REVIEW: ARCADIA - TRUST

 

ARCADIA - TRUST ( Independent, 2000)

Produced by Arcadia

Recorded ain 2-10 June, 1999

Tracks: 1- Behind, 2- H.I.R.A, 3- Senseless-Inane

It is difficult to describe the music of this band...in fact I think that the best way would be saying that they play some sort of mix between death metal and modern metal in the vein of Machine Head but with parts that are similar to Fear Factory (there is a special combination of clean vocals and keyboards that are typical of that band). There are a lot of keyboard passages that are put between heavy discharges of guitars and drumming. There are interesting guitar solos which fit the song perfectly but at the same time add some melodic features that give a lot of originality to the songs. A better sound would do this band a lot of justice because they deserve it. Favorite tracks: The three. Contact: Demetrio Scopelliti - Via Rocciamelone, 25 - (13100) Vercelli - ITALY

REVIEW: ANCIENT - PROXIMA CENTAURI

 

ANCIENT - PROXIMA CENTAURI (Metal Blade, 2001)

Produced by Ancient & Jacob Hansen

Recorded at Los Angered Recordings, Sweden

Artwork by Air-brush Perre

Tracks: 1- A Lurking Threat, 2- Proxima Centauri, 3- The Ancient Horadrim, 4- IN The Abyss of the Cursed Souls, 5- the Witch, 6- Apophis, 7- Satan´s Children, 8- Beyond the Realms of Insanity, 9- Audrina, my Sweet, 10- On Blackest Wings, 11- Eyes of the Dead, 12- Incarnating the Malignant Deity

It has been a long time since Ancient surpased the boundaries of the black metal that they played in their origins. And they have developed a style of their own with more original elements adding even some rocking riffs and elements that are not typical of the style. This recording has a great sound that gives a lot of space in the mix to the drums and the keyboards which are fundamental in Ancient´s music. Aphazel is creative as always with the six strings and he has a great team here ....I will like to point out the keyboards played by Jesus Christ! and Deadly Kristine´s vocals which are sometimes calm and sometimes as rotten as hell making great contrasts and duets with Aphazel´s ones !! Favorite tracks: "In The Abyss of the Cursed Souls", " Beyond the Realms of Insanity" and " On Blackest Wings". Contact: www.metalblade.com

REVIEW: AKIN - STANZAS

 

AKIN - STANZAS ( Independent, 2001)

Produced by Akin. Mixed by Diego Ruiz

Recorded on 8 track digital recorder

Artwork by Javel

Tracks: 1- The City in the Sea, 2- To One in Paradise, 3- Annabel Lee, 4- The Valley of Unrest

Here is this MCD with four tracks from this band...and I have to say that this must be one of the best albums of the month and maybe of the year. The band plays a mix of climatic death and black metal but with tons of melodies and they have an excellent female vocal who contrasts with the guttural vocals. In fact she is great using the middle range of her vocal spectre since this is not so common (generally female vocalists in this type of bands use a higher pitched voice). Another excellent feature here are the keyboards and the flute which create enchanting melodies through the four tracks. Apart from the guttural vocals and the female one there are also spoken ones in the more climatic parts. One of the records of the month. Favorite tracks: The four tracks contained here.

REVIEW: AETERNUS - ASCENSION OF TERROR

 

AETERNUS - ASCENSION OF TERROR (Hammerheart Recs., 2001)

Recorded at Grieghallen Studios, Bergen

Mastered in Oslo at Masterhuset.

Artwork by Christian Misje

Tracks: 1- Possessed by the Serpents Vengeance, 2- Slaying the lambs, 3- Ascension of Terror, 4- the Essence of the Elder, 5-Warlust, 6- Wrath of the Warlord, 7-Burning the Shroud, 8- Denial of Salvation, 9- The Lair of Anubis

This band is the perfect combination between brutality and great musicianship. Sounding very tight from beginning to end they know how to put climatic passages among some of their fastest parts in a way that the tracks have a great resolution. I liked a lot this release because it is really powerful and at the same time has a lot of original and charachteristic moments that make Aeternus a truly original band. I like specially the way in which they play heavy riffs but sustaining some interesting melodies and then they go from fast to slow without interemediate steps, and to do this correctly the guys here have a complete dominion of the instruments that they play. A band to look after each release. Favorite tracks: the whole CD. Contact: www.hammerheart.com or www.aeternus.ch

REVIEW: ACERBUS - EMANATING DARKNESS

 

ACERBUS - EMANATING DARKNESS (Independent, 2000)

Produced by Acerbus

Recorded by Stuart Laurence

Tracks: 1- Emanating Darkness, 2- Blackening of Souls, 3- Loyalty To the Tyrant, 4- Living Death, 5- Malkuth, 6- Voulantary Enslavement

Brutal death grind with some parts that are extremely dissonant (check "Blackening of Souls" 2:16...almost avant garde) and rhythmic parts that make the result much better. The guitar riffs are crushing and the guys are not afraid of experimenting with new sounds. The drummer knows much more than doing simple blast beats (which he makes in a lot of parts ...but he knows much more variations). The band is a trio but sounds heavier than hell. The sound is really good but I would like them to mix differently the snare drum and I would like the bass drum a little bit louder. This release will rip you apart!. Favorite tracks: "Blackening of Souls", "Loyalty to the tyrant" and "Malkuth".Contact: Acerbus@angelfire.com

REVIEW: VALGRIND - DEFINITION OF PREPOTENCE

 

VALGRIND - DEFINITION OF PREPOTENCE (Kick Promotion Agency, 2000)

Produced by Valgrind

Recorded at Crypta Studios

Artwork by Angelien

Tracks: 1- Evil Generatrix, 2- Author of your Pain, 3- Spit, 4- Prepotence, 5- Legion of Hate, 6- When Mortal Skin Ends to Be.

