REVIEW: IAN SMITH - DAYBREAK

 

IAN SMITH - DAYBREAK (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Red Rose, London

Recorded, Mixed and Edited by Dave Hunt. Produced by Steve Beresford.

Artwork by Marina Tadeu and Sebastian Smith.

Track List: 1- Daybreak, 2- Falange, Falanginha, Falngeta, 3- Carpe Dentum, 4- There We Are, 5- Coffee, 6- Blás, 7- Function of the Organ, 8- Don´t Even think About It, 9- Closely Linked, 10- Air Apparent, 11- Sometimes, 12- Hidden, 13- Windsurfing, 14- Go On

As always, Emanem Disc brings us improvisational and spontaneous music recorded by great musicians. This time is the work of great trumpetist Ian Smith (who also plays the flügelhorn) and who is joined here by great guitarist Derek Bailey (I commented some collaborations of this excellent artist on previous issues), Trombone master Gail Brand, Oren Marshall on tuba and Veryan Weston on chamber organ. The music here is an exploration into the combination of sounds that this musicans can achieve, sometimes in duet form, sometimes in trio, and sometimes all together (there is also one solo piece by Veryan Weston where he explores the possibilities of his instrument). The result is very spontaneous, going from organized chaos to melodic within the same track but without losing control. The thing that I like more from this type of recordings is that they "catch the moment" in which the recording was done...and that is something that can not be reproduced again on another recording done a different time. This guys have a lot to offer . Favorite tracks: "There We Are", "Carpe Dentum" and "Windsurfing". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

REVIEW: HOLLENTHON - DOMUS MUNDI

 

HOLLENTHON - DOMUS MUNDI (Napalm Records, 1999):

Technical data:

Recorded at Vato Loco Studio

Recorded, Mixed and Edited by Martin Schirenc

Cover Concept and Layout by Martin Schirenc.

Track List: 1- Enrapture - Hinc Illae Lacrimae, 2- Homage - Magni Nominis Umbra, 3- Vestige - Non Omnis Moriar, 4- Lure - Pallida Mors, 5- Interlude - Ultima Ratio Regum, 6- Reprisal - Malis Avibus, 7- Premonition - Lex Talionis, 8- Eclipse - Vita Nova

On last issue I reviewed Hollenthon´s latest album "With Vilest of Worms To Dwell", and it was an album that I really loved. It was like a soundtrack for a movie (this comparison that is immediately brought to your mind has made some stupid power metal journalist to ask Martin if he feels related to Rhapsody because of the term Hollywood metal used to describe the music of the italian band). And here is Hollenthon´s prior album , the amazing n"Domus Mundi". This recording is somewhat more crude than "With Vilest..." even if there is a lot of orchestration too, but there are certain elements that are less subtle as the vocals and the guitar sound (in some parts of the first track the guitars reminded me of Celtic Frost´s "To Mega Therion" because of their sound). But Martin obviously knew what he wanted before recording "Domus Mundi" and this is like the seed of what "With Vilest..:" would achieve, this is like a diamond that has to be a little polished (not that much because you have wonders like "Homage- Magni Nominis Umbra" with its oriental melodies and harmonies or "Lure- Pallida Mors" with its guitar melodies and gregorian chants. This was a great first step on Hollenthon´s career. Favorite tracks: "Homage - Magni Nominis Umbra", " Premonition..." and "Eclipse - Vita Nova". Contact: www.napalmrecords.com or www.hollenthon.com

REVIEW: HEAVEN´S BURNING - FREE AGENTS

 

HEAVEN´S BURNING - FREE AGENTS (SOUL´D HERE) (Cosmic Pageant Prods., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded in San Diego, CA

Engineered by Jeff Sers

Track List: 1- Intro, 2- Moonpools, 3- Monday, 4- Shake This World, 5- Holes In the Skies, 6- Butterfly Psychosis, 7- Gun In Your Purse, 8- Good, 9- Intermission, 10- Day on My Skin, 11- Strip Me Down, 12- Reprise

Heaven´s Burning is a female duo consisting in Angela Santiago Chung in vocals, guitars and bass and Kristy Jones also in vocals, guitars and bass. The music here is alternative rock with a lot of melodies and hooks and the main carachteristic are the vocals of Angela and Kristy. There are shades of some bands of the seventies and eighties in there that are thrown into the mix to obtain Heaven´s Burning Music. My favorite tracks are the darker ones like for example "Shake This World" with its slow beginning along the beautiful vocal line made by Angela. Lovers of melodies that are somewhat dark and somewhat depressive but at the same time beautiful, here is for you Heaven´s Burning. Favorite tracks: "Shake This World", "Good" (some Nirvana influence in there) and "Strip Me Down". Contact: www.heavensburning.com

