| MUSIC REVIEWS (August 2006) |
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| BEYOND MORTAL DREAMS -THE DEMONS OF THE TREE OF THE DEAD (3 track CD) Self Released These guys have been around the underground since the early 90's in one form or another. He we have a new promo that features 3 very intense & highl;y aggressive tracks of Death Metal music. They add lots of touches of Black Metal & Thrash Metal into their style of Death Metal music. There is lots of depth & intricate sounding parts all through out. Sometimes you can even hear some Grindcore influences. The vocals are done in a very low gutteral Death growl style along with some more harsh & screaming type Death growls. These guys are highly talented & deserve to be signed & on top of the underground Death Metal pile. Check them out for yourself! UNIT 2 / 737 BURBRIDGE ROAD / WEST BEACH / SOUTH AUSTRALIA BEYONDMORTALDREAMS@hotmail.com / www.BEYONDMORTALDREAMS.com |
| BLASPHEMER / ESKATON / MODUS DELICTI - 3 WAY SPLIT (9 track CD) FROST FOUNDATION AGENCY This is a 3 way split from 3 very good underground bands. The first 3 tracks are from BLASPHEMER out of Italy. These guys plays some very extreme Death Metal music that is injected with lots of Grindcore elements. The vocals are done in very low end Death gurggles. The middle 3 tracks are by ESKATON out of Poland. These guys play some highly aggressive Death Grind music. The music is super fast Grindcore sounding Death Metal music. The vocals are done in a low to mid ranged Death growl style. The last 3 tracks come from MODUS DELICTI out of Italy. These guys play super fast & tight Grindcore music with low gutteral vocals. This is a great split, which is well worth picking up from the bands or the label. www.BLASPHEMER.it / www.ESKATON.prv.pl / www.MODUSDELECTI.com |
| BURN IN SILENCE - ANGEL MAKER (10 CD track) PROSTHETIC RECORDS This is the label debut from this Massachusetts six piece. These guys play Metal music & bash down every wall in the Metal genere of music. They have a very well structured style that takes you all over the place & engulfs you in their intesity & depth. There are elements of Emo, Nu-Metal, Grindcore, Death, Thrash & Hardcore all presnet in their sound. These guys show lots of passion, emotion, aggression, maturity & more all in their songs. I love how your steamrolled by the heavy stuff & they pull back a little with some great melodic choruses & then once your rested knock the hell out of you once again. These guys may play a style that is very popular right now, but these guys play it much better than most & deserve much attention. All around a great disc!!! www.BURNINSILENCE.tv |
| CONGLOMERATORZ - NATURALLY HEAVY (14 track CD) NANOFUSION MUSIC JAMBERT PRODUCTIONS This is a three piece out of Chicago that has released a very original sounding Metal album. These guys play a super tight & very intricate sounding style of Progressive Metal music. They do take many elements form Traditional & Thrash Metal style & blend them into their unique sound. I liked the heavy Thrash induced gutare sound mixed with the very Progressive keyboard styles. I can even hear some Jazz Fusion stuff in the mix as well. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Heavy Metal & Thrash Metal mix. Even if your not a fan of this style of Metal you should still give these guys a listen. This band has a lot ot offer & should not be over looked!!! P.O. BOX 493 / NEW LENOX, IL. 60451 wwwCGZmusic.com |
| CULT OF DAATH - THE GRAND TORTURERS OF HELL ((8 track CD) DEATH GASM RECORDS This is a re-issue of the cult classic album originally released by WRAHAMMER RECORDS in 2002. This band plays old school raw & primitive Black Metal music. The music is dirty, aggressive & evil as hell through & through. There is a strong war march like sound in their music along with a dark overtone. The music is also a bit muddy sounding Black metal. This takes me back to the early days when Black Metal was just starting to develop. The vocals are done in a low to mid ranged haunting Death / Black Metal crossover type growl. Fans ofnew school Black Metal should beware, but fans of old school Black Metal should git their bloody hooks in this one!!! CULTOFDAATH@comcast.net / www.DAATHCULT.cjb.net |
| DISASTROUS MURMUR - MARINATE YOUR MEAT (9 track CD) CUDGEL AGENCY After 4 years these Austrian sickos are back & have unleashed an amazing new album of old school Death Metal music. These guys have an early 90's styled Death Metal sound, but incorporate lots of new school technicality. The music has much aggression, brutality & is highly technical sounding at the same time. I loved the fact that they threw in lots of Death grooves all through too. The vocals are done in a harsh, throaty & full sounding Death Metal styled growl. These guys are very, very good & deserve to see up next to their tour partners from 2002, whcih was PUNGENT STENCH!!! This is by far one of the best Death acts out of Austia! A must, a must a must!!! www.DISATROUSMURMUR.at |
