REVIEW: CELESTIAL DAWN - GENESIS

 

CELESTIAL DAWN - GENESIS (Independent, 2001)

 

Produced By: Celestial Dawn

Tracks: 1- Celestial Dawn, 2- Breakdown, 3- Spectre, 4- Another Rising Sun

Cover Art by Brian Kosovan

Recorded at The Sound Module

This is pure heavy metal!! Here we have this band whose music is metal in its purest form. It has all the elements of the genre, distorted guitars, open riffs that let the vocals do the melodies, and we have a drummer that knows how to play rhythms living a lot of space for the guitars to do their job, there are also melodic guitar solos that creates epic melodies in the songs. The vocals are closer to eightioes thrash metal ones than to typical metal because of the use of some relly high pitches (that bands like Toxik or Hexenhaus used a lot in their music). Here you have a good mix of the instruments that lets you hear perfectly each one of the instruments. Lovers of heavy metal in its purest form will surely like Celestial Dawn´s music

Favorite tracks: "Breakdown" and "Spectre"

Contact: www.celestialdawn.com

REVIEW: CATHOLICON - 2002 & 1999 PROMO DEMOS

 

CATHOLICON - 2002 & 1999 PROMO DEMOS (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: Catholicon

Tracks: 2002 Promo: 1- Dawn of a Dark Age, 2- Gallery of God´s Love, 3- 14th Century Apocalypse, 4- Embodiment of All That is Not, 1999 Promo: 5- 14th Century Apocalypse, 6- Coronation, 7- Heir To The Throne, 8- Remember the Fallen

Since I have just reviewed the 2002 promo demo cd from Catholicon I will review here their promo demo from 1999. Here you can listen how Catholicon´s music has evolved between the two demos. In the 1999 the guitar sound was closer to death metal while the vocals were more of teh black metal type. Also there was less keyboard work than in the 2002 demo (even if it is present in this older version of "14th Century Apocalypse"). The sound is far more primitive in the older demo and you can feel that the mix was not as good as in the new one. A good starting point to compare the evolution of Catholicon´s music.

Favorite tracks: "Coronation" and "Heir To the Throne"

Contact: www.fuckyourgod.com

REVIEW: CATHOLICON - PROMO DEMO 2002

 

CATHOLICON - PROMO DEMO 2002 (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Catholicon

Tracks: 1- Dawn of a Dark Age, 2- Gallery of God´s love, 3- 14th Century Apocalypse, 4- Embodiment of all that is Not

Cover Art by Catholicon

Recorded at Underworld Studio

This is Catholicon´s new promo demo and here they show their brutal mix of death metal and black metal with some grind touches (in some of the fastest parts). This guys are one of the most brutal bands in the underground and I really like the way in which they have made a fusion of different styles and achieved their own identity through that (in some parts there are also some keyboards that accentuates one of the riffs in a great way (check "14th Century Apocalypse")). There are also multiple types of vocals here: from a screaming and shrieking one to one that is closer to screaming grind (because it is really distorted) to a more guttural one....and this voices interact through the four tracks in an amazing way. If you like the aforementioned styles, check Catholicon´s music.

Favorite tracks: The four

Contact: www.fuckyourgod.com

REVIEW: CARNALITY - BRUTAL EXECUTION

 

CARNALITY - BRUTAL EXECUTION (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Carnality

Tracks: 1- Forever in Your Grave, 2- Cadaveric Orgasm, 3- Frozen Human Meat

Cover Art by Francesco Rapini

Recorded at: Fear Studio

This is a three tarck MCD from this extremely brutal band from Italy. The music can be related to "Blessed are the Sick" or "Covenant" era Morbid Angel (because of the complex riffs that are played really tight and that emphasize the rhythmic brutality and not only the simple speed) or with bands like Sinister because of the brutality of the vocals and the drumming. One thing that I have to point out is that this guys have achieved a great sound and the recording is really well mixed and that makes the music even more brutal and powerful (in fact I think differnt than those bands that think that the worst the sound is the music sounds more brutal....I think that bands like Carnality show that having a polished sound add a lot of heaviness to your music. Thumbs up also for the killer drummer that is a rhythmic beast and essential to Carnality´s sound.

