REVIEW: ALASTOR SANGUINARY EMBRYO

 

ALASTOR SANGUINARY EMBRIO - THE HOWLING CREATURE OF NIGHT (Independent, 1997):

Track List: 1- Odio, 2- Poetry For Thy Glory, 3- My Fields Are unholy, 4- Through a Valley of Night Souls, 5- Where No Light Can Reach, 6- Sanguinary Embryo, 7- Ridin Thy Darklands, 8- The Infinity of Luciferian Wings, 9- Beyond my Unconscious Deep, 10- Quimera

An acoustic guyitar intro called "Odio" opens this demo from year 1997 from this band of Costa Rica called Alastor Sanguinary Embrio and lets us into their world of black arts. Inmediately after that, the band gets into the darkest black metal in a style similar to bands like Marduk or Gorogoroth. The most interesting thing here are certain riffs like the ones at 1:30 in "Poetry For Thy Glory" that are more rocking and are not commonly used in black metal and give more variations to the tracks, The sound of the whole recording is crude and primitive but allows the appreciation of the guitar riffs that are fundamental for the band´s music, specially those that are more elaborated. Favorite tracks: "My Fields are Unholy" and "Ridin thy Darklands". Contact: www.zonaunderground.com

REVIEW: AGES GONE - AGES GONE

 

AGES GONE - AGES GONE (Independent, 2000):

Technical data:

All tracks except "Psychjam" recorded at Jancee Warnick´s Studio by Jancee and Ages Gone

"Psychjam" recorded in Baron / Ages Gone rehearsal room by Ages Gone

Cover by Heike Ruschmeyer

Track List: 1- Intro, 2- 10, 3- 7, 4-9, 5- Bessy meets Ages Gone, 6- , 7- Fickpart, 8- Psychjam, 9-8

This is a very strange band. Starting in the first track as a death metal band with some keyboards and noises that differntiate them from the standard, they evolve through the different tracks into something muchweirder where the keys and pianos and more predominant. The vocals are like the ones in a death metal band, and there is also another type of vocals more like an anguished man. There are interesting guitar solos and a certain jazz influence in many of the tracks here (check the killer solo in "7") and that gives a lot of originality to the songs too. I like the way the keyboards , played by Martin Rascher, start to be predominant in the compositions interacting with the heavy guitar riffs and the bass (there are some really interesting bass patterns like for example in "9", not only in the beginning but through all the song). This is a killer band to don´t miss a step, I think that we can expect more wonderful music coming from them in the near future. One of the albums of the month. Favorite tracks: the whole albumContact: www.agesgone.de

REVIEW: ZEENON - AGAINST THE WORLD

 

 ZEENON - AGAINST THE WORLD (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded in Gordon Studio August 2000.

Track List: 1- Better If, 2- Between 2 Worlds, 3- Utopia, 4- Secret (of Secrets), 5- Absurd

Zeenon is a female fronted powerful metal band from Norway. Going from elements of pure metal, to distorted grunge, to some industrial touches, this band covers a big spectre. Along the five tracks contained here they show how energetic their music is, and it is interesting to listen the contrast between the heavy guitar riffs and the vocals that are different from what you are accustomed to listen (they are not growling and not soprano, prefering instead to create different melodies that are more clashing against the music...great) They have two women singing: Linn Pedersen is the main vocalist and Linda Aurland who also plays the guitar makes some counterpoint and harmonies with her (really depressing ones in some of the tracks...leaving space for some heavy guitar riffs). This band have some previous recordings that are also worth to be check if you love really heavy music. Favorite tracks: "Better If", "Secret (of Secrets)" and "Absurd" . Contact: www.zeenon.com

REVIEW: WINDS - OF ENTITY AND MIND

 

WINDS - OF ENTITY AND MIND (Avantgarde Music, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Toproom Studios

Engineered and Mixed by Borge Finstas and Winds

Design and Layout by Sub-Frequency.