| FEW AND THE PROUD - STAMPEDE (11 track CD) ORGANIZED CRIME RECORDS "STAMPEDE" is the debut full legnth album form Chicago's Hardcore band FEW AND THE PROUD. These guys play old school styled Hardcore music that is pissed off, hasrh & in your face sounding. The music is very fast paced, tight & very heavy sounding. There are some breakdowns, stop & starts & lost of change ups as well. The vocals are done in a mid to high ranged screaming attcking Hardcore style. They kind of had an 80's DC Hardcore styled vibe happening all through out too. I was totally into that style of music then & still love it now, so I really enjoyed these guys a lot! Raise your fist & slam, because these guys bring it on full force!!! FEW_AND_THE_PROUD@hotmail.com / www.myspace.com/FEWANDTHEPROUD |
| HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE - THE LOCUST YEARS (8 track CD) CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE have released their third full length album & a masterpiece all at the same time. This band has amazed us with each new release & have continued to do so on this new as well. They play a very Progressive style of Metal music that adds in flavors of Rock, Power, Traditional & more into their sound. They have a strong 70's Progessive Rock vibe in their sound that is very Orchestrated & fascinating. The vocals blend aggressive & melodic male vocals with angelic & atmospheric female vocals.This is a Metal album that deserves to be in every Metal collection. There are many bands in this form, but not pull it off quite as well as HAMMERS OF MISFORTUNE. Get this album & hear true Metal legends in the making!!! www.HAMMERSOFMISFORTUNE.com |
| HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL - OPUS GENITALIA (18 track CD) CUDGEL AGENCY Out of the dark pits of Portugal comes these wacked out gore whores called HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL. These guys play super hyper intense & spastic sounding Grind Gore music. They have very fast paced blasts, crusty & crunchy guitar riffs & some super low vomitous sounding Grind vocals. There are some really cool grooves at times & then they pound the shit out of you with the fast spastic carnage. I loved the little sample clips in between the songs they used. They have spewed forth some ultra sick & ultra good GrindGore that will surely delight some & horrify others. If your a gore hound & love your Grindcore soaking in bloody intrails & putrid meat, then your wet dream has arrived in the form of HOLOCAUSTO CANIBAL! info@HOLOCAUSTOCANIBAL.com / www.HOLOCAUSTOCANIBAL.com |
| KRATORNAS - ADVANCE PROMO (2 track CD) Self Released This is a 2 track advance CDR promo for the bands forth coming album "THE FOURTH SEAL". These guys play very dark, cold & raw as hell old school Black metal music. The music has an evil sound to it, that reminded me of Black Metal from the late 80's & early 90's. There are some super fast blasts & aggressive parts, the mix is a little rough sounding, but that's the way old school Black Metal is meant to be. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Black Metal growl & scream style. You can hear some Death metal & Thrash Metal influences all through out the songs as well. These two tracks ahve giving a hunger for the full length album, which I hope will be released soon!!! CADIZ CITY POST OFFICE / CADIZ CITY / NEGROS OCCIDENTAL / 6121 PHILIPPINES http://KRATORNAS.cjb.net / armamentsofsadism@yahoo.com |
| LEATHERWOLF - WORLD ASYLUM (10 Track CD) N.I.L.B. RECORDS This is the first studio album from this band in 15 years. Yep, this is the LEATHERWOLF that was very big in the 80's These guys are back & better than ever. they have a 2 of the original members & some new recruits on this album. This has helped the guys become heavier, tighter & more Metal than before. Some of the help is from new singer, Black who was in CRIMSON GLORY & SEVEN WITCHES. The music has more of a Power Metal meets Progressive Thrash Metal sound with some Traditional Metal influences all through out. I was into these guys in the 80's, but really love this new disc a lot & I think it will draw a lot more fans for these guys. This is a great Metal disc through & through! Check out one of Metal's classic bands in the purest & best form!!! www.LEATHERWOLFmusic.com |
| LOW WATER - WHO SAID THAT LIFE IS OVER? (12 track CD) Self Released This is the debut CD release from this Brooklyn, Ny based Rock band. This trio blends many different styles of Rock music from Classic, Pop, Funk & a little bit of Blues too. Their sound is more funky radio friendly Rock music that has a bit of a modern Alternative sound to it as well. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Modern College Rock style that reminds me of a lot of stuff played on Alternative radio stations. Fans of bands like RADIOHEAD, THE REPLACEMENTS, COLDPLAY, TELEVISION, BUSH & BLUR will most likely dig these guys also. Not really my style of music, but if this is what you like then make sure to pick up this disc!!! http://LOWWATERmusic.com / meg@LOWWATERmusic.com |