REVIEW: GURKKHAS - A LIFE OF SUFFERING

 

GURKKHAS - A LIFE OF SUFFERING (Morbid Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and Mixed at LB Studio

Sound Engineers: Stephane Buriez, Francois Jazmin

Artwork: In Deed Hell

Track List: 1- Born on a Day of War, 2- Tears of Blood, 3- A Life of Suffering, 4- Kukri, 5- The Day of Battle, 6- Legacy, 7- If I Should Die, 8- Chronicles of Chaos

Directly from France we have this powerful death metal beasts!!! In their style of the most brutal death metal, this guys are kings!! Fast rhythms with modern riffs sounding extremely DEATHLY!! Two things to point out....the great and modern sound that this guys have achieved on this recording. In fact this gives an extra flavour to their music because being so fast and brutal, it needs a very clear mix to be fully appreciated. The main theme around which the songs spin is WAR....that is the content of Gurkkhas tracks... and the music is something that fits the lyrics perfectly, explosive, powerful and extremely brutal. Guttural vocals, riffs that are fast and have a good guitar sound in order to achieve better resyults...a killer fast drummer, all this elements and more are combined here to made this music that I would label Battle war metal. Favorite tracks: "The Day of Battle", "If I Should Die" and "Chronicles of Chaos".Contact: www.multimania.com/gurkkhas

REVIEW: GROOVE GARDEN - SOULFOOD

 

GROOVE GARDEN - SOULFOOD (Soulfood Music., 2001):

Technical data:

Produced by Soulfood

Track List: 1- Chamber 12 Edit, 2- Chamber 13 edit, 3- Chamber 11 remix, 4- Chamber 14 remix, 5- Flamenco Soul, 6- Radiant Minds remix, 7- Tulku´s Palace remix, 8- Sky Spirit Remix, 9- Manitou edit, 10- Peacekeeper edit, 11- Evolution edit.

This CD consists in tracks from differnt styles. There are four tracks of Wingmakers who play a strange mix of electronics, world beat and tribal chants (with some female vocals here and there to add more mystery to this mixture). After that we have one track from flamenco guitarist Pedro Cortez, combining his guitar with some sitar or instrument like that, with excelent duet phrases and a great spanish feeling through the whole track. Then, Entering Dreamtime showcases their chants and a lot of keyboard progressions in a style more eastern sounding with some tribal percussion and melodies thata re typical from Middle Eastern cultures, mixed with some electronic effects. After this, is the turn of Sky Spirit, a project consisting in a lot of flute melodies, and this is the quieter part of the recordings. The last project to be featured here is Steve Kuether´s tranquility who takes us to songs based on piano, almost new age sometimes, full of phrases and melodies of great beauty. Favborite tracks: "Chamber 11", "Flamenco Soul","Tulku´s Palace" and "Evolution". Contact: www.soulfoodmedia.com

REVIEW: GONORRHOEACTION - PROMO DISFIGURED AFTER BUTCHERY

 

GONORRHOEACTION - PROMO (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at the Gonorrhoeahersalroom - May 01

Track List: 1- Cunt Cutlet, 2- Pile Into Piles, 3- Backdoor Convulsion, 4- Nature Warning / Human Extinction, 5- The Torturer, 6- Mucous Gulch Contaminated with Haemorrhoids, 7- We Will Never Sit Down To Piss

This is death grind in all its aspects !! The band starts at total speed with "Cunt Cutlet" with their fast riffs and two types of vocals unleashing all the sonic madness. I think this could be more appreciated with a better sound (here is a little bit opaque making all the instruments sounding too much in the background) and I think that next time this is the main point to look at, because the compositions are good, having some catchy rhythms and a lot of changes. And here is what I like most from Gonorrhoeaction...the multiple riffs within the same song structure, combined with their power and the two voices...one more gutural and the other one more screaming...in the vein of old Napalm Death. There is a Malignant Tumor cover called "Nature Warning/Human Extinction"...This is grind that in the future can shatter the world. Favorite tracks: "Pile Into Piles" and "The Torturer". Contact: www.gonorrhoeaction.de

REVIEW: GODLESS TRUTH - SELF REALIZATION

 

GODLESS TRUTH - SELF REALIZATION (Shindy Prods,, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded at Exponent Studios

Produced and Mixed by Roman Slavic and Godless Truth

Artwork by Zig and Deather.

