REVIEW: RESURRECTION A. D RECORDS - SUMMER SAMPLER 2002

 

RESURRECTION A. D RECORDS - SUMMER SAMPLER 2002 (Resurrection A.D. Records, 2002)

Tracks: 1- ARSON: Close wounds, 2- SPITVALVES: Last Place, 3- KNUCKLE SANDWICH: American Song, 4- DARK DAY DAWNING: Aphrasia, 5- KICKED IN THE HEAD: Cannonball, 6- THE BAD LUCK 13 RIOT EXTRAVAGANZA: Oh rebekkah how you stalk me; 7- POWERHOUSE: When they come for you, 8- POCKET CHANGE: Bridge too Far

Here we have a sampler from this label that specializes in heavy music but not in any style within the metal realm. So we have eight very different bands here. First starts Arson with their death/ thrash metal with top power, changing fast to Spiritvalves which is more sort of a punky band with winds section or something like that....weird. Then come bands like Dark Day Dawning which I thought was going to be a black metal band but it changes their music soon adding some rocking riffs...another strange band that desereves a good listen! Knuckle Sandwich is pure rock and roll as is also Kicked In the Head (with some sort of punk attitude). Then comes the heaviest band called The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza with some death elements and a lot of samplers (I would reallylike to listen more from this guys) that give sort of a machine like feeling to their track. This is a good sample of what this eclectic label releases.

Favorite tracks: Dark Day Dawning "Aphrasia", The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza" Oh Rebbekah..." and Arson "Close Wounds"

Contact: www.resurrection-ad.com

REVIEW: RECUEIL MORBIDE - HURT BY HUMAN RACE

 

RECUEIL MORBIDE - HURT BY HUMAN RACE (Deadsun Records, 2002)

Produced by Stephan Buriez and Recueil Morbide

Recorded at LB Lab Studio

Cover Art by Deather and David Najbrt

Tracks: 1- Harmonity, 2- In Cage, 3- Divagation Esoterique, 4- Tas de Chiennes, 5- Embrace, 6- Never Core Enough, 7- Petrify (Frozen Expectation), 8- Earthwound, 9- Sublime Pleasure

This guys have no mercy!! They crush your brain from the very first second of the first track that starts at full speed with crushing riffs and rhythms. There are many breaks and changes in Recueil Morbide´s music. But this band is not full speed in all the tracks...in fact the second track "In Cage" starts slowly but heavier before getting at full speed again. The vocals are extremely guttural and make great impact in the listener while shouting along the guitar riffs. What I like most is the many changes that each track has and the drums passages (this drummer is killer and plays a lot of difficult passages in which he demosntrates a lot of technique, specially with the double bass. Also here we have a lot of guitar solos that sound relly well contrasting with the brutality of the band. A must for brutality lovers.

Favorite tracks: "Divagation Esoterique", "Embrace" and "Earthwound"

Contact: www.deadsunrecords.com

REVIEW: RAVENCLAW - WHERE MIGHTY RAVENS FLY

RAVENCLAW - WHERE MIGHTY RAVENS FLY (Atlantida Productions, 2002)

Produced by Ravenclaw

Recorded at W.A.R. Studio

Cover Art by Ralf Brandstäter

Tracks: 1- In Battle, 2- Fenriswolf, 3- Shores of Heaven, 4- Valhall (Der Rabenwinter), 5- Ravenclaw, 6- A Vikings Journey, 7- Hermodr a Helferd (Burzum cover), 8- Power and Might, 9- Sword of Honour, 10- Set Sail (A Vikings Journey Part II), 11- Weltenbrand, 12- Atlantida (Fighting for Atlantis)

Starting with the sound of a dialogue of the "Conan the Barbarian" movie here we have this extremely climatical band. In fact this is a duo featuring Alex and Ruslanas. The music is full of dark and melodic passages in the beginning with keyboards that create enchanting melodies while there are background sounds that add some moods to the feelings of the songs. The vocals are mostly spoken and fit perfectly the amazingly dark climates that this guys create. Then what a surprise!! Starting at track number 4 "Valhall" the musci chnages and a programmed drum enter and the keyboards start doing more noisy stuff getting soon into a blast beat with sort of a flute going on....really weird!! There are songs that have many mooods like the long "Set Sail ..." which starts with an ancient melody played with sort of a bagpipe. If you like different moods on one CD then you should check Ravenclaw!!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is really a masterpiece

