REVIEW: COHERENT LIQUID FORM - NEW EXISTENCE

 

COHERENT LIQUID FORM - NEW EXISTENCE (Archives Music, 2002)

Produced By: Lisa Dahlvang

Tracks: 1- Divergent Reality, 2- Chained, 3- Devouring Hybrid, 4- Creation, 5- Paralyzed, 6- Ignorance of Insanity, 7- One Sided, 8- New Existence, 9- Fate Whispers, 10- Solitude, 11- Sewer Whore, 12- Tyrants of the Light, 13- Extinction of the Leach

 Recorded at Logic Studios

Here we have this powerful death metal band with many dark melodies and interesting tempo changes. The good thing about this band are the many different riffs and feelings that they put together in their composition sounding extremely coherent. There are interesting syncopated drumming parts here that are followed closely by the guitarists and the bassist making Coherent Liquid Form´s sound really tight. The vocals are of the screaming type used in bands like Carcass or the most extreme Kreator (I mean, this are not vocals of the guttural kind). The guitar is the flesh, heart and soul of the music that we have on this CD, creating melancholic melodies and aggressive riffs without difficulty and adding new shades and feelings on each of the tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Chained", "Solitude" and "Tyrants of the Light"

Contact: www.imperialarchives.com/clf

REVIEW: COBALT - COBALT

 

COBALT - COBALT (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Cobalt

Tracks: 1- Angel Fangs, 2- Hammerfight, 3- Lunar Warfare, 4- World on its knees

Recorded by Cobalt

Here we have Cobalt´s brutal as fuck MCD. Here we have four tracks of pure death / black / grind metal dementia. Here we have the blast beats, the chainsaw like guitars and the screaming vocals. Everything here has also some sort of thrash influence in some of the rhythms.  There are many ultra fast parts (even if the second track is slower and more rhythmic) with extremely distorted vocals, almost grindcore. It seems that this guys are using some sort of drum device to create the blast beats and rhythms because they sound quite mechanical, specially the cymbals and that adds a special feeling to Cobalt´s music. I would like the band to mix clearer the guitars and the snare drum that are a little bit buried in the mix. Here we have an ultra brutal band with good ideas and extreme violence.

Favorite tracks: "Angel Fangs" and "Hammerficght"

Contact: www.cobalt-attack.com

REVIEW: CHILLBURN - ENEMIES OF SILENCE

 

CHILLBURN - ENEMIES OF SILENCE (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Chillburn

Tracks: 1- Supermodel, 2- Mr. Emptyhead, 3- Hit the Killswitch, 4- Sane for a Day

This guys have achieved a great thing...from the beginning I can not stop singing the chorus of the first track of this album called "Supermodel". This track is a potential hit for this guys. Chillburn´s music has many elements of pop music and many of heavy rock. The main thing here are the vocal melodies that are combined with anelectronic background and some keybaords that add a darker atmosphere to the tracks. The guitars in "Mr Emptyhead" sound powerful and at the same time really processed to achieve a distinctive sound. When combined with the electronics and the ethereal vocals one can listen to the Chillburn sound. I really liked this album and I wouldn´t be surprised if some day I found this guys on top of the rock charts. 

Favorite tracks: "Supermodel" and "Hit the killswitch"

Contact: www.chillburn.com

REVIEW: BLUEBERRYHILL - CLANDESTINE

 

BLUEBERRYHILL - CLANDESTINE (Independent, 2002)

 

Produced By: Blueberryhill

Tracks: 1- Odin´s Thunder, 2- Demise, 3- Stay as one, 4- The Free Are Alive, 5- Resurrection Calls

Cover Art by Blueberryhill

This is one of those albums that after listening to it one time you can remember each of the songs because of the catchy riffs and the choruses. Here we have pure heavy metal with a bigger guitar sound (combined with the bottom end of the bass this band has achieved a heavier guitar sound). The guys in Blueberryhill are experts in creating epic melodies with grandiloquence and they achieve this through the guitars (great melodies, solos and acoustic interludes), through the vocals and through the amazing keyboards. One thing that I have to remark is the really good vocal work with multiple harmonies and many hooks that put a mark in the listener brain that will be singing this five songs long after the album is over. Pure epic metal !!

Favorite tracks: "Odin´s Thunder", "Stay as One" and "Resurrection Calls"

Contact: www.bb-hill.com

REVIEW: BLACK TRINITY - BLACK TRINITY

 

BLACK TRINITY - BLACK TRINITY (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Black Trinity

Tracks: 1- The Black Knights Legions, 2- Oath of Blood and Iniquity, 3- Martyr Complex

Cover Art by Black Trinity

Ultra raw as hell black metal with some death touches. Here we have a band whose sound is related to classical black metal with interesting fast riffs and vocals that are somewhere viking metal bands and Venom. There is a lot of variations on the vocals here and tht is really good because it fits perfectly the music of the band. Black Trinity´s music has an ultra raw sound with blast beats and ultra fast riffs and the drumming here is really extreme. Everything here is designed to create the blackest of moods and the tracks despite the speed are memorable and I imagine the band in a live situation as really devastating. Black as hell ! 

