixes and Sevens" and "Six of One"

Contact: www.emanemdisc.com