Contact: atlantida@ukmerge.omnitel.net

REVIEW: QWESTION - Y

 

QWESTION - Y (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Mike Griffith

Recorded at In the House Studios

Cover Art by Mike Griffith

Tracks: 1- The Mask, 2- Freeprov, 3- Chaos Theory, 4- A Little Swim Before the Walk, 5- Forest of the Norm, 6- Muse, 7- 3one2, 8- Yachacha

Here we have Qwestion music...and this is one that is difficult or almost impossible to label. It has heavy guitar sound in many parts, it has programmed drums (or drums that sound like electronic percussion), it has some samplers and scratching turntables and stuff like that, it has some bluesy and jazzy melodies (check "Freeprov" to see this and be amazed). The music here is instrumental and really complex to play, specially on some changes of rhythms and on the improvised guitar melodies "check again "Freeprov"). The musicians here have a lot of quality and they are really well rehearsed and know how to play together (some tracks have really difficult tempo changes like for example "Chaos theory" which is extremely difficult to play. The sound is good but I would like them to mix louder the guitars to add some extra power to the songs. A must for people who like originality and experimentation.

Favorite tracks: "Chaos Theory", "Forest of the Norm" and " Yachacha"

Contact: www.qwestion.net

REVIEW: QUIETUS - DESTROYER OF WORLDS

 

QUIETUS - DESTROYER OF WORLDS (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Quietus

Recorded at The Shed

Cover Art by Chris Waters

Tracks: 1- Bow (In the Beginning), 2- Bloodsworn, 3- Destroyer of Worlds

I would call Quietus music a mix of ambient (because of some almost ambiental passages), black metal (because of some screaming and spoken vocals and some fast riffs), death metal (because of some riffs and vocals) and industrial (because of the machinal sound of the drums, the samplers and electronic sounds and some distorted vocals that are on the songs contained on this CD). In fact I find elements of this styles here but all have been processed and twisted into the form of Quietus music. The main thing here is experimentation by Chris Waters the only mind behind the music. The only low point here is the sound which buries some of the guitar riffs making them almost inaudible. I think Chris can remix this three tracks because they are really good and with a better sound they can be more effective.

Favorite tracks: The three contained on this CD

Contact: www.geocities.com/quietusband

REVIEW: PSYCROPTIC - THE ISLE OF DISENCHANTMENT

 

PSYCROPTIC - THE ISLE OF DISENCHANTMENT (Independent, 2000)

Produced by Psycroptic

Recorded at Red Planet Studios

Cover Art by Bill Dean

Tracks: 1- Carnival of Vulgarity, 2- The Sword of Uncreation, 3- Condemned by Discontent, 4- Netherworld Reality, 5- The Isle of Disenchantment, 6- Of Dull Eyes Borne, 7- Pycropticpath, 8- Beneath the Ground We Dwell, 9- The Labyrinth

Psycroptic is brutality guaranteed. Here we have this band that spits dethaly riff after deathly riff, drum beat after drumbeat creating a bestial world of death metal in each of their tracks. The riffs are fast and the guitars have a sound that is not similar to the one used by most of the bands of the style. Yes, there sound is more compressed, more compact,, allowing the guitarist to play superfast and technical riffs with razor sharp precission.. Besides the faster more brutal parts, the drummer plays some complex staff, specially some part where he uses a lot the ride cymbal like following some guitar parts. The vocals are extremely heavy and guttural in many places adding a lot of deathly feeling to the music. If you like brutality plus complexity, then check Psycroptic.

Favorite tracks: "The Sword of uncreation", "The Isle of Disenchantment" and "Of Dull Eyes Borne"

Contact: www.geocities.com/psycroptic

REVIEW: PROSAPIA - SOMBRAS ASFIXIANTES

 

PROSAPIA - SOMBRAS ASFIXIANTES (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Prosapia

Recorded at Sergio Delfino´s Studio

Cover Art by Juvi

Tracks: 1- Jinete Oscuro, 2- Clamad por vos

Here we have this two track CD from this band that come from the province of San Juan in the west of Argentina. The music here is mid paced black metal with some thrash elements and a lot of climatic moments (as in the intro of "Clamad por vos" where a melodic and melancholic line is developed by the band in the keyboards). I have to say that living in Argentina and knowing how difficult is to play the most extreme styles here I have to give my thumbs up to this guys because their music has a lot of quality and they have worked hard here. One thing that they have to work a little bit is the sound of the recording that is a little bit muddy, specially on the guitars and drums (the keyboard can sound clearer but is up on the mix, so one can listen what is doing really well). I hope more bands like Prosapia arise from Argentina so we can make a big step on the extreme metal world.

