REVIEW: WARLOUD - LEAVE THE HELL

 

WARLOUD - LEAVE THE HELL (Independent, 2001)

 

Produced By: Warloud

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Leave The Hell, 3- Brave Heart, 4- Mountain King

Cover Art by Claudio Bisca

Recorded at Rainbow Music 

Warloud´s music starts really climatic on this CD with clean guitars and haunting melodies that create the appropiate atmosphere to develope the first track "Leave the Hell". The band plays pure heavy metal with an epic feeling on the songs. This guys have created three good songs here that will leave you singing the choruses with no doubt ("Leave the Hell" has a memorable chorus!!!). There are many guitar riffs but everything here is done in order to fit the songs and creating the parts that each of them needs to be a well developed track. The singer is powerful and is in the vein of those singers that don´t use hyper high pitched vocals....instead he concentrates more in how to give more strength to the songs and uses a lot of middle range vocals. The sound is good but I would like them to mix a little bit lower the vocals and higher the bass drumming (the drummer does a lot of double bass drumming in some places). Good heavy metal directly from Italy.

Favorite tracks: "Leave the Hell" and "Brave Heart"

Contact: poldursgate@tiscalinet.it

REVIEW: VINTERRIKET - ...UND DIE NACHT KAM SCHWEREN SCHRITTES

 

VINTERRIKET - ...UND DIE NACHT KAM SCHWEREN SCHRITTES (Parasite Recs., 2002 )

Produced By: Vinterriket

Tracks: 1- Boten Der Rückkehr, 2- Visionen Nächtlicher Fluten, 3- Im Sog Der Feuer Des Schicksals, 4- Kosmische Schattenspiele, 5- Raben Über Dem Grab Der Vollendung, 6- Die Ruinen Des Jenseits, 7-...Zuruck Blieb Nur die Einige Schwärze

I have reviewed many Vinterriket releases and I have to say that they are possibly the most climatic releases that I have ever reviewed. This new Vinterriket release is in the same style but maybe this time the tracks are more orchestrated and better developed. Each of the compositions here is a jewel for the listener. While listening to this recording I turned off the lights and I almost found myself in a dark wood or some spectral place, just like the ones that are on Vinterriket´s covers. Christopher Ziegler, the only mind and composer behind Vinterriket is getting better on each release and he is composing a lot (this is the fourth release that I review). On this recording (as well as on the other Vinterriket´s releases) you have darkness and beauty as well as good musicianship.

Favorite tracks: All. One of the recordings of the month.

Contact: www.parasiterecords.org or www.neodawn.de

REVIEW: VALIS - VALIS

 

VALIS - VALIS (Abstract Recs., 2002)

Produced By: Van Conner and Wesley Weresch

Tracks: 1- Indian Giver, 2- Transmutor, 3- Universe, 4- Pass Me By, 5- Meatworm, 6- Yakima Preacher, 7- Kill the Ones You Love, 8- Universe 2, 9- All Phase, 10- Paper Doll, 11- Love Leader, 12- Pilots House

Cover Art by James Bender

Recorded at Uptone Recording Studio

This is pure rock and roll with a seventies feeling in the guitar sound. The music here is really direct and has a lot of guitar and vocal arrangements in the vein of some seventies band (there is some stoner rock sound in some parts too). I liek the way this recording sound because it is really direct and this guys have a sound that I had not listened for a long time. Each of the songs here have power and interesting melodies with some psychedelia in some parts. The mix of the album gives a modern touch to the band´s music that is really welcomed because the guitars sound really in the front and they donm´t have some muddy guitar sound that amny stoner rock bands use trying to sound like seventies band. Here you have pure rock with some heavy feeling and some interesting atmospheres.