Track List: 1- Inception Perspective, 2- In All Reflections, 3- Bloodstained and Sworn, 4- Mirrored in Time, 5- An Eternity of Dreams

Well, here we have another supergroup coming from the black metal scene of Norway. And as in most of them we have Mr. Von Blomberg (Hellhammer) behind the drumkit. The music here is dark and full of keyboards and at the same time powerful (warning: it is not black metal...it is more like a dark experimentation). The singer, Lars Eric Si, reminds me of Faith No More´s Mike Patton because of his vocal inflections in some parts and in others he sounds much darker. Here speed is not the main element (in fact the tracks are slow most of the time, except in some changes and parts where they speed a little bit before getting in the deeper parts. The only low point here is that the album is only 21 minutes long....well, we have to wait for a longer one. Favorite tracks: "An Eternity of Dreams", "In All Reflections" and "Bloodstained and Sworn". Contact: www.avantgardemusic.com 

REVIEW: VIRULENCE - A CONFLICT SCENARIO

 

VIRULENCE - A CONFLICT SCENARIO (Morbid Recs., 2001):

Track List: 1- Entrance, 2- Reptilian Triangle, 3- Painting, 4- Texture Shock, 5- Evolutionary Masquerade, 6- Cementing With Introspection, 7- Pipeline Dialogue, 8- Your Own Palestine

Do you remember the great late american band Cynic? Did you know Believer? Well, put this two bands together with a powerful an fast death metal band and you will have an idea of what Virulence sounds like. We have extreme musicianship here: that is ...the drums are not playing the common 4/4 beats most of the time and the guitars follow it in this odd tempo patterns. There are altered chords in a lot of places when the guitars are clean (I hear some Allan Holdsworth influences in this guys...great he is one of my favorite guitar players), like some diminished chords, some dominant ones. The bassist is a killer one that seems to have both a fusion background and a more metal one. Check for example the passages in "Painting " (0:15) , can I say that this tracks is a mix of Return To Forever with Cannibal Corpse or Meshuggah? I think I wouldn´t be too wrong if I say that. This is the type of bands that I like most...the onses that show many different ideas through each song and they are not afraid to show them and experiment twisting them to the limit. This album is a must for music lovers. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.morbidrecords.de

REVIEW: VINTERRIKET - PROMO 2001

 

VINTERRIKET - PROMO 2001 (Neodawn Prods., 2001):

Track List: 1- Endzeit, 2- Der Tod Wuotans (Burzum), 3- Sorgens Dis, 4- Det Svake Lys, 5- Nattefrost, 6- Zauber Der Nacht, 7- På Tåkete Enger Og Myrer, 8- Dødens Bris, 9- Mørkets Slave, 10- I Skogens Favn, 11- Visjoner Av En Evighet

This are three works of this band on one CD. Here we have their "Gjennom Tåkete Skogen" demo from 2000, the "Det Svake Lys 7" EP and their part of the Split Demo 2001 with Lebzul. Here we have a much more climatic side of Vinterriket´s music...and I love this one, full of keyboards (almost built all the songs on them). How beautiful are the melodies here! And how strange and ancient they seem at the same time ! In the first five tracks there are not even guitars or drums (and you will not miss them, believe me)...and it includes a Burzum track called "Der Tod Wuotans"...How beautiful is "Nattefrost" with its key passages and the female vocals contrasting with the guitars (this time mixed better for my taste) and the drums. Do you like atmospheric music? Then Vinterriket is a great option for you. Favorite tracks: "Sorgens Dis", "Nattefrost" and "Mørkets Slave". Contact: http://go.to/neodawnproductions

REVIEW: VINTERRIKET - STÜRME DER LETZTEN STILLE - DEMO 2001

 

VINTERRIKET - STÜRME DER LETZTEN STILLE - DEMO 2001 (Neodawn Prods., 2001):

Track List: 1- Der Letzte Weg, 2- Kerker bitterer Kälte, 3- Zauber der Nacht, 4- Morgengrauen (Einklang), 5- Äon deer Unendlichkeit, 6- ...Im Abendrot (Ausklang)