Favorite tracks: Both tracks are good. This guys deserve a better sound

Contact: dr_black_death@yahoo.com

REVIEW: PIERRE VERVLOESEM - GROSSO MODO

 

PIERRE VERVLOESEM - GROSSO MODO (Carbon 7 Records, 2002)

Produced by Guy Segers and Alan Ward

Recorded at Rising Sun Studio

Cover Art by Thierry Mondelaers

Tracks: 1- Hairdressers Go Home, 2- Olympic Troubles, 3- Anti Caking Agency, 4- Amazing Grease, 5- Smacked Down by the Lord Again, 6- Have You Seen Me?, 7- The Terrible Rage of the Sky, 8- Full Metal Carpet, 9- Nobody´s Listening Anyway

Having listened Pierre Vervloesem´s previous album I find this one completely different. This is much more electric and rocking and brings to my mind some shades of King Crimson, Frank Zappa and also some Robert Fripp work (not to mention some early Yes and experimental progressive bands too). He mixes all this influences, adds a lot of his personality and sound and puts it together with a lot of improvisation and spontaneity. Here Vervloesem has been joined by great musicians including Guy Segers on bass, Charles Hayward on drums and Peter Vandenberghe on keyboards. Vervloesem explores new sound through the nine tracks of this CD making experimentation his main goal and achieving great results here.

Favorite tracks: "Hairdressers Go Home", "The Terrible Rage of the Sky" and "Nobody´s listening Anyway"

Contact: www.carbon-7.com

REVIEW: PENTAGRAM - TURN TO STONE

 

PENTAGRAM - TURN TO STONE (Peaceville Records, 2002)

Produced by Pentagram

Tracks: 1- Petrified, 2- Wartime, 3- All Your Sins, 4- Frustration, 5- Burning Saviour, 6- Sinister, 7- Bride of Evil, 8- When the Screams Come, 9- Relentless, 10- Vampire Love, 11- Evil Seed, 12- The Ghoul, 13- Wolf´s Blood, 14- Madman, 15- 20 Buck Spin, 16- Death Row, 17- Live Free and Burn

This is a compilation of Pentagram´s music that was in the three classics released by Peaceville "Relentless", "Day of Reckoning" and "Be forewarned". I think most of the people who read this reviews will surely know well Pentagram´s music. For those who don´t know them they are a classic band who have been playing this sort of doom Black Sabbath like style since the early seventies (in fact the early single "Be Forewarned" is from 1972). Here we have seventeen heavy tunes with elements that bring to mind bands like Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, The Obsessed or the almighty Trouble (this one specially on the vocals lines). The sound is better than in the original versions and sounds clearer without loosing Pentagram´s heavy and distorted sound (I think that specially the drums sound much better this time). A classic band !!!

Favorite tracks: "All your sins", "Burning Saviour" and "Wolf´s Blood"

Contact: www.peaceville.co.uk

REVIEW: ORPHAN GYPSY - DARKLAND DIRECTOR

 

ORPHAN GYPSY - DARKLAND DIRECTOR (Independent, 2002)

Produced by Orphan Gypsy

Recorded at Wall of Sound Studio

Cover Art by Daniel Backlund

Tracks: 1- Darklan, 2- King of Denial, 3- Under The Sun, 4- The Promise

Here we have the MCD from this pure heavy metal band . the music of this sextet is pure european heavy metal with some touches of power metal and lot of powerful riffs mixed with guitar and keyboards melodies. Some of the harmonies reminded me of bands like Stratovarius but this band has two guitars and sound heavier and more raw than the finnish band. The vocals are really clean and melodic and give the perfect melodies for this heavy metal combo. There are some twin guitars which I like and guive a lot of interesting harmonies to the songs on this MCD and fast solos that add a lot of virtuosism to Orphan Gypsy´s music. A really positive point that many heavy metal bands don´t have is the good sound that Orphan Gypsy has....and they sound raw at the same time (I think this is due to the guitars that are not extremely processed as in some bands out there. Metalheads and lovers of classicel metal will like a lot this one.

Favorite tracks: "King of Denial" and "Darkland"

Contact: www.orphangypsy.tk