Favorite tracks: the three. They are a showcase of extreme brutality

Contact: brutalcarnality@yahoo.it

REVIEW: BUNUH - THE TORSO KILLER

 

BUNUH - THE TORSO KILLER (Independent, 2002)

Produced By: Bunuh

Tracks: 1- Cold Blooded Murder, 2- I Shall kill Again, 3- Humaneater, 4- Killed and Dismembered, 5- Raining Blood, 6- Nymphic Land, 7- Psychiatric Disorder

Cover Art by Nurul

Recorded at TNT Studios

Directly from Singapore comes this extremely brutal band. Bunuh´s music goes along the path of the most bestial death metal with ultra fast riffs and extremely guttural vocals (sometimes closer to grindcore). This guys use also a lot of rhythmic riffs that make the songs even heavier than using only speed. Is precisely in this riffs and rhythm changes where the band shows that they are really well rehearsed and that they are extrmely tight. The only melodies that you can hear on the songs are the ones done by the guitar solos and maybe some guitar melody.The sound of this recording is good and makes the whole recording even more brutal. Also I have to remark that this CD comes in a digipack presentation with a CD that is semitransparent. Lovers of brutality rejoice!

Favorite tracks: "Cold Blooded Murder", "Humaneater" and "Nymphic Land"

Contact: bunuh2002@hotmail.com

REVIEW: BOOMERANG - WEAVEWORLD

BOOMERANG - WEAVEWORLD (Trance Music, 2002 )

Produced By: Boomerang

Tracks: 1- Mourning Sun, 2- Keepers of Light, 3- The Cold One, 4- Into the Night, 5- Weaveworld, 6- Shores of Ithaka, 7- Like Black Like White, 8- Dismanteling Fortress Architecture, 9- Of Blood and Honour

Recorded by Stefan Grötzinger

Pure metal!!!!! And this is thrash metal the way it used to be in the eighties but with a more modern sound and some power metal touches and melodies !! There are fast drumbeats in the thrash metal way and vocals that can be harsh and at the same time melodic. The songs here have a lot of hooks and they are epic (without using the same german melodies that a lot of power metal bands copy again and again) and powerful. I find really interesting the voalist who adds a lot of the power that the band has and at the same time sings melodies that you can follow and sing. The band has a really european sound (why is it that you can always distinguish europena metal from american metal because of the way the compositions are done?). I find interesting that bands like Boomerang are making a comeback of thrash metal into reality with their powerful music!!

Favorite tracks: "Keepers of Light", "Weaveworld" and "Mourning Sun"

Contact: www.dc-net.de/trance-music

REVIEW: BLASPHEMER - LIFE KILLS

 

BLASPHEMER - LIFE KILLS ( Independent , 2002)

Produced By: Blasphemer

Tracks: 1- Life Kills, 2- Slaughter the Pig, 3- Bat Man Suicide, 4- Strange Abortion, 5- Another Shade That Fades, 6- Outro

Layout by Andrea Cattaneo

Recorded at: GB Studios

One of the most brutal releases that arrived to me this months. This band from Italy is devastating from the first second to the last. This guys know really well how to make songs that have all the most brutal elements: fast parts, crushing guitar sound, guttural vocals. The guitar riffs are well constructed and they seem to be very difficult to play, specially in the fastest parts. The sound of this recording is fairly good, specially on the guitars (that in some brutal bands get buried in the mix) and that adds even more brutality to Blasphemer´s tracks. Plus, there is one funny 22 second song that starts with Batman´s melody in the bass and finishes with a deathly explosion, called "Bat-Man Suicide". If you want brutality here you have this "Life kills" that will satisfy your urge.