| MAN IS MOSTLY WATER / EXIT THE KING - SPLIT (4 track CD) HOWARD RECORDS This is a split CD release from two bands out of Texas. There are 2 new songs from each band. The first 2 tracks are from MAN IS MOSTLY WATER out of Denton, Tx. These guys play some spastic sounding Experimental Grind/Hardcore styled music. The music sludges from slow to hyper fast parts with the vocals being screamed out in a violent fit. EXIT THE KING takes the last two tracks & plays complex Math Metal that is also very experimental & spastic at times. They have a similiar vibe as MAN... If your into stuff like early DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN & FALL OF TROY then you will love both of these bands a lot!!! MANISMOSTLYWATER@hotmail.com / myspace.com/MANISMOSTLYWATER orphicsstudios@gmail.com / myspace.com/EXITHEKING |
| MANTICORE - FOR RATS AND PLAGUE (10 track CD) DEATH GASM RECORDS MANTICORE play some very sick old school Black Metal music. The music is very raw, low end & very brutal sounding. Although they place most of their sound in Black Metal you can definately hear lots of old school Death Metal elements all through out. There is a crunchy guitar sound & a little bit of a Black metal groove in the bass & the drums. The vocals are done ina low end harsh Black Metal/ Death Metal crossover style. Fans of old school stuff like BLACK WITCHERY, BLASPHEMY, CONQUEROR, BEHERIT & BLASPHEMER will most likely dig this band as well. If your horns are high & spikes embedded firmly in old school Black Metal then this must be in your collection & played over & over again!!! MANTICORE666@sbcglobal.net / envenomation666~@hotmail.com myspace.com/MANTICORE666 |
| PROTOTYPE - CONTINUUM (11 track CD) NIGHTMARE RECORDS PROTOTYPE was born in 1994 from the ashes of the band PSYCHOSIS. This is the bands newest release on a new label & with their new drummer. They have shifted paths a little bit in their sound & become a bit more melodic than past releases. They still have their trade mark sound intact, they just added a few more elements. They play mostly Power / Progressive Thrash Metal styled music. There is a lot of depth, technacality & well structured songs all through out. The vocals are done in a a mix of Power Metal & thrash metal styles with an occasional almost Death Metal one popping up. This is a great band with much talent & this album showcases that in everyway. This is sure to become a classic Metal release in the underground scene! Support this great band!!! www.PROTOTYPEonline.com |
| REGRET - MISERY BRIGADE (6 track CD) ORGINIZED CRIME RECORDS This is the debut MCD release from REGRET, whcih comes from the ashes of the band HOLDING ON. These guys play some very powerful & aggressive Hardcore music done in an old school style that is very reminiscent of old DC Hardcore type music. There are some Ny Hardcore type influences present in their sound too. It's hard to to think this band has only been together for a little over a year, cause they sound super tight & like they have been around for years. There are tons of fast paced grooves, breakdowns, change ups & even some slow melodic stuff all through out. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Hardcore scream style. These guys will get old & new school Hardcore fans eating this up & wanting more as they hunger for their full legnth release!!! www.myspace.com/REGRETmn |
| SACRUM - WIN BY ATTRITION (9 track CD) LIFELESS RECORDS SACRUM play some very cool old school Metal music mixing together elements of Thrash, Speed & Death Metal. There is a very cool SLAYER type vibe happening in their sound, but in no way is a rip off of them. There is some really fast paced guitar shredding & thunderous drum blasts. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Thrash/Death style. This takes me back to the days in the late 80's & early 90's when Thrash & death Metal met head on & collided together to create Death Thrash. Fans of bands like TESTAMENT, SLAYER, SEPULTURA & CARNIVORE will dig these guys! All old school Metalheads will love this disc!!! P.O. BOX 1858 / WESTFIELD, MA. 01086 SACRUMma@yahoo.com / www.myspace.com/SACRUMband |
| SHOCK TROOPERS - PROMO 2006 (9 track CD) Self Released SHOCK TROOPERS emerges from Italy & play a cool crossover style of Hardcore & Thrash Metal music called Metalcore. They have an o9ld school Thrash style mixed with new school Hardcore. At times you can hear some slight Death Metal influences in their music as well. I liked the solid tight drum sound that was in their songs a lot. There is a very cool fast paced groove that is kind of grindy as well. The vocals are done in a mix of Thrash & Death with hardcore flavoring style. If you took bands like S.O.D., M.O.D., D.R.I., SPUD MONSTERS, LAWNMOWER DETH, MADBALL, SHEER TERROR, SICK OF IT ALL & blended them together you'd have a good idea of what these guys sound like!!! With the bands above in the mix I really loved this disc a lot!!! orgasmatron_m@libero.it / www.SHOCKTROOPERS.it |
