REVIEW: EVENFALL - CUMBERSOME

 

EVENFALL - CUMBERSOME (Century Media Recs. , 2002)

Produced by Boban Milunovic

Recorded at Boom Room Studios

Cover by Carlos del Olmo Holmberg

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

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 os amazing !!!!

Contact: In Southamerica www.centurymedia.com in Europe www.centurymedia.de

REVIEW: ENTWINE - TIME OF DESPAIR

 

ENTWINE - TIME OF DESPAIR ( Century Media Recs. , 2002)

Cover by Janne Pitkänen

Tracks: 1- Stream of Life; 2- The Pit; 3- Nothing Left to Say; 4- Safe In a Dream; 5- Burden; 6- Falling Apart; 7- Until the End; 8- Learn To Let Go; 9- Time of Despair

This CD opens powerfully with the track"Time of Despair" and after listening a couple of times it seems to me that this is a more powerful release than their previous album "Gone" which was released last year. For those who don´t know, Entwined is a Finnish band that plays a music that I would Call heavy gothic metal. It is heavier than most of the bands that are out there (particullarly on this release) but with all the dark melodies that gothic music has. One thing that is similar to the previous album is the sound oif the release which has a great quality, specially on the changes from heavy guitar to clean ones. This sound quality helps a lot to show the lsitener the arrangements and melodies that Entwine´s music has. Also, on this release, singer Mika Tauriainen is more deppressive than ever singing with a very dark voice full of sadness and pain. There are violins in tracks like "Safe In a Dream" (one of the most deppressive) and a lot of keyboards on each song. A must for fans of depressive music.

Favorite tracks: "Stream of Life"; "Safe In a Dream" and "Time of Despair"

Contact: In Southamerica www.centurymedia.com in Europe www.centurymedia.de

REVIEW: ELFMAN - COMMON SKY

 

ELFMAN - COMMON SKY (W.A.B. Recs. , 2002)

Produced by Peter Böhm

Tracks: 1- Why don´t you say; 2- Drive; 3- For You; 4- Glory D, 5- By Myself; 6- Hold Out; 7- Sail Away; 8- Inside; 9- Raggedy Ann; 10- Entertainment; 11- Common Sky

Elfman plays modern metal with a lot of new metal influences in the sound and in some guitar riffs. Also here we have a vocalist that knows how to do the melodies that are recquired by this style. I would say that the most notable influence is Korn but here you have many more influences that gives more variations to the final release. The sound of the recording is excellent making the guitar shine (being heavier when they are heavy and extremely clean when they are clean as in the beginning of "Drive"). Here we have a fundamental role of the bass player and the drummer which construct the syncopated rhythms that are the main structure of Elfman´s songs. Also we have heavier than hell guitars which give the metalic edge to the music contained here through orifginal riffs (I like specailly the ones where they throw some harmonics here and there and sound almost mechanical. Fans of modern metal will surely like this.

Favorite tracks: "Drive", "For you" and "Inside"

Contact: www.wabrecords.org

REVIEW: DISTRAUGHT - INFINITE ABYSSAL

 

DISTRAUGHT - INFINITE ABYSSAL (Encore Recs. , 2002)

Produced by Distraught

Recorded at Estudio Live

Cover by Rodrigo Cruz

Tracks: 1- Infinite Abyssal; 2- Removing the Rubbish; 3- Umbral; 4- Antibiotic Tendence; 5- Spiritual Reward; 6- The Cut; 7- Science, Philosophy and Religion; 8- Tufao; 9- Dusty Land; 10- Slaves of Creed

Directly from Brazil we have this band that plays modern death metal with many changes and millions of interesting ideas floating on each track. The first thing that amazed me is the combination of heavy riffs and vocals with some melodies achieved through the guitar that turns each song into a unique musical piece. Also we have in Distraught a great lead guitarist in Ricardo Silveira who plays a lot of interesting and melodic solos with a warm guitar tone that reminded me of James Murphy. The music here is really powerful and Distraught have no mercy with their drum beats and crushing rhythms throgh all this recording. Andre Meyer´s vocals are really versatile and he knows how to use his voice to fit better each part of a track....sometimes more guttural, sometimes more screaming. The release has a good mix specially on drums and guitars that are fuindamental for Distraught´s music. This is a really intense recording.