Favorite tracks: "Transmutor", "Pass Me By" and "Paper Doll"

Contact: www.valisnet.com

REVIEW: TWOTHIRTYEIGHT - YOU SHOULD BE LIVING

 

TWOTHIRTYEIGHT - YOU SHOULD BE LIVING (Tooth and Nail Recs., 2002)

Produced By: James Paul Wisner

Tracks: 1- Modern Day Prayer, 2- The Sticks are Woven in the Spokes, 3- Forty Hour Increments, 4- Romancing the Ghost, 5- That Sad and Holy Glow, 6- Step into the Light, 7- Sad Semester, 8- I pretend to Choke, 9- Rhythm and Blues, 10- The Bathroom is a Creepy Place for Pictures of your Friends

Recorded at Wisner Prods.

We reviewed the previous Twothirtyeight album some issues ago on Music Extreme and this one is a step forward for this band. As you may know Twothirtyeight plays rock with a pop attitude and some dark elements, specially on the vocal lines. This time the band has taken this dark elements and pushed them some more putting them on all the tracks, so you have that hooks that are typical from the band but this time with a certain feeling of sadness that are transmited through certain guitar arrangements and through the melodies and choruses. The singer gives a lot of personality to the band through his dark for of singing and the vocal melodies he creates. If you like rock with a lot of pop touches, clean guitars, a lot of melodies and a dark feeling then you should check Twothirtyeight

Favorite tracks: "The Sticks are Woven in the Spokes", "Sad Semester" and "The Bathroom..."

Contact: www.toothandnail.com

REVIEW: TOXIC VIRGIN - CIRCLE OF POWER

 

TOXIC VIRGIN - CIRCLE OF POWER (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Oliver Phillips and Christian Moos

Tracks: 1- Broken Wings, 2- Son of the Sun, 3- Restless Hearts, 4- Waiting for the Rain, 5- Rock Tonight, 6- Until The End, 7- Alien lovesong, 8- Our Only Hope, 9- Sailor, 10- Fireball, 11- Don´t Know What I Want, 12- Walk on Water, 13- All For One

Recorded at Spacelab Studios 

Here we have this german band whose music is hard rock with some metal touches and some metal influences. There are softer parts and heavier parts but everything here has an european sound and incredible melodies. The guys in Toxic Virgin sure know how to construct memorable songs with good guitar riffs and melodies and with an original singer that has a special voice really adequated to this music. My aboslute favourite here is the first track "Broken Wings with an amazing melody and epic hcoruses (this band g}has great catchy choruses that will leave you singing their songs.

Contact: www.toxicvirgin.de

REVIEW: TOXIC POISON - NOTHING´S FOREVER

 

TOXIC POISON - NOTHING´S FOREVER (Independent, 2002 )

Produced By: HM Studios

Tracks: 1- In the Beginning (intro)/Far Away, 2- The Twin Towers, 3- Rebellion Song, 4- My Dear Friend, 5- Scream of War, 6- Mutant´s Tramps, 7- A Different Life, 8- The Day You´ll Stop To pray

Cover Art by Marco Cestagalli

Recorded at HM Studios 

Toxic Poison is one of those bands that can mix with no difficulty modern sounds with classic thrash or death metal, adding a different perspective to the style. Here we have a band with an excellent sound (the guitars are devastating) whose style is difficult to describe because it has elements of thrash metal (in some rhythms) of death metal in some of the vocals and in the guitar sound, of modern metal in some drum patterns and guitar phrases. One thing to point out is the versatility of the singer, Teo, who does all the different type of vocals in a really good way. Plus, the band has a stranger side in some parts doing some atmospheric passages or some modern style singing (check as an example the track "The Twin Towers" to see all the different styles and parts that this guys do within the same song). I have to remark again the excellent sound that this recording has (nothing to envy to the top bands of the style). A must

Favorite tracks: All. One of the CDs of the Month.