| SPAWN OF POSSESSION - NOCTAMBULANT (10 track CD) NEUROTIC RECORDS This is label debut from this highly technical sounding Death Metal act. these guys have been in the scene for a little while now & are well known. They have a great old school brutalness mixed with new school technicality. There are lots of twists & turns in their music. Your headed down one path & they clobber you with something else to take you down another path. There are some breakdowns & some cool grooves as well. the vocals are done in a low end harsh throaty Death growl style reminiscent of old school Death Metal bands. There is guest musicians from CANNIBAL CORPSE, DISVOWED & SEVERED SAVIOR that appear on this disc too. This is a must for any fan of very creative, well structure & extremely good Death Metal music!!! www.SPAWNOFPOSSESSION.com |
| ST. MADNESS - VAMPIRES IN THE CHURCH (15 track CD) NASTY PRICK RECORDS This is the sixth CD release from this Scottsdale Arizona based Metal band. These guys play very theatrical sounding Power Metal music, but they toss in lots of elements from Traditional Heavy Metal, Thrash & Progressive Metal as well. There is a classic Metal vibe that is going on in thier sound. There are some very well structured & thought out songs on this disc. I loved the guitar work a lot on this disc. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Thrash style mixed with some melodic & almost operatic sounding Heavy Metal vocals. This is by far the best release from these guys so far. All fans of classic Metal like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, DIO, MANOWAR, FORBIDDEN, FLOTSAM & JETSAM & FATES WARNING will enjoy these guys!!! P.O. BOX 11614 / SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85271 prophet667@aol.com / www.STMADNESS.com |
| THE BLEEDING ALARM - BEAUTY IN DESTRUCTION (11 track CD) IMMORTAL RECORDS THE BLEEDING ALARM play a style of music that is very popular at the moment. They combine elements of Emo, Pop, Punk & Hardcore all together to create their sound. There are a lot of slower more melodic Emo parts, with some heavier Hardcore parts mixed in. I prefer the heavier stuff to the slower melodic stuff. The vocals are mostly done in a Emo style once again with a few hardcore vocals blended in. This would be good for fans of SILVERSTEIN, STORY OF THE YEAR & MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE. www.THEBLEEDINGALARM.com |
| THE EVERSCATHED - RAZORS OF UNREST (10 track CD) OPEN GRAVE RECORDS These guys have been in the underground for little while as this band & also in other bands. They play a very solid & good style of old school Death metal music. The music is reminescent of early 90's Death Metal bands, especially stuff from the Florida scene. There are some Thrash Metal elements present at times through out. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style. if you love early 90's Death metal than your gonna love these guys! This is by far the best music these guys have put out so far!!! Pick this one up & play it very loud & very often!!! 17227 S 71ST CT / SUITE #9 / TINLEY PARK, IL. 60477 EVERSCATHED@aol.com / haltedglory@sbcglobal.net / www.THEEVERSCATHED.com |
| THINGS FALL APART - WE ARE ALL... (4 track CD) CRUSTACEAN RECORDS THINGS FALL APART are a great hardcore band & have released another great album. This album is pure Hardcore all the way. They have very heavy choppy guitar sounds with thick bass grooves & hard hitting solid drum beats that really help push their music in your face. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Hardcore scream style that is full force & aggressive sounding. I liked all the change ups & breakdowns they add to their sound. if there is a new wave of Hardcore bands on the rise I'm sure these guys will be a the front of that wave. A must for Hardcore fans everywhere!!! www.THINGSFALLAPARTmusic.com |
| THIS IS HELL - SUNDOWNING (11 track CD) TRUSTKILL RECORDS This is my first time hearing this highly intense & angry sounding Hardcore band. I loved every minute of this disc. They have an old school hardcore sound mixed with a new school Hardcore vibe. I liked the harsh & raw New York type sound they have & it's got lots of California type Hardcore grooves & breakdowns. There are some great chorus chants & heavy as hell slamming parts. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Hardcore scream style. I could see many people going nuts to this band, I know I wanted to go crazy just listening to it in my office! This is another great hardcore release that is very much worth getting! Be prepared to tears shit up!!! www.THISISHELL.org |