REVIEW: DARKNESS ETERNAL - SATANCHRIST

 

DARKNESS ETERNAL - SATANCHRIST (Dark Salvation Prods., 2001)

Produced by George Velaetis

Recorded and Engineered by Stew Kirkwood

Graphic Arts Crol Pylypow

Tracks: 1-Satanchrist, 2- Cursed To an Eternal Damnation, 3- Entering the World of the Dead, 4- Cross of Lies, 5- Descending Into Forever, 6- To Save the Lost, 7- Drowning In the Red Sea, 8- For All Eternity, 9- Dark Salvation

George Velaetis sent me some months ago his previous Darkness Eternal album, called "The Dawn of The Suffering"...and this "Satanchrist" is a big improvement, not only in sound but in the composition side too. That mix of death metal, black metal and doom with a lot of atmospheric parts is here too but much better. George is the man behind all this music and he is also performing all the instruments doing a really good job with all of them. The music here makes a big emphasis on atmosphere, melodies and the different moods that are creating (specially on the parts with a lot of clean guitars (that for my ear seem sometimes like keyboards...even if there is no use of keyboards on this CD) or where the guitar is doing really melodic lines). Completely recommended for death/black fans who want music with a lot of ideas. Favorite Tracks: "Entering the World of the Dead", "Descending Into Forever" and "For All Eternity".Contact: www.deternal.darkgod.net

REVIEW: DARKMOON - .308 ANTICHRIST

 

DARKMOON - .308 ANTICHRIST (Tribunal Records, 2001)

Produced by Darkmoon

Engineered by Bob Moore and Art Bordeaux

Design: DS Designs and Promotions ( DSPromos@austin.rr.com ). Art: Travis Smith ( seempieces@mindspring.com )

Tracks: 1- Wehrwolfe (Anti-Martyr Brigade 2001), 2- Impenetrable, 3- Pagan Graves, 4- Patriots of Fire

Extremely brutal and fast death metal with a very particular guitar sound. There is a lot of technique here and good guitar solos (with good note placement and fit perfectly with the songs). There are lot of breaks and changes within the same track and the rhythm variations are a lot too! The band is really well rehearsed and this is evident in how tight they souns in the most complicated parts. The four tracks here are extremely brutal and at the same time extremely clear. I would call this music progressive brutal death metal. There are excelent changes and excelent ideas flowing here. Favorite tracks: The four contained on this CD. Contact: www.darkmoonusa.com or www.ncmusic.com/tribunal

REVIEW: DARKFALL - FIREBREED

 

DARKFALL - FIREBREED (Independent, 2001)

Tracks: 1-Chapter of denial, 2- Kill the Need, 3- Firebreed, 4- Land of No Return

This is death/thrash at its best. All the killer sound and vocals of death metal are joined here by the riffs of thrash metal creating a modern band with a classic sound that helps to distinguish them from bands of the scene. Also to help the final result there is a keyboard that creates certain melodies and atmospheres which are very dark. The main element here are the guitars and their riffs (some of the riffs in "Chapter of Denial" reminded me of Anthrax´s State of Euphoria album), and also the melodies thata re played by the guitarists which are killer and have a great technique and control over their instruments. I liked a lot the combination of the guitars and keyboards and specially when they join the brutal vocalist creating great moods and passages. Favorite tracks: "Chapter of denial" and "Land of No Return".Contact: www.8ung.at/darkfall

REVIEW: DARK RITUAL - PROMO

 

DARK RITUAL - PROMO (Independent, 2002)

Tracks: 1- Frayed, 2- Princess, 3- My Skin Unbroken, 4-Enhanced section

Well, this is the latest promotional CD by the band Dark Ritual. Comparing to their previous effort this one is a step forward in the correct direction. They have added a better sound to the instruments that now sound better and bigger (specially the guitars that sound much harder now ...they are a wall of sound). The music is heavy metal with thrash, progressive and death influences. Starting with "Frayed" a song with a crushing rhythm and an eerie melody done by the guitar (in some parts through a terrible flanger effect) and multiple changes that make this a really intereesting track. The vocals are stronger and have more variations on this release giving the tracks the strength that they are asking for. The second song is "Princess" slower in the beginning with interesting melodic guitar riffs and getting faster soon (again great guitar riffs and a really good bass player who is very original). This Promo CD contains three tracks plus a multimedia track containing pictures, videos, biography, lyrics, etc. Favorite tracks: The three. Contact: www.darkritual.com .

REVIEW: CHRIS BURN/ JOHN BUTCHER / RHODRI DAVIES / JOHN EDWARDS - THE FIRST TWO GIGS

 

CHRIS BURN/ JOHN BUTCHER / RHODRI DAVIES / JOHN EDWARDS - THE FIRST TWO GIGS (Emanem Disc, 2001)

Editing Mastering by Martin Davidson

Recorded at on May 25, 2000 and September 17, 2000

Design by Martin Davidson

Tracks: 1- Low Standard, 2- High Standard, 3- The Remove, 4- Scharlachglut, 5- Russelliana, 6- Souvenir De Docteur

Experimental music done with: piano and percussion, soprano and tenor saxophone, harp and double bass. And this guys know how to play in a really manic way their instruments. This are two gigs recoorded in May and September of 2000 in different environments. And here you can listen how eerie this music sounds....sometimes really coordinated, sometimes truly wild. And above all it is a music without a fixed structure and it is constantly evolving and developing into something completely different. The main thing here are Burn´s pianos and percussion that are all over the place and Butcher´s sax that appear in the more intense moments. Check it if you love experimentation. Favorite tracks: "Russelliana", "High Standard" and "the Remove". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

REVIEW: CHIKMOUNTAIN - PORN ON THE COB

 