Favorite tracks: The three

Contact: blcktrnty666@aol.com

REVIEW: BIZARRE EMBALMING - NECROSADISTIC SURGERY

BIZARRE EMBALMING - NECROSADISTIC SURGERY (Bizarre Leprous Prods., 2002)

Produced By: Vlakin and Bizarre Embalming

Tracks: 1- Intro: Necrosadistic, 2- Preparation of Resected Womb Tumour, 3-Bizarre Diagnosis, 4- Forced Excrements Taking, 5-Inhalation Control of Putrefaction, 6-Thorax Opening Using the Pincers, 7- Intro: Symphony of Cutter, 8- Low Speed Cutter Abscess Removal, 9- Kaviar Master, 10- Biodegraded Embryo Devourment, 11- Undigested Purulent Inflamation Vomiting, 12- I View To an Antomical..., 13- Genital Resection and Vulva Devourment, 14- Perverted Examinations Institute, 15- Insomnia (cover Blood), 16- Prolapsus Rectl

Recorded at Hostivar Studio

Bizarre Embalming´s music goes way beyongd grindcore . Here we have a band that is not afraid of experimenting with more rhythmic riffs and drum patterns and not only do blast beats through all the tracks contained on this album. Here we have differnt types of guitar riffs and different types of vocals, some of them closer to what one expects of grindcore bands and some of them even heavier and more devastating. The vocals are of the extreme type but the guttural one can be fully understood and contrasts heavily with the screaming vocals. Once again I have to remark the excellent sound of this recording, specially on the guitars that make things even more extreme.

Favorite tracks: "Genital resection", "Inhalation..." and "Perverted..."

Contact: www.bizarreleprous.cz

REVIEW: BEYOND THE EMBRACE - AGAINST THE ELEMENTS

 

BEYOND THE EMBRACE - AGAINST THE ELEMENTS (Metal Blade, 2002)

Produced By: Beyond the Embrace with Aaron Clay

Tracks: 1- Bastard Screams, 2- Mourning in Magenta, 3- Compass, 4- Rapture, 5- Drowning Sun, 6- Against the Elements, 7- Release, 8- The Bending Sea, 9- Embers Astray, 10- The Riddle of Steel

Cover Art by www.killustrations.com

Recorded at E.S.S. Productions

This album starts powerfully with "Bastard Screams", a pure metal song with hooks in the choruses and heavy and elaborated guitar riffs and solos. Here we have a band that mixes succesfully elements of pure death metal, heavy metal, thrash metal and black metal making infinite arrangements within each of the compositions. Each track here is a box of surprises with riffs in the style of bands like In Flames, Dark Tranquility or Carcass with complexity in the riffs and with differnt types of vocals that give a lot of variation to the songs. Plus, we have to add that thhis recording has a great sound that enhances all the elements and feelings that this guys want to transmit. Check this band !!

Favorite tracks: All the CD

Contact: www.metalblade.com

REVIEW: BELOW THE SOUND - MORE LIKE A GUNSHOT THAN A CAR WRECK

 

BELOW THE SOUND - MORE LIKE A GUNSHOT THAN A CAR WRECK (Berserker Recs. / Crucial Blast, 2002)

Produced By: Below The Sound

Tracks: 1- Extravaganza, 2- Fever Pitch, 3- Penetration, 4- Pretty Stupidity, 5- Subtractive, 6- Like a Pig, 7- Hot Blooded Animal

Cover Art by Below The Sound

This guys play some sort of heavy rock with an industrial feeling (I am saying this because of the guitar sound and because of the riffs that are played in a way that seems of the style. There are no samplers and telectronics here). Here we have seven energetic tracks with enough hooks to make the listener tap the feel and sing some of the choruses. The sound of the recording is really weird, specially the guitars and the bass that sound different from what you are accustomed. There is a lot of variation from song to song and none of them is similar to the other. Here we have a good option for lovers of powerful rock with raw sound and attitude.

Favorite tracks: "Extravaganza", "Penetration" and "Like a Pig"

Contact: www.berserkerrecords.com or www.crucialblast.com

REVIEW: AUDIO JUSTICE - BORED GAMES

 

AUDIO JUSTICE - BORED GAMES (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Audiojustice

Tracks: 1- Peanut Blues, 2- Happy Ending, 3- Time, 4- Snakes and Ladders

Cover Art by Progmaster Q

Recorded at Mighty Koolworld Studios

I expected sort of an industrial band but I was wrong. This band plays sort of rock but with a lot of pop attitude and many hooks in the vocal melodies and the choruses (that are essential here and are made for the audience to remember them). Here we have four songs that I wouldn´t be surprise to see them in the charts and with videos on MTV or some video station (this could be very productive for this guys in order to promote their music). I would like the band to mix a little bit louder the guitars, specially when the distorted ones enter adding power to then songs). There is heavy use of clean guitars here and that makes the song a little bit lighter than one could expect, but there is also heavy diostorted guitars that add energy here.

Favorite tracks: "Happy Ending" and "Time"

Contact: www.audiojustice.net

REVIEW: ASHES TO ASHES - CARDINAL VII

 

ASHES TO ASHES - CARDINAL VII (DVS Recs., 2002)

Produced By: Michael Stenberg and Björn Luna

Tracks: 1- New World Obscure, 2- Embraced in Black, 3- Among Mortals, 4- Truth on Scaffold, 5- Iben, 6- Dualism, 7- Sic transit Gloria mundi, 8- Ravenous Unleashed, 9- Behind Closed Eyes, 10- Cardinal VII, 11- Iben pt. II

Cover Art by B.Torbo

Recorded at Earattack

We reviewed the previous album from this darker than hell band from Norway some issues ago. Here we have their new album and I have to say that if that album was really good, this is even better. The band sounds heavier this time but without forgetting the melodies and keyboards passages that are essential to their sound. Here we have multiple heavy guitar riffs supporting the melodies and being the basis for Kenneth Brastad´s amazing vocals. Kenneth´s voice gives a lot of power and atmosphere to the songs as also do the choruses that give darker than hell melodies to them. The arrangements of the compositions here are amazing (this time the choruses sound more ethereal, deeper and more powerful). There are heavy keyboards passages and the band uses also cello in some parts. A must for every metal lover

Favorite tracks: One of the albums of the month

Contact: www.atoa.net or www.dvsrecords.com