REVIEW: MORNINGSTAR - KALEVALA MYSTICISM

 

MORNINGSTAR - KALEVALA MYSTICISM (R.I.P. Records, 2002)

Mixed by Teppo Seppänen and Ari Honkonen

Recorded at Mäkkäri Studios

Tracks: 1- Ultima Thule; 2- Pagan Funeral; 3- Metal Fever; 4- Sons of Kaleva; 5- Frozen Woods, 6- Kalevala; 7- Battleaxe/Made of Iron; 8- Throne of Doom (Divine Wisdom); 9- Attack; 10- Sinister Shaman

It seems to me that R.I.P. Records is realeasing really pure heavy metal bands...Metalucifer and Morningstar are a sample of this !! Here we have the Finnish guys from Morningstar who are a trio that plays pure metal with a really raw sound and some dark atmospheres. The vocals are not high pitched so it is not what you would call classic metal...in fact it sounds modern and has many changes that could have been done by a thrash metal band. There are many ideas going on here. As you may see in "Pagan Funeral" for example). The songs contained on this CDs are mostly from year 2000 and there are also new versions of older songs....One of the main things here is that the music has a lot of power and at the same time has a lot of hooks designed to make metal maniacs sing along the choruses with their fists in the air. Pure heavy metal lovers, rejoice...here is Morningstar.

Favorite tracks: "Throne of Doom"; "Metal Fever" and "Frozen Woods"

Contact: www.restinpeacerecords.com

REVIEW: MITTERNACHT - THE DESOLATION OF BLENDENSTEIN

 

MITTERNACHT - THE DESOLATION OF BLENDENSTEIN (Furias Records, 2002)

Produced by Eduardo Mallada and Pablo De Luca

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered by Sergio E. Nuñez Stolles

Cover by Friedrich Curwenius

Tracks: 1- the Desolation of Blendenstein; 2- The Pain of Uncertainty; 3- The Crushing of Blendenstein; 4- Mist of Ravens; 5- A Tribute to the Void; 6- The Unveiling; 7- The Dawn of Uprising; 8- War Against the Void; 9- Last Battle in the Fields of Blendenstein; 10- The Desert beside Blendenstein

This is a really climatic release from this project coming from the dark mind of Friedrich Curwenius who is here in charge of all the compositions and plays all the instruments and programming. The music is certainly climatic and has a lot of melodies while reminding you to black metal style. So it is a great mix between heavy and fast rhythms and intense keyboards that make melodies through all the CD making you imagine the story that Curwenius is telling us here. The keyboards chord progression are interesting and Curwenius plays original and sad melodies over them that are the core of the tracks contained on this CD: Also there are a lot of sound effects and voices that transports you directly to Blendenstein. A must for people who likes original music done in a really professional way.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD. One of the CDs of the month

Contact: http://listen.to/mitternacht or www.orionmusic-furias.com.ar

REVIEW: METALUCIFER - HEAVY METAL CHAINSAW

 

METALUCIFER - HEAVY METAL CHAINSAW (R.I.P. Records, 2002)

Produced by Geniezoluzifer

Recorded at Overhead Project Koblenz

Tracks: 1- Heavy Metal Chainsaw; 2- Flight of Iron Pegasus; 3- Warriors Ride on the Chariots; 4- My Way is Heavy Metal; 5- Heavy Metal Samurai; 6- Dracula; 7- Metalucifer (Part II); 8- Lost Sanctuary

Pure heavy metal!! Yes, here we have heavy metal as it was in the early eighties, full of rocking riffs, choruses full of heavy metal hooks. The most notorius influences here are Accept, Saxon and Judas Priest. The sound of the recording is very eighties, giving us a complete picture of how heavy metal sounded in that time. But Metalucifer is also adding a twist to the music making it sound their own way. There are many guitar solos with a lot of power and melody combined with great riffs and simple drum beats that make the music really powerful !! If you like classic metal in the vein of the bands that I mentioned before then you will like Metalucifer. There are a lot of heavy metal tricks in the guitar riffs which I like a lot , check for example "Heavy Metal Samurai" and feel pure heavy metal music !!!