Favorite tracks: "Removing the Rubbish"; "Spiritual Reward" and "Dusty Land"

Contact: www.distraught.cjb.net and www.encorerecords.com.br

REVIEW: DEVOLVED - TECHNOLOGIES

 

DEVOLVED - TECHNOLOGIES (Casket Music , 2002)

Produced by Dave Leonard and Devolved

Recorded at Modern Music Studio

Cover by Devolved, Konrad P.K. and Damien Lange

Tracks: 1- Distorted; 2- Supremacy; 3- Progress; 4- Second Face; 5- Adapt; 6- Fallen Cities; 7- Aversive Control; 8- Functional Conflict; 9- Emergence

Here we have a great brutal release with an awesome sound....here is Devolved "Technologies" and the sound here is pure brutal deth mertl with a sound that can remind you of bandsw like Fear Factory "Demanufacture" era (that means that this guys have achieved a great sound, specially on the drums and the guitars that are crushing). The vocals are really powerful and fit the music really well adding more agression, if possible, to the tracks. The good thing about Devolved is that they change mood often in their songs going from total aggression and violence to more melancholic mood (like the ones in "Second Face") using cleaner guitars and changing the sound of the recording. A must for lovers of agression with imagination!

Favorite tracks: "Progress", "Fallen Cities" and "Aversive Control"

Contact: www.coprorecords.co.uk

REVIEW: DESIRE - LOCUS HORRENDUS, THE NIGHT CRIES OF A SULLEN SOUL...

 

DESIRE - LOCUS HORRENDUS, THE NIGHT CRIES OF A SULLEN SOUL... (Recs., 200)

Produced by Desire

Recorded at L´Enfant Terrible Studios, mastered at Finnvox Studios

Cover Art by Desire and Corvus Dark Creations

Tracks: 1- Preludium; 2- Frozen heart....Lonely Soul; 3- Cries of Despair; 4- The Weep of a Mournful Dusk; 5- An Autumnal Night Passion - Movement I ; 6- Movement II; 7-Drama; 8- Dark Angel Bird ( A Poet of tragedies; 9- Torn Apart; 10- (Love Is) Suicide; 11- Postludium

Here we have this amazing band coming directly from Portugal. Their music is dark metal with certain shades of black metal, death metal and doom metal. There is the dark feeling of black metal plus a lot of keyboards arrangements that make the music almost symphonic (the keyboards parts are fantastically composed). Also we have some death metal vocals that contrast with screaming ones more in the black metal vein. Also they have a lot of slow tempos that could be from a band in the style of Evoken but with more dark melodies. In fact one of the best things about Desire´s music are their guitar melodies combined with the keyboards that are a combination made for darkness. Thumbs up for this amazing band. This is a CD to show pwople that Portugal has much more to offer us than Moonspell ....here is Desire !!!

Favorite tracks: All the CD is amazingly climatic and has a lot of dark feelings on the tracks. Excellent album

Contact: http://thecrowshelter.desire.planetaclix.pt

REVIEW: DEFORMITY - SUPERIOR

 

DEFORMITY - SUPERIOR (Displeased Recs., 2002)

Produced by Hans Pieters

Recorded atExcess Studios

Cover Art by David de Graef

Tracks: 1- Dawn of Omega; 2- Samlaysman; 3- 7 Fathers I; 4- Raven; 5- Time (the Avenger); 6- Daylight Bleeding; 7- Vassago; 8- Eden is burning; 9- Shadowcross; 10- L´ame des immortels; 11- Godwind

Here we have a classic brutal detha metal band from Belgium. Formed in 1995, Deformity has released a couple of albums to show their brutality to the world. Now, this new one "Superior" is clearly their most brutal affort to date. Here we have the crushing guitars that are a trademark of the band plus the hyper fast drums that don´t stop for breathing through all the recording. There are a lot of climatic elements like the acoustic guitars in "Time (the Avenger)" that are really good for taking a deep breath and preper for the next assault that is "Daylight Bleeding". The production of this CD is really good and makes all the music better because it gives the power that the sound of this band needs to devastate the listeners. One of the best things here are the guitar riffs that require a lot of good musicanship to be played correctly without making mistakes throuigh all the changes. If you like brutality with a lot of musicianship then Deformity can satisfy your urge for it !!