Track List: 1- Ninetyseven, 2-Worthless Human Being, 3- Disdain, 4- He´s not, 5- Constructing the Future, 6- Next Step, 7- Isolated Victim, 8- Predetermined Disfiguration, 9- I take your life, 10- Crooshpetz

Fucking death metal at its best!! Heavy as hell, extremely huge guitars and killer drumming (since the beginning of the first track) with technical guitar riffs in the vein of the most potent Morbid Angel (also I find some Benediction and Suffocation influences here and there...but with a more modern sound that allows the guitar to sound much bigger than in the aforementioned bands). There is a lot of speed here but the main feature is the heaviness of the tracks. I have to congratulate this guys because of the sound that they have achieved on this release, it is cristal clear and makes the results much more effective than would have been with a worse sound (for example it is great to listen the bass suporting th guitar riffs while not missing a beat of the bass drums). Please, check this band because you will not be dissapointed. Favorite tracks: "Disdain", "Next Step" and "Predetermined Disfiguration". Contact: www.shindy.cz

REVIEW: GARDEN OF DELIGHT - RADIANT SONS

 

GARDEN OF DELIGHT - RADIANT SONS (Trinity Recs,, 2000):

Technical data:

Produced by God

Recorded and Mixed by Artaud

Artwork by Artaud and Johnnie Clappe.

Track List: 1- Chaos A.D. (R.O.C.A.N.), 2- Agony, 3- Obsessed, 4- Sharcah, 5- Astral Traveler, 6- Twilight, 7- Last Day on Earth, 8- Astral Traveler (Radio Edit)

Interesting band from Germany that mixes gothic elements with some from different styles such as industrial. While listening to this CD come to my mind bands like Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails and others fom dark and mechanical styles. The combination of clean and heavy guitars as well as the electronic elements used along with the keyboards are what give this sensation of being in the presence of a gothic/industrial/ metal band. The voices are in a medium and low range adding depth to the music of the band, plus there is a female guest vocalist too to add the higher range to the vocal side. If you like this coimbination of dark melodies, heavy guitars and spectral keyboards then this is yours. Favorite tracks: "Agony", "Obsesed" and "Twilight". Contact: www.garden-of-delight.2xs.de

REVIEW: GALLOPING CORONERS - DANCING WITH THE SUN

 

GALLOPING CORONERS - DANCING WITH THE SUN (Neurot Recordings, 2000):

Technical data:

Mixed by Nemes Lazslo

Artwork by Barcsik Geza.

Track List: 1-Conjuring Up The Wonder Stag, 2- Inspiration, 3- Dancing With The Sun, 4- Crystalling Desire, 5- Tiny Red Dragons, 6- A Fairy Tale Playground, 7- Spinning Into Joy, 8- Fire Full Dance, 9- The Life Of The Spherics, 10- With My Ancestors, 11- Huns IN Budapest, 12- Magus Star

Where do this guys come from?? They come from Hungary and their real name is Vágtázó Halottkémek which means Galloping Coroners in english. This guys have been in concert with bands like Today is the Day, Neurosis and Voivod. But they make a music completely differnt from all this bands. In fact this is more climatic and almost acoustic in all its integrity. The music has eastern european influences and some folk influences too. While the tracks may be rhythmic enough to dance along them, they have some experimental quality in them, such as certain guitar lines that are weirder and have this eastern flavor on them. Sometimes the music here is more ambient using the instruments to create sounds in order to make the tracks even more weird. The lyrics are completely in hungarian language and that adds the special touch to this awesome recording.. Favorite tracks: "With My Ancestors", "Inspiration" and "Spinning Into Joy". Contact: www.neurotrecordings.com

REVIEW: FLESHLESS - NICE TO EAT YOU

 

FLESHLESS - NICE TO EAT YOU (Obscene Prods., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and Mixed at Hostivar Praha.

Recorded and Mixed by Jakub and Zdenek Sikyr

Artwork by Jiri Lhota

Track List: 1- Nice to Eat You, 2- The Body bag Blues, 3- Culture Meat, 4- Noise Part III, 5- Red Stars Hypocrisy, 6- Where´s Mine Resurrection, 7- Defy the Fear, 8- Headscratcher, 9- A Roadkill Recipe, 10- Breathe and Bleed, 11- HRBitov (Root Cover)

Obscene Productions brings us this brutal band from their homeland the Czech Republic. This band is completely inmersed in the style that we call brutal death metal and they do it very fluently. The thing tat helps a lot is the guitar sound that is really fat (they have a lot of bottom end and is mixed very loud). Plus the guitars, apart from being extremely heavy, make a lot of changes in the tracks. This death metal is extremely technical and seems to be very popular in the Czech metal scene. It is always good to see in tracks like "Culture Meat" or "Where´s Mine resurrection" how this guys have enough technical skills to play this complicated brand of music, specially the killer drummer who is a machine behind his kit. My favorite tracks are those in which there are more changes and technical stuff, like "Breathe and Bleed" or "Culture Meat". Contact: www.obscene.cz