Favorite tracks: "My Way is Heavy Metal"; "Flight of Iron Pegasus" and "Lost Sanctuary"

Contact: www.restinpeacerecords.com

REVIEW: MENTAL AMPUTATION - MASS CRISIS

 

MENTAL AMPUTATION - MASS CRISIS (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Mental Amputation and Albrecht Felsestein

Recorded at Brickhouse Studios

Cover by Jaczek Wisniewski

Tracks: 1- Intro; 2- Mass Crisis; 3- The Inexorable; 4- Equinox; 5- Visions of Demise; 6- Hybrid Nation

Mental Amputation rules!! Their music is death metal with technical riffs and a grerat sound. The main thing here is that the songs are really well composed and there are many great arrangements that make things really interesting and add a lot of variation to the tracks. Here we have musicians that have a lot of technical skills.The recording has a great sound and there are a lot of things that shine like the keyboards in "The Inexorable", the clean guitars and the drum patterns which feature a lot of hi hat and ride cymbal that are mixed perfectly. This band deserves a recording deal now to be one of the main bands in the death metal scene. As I said before....Mental Amputation rules !!!!

Favorite tracks: All the CD. The tracks are really well composed and have many ideas going on !!

Contact: mentalamputation@gmx.de

REVIEW: MANIAS / SALÉ SANGRE - IDENTITY CRISIS

 

MANIAS / SALÉ SANGRE - IDENTITY CRISIS (Deadworld Syndicate Recs. , 2002)

Produced by Manias

Recorded in Santa Fe, NM USA

Cover by Leo Gonzalez

Tracks: 1- Abacination ; 2- Domain of Forever; 3- Trapped in a Cage; 4- Homisight; 5- Ojos Sangrientos; 6- Recuerdas; 7- Blood Covered; 8- 97 Fiends; 9- Baila Sin Piel; 10- D.I. - Avulsion; 11- La Llorona; 12- D.O.M.; 13- Hijos; 14- Growth; 15- A.O.R. - A Team Theme; 16 - Unimagined Figure

This CD starts in a great way with parts of Slayer´s "Hell Awaits" before getting into Manias / Salé Sangre´s own material. Here we have ultrabrutal death metal with a lot of rhythm variations and excellent riffs that sometimes are death, sometimes are more hardcore and sometimes sound even like black metal. The vocals are guttural in some tracks and in others are more screaming ones giving a lot of variation to the tracks. The sound is ultra raw and it gives the tracks a great raw feeling adding some darkness to the tracks. There are songs that are longer than others and I prefer the ones that have more riffs and rhythm changes. This is a good sample of what this guys are capable of doing. This CD was released originally in year 2000 so I am anxious to see what Andrew Manias and company are doing now. I hope to listen more from them soon.

Favorite tracks: "Domain of Forever"; "Recuerdas" and "La Llorona"

Contact: dead1@victimas-dth.com

REVIEW: LOST SOUL´S CRY - AGE OF FORTHCOMING CHAOS

 

LOST SOUL´S CRY - AGE OF FORTHCOMING CHAOS ( Independent , 2001)

Produced by Lost Souls Cry

Recorded at studio Postelflat

Cover by Danielle Van Deuveren

Tracks: 1-Diary of Darkness; 2- Tragedies of Existence; 3- Piece of Mind; 4- Age of Forthcoming Chaos; 5- Infinity of Nothingness

I would call Lost Soul´s Cry symphonic black death metal. Itt is symphonic because of the heavy use of keybaords and the arrangements which are epic, melodi cand at the same time really dark and sad. The tracks are fast as hell in some places giving you the idea of a black or death metal bands and the vocals are similar to those used by some black metal bands. The strange thing is that there is only one mind behind Lost Soul´s Cry and that is Frank Klein Douwel who plays all guitars and has done all the vocals and programming here. And he has done a good job, specially in the more climatic parts with excelent guitar riffs and keybvoards that create the darkest of all atmospheres. The sound is a little bit muddy but that is due mostly tothe programmed drums cymbals that give a strange effect. I think he has to do more tracks like the excellent "Piece of Mind", a really memorable tune with original melodies and sound.

Favorite tracks: "Piece of Mind";"Tragedies of Existence" and "Age of Forthcoming Chaos"

Contact: lostsoulscry@dolfijn.nl

REVIEW: LORD GORE - THE AUTOPHAGOUS ORGY

 

LORD GORE - THE AUTOPHAGOUS ORGY (Razorback Records, 2002)

Mastered by Rudy

Recorded in the Ruptured Bowels of the Vomitorium

Cover art by Walta Uziga

Tracks: 1-Intro; 2- Morgue Whore; 3- Krash Kourse in Psychopathology; 4- Rape Camp; 5- The Forgotten Flesh; 6- Last Supper (The Aurophagous); 7- Involuntary Vaginal Vermin Slut; 8- Post Coital Eruption; 9- Nekro-Erotik Art; 10- Zombie Molestation (Raped by the Dead); 11- Lord Gore; 12- Breakfast at the Manchester Morgue

