REVIEW: FREUND HEIN - SUBVERSIVE REVOLUTION

 

FREUND HEIN - SUBVERSIVE REVOLUTION ( Independent , 2002)

Produced by Freund Kein

Recorded by Hannes Kukla

Cover by Thomas Reitnayer

Tracks: 1- To Be - What a Shame; 2- The Brute in Him; 3- ....Against the Establishment and Burgeoisie; 4- Vicious Circle; 5- Subversive Revolution on All Fronts

Freund Hein are really original and they have that strange flavor that some bands from Austria have. Due to their lyrics I would call Freund Hein´s music revolutionary metal. And their music is revolutionary too because they are mixing extremely heavy music with a .lot of keyboard and piano parts and operistics vocals that are combined in a great way with the heavier and screaming ones. The guitars are heavy as hell and make a great contrast with the keyboards (also there is some use of clean guitars in some places. The drummer has a really huge sound and he makes a lot of interesting things with his double bass drumming. But the main instrument here are the keyboards which play interesting melodies and chord progressions through all the tracks but in a different way than most of the bands would do (starting with the sound which is completely different). A must for music lovers !!

Favorite tracks: All the tracks contained on this MCD. One of the CDs of the month

Contact: www.freundhein.com

REVIEW: FREEDOM CALL - CRYSTAL EMPIRE

 

FREEDOM CALL - CRYSTAL EMPIRE (Century Media Recs. , 2001)

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind, Dan Zimmermann and Chris Bay

Recorded at Hansen Studio

Cover by Paul Raymond Gregory

Tracks: 1- The King of the Crystal Empire; 2- Freedom Call; 3- Rise Up; 4- Farewell; 5- Pharao; 6- Call of Fame; 7- Heart of the Rainbow; 8- The Quest; 9- Ocean; 10- Palace of Fantasy; 11- The Wanderer

Here we have a conceptual album by this german band whose main man is Dan Zimmerman, drummer in Gamma Ray . And the music here is pure german heavy metal with all its pros and cons., The pros are that the music is powerful and melodic with strong riffs and choruses. The cons are a certain lack of originality and a similarity to the main bands of the style being Helloween, Gamma Ray or Stratovarius. I think the key of the band is to follow the style that they have achieved in tracks like "Pharao" or "The Quest" with more dense riffs and melodies that are not so epic. The sound of this recording is really good putting a lot of relevance to the keyboards which are essential in the best tracks.. I feel that this band has some elements to be in the top of the metal world and I think the path goes along tracks as then one that I mentioned before and the grandiloquence of "Palace of Fantasy" with its minor tonalities and melodies.

Favorite tracks: "Rise Up", "Pharao" and "The Quest"

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

REVIEW: EXTOL - UNDECEIVED

 

EXTOL - UNDECEIVED (Century Media Recs. , 2002)

Cover by Durling Inc

Tracks: 1- Undeceived; 2- Inferno; 3- Time Stands Still; 4- Ember; 5- Meadows of Silence; 6- Shelter; 7- A Structure of Souls; 8- Of Light and Shade; 9- Where Sleep is Rest; 10- Renewal; 11- Abandoned; 12- And I Watch. Bonus tracks: 13- Human Frailtie´s Grave; 14- Shadow of Death

I have listened Extol´s music before in a compilation and I remember that my attention was caught because of the combination of technical riffs and melodies within a death metal context. This is the first Extol CD that I have on my hands and I must say that this guys are amazing. The combination of technical riffs, clean guitars, heavy metal and death metal vocals (check the track "Renewal" to listen this in all its splendour). The guitarists have a lot of ideas here and there and sometimes in the choruses they let the guitars breath throwing power chords and letting Ole Børud sing his melodies over them. The drummer and bassist are a killer duo with extreme technical skills and a knowledge of differnt time signatures that help the rest of the band to construct the tracks. And one thing more....they play all this technical music with a lot of brutality and power !! A must !!!!

Favorite tracks: All the CD...amazing !!!

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

REVIEW: EXTERMINATOR - MIRROR IMAGES

 

EXTERMINATOR - MIRROR IMAGES (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Exterminator and I.M.F.

Recorded at Hautregard Studios

Cover Artwork by Baruch

Tracks: 1- ...:Birth...(intro); 2- Liberty....Death; 3- Circle of Violence; 4- Mirror Images; 5- Church of Chaos; 6- Bitter End; 7- Night Music (The Dark Caress); 8- The Kill; 9- Tragedy....Rejoice

Here we have a really brutal band with a lot of technique in the guitar riffs. Yes, the riffs here seem really difficult to play, specially the ones that the band plays in the fastest parts. Also they know how to change riffs suddenly like it happens in 1:22 from "Circle of Violence" (they change to a crushing and rhythmic riff) a great song that goes from riff to riff in an excellent way. And one of the main things here is the combination of the brutal vocals with riffs that are not typical of death metal (check for example "The Kill" to see that what they play is not common favoring metal riffs with more originality). Also here they have a very technical drummer who follows all the changes with complete precission giving a lot of variations and rhythms to each track. Any musician would love this CD because of the technical skills an excellent tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Liberty...Death"; "Mirror Images" and "Bitter End"

Contact: exterminator_e@hotmail.com

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