REVIEW: SOUL EROSION - FURIOUS MIND DEGENERATION

 

SOUL EROSION - FURIOUS MIND DEGENERATION (Warpath Recs., 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded and mixed at LB Lab, France, July 2000.

Produced by Stephane Buriez and Soul Erosion,

Mastered by Benoit Roux at Master Lab.

Logo and Cover: Michael Schindler / Dragon Design

Track list:   1- Furious Mind Degeneration, 2- Kraniotomy, 3- Christ Militia, 4- El Gran Mazel

The most brutal death/grind metal is coming to us with this band from France. Really fast tracks are the four contained here (a terrible amount of double bass drumming appears on this release…killer drummer !). Brutality is the main thing here but we must not forget technique…this guys are like a death metal machine, sounding some times really like a clockwork mechanism, specially because of the drumming sound. Lovers of good death metal rejoice, here is Soul Erosion !!! Favorite tracks: 1- Furious Mind Degeneration" and Kraniotomy". Contact: warpath@wanadoo.fr

REVIEW: SIDE WALK SLAM - PAST REMAINS

 

SIDE WALK SLAM - PAST REMAINS (Tooth and Nail Recs., 2001):

Track list:   1- Yesterday, 2- No need to apologize, 3- Yesterday´s actions, today´s regrets, 4- Heartache, 5- Hopes and Dreams, 6- Another Day, 7- Princess, 8- Not getting off, 9- Gone with the wind, 10- Eve, 11- I´ll be waiting at the southside tracks, 12- Ode to dispossession, 13- Love Letters, 14- Circumstances, 15- Holy Matrimony, 16- Past Remains, 17- Everyday

Total modern punk rock…nothing more and nothing less. Fans of the style will love it and detractors will hate it with the same intensity. In fact this is the kind of punk that is not so aggressive and is melodic. In fact some things here reminded me of Green Day or Blink 182. Those who like those bands will surely enjoy this recording. Contact: www.toothandnail.com

REVIEW: SABAISM - THE UNBORN DAWN

 

SABAISM - THE UNBORN DAWN (Independent, 1996):

Technical data:

Recorded, mixed and mastered at ARTAG Studio, Zurich.

Produced by Sabaism. Engineered by Voco Faux-pas

Artwork and Logo by Marco Gemmet.

Track list: 1- Intro, 2- Einsamkeir, 3- The Unborn Dawn, 4- Fateful Sophism.

Great black/death metal band from Switzerland. Their sound is at the same time fast but full of changes, melodies and atmospheres. There are some dissonances in there that I loved (the ones in the clean interlude of "Einsamkeit" (3:14) or in the fast part of "Fateful Sophism" (0:28)) and some Sabbath like riffs (on "Einsamkeit"). I like this band because they are using elements that are not so common in this style of music and they have obtained a sound that is able to distinguish this band, not resting only on speed and blast beats, but using excellent stuff like for example the change at 2:46 of "Fateful Sophism" with good drumming work. This is a recording from 1996 and I would love to see what this band is doing now and how they have evolved. Favorite tracks: "Einsamkeit" and "Fateful Sophism". Contact: sabaism@hotmail.com

REVIEW: RAINSPAWN - MESSENGER OF DEATH

 

RAINSPAWN - MESSENGER OF DEATH (Independent / Kick Promotion Agency, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded , Mixed in October 2000 at Temple of Noise Studios.

Produced by Rainspawn

Cover painting by Roberto Vallati.

Track list:   1- Reign of Pain, 2- Power of the Wind, 3- Awake, 4- Legion of Chaos, 5- Shade off from grace, 6- Ride The Storm

This is power metal but not in the vein of bands like for example Symphony X. The guys in Rainspawn have much more influences from thrash metal bands and their riffs are heavier than most of the bands in the scene (not mere the galloping that most of power metal copycats bands do nowadays). Shades of bands like old Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth or Testament can be heard here. Riffs done with certain complexity and drums using a lot of snare and cymbals. The overall sound is good (in fact I would like the snare drum a little bit more dry) and the result is a good thrash metal album. Favorite tracks: "Reign of Pain", "Power of the Wind" and "Ride the Storm". Contact: www.rainspawn.go.to or madfucker@libero.it

REVIEW: PUTREFACTOR - SYMPTOMS OF SOCIETAL ROT

 

PUTREFACTOR - SYMPTOMS OF SOCIETAL ROT (Independent, 1999):

Technical data:

Recorded , Mixed and Mastered at Vortex Studios, Lindenwood, N.J.

Engineered and Mixed by Jim Forbes and Putrefactor. Produced by Putrefactor.

Track list:  1- Disemboweled, 2- Eternal Sleep, 3- Climax, 4- Nightmare, 5- 13, 6- The Dying

Pure hatred death metal !! Violent, agressive, raw, crushing are some adjectives that come to my mind when listening to this band´s recording. The music here is death metal in its purest form with some thrash touches in certain guitar riffs and drum patterns (check for example "Disemboweled" at 1:20 to see that double bass nightmare). I like the overall sound here but I would have mixed differently the guitars (a little bit higher on the riffs) that are in some places obscured by the cymbals. Also there is a good drum sound, specially on the bass drum that is not so "electronic-sounding" as most bands like to do. I think that this guys must explore certain interesting rhythms that they have here and develope their sound full of brutality. Favorite tracks: "Disemboweled, "Nightmare" and "The Dying". Contact: it_lives_@webtv.net

REVIEW: POLIMETRO - METROPOLIS

 

POLIMETRO - METROPOLIS (NEMS Enterprises, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded, mastered and mixed by Andrés Godoy and Kike Yorio at Procor Studios, Santiago de Chile

Produced by Andrés Godoy

Concept, Art and Design: Aldo Robledo / Leandro Ibañez

Track list:  1- Intro, 2- Laberintos, 3- Dioses Negros, 4- Fábulas, 5-Hijos del Temor, 6- Sola, 7- Finjo ser Fuerte, 8- Guerras Eternas, 9- Luz y Sombra, 10- La Traición, 11- Episodios, 12- Instru Mental.