Favorite tracks: "Slaughter the Pig", "Life Kills" and "Strange Abortion"

Contact: extremesickness@hotmail.com

REVIEW: AZAGHAL - OF BEASTS AND VULTURES

 

AZAGHAL - OF BEASTS AND VULTURES (Evil Horde Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Jani Loikas

Tracks: 1- Helwettiläinen, 2- Welho, 3- Reign, 4- Kaikki Elävä Kuihtun, 5- Of Beasts and Vultures, 6- Peto - 666, 7- Minä Olen Tie, 8- Verenjano, 9- Epilogue, 10- 13 Candles

 Recorded at Cursed Studios

This band is bestial !! And they have made something that I like a lot that is that mix of all the rawest elements of black metal and mixed them with riffs that are closer to heavy metal and also have added acoustic and climatic parts. And the final result is also helped by a really great mix (some black metal bands should check Azaghal to see how their music can sound more powerful with a sound liek this one). There are many interesting atmospheric part with acoustic guitars and keyboard solos and parts such as the one at the end of "Helwettiläinen". The vocals are those typical in the black metal style but this guys have also added some vocals closer to death metal that add a different side to Azaghal´s music. I have to point out the really good quality packaging that this CD has (I think that this is typical from Evil Horde releases). 

Favorite tracks: "Welho", "Of Beasts and Vultures" and "Minä Olen Tie"

Contact: www.evilhorderec.com

REVIEW: ARCH ENEMY - WAGES OF SIN

ARCH ENEMY - WAGES OF SIN (Century Media, 2002 )

Produced By: Fredrik Nordström and Michael Amott

Tracks: 1- Enemy Within, 2- Burning Angel, 3- Heart of Darkness, 4- Ravenous, 5- Savage Messiah, 6- Dead Bury their Head, 7- Web of Lies, 8- The First Deadly Sin, 9- Behind the Smile, 10- Snow Bound, 11- Shadows and Dust, 12 - Lament of a Mortal Soul, 13- Bonus Video: Ravenous

Mixed by Andy Sneap

Arch Enemy is a band that always surprise the listener with something new in their music. A soft keyboard intro in "Enemy Within" starts this powerful CD. In fact the first track starts with a riff that wouldn´t be out of place in a classic power metal band then starts the faster parts and the death and stronger than hell vocals of new singer Angela. She is amazing, in the vein of extreme vocalists like Holy Moses´ Sabina Classen, really extreme. As always, there are complex guitar riffs and a lot of guitar solos (Mike Amott is killer here). I have to speak about the production: Having Fredrik Nordström and Andy Sneap in the production and the mixing Arch Enemy is having the best production in their whole career, sounding better than ever, you can hear each melody, each drumbeat, each scream, all is crystal clear here! Arch Enemy is a band that every metalhead should check because they have a lot of power while having always new ideas..

Favorite tracks: All the CD. Arch Enemy always makes masterpieces

Contact: www.centurymedia.com

REVIEW: ANTIMATTER - SAVIOUR

 

ANTIMATTER - SAVIOUR (The End Records, 2002 )

Produced By: Michael Moss, Stuart O´Leary and Mac

Tracks: 1- Saviour, 2- Holocaust, 3- Over Your Shoulder, 4- Psalms, 5- God Is Coming, 6- Angelic, 7- Flowers, 8- The Last Laugh, 9- Going Nowhere, 10- Over Your Shoulder (acoustic), 11- Flowers (acoustic)

Cover Art by Mark Kelson

Recorded at Academy Studios

This is the new band from ex Anathema man Duncan Patterson who is here playing all the guitars, bass, keyboards and programming. Here Duncan is helped by Michael moss on guitar, bass and keys and he has a lot of guest vocalists, from the enchanting voice of Michelle Richfield to the one by Hayley Windsor and the special appearance of Danny Cavanagh (Anathema) in the acoustic version of "Flowers". The music here is extremely climatic with heavy use of clean guitars and keyboards. Here the main goal is to explore deppressive sides of Duncan´s musical personality. I want to point out the excellent work that Michelle Richfield has done here on the vocals, adding a lot of feeling to each of the songs on this CD. This CD is a future classic. 

Favorite tracks: All the tracks. I love the music Duncan does.

Contact: www.theendrecords.com