I wouldn´t define Vinterriket´s music as black metal even if it is closer related to the style. Why? Because this can give a mistaken idea to the reader of what the music is like. In fact there are blast beats in some places and muddy guitars, but the main feature here are two: one the awesome keyboards which are the main instrument here and the songs are created based completely on them, being the main skeleton through which the tracks are built. The second feature are the vocals that are clean and more in a gothic way (this combined to the german language gives a great combination for this grim and sad atmosphere). Also the tracks are not at full speed, they are slower and more climatic prefaring to use more drum patterns than the usual blast beat. I would like a couple of changes nevertheless in the sound, maybe a different sound in the guitars (mixed a little bit higher), and I would like the vocals mixed a litlle bit lower so they don´t seem so apart from the music. Favorite tracks: "Kerker bitterer Kälte", "Morgengrauen"and "Im Abendrot". Contact: http://go.to/neodawnproductions

REVIEW: VENEFICUM - DYSPHORIA

 

VENEFICUM - DYSPHORIA (Forever Underground Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded, Mixeed and Mastered at Studio Black Aura

Produced by Antarktis with Veneficum

Design and Layout by Antarktis with G. Reymond.

Track List: 1- Grace Overthrown, 2- A Releasement Black Aura, 3- Twisted Emotional Silence, 4- The Manifestation Nocturne, 5- Overture Bizarre

This guys have no mercy for the listener !! They start at full speed with their raw black metal!!! The main characteristic here is that even is the band is really raw and full of hatred, they have predominant keyboards,a nd I think that this keyboards are really well played and ad a flavor to the music that is different from what one is accustomed to listen in the style. The five tracks here have a lot of dark feeling and that is because this orchestration fills every space that the rest of the band allows with its sad melodies. What can we feel here? Hatred !! and Darkness !!. My absolute favorite track is "The Manifestation Nocturne", the more climatic one with the use of different types of voices and with the keyboard at the top of its possibilities. Favorite tracks: "The Manifestation Nocturne" and "A Releasement Black Aura". Contact: www.foreverunderground.com

REVIEW: VALHALLA - POWER AND MIGHT

 

VALHALLA - POWER AND MIGHT (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded between Nov-2000 and Aug 2001.

Track List: 1- Gloom of War, 2- Sacrifice, 3- The Dragon Rides Again, 4- Still Alive, 5- The Sword of My Father, 6- Stayin Alive, 7- Wotan, 8- Highway To Hell, 9- Tears of Mortality

 This is Valhalla´s new album...full of rarities and covers. Featuring a better sound than in all of their previous efforts and an omniprescent keyboard, plus the soft vocals of Ines Barth in some tracks which adds a new dimension to Valhalla´s sound. Here we have five previously unreleased tracks from the band, plus a live version of "The Sword of My Father" recorded in Sonnberg on May 5th, 2001. Also this CD features a cover of Bathory´s "Sacrifice", of AC/DC´s "Highway To Hell" and a completely reworked version of the Bee Gee´s "Staying Alive" (in a really thrash version with new lyrics written by Valthor). Favorite tracks: " Gloom of War", "Sacrifice" and "Tears of Mortality". Contact: www.truemetal.org/legion-of-eternity

REVIEW: VALHALLA - DESTINATION DAY

 

VALHALLA - DESTINATION DAY (Independent, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded on eight track demo machine June-July 2000.

Front and Back cover by Bernhard Kast.

Track List: 1- destination Day, 2- Stronger Than Ever Before, 3- Die For The Gods, 4- the Burning Force, 5- The Power of Steel, 6- For Glory, 7- Banished in Hell, 8- Sacred leather, 9- Mights of All Storms, 10- RagnArök, 11- Eternal Night

Detination Day is the third Valhalla demo and it features a much better sound than in the two previous recording. In fact most of the tracks here are from those previous albums, but they have improved a lot the sound by recording them again on an eight track demo machine. The sound is still raw and with quite a lot of melodies. Valthor´s vocals sound here like a mix between Cronos (Venom) and Tom Angelripper (Sodom) giving their particular style of metal his particular touch. Favorite tracks: " The Burning Force", "The Power of Steel" and "Die For The Gods". Contact: www.truemetal.org/legion-of-eternity