CHIKMOUNTAIN - PORN ON THE COB (Tachist Records, 2000)

Mastered by Paul Story and Derek Wille

Recorded in June-july 1999 and January 2000

Tracks: 1-Electric Toadjuice Experiment, 2- Where Am I, 3- the Room, 4- Chikmountain Speaks, 5- Turn Up The Music (The Air Conditioner´s Mocking Me), 6- Wronghole, 7- Revelation 101, 8- Drums, 9- Love Won´t Pay the Bills, 10- Use Once and Discard

This is totally insane and experimental music !! Yes, the music contained on this CD is for people looking for something new and original. Chikmountain is a band that has some features that I would like to mention: 1- A guitar that plays a heavy riff and in some parts is doubled by other guitar, sometimes repits an idea through the whole track, sometimes has more variation. There are some samplers and electronics effects that are fundamental to Chikmountain´s sound. There are some vocals thrown here and there but they are used like a sound effect to complete this complex and spontaneous music that Chikmountain makes. I think that most of people in magazines will have a hard time trying to label this band (specially the ones in metal that sometimes are quite close minded). If you want originality, don´t miss this recordingFavorite tracks: "The Room", "Turn Up The Music" and "Revelation 101". Contact: tachist@yahoo.com

REVIEW: BRODEQUIN - FESTIVAL OF DEATH

 

BRODEQUIN - FESTIVAL OF DEATH (Unmatched Brutality Recs., 2001)

Produced by Seven taran Sky

Recorded at Digital Sky Studios

Tracks: 1-Mazzetello, 2- Judas Cradle, 3- Trial by Ordeal, 4- Torches of Nero, 5- Vivian Excoriari, 6- Lake of the Dead, 7- Blood of the Martyr, 8-Gilles De Rais, 9- Flow of Maggotts, 10- Bronze Bowl, 11- Auto De Fa

Brodequin´s music is hyper fast grind/death without subtle elements. Here are all the elements of the style and on certain tracks like "Judas Cradle" there are better riffs. One thing to remark: the drummer Chad Walls is very fast and very precise at the same time playing very tidy and clear blast beats as well as other rhythms. The vocals here are hiper guttural as grind demands. This CD is thirty minutes long and there are really good ideas like at 0:58 of "Trial by Ordeal" and Mike Bailey´s riffs which are original. Death/Grind like the one made by Brodequin rules!! Favorite tracks: "Judas Cradle", "Torches of Nero" and Flow of Maggots". Contact: www.unmatchedbrutality.com

REVIEW: AESMA DAEVA - HERE LIES ONE WHOSE NAME WAS WRITTEN IN WATER

 

AESMA DAEVA - HERE LIES ONE WHOSE NAME WAS WRITTEN IN WATER (Roor of All Evil Recs., 2001)

Produced by Nick Copernicus

Tracks: 1- O death (Rock me Asleep), 2- Downvain, 3- Stay, 4- Disdain, 5- Introit, 6- when I have Fears that I may Cease to be, 7- Luceat Eis, 8- Introit II, 9- Communion, 10- Sanctus, 11- Darkness, 12*- Darkness (Stromkern)

Spectacular CD!! This one of the best CDs of the month. Combining dark metal with a lot of orchestration and keyboards and some electronic elements. Also there is the spectacular voice of Rebecca Cords making this CD an experience in beauty. There a re a lot of elements of classical music (that is not strange because guitarist Jon Prassas is classically trained) and the music is very heavy in some parts and very subtle in others. There is always a predominance here of vocal harmonies that make Aesma Daeva´s a trully original band. This CD was originally released by Ascension Recs. in germany and now is released in America by Root of All Evil. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

REVIEW: WITCHERY - SYMPHONY FOR THE DEVIL

 

WITCHERY - SYMPHONY FOR THE DEVIL (Necropolis Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded at Berno Studio, Sweden, Feb. 2001

Produced by Witchery and Berno Paulson

Artwork by Niklas Sundin

Track List: 1- The Storm, 2- Unholy Wars, 3- Inquisition, 4- Omens, 5-Bone Mill, 6- None Buried Deeper, 7-Wicked, 8- Called For By Death, 9- Hearse of the Pharaohs, 10- Shallow Grave, 11- Enshrined, 12- The One Within

Finally Necropolis Records is releasing Witchery´s latest opus. This time the guys in Witchery have achieved their best record up to date. Beginning with the sound that is far better than the one in their previous efforts, specially on the guitars and drums. Here the tracks are better structured and composed, always revolving in their black/death/thrash style . There is as always some Venom and Celtic Frost influences in there but here they are more subtle than in for example "Restless and Dead". The palms here go to Richard Corpse´s guitar melodies and solos and to Patrick Jensen whose riffs are the main axis of the band. Favorite tracks: "Inquisition", " None Buried Deeper" and "Hearse of the Pharaohs". Contact: www.necropolisrec.com

REVIEW: VASTATOR - PROMO 2001

 

VASTATOR - PROMO 2001 (Independent, 2001):

Track List: 1- Cybernetic Heartbeat, 2- I Love You, 3- Mongolian Meat

Vastator is a band from Chile who does a style that I can fully categorize as thrash metal. And this is an advance of the tracks that will be on their next album called "The Night of San Juan". The music here is fast and powerful yet melodic. With rhythms that sound fresh...like if they have taken old school thrash rhythms and put a very modern sound to them...and interesting vocals (sometimes the vocalist reminded me of the singers in eighties thrash metal bands like Toxik). It is very interesting to find a band like this which gives an option to those who want something new instead of the same styles that are popular today. The sound in this recording is very good and I don´t know if this is the same mix that they will use in "The Night of San Juan", but is a really good one. Contact: www.vastator.s5.com