Here are the new masters of gore music!!! Yes, Lord Gore is one of the best known names in the underground together with Impaled and Disgorge. This band has certain influences from the classic Autopsy (in the slower parts that were typical of that band). One of the things that are really welcome on this CD is the great sound that it has....really clear guitars focusing on strength and powerful riffs. Another excellent feature here are the solos which are really well mixed and they are based on good taste instead of being based on simple speed. We have several types of vocals here....some are more guttural than other and some brought to my mind classics like "Symphonies of Sickness". I liked a lot the drummer who does not abuse the use of blast beats....he prefers playing more interesting stuff that fits the music better. A great extreme release.

Favorite tracks: "Rape Camp"; " Lord Gore" and "Post Coital Eruption"

Contact: www.razorbackrecords.com

REVIEW: KOTIPELTO - WAITING FOR THE DAWN

 

KOTIPELTO - WAITING FOR THE DAWN (Century Media Recs. , 2002)

Produced by Timo Kotipelto

Cover by Derek Riggs

Tracks: 1- Intro; 2- Travel Through Time; 3- Beginning; 4- Lord of Eternity; 5- Knowledge and Wisdom; 6- Battle of the Gods; 7- Beauty Has Come; 8- Vizier; 9- Chosen by Re; 10- Waiting for the Dawn; 11- Arise; 12- The Monument of the Nile

Here we have the first solo album by Stratovarius frontman Timo Kotipelto. And here we have many famous musicians helping him on this recording. Jari Kainulainen (Stratovarius) on bass, Michael Rome (Symphony X) on guitars; Roland Grapow (ex Helloween) on guitars; Janne Wirman (Children of Bodom, Warmen) on Keyboards and many more. Here Kotipelto and company have developed a great album with many Stratovarius elements but with really strong songs and a great sound. I like specailly the way in which Kotipelto uses his voice because he has much more variations than many of the top singers of the style. Here we have also acoustic parts where he can sing and make harmonized choruses. If you like Stratovarius you will surely like this CD a lot. Also if you like heavy metal with European sound here you have a great release.

Favorite tracks: "Travel Through Time", "Chosen by Re" and "Arise"

Contact: In Southamerica: www.centurymedia.com . In Europe: www.centurymedia.de

REVIEW: KATAGORY V - PRESENT DAY

 

KATAGORY V - PRESENT DAY ( Independent, 2001)

Produced by Curtis Morrell and Katagory V

Recorded at Streamline Sound

Cover by Chris Maggio

Tracks: 1- I live On; 2- Evil Princess; 3- The Call of Midnight; 4- The Beginning of our End; 5- Steel Dungeon; 6- Morning Light; 7- The Forsaken; 8- Negative Attraction; 9- Present Day; 10- One Second Warning

Katagory V plays pure heavy metal and they have achieved their own identity while doing this. I can feel some speed metal and thrash metal influences (specially in the vocals and vocal harmonization which I liked a lot) well mixed here with classic heavy metal in order to obtain Katagory V´s own sound. And that is what is special here....while most of the bands try to copy a certain band that is more famous, Katagory V prefers to develope their own identity and play it heavier than most of this bands. I like a lot the guitar players here which are really technical and do many solos (I would like more solos !!!) and amazingly heavy riffs such as the ones in "I Live On" (this track is really powerful and deserves to be a classic metal track in the future). Here we have many changes on each track and an excellent sound that makes the results better and more clear. Katagory V rules!!!

Favorite tracks: "I Live On"; "The Call of Midnight" and "Morning Light"

Contact: www.katagory5.com

REVIEWS: KAOS RISING - WELCOME TO THE VIOLENCE

 

KAOS RISING - WELCOME TO THE VIOLENCE (Independent , 2002)

Produced by Kaos Rising

I have reviewed previously the demo from this powerful band called "Wiped Away" and I have to say that they have progressed a lot since then. First of all the sound is much better on this, their debut full length album. Their music is extremely powerful and instead of using hyper fast riffs to achieve this they use a lot of rhythmic ones which gives us a much more brutal result. From the first explosion of sound in "" we get into a nigtmare of ultraheavy riffs with amazing drum rhythms that takes us into a world of pure heaviness and brutality. This is a ten track CD designed to blow your brain into pieces with brutality. Kaos Rising rules in the brutal music world !!

Favorite tracks: Tracks number 5, 8 and 9

Contact: www.kaosrising.com