There are certain recordings where I definitely like the music a lot but the sound is not so good and that smooths a little bit my enthuisiasm. This is the case with this Valgrind release. And the problem is in one fundamentral thing: the guitars. The music goes in the path of brutal death metal with good guitar riffs and killer drumming. The vocals are guttural as the style demand and there are interesting harmonized guitar solos. In fact it is strange that the solos are really clear in the mix and the rhythms sound more opaque. I think the result can be more crushing with a better mix. And experience shows you the way to do it better. I think this guys have the potential to do it. Favorite tracks: "Author of Your Pain", "Prepotence" and "When Mortal Skin Ends to Be". Contact: www.kickagency.3000.it

REVIEW: THY DISEASE - ART OF DECADENCE

 

THY DISEASE - ART OF DECADENCE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Dario and Jarek Baran

Recorded at Jaro´s home Studio

Tracks: 1- Art of Decadence, 2- Eternal Disease, 3- Finding God, 4- The Earth, 5- Frozen, 6- Cursed, 7- Crashing the Soul

Extremely talented band coming directly from poland. The band plays atmospheric death metal with interesting riffs and rhythm changes and including certain black metal influences here and there. The music contained on this CD is really technical and yopu can see how well rehearsed theband is. Tracks like "Eternal Disease" show how this guys can combine perfectly brutality and speed with melody and keyboards. Also there is a guest female vocalist called Anna Wojtowiak who is extremely talented and has a voice that contrast in a great way with Thy Disease´s music which is more brutal, giving some extra points to the final result. A must. Favorite tracks: The whole CD. Contact: Underground - P.O.Box 674 - (30-960) Krakow 1 - POLAND

REVIEW: THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK - THE KINGDOM AND ITS FEY

 

THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK - THE KINGDOM AND ITS FEY (Cruel moon Recs., 1999)

Produced by The Soil Bleeds Black

Recorded in Dungeon

This is an album originally recorded in 1995 and 1996. The music has a certain medieval feeling but with played with modern instruments that gives certain strange feeling to the tracks. This is music to listen with your eyes closed or in the darkness. The melodies are enchanting and they are designed in order to give a certain feeling to the tracks. And that feeling is music that can be classified as a mix between classical, medieval and certain touches of renacentist. A great ones for people who like something different to listen to. Favorite tracks: "Behold Thou My Crest", " The Charm of Making" and " A Hymn to Dechtire".

REVIEW: TAKING BACK SUNDAY - TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS

 

TAKING BACK SUNDAY - TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS (Victory Recs., 2001)

Mastered by Tom Gilles at Surgical Sound

Recorded at Big Blue Meenie Studios

Artwork by John Clark for Stone and Michele Lago

Tracks: 1- You Know How I do, 2- Bike Scene, 3- Cute Without the "E" (Cut from the Team), 4- There´s no "I" in Team, 4- Great Romances of the 20th Century, 5- Ghost Man on Third, 7- Timberwolves at New Jersey, 8- the Blue Channel, 9- You´re So Last Summer, 10- Head Club

Here we have a good band of melodic punk rock. They have excellent songs, much better than in many bands that are a big success. I think that Taking Back Sunday deserves to be one of the most recognized names in the punk scene. This album called "Tell all your friends" is full of melodic choruses and interesting vocals interactaction like for example in the song "Cute without the "E" (Cut from the Team)" which is a great example of what this guys can do. The guitars are powerful and add a lot of strength to the songs. But the main thing here kis how well constructed the songs are and how good are the vocals (which have a lot of pop/rock sensibility). If you love this style I would totally recommend you this band !! Favorite tracks: "Great Romances of the 20th Century", "Bike Scene" and "the Blue Channel". Contact: www.victoryrecords.com

REVIEW: TAIPAN - 11 MUST DIE

 

TAIPAN - 11 MUST DIE (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Taipan

Recorded by 3 weeks in a Coal Chamber

Tracks: 1- Rakshasa, 2- Itcha, 3- ...of bones and Skin, 4- As the Flowers Wither, 5- My Curse, 6- The heart failed, 7- Breakaway, 8- Poisened and sunken down my throat, 9- Nobody Knows (The sorrow I Found), 10- The great control, 11- Fall from Grace

This was a great surprise for me. Looking at the awful cover and the quality of the packaging I expected a mediocre band. But I was wrong. This band is really good. And which style they love? Doom!!!!!!! Yes, they are slow as hell in some tracks (and very rhythmic in others) and they have that riffs that we loved in bands like Saint Vitus and Trouble and maybe in the Obsessed. But also they have faster tracks like "Itcha" were they sound like early Venom (specially because of the primitive sound that this track has with the noisy drums). But they prefer the slow riffs and the whispering vocals which transmit pain, anguish and fear to the listener. Good one !!!! Favorite tracks: "...of Bones and Skin", "Breakaway" and "Nobody Knows (The sorrow I Found)".