A keyboard introduction sends us directly to "Laberintos", in the more pure tradition of progressive heavy metal of the kind that bands like Dream Theater have made famous. There are a lot of changes within the tracks of this album. Despite being a progressive band here there are not extensive tracks (the longest one is 6:27 minutes long). This guys are obviously influenced by the main bands of the style and specially by Dream Theater (I think they should depart a little bit from them to gain more originality in their music). Interesting musicians here that are in total control of their instruments, and they show it through short solos and multiple changes. A positive point for this record is that they have achieved a great studio sound, specially on keyboards and guitars. Favorite tracks: "Laberintos", "Fábulas" and "Hijos del Temor". Contact: nems@nems.com.ar

REVIEW: OSSIAN - PROMOTAPE 00

 

OSSIAN - PROMOTAPE 00 (Independent / Kick Promotion Agency, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded at Blu Velvet Studios Modena - Jan/Feb 00.

Produced by Ossian. Mixed by Marco de Bartolomeo and Ossian at master Recording Studio

Ossian is a heavy thrash band from Italy and this is a three track promo CD. The music of the band is really heavy, take as an example a mix of Machine Head, Sepultura, and some hardcore band (Cro-Mags I would suggest…) with some melodic touches in the vocals on some bridges and choruses. There are some modern sounds like in the second track here that sounds like Korn meet death metal. It seems that the band has participated in some festivals with great response from the audience. If I had to resume the whole album in one world: strength. Contact: www.ossian.3000.it or madfucker@libero.it

REVIEW: OCCULT - VIOLENCE AND HATRED

 

OCCULT - VIOLENCE AND HATRED (Painkiller Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded, mixed and engineered by Peter Gardian with Dream World Studios.

Mastered by John Korsten and Peter Gardian.

Produced by Occult and Peter Gardian.

Track list:  1-Violence and Hatred, 2- Killing for Recreation

This band has become heavier !! This CD single presents two tracks recorded last year by this death metal band. The music here is pure death metal but with riffs that are more close to heavy metal or eighties thrash metal, obviously with a more modern sound (the riffs brought to my mind Sodom´s "Agent Orange"). I have not heard in a long time rhythms like the one that opens "Killing for recreation", really Kreator / Destruction-like. There are two types of vocals here that sometimes make unison phrases (one is more guttural and the other one is more of the Carcass-type). The next full length of this band will be out in a couple of months through Painkiller Recs. and I would like them to emphasize this path they are walking on nowadays.Contact: painkiller@infonie.be

REVIEW: NIGHTSIDE - SHADOWS WEAVER

 

NIGHTSIDE - SHADOWS WEAVER (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and mixed at Litle Fox Studios September 2000/January 2001 by Simo, Dany and Nightside.

Produced by Nightside.

Booklet and cover design: Valentina and Davide S.

Track list: 1- Abyss, 2- Illusion, 3- Darkness, 4- The line, 5- Only one, 6- Rain dance.

This is with no doubt one of the albums of the month ! It is a pity that Italy is now known because of its power metal bands and this is like a tree that does not let people to see the forest that is behind. Extremely technical death metal is what this italian band does with shades in some aspects of norwegian bands like In The Woods or Enthrall (in the clean voices). Interesting drum patterns are what Matteo C. Does, in the vein of maybe Sean Reinert to give you an idea. There are a lot of interesting guitar moments here, including complex riffs, clean interludes and two guitar games (for example one clean and another heavily distorted) or for example clean guitars while the bass does some interesting arrangements. This is recommended for those who love extremely professional bands with excelent musicianship. Favorite tracks: the whole album. Contact: tompa@virgilio.it

REVIEW: MYTH - DEMO CD 2001

 

MYTH - PROMO CD 2001 (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Dream State Studios on December 7th, 2000.

Mixed on June 8th, 2001 by Brandon Youngs and Myth.

Track list: 1- Through The Mist of Time, 2- The Shadow Beyond, 3- The last Feast of Marketh,

What a surprise this promo CD was !! This is melodic black metal directly from the USA, with the use of female vocals, flutes and viola with a great emphasis on melodies. The first track "Through the Mist of Time" is the slowest track here with the use of female choruses and a lot of keyboards. In fact, I find interesting the heavy use of keyboards, specially in the track "The Shadow Beyond" (interesting lines at the end of the track). "The Last Feast of Marketh" is a rhythmic instrumental track that opens with the flute playing some medieval-type melody before the band enters playing this heavy rhythmic phrase (interesting work of the bassist here, alla Steve Harris). I wonder if this band will get a recording deal soon so we can listen a full length release from them. Keyword: originality. Contact: stormdrums@aol.com