Favorite tracks: "Raven"; "Daylight Bleeding" and "Eden is Burning"

Contact: www.displeasedrecords.nl

REVIEW: DECOMPOSING SERENITY - LET US SHOW YOU HOW TO DRAW BLOOD

 

DECOMPOSING SERENITY - LET US SHOW YOU HOW TO DRAW BLOOD (Deepsend Recs., 2002)

Produced by Decomposing Serenity

Cover Art by Decomposing Serenity

Tracks: Here we have 40 tracks of extreme grind gore !!!!!! Brutality guaranteed!!!!!

Favorite tracks: "May I use your teddy bear for the blood?"; "Suspended by a Hook" and "Explain the Screams and bucket of blood"

Here we have in one CD 40 tracks from this grind maniacs!! This recording range from early 1995 sessions to their newest 2002 tracks. Obviously the latest ones have a better sound and are better constructed. This guys are really speed freaks and they push the accelerator and don´t loose it till the end of the recording. I like a lot of parts where this guys achieve a crushing sound like the one in the first tracks which are also the newer ones because I think that this makes Decomposing Serenity more effective. This is a recording that has been completely designed to crush the listener brain and give him a good dose of brutality at hyper speed. Grindcore freaks will surely love this album!!

Contact: www.deepsendrecords.com

REVIEW: CRADLE OF FILTH - PROMO SAMPLER

 

CRADLE OF FILTH - PROMO SAMPLER (Koch Records, 200)

Produced by Cradle of Filth

Tracks: 1- Dance Macabre; 2- For Those Who Died; 3- Camilla´s Masque; 4- Her Ghost in the Fog; 5- Malice Through the Looking Glass; 6- Hell Awaits; 7- Hallowed be thy Name; 8- Sodomy and Lust; 9- Once Upon Atrocity; 10- From the Cradle to Enslave

Here is a promo CD of this band that most of you know really well. This CD has some interesting things like some of the band´s hits ("From the Cradle to Enslave" and "Malice Through the Looking Glass" just to name a few of them) that have a great sound and interesting arrangements (keyboards and female vocals are the most significative ones) which are the trademarks of the band. Also here we have really good covers where I would like to remark the great versions of Slayer´s "Hell Awaits" and Iron Maiden´s "Hallowed be thy Name". The sound through all this recording is really good (obviously the newer tracks sound much better than the older ones but that is natural of a band´s progression). This CD is a good sampler of the balance that Cradle of Filth has achieved between heaviness and melodies; between savage riffs and dark atmospheres. A classic band !

Favorite tracks: "For Those Who Died"; "Her Ghost in the Fog" and "Once Upon Atrocity"

Contact: www.kochentertainment.com

REVIEW: COURAGOUS - REMEMBER

 

COURAGOUS - REMEMBER ( House of Faith Records, 2002)

Produced by Lücking and Lohmann

Recorded at Raw Sound Studios

Cover by Christa Bouffil

Tracks: 1- Scared; 2- Sudden Death; 3- Nothin´; 4- Rebirth; 5- Fourth Dimension; 6- ...And Lost; 7- The Prince; 8- A trip of Confidence; 9- Remember; 10- People are People; 11- Brothers in Mind; 12- Listen (live)

Here we have Couragous new release (their latest one before this was "Listen" and I reviewed it on Music Extreme some issues back) and their music has progressed a lot. Here we have the elements that are the main ingredients of Couragous music: heavy riffs, a really good vocalist who knows how to do the melodies that the music requires to achieve the feeling they are searching for and also when to do a more deathlike voice, two killer guitarists that can do melodies, ultra fast riffs and good melodic solos in a great way. Here we have also a great bass player that knows how to support the ehythms of the band and also knows how to do the arrangements that are needed to give a twist to the music. The sound of this recording is much better than the one in "Listen" and this helps a lot to the sound of Couragous and makes their music even more powerful. Plus, the band has developed a great ear for hooks: their songs are really well constructed and have memorable choruses which is essential. Agreat step forward from this great band.

Favorite tracks: "Sudden Death"; "...And Lost" and " A Trip of Confidence".

Contact: www.couragous.de