Contact: www.toxicpoison.com

REVIEW: TONY BIANCO & PAUL DUNMALL w/MARCIO MATTOS & PAUL ROGERS - HOUR GLASS

 

TONY BIANCO & PAUL DUNMALL w/MARCIO MATTOS & PAUL ROGERS - HOUR GLASS (Emanem Disc, 2002)

Produced By: Martin Davidson

Tracks: CD 1: 1- Hour Glass

CD 2: The tepees Dive Deeply

Cover Art by Mary Ramsay

Digital Recording by Jon Wilkinson

This recording consist on two improvisational sessions. One was recorded on February 2002 and it features Tony Bianco (percussion) and Paul Dunmall (tenor sax) along with Marcio Mattos on double bass and electronics. The other one features the duo along with Paul Rogers on bass. Here we have improvisation that while being extremely creative it retains some elements of whatn we are accustomed to listen in the free jazz context. Each of the two tracks on this 2 CD set is over an hour long and both feature incredible musicianship as well as many different parts, changes in moods, breaks and tempo changes. This guys know how to improvise being spontaneous and don´t becoming chaotic as sometimes happens. On the recording with Paul Rogers the feeling changes and Dunmall plays soprano sax in order to fit better this new trio. Ideas are really well developed and they have a beginning and a conclusion that can be listened clearly. Lovers of improvisation should check this one.

Favorite tracks: BOTH !!!!

Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

REVIEW: THUNDER REIGNS - EVIL ONE

 

THUNDER REIGNS - EVIL ONE (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Thunder Reigns

Tracks: 1- Evil One

Cover Art by Thunder Reigns

Here we have one track of pure metal with some thrashy touches. Here we have heavy guitars combined with some drumming that leaves space to the vocals and the guitars to make their melodies and arrangements. The song here is powerful and has interesting guitar work, specially on some of the solos and melodies. The vocals are really raw and seem more of a thrash metal band than to a band like Thunder Reign adding some raw feeling to the song. The recording has good sound, specially on the guitars. I hope to listen more from these guys soon

Contact: www.thunderreigns.com

REVIEW: THEMSELVES - ...IN THE LAST CHIMERA

THEMSELVES - ...IN THE LAST CHIMERA (Independent, 2001)

Produced By: Themselves

Tracks: 1- Within, 2- Time To Rise, 3- Fightin´against Myself, 4- Where, 5- Home, 6- Out of Control

Cover Art by Fabio

Recorded at TS Studio 

Themselves shows us how well they can play their metal style on this CD. Their music can be described as heavy metal with touches of bands like Black Sabbath (in certain slower riffs) and some influence of classical death metal (in the sound of the guitars). But the main thing here is the great combination of complex guitar riffs with melodies and the vocal harmonies (this is essential to the Themselves sound). One of the best things here is the amazing work of the guitars that go from playing heavy riffs to playing melodies and harmonizations (some aprts are really complex) but at the same time constructing each of the songs carefully. I think that Themselves is a good choice for people who is looking for metal with some classical features but at the same time with new elements that give the band their own identity.

Favorite tracks: The six !!

Contact: http://themselves.cjb.net

REVIEW: THEATRES DES VAMPIRES - SUICIDE VAMPIRE

 

THEATRES DES VAMPIRES - SUICIDE VAMPIRE (Blackend Records, 2002)

Produced By: Theatres des Vampires

Tracks: 1- Theatre of Horrors, 2- Lilith Master Inferorum, 3- La Danse Macabre Du Vampire, 4- Queen of the Damned, 5- Bloodlust, 6- Tenebra Deutro, 7- Suicide Vampire, 8- Il Vampiro, 9- Der Makabere Tanz des Vampires (german extended version), 10- Enthrone the Dark Angel (version 2002)

Cover Art by Giada Giusti

Recorded at Alfa Music Studio

Theatres Des Vampires have succesfully mixed black metal with gothic metal with many dark orchestrations creating their own sound and establishing themselves as one of the most interesting abnds in the genre. Here we have the combination of aggression and depression, the combination of fast guitars with extremely heavy sound with keyboards and orchestral arrangements, the combination of black metal vocals with female ones and magnificent choruses. Here we have interesting drumming with multiple changes and great double bass work on each of the tracks. And we have guitars that don´t hesitate in constructing the heaviest of riffs and the darkest of melodies. The mix of this album is great adding more power to each of the compositions and making them sound darker than hell. This is one of the darkest releases of the year.

Favorite tracks: "Il Vampiro", "Queen of the Damned" and "La Danse Macabre..."

Contact: www.blackendrecords.com