| MUSIC REVIEWS (August 2007) |
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| AVICHI - THE DIVINE TRAGEDY (8 track CD) NUMEN MALEVOLUM BARATHRI This is a one man band made up of the sole entity of Aamonael. The music is done in an old school Black Metal style, but has tons of flavoring to make it stand out & be quite original sounding on it's own. There are some very strong old school Black Metal haunst & coldness through out the music. There are a lot of very aggressive & fast paced parts with some dark undertones mixed with in. The vocals are done in a mid ranged thick Black Metal growls with some screams tossed in the mix at times. This is a highly impressive debut release from one highly talented individual. Check out what this guys has to offer, you won't be disappointed!!! |
| BETWEEN THE WARS - DEATH AND THE SEA (15 track CD) THINK FAST RECORDS This is the debut full length release from this New Jersey based band. These guys play some very cool, highly aggressive Punk/Hardcore styled music. The music is mostly planted in the Hardcore genre, but there are lots of flavorings of Punk all through out. I liked the rough intense & fast paced Hardcore beats mixed with the more upbeat & grooved Punk sounds. The music is full of adrenaline that just knocks you all over the place. I liked the old school styled New York sounding Hardcore scream vocals a lot. It reminded me of BLACK FLAG, AGNOSTIC FRONT & SHEER TERROR a lot. If your a fan of this style of music this CD must be in your collection!!! www.BETWEENTHEWARS.com |
| DARK FUNERAL - VOBISCUM SATANAS (12 track CD) REGAIN RECORDS If your a Black Metal fan, then you should know who DARK FUNERAL is! These guys are one of the best Black Metal bands & bands in general to emerge from Sweden ever. This is a remastered version of the bands album originally released in 1998. These guys play some of the darkest most fierce & cold sounding Black Metal ever produced. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Black Metal growl/scream crossover style! This is one band that should always pop into someones mind when they here the name Black Metal! This album comes with four extra live tracks recorded at the Hultsfreds Festival in Sweden in 1998! www.DARKFUNERAL.se |
| DARK FUNERAL - DIABOLIS INTERIUM (12 track 2CD set) REGAIN RECORDS Here we have the newest of the re-issues from Swede's great DARK FUNERAL. This album was originally released in 2001. On this disc they continue with their signature cold harsh & aggressive as hell style of Black Metal music. The music is highly fast paced & harsh sounding Black Metal all the way. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Deeath/Black Metal crossover styled scream & growl. This is really showcases the bands progression well! On this new re-issue there are 4 additional tracks that are covers of KING DIAMOND, SLAYER, SODOM & MAYHEM songs. Another must for any fan of these guys!!! www.DARKFUNERAL.se |
| DARK FUNERAL - THE SECRETS OF THE BLACK ARTS (19 track 2CD set) REGAIN RECORDS This is the remastered & re-issued release of the bands debut full length CD originally released in 1996. On this disc you can really hear the beginings of a great band to come. There is a bit of a more raw sound on this disc, but it still has the signature sound they are known for today. The music is a bit colder & more war like sounding Black Metal, with some rougher edges to it. The vocals follow the same suit as the music does. There is a bonus disc that features the now legendary Uni-Sound recording from January 15-21 of 1995. This is the true birth of one of the best bands to ever emerge in the Black Metal scene & Metal scene in genral!!! www.DARKFUNERAL.se |
| EMBRYONIC CELLS - BEFORE THE STORM (10 track CD) Self Released EMBRYONIC CELLS has been apart of the underground music scene since 1994 & have really built a name for themselves in the French Metal scene. These guys come at you with a different blend of Black Metal music. They infuse a lot of Thrash Metal into their sound, that really gives them a different vibe. The Black Metal is done in an old school style & is kind of raw & harsh sounding. The vocals are also different in the fact they almost sound like Industrial Black Metal & a little robotic like. It reminded me of some old MINISTRY stuff. These guys are good & very diferent than most bands of this style!!! maximebeaulieu@hotmail.fr / www.EMBRIONIC-CELLS.com |
| FUROR - ASSAULT BY FIRE (3 track CD) Self Released This is the new EP release from one of Australia's most intense Metal bands ever. These guys have been killing the scene since 2002 & have not stopped. This release has a bit of a darker & more harsh feel than their previous releases. The music is done in a solid old school Black Metal style with lots of new school Black Metal influences injected into the mix. There are a lot of cool change ups & tempo changes all through out their music. The vocals are done in a harsher more aggressive Black Metal grolw style with some occassional screams here & there. These guys are tearing up the scene & don't look to be stopping anytime soon!!! westerterror@hotmail.com / www.THEFUROR.com |
| HALLWAYS OF THE ALWAYS - A.M.A.F.T.E.V. (13 track CD) Self Released These guys are way different than most bands out there & way better too. These guys blend a ton of styles together to create their unique sound. There are heavy elements of Grindcore, Southern Rock, Punk, Death Metal, Blues, Sludge & many others all blended together. I am into a lot of different styles of music so I truly enjoyed these guys a lot. I like the fact that they blend them togethere seemlessly & also take influences from old & new school of each genre. The vocals also follow down the same path as the music. These guys deserve some attention, big time! So give it to them!!! davidstitchez@yahoo.com / myspace.com/HALLWAYSOFTHEALWAYS |
| HARD RESPONSE - HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT (9 track CD) Self Released I knew just from the bands name & cover that I was in for some very cool & very good Hardcore music. I got exactly that. These guys have a really cool New York/New Jersey styled Hardcore sound. I love this a lot. The music is tight, aggressive & full on powerful. I really dig the cool stop & starts, the grooves & the change ups a lot. These guys have everything that makes Hardcore great in their music. There is a perfect blend of old school meets new school in their sound too. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Hardcore scream style!!! If you pick up only a few Hardcore releases this year, this must be one of them!!! HARDRESPONSE@gmail.com / www.HARDRESPONSE.com |
| HELVETTE / GHAST - SPLIT (6 track CD) Self Released The first 3 tracks on this split are from HELVETTE, the one man band made up of Kount Cider. The music has a very raw old school Black metal sound to it. The music is angered filled, aggressive & kind of cold feeling, with a bit of Industrial feel. This mostly comes in the noisy & static filled guitar sound. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Black metal style. The last 3 tracks are from GHAST. These guys play ina similar style of raw old school Black metal music. The music is cold, dark & a bit noisy as well. There is a thick errie sound that blankest the music all through out. The vocals are done ina harsh midranged Black metal scream style! myspace.com/stanicblackmetalHEVETTE / myspace.com/souldustgrave |
| JENN FRANKLIN - ERRORS & ADMISSIONS (6 track CD) MICHAEL J MEDIA This is a re-issue of the same album originally released in 2006. Jenn Franklin is a Nashville based singer, song writer, pianist & performer. She plays some very dramitic & melodic sounding Pop Rock music, but has lots of other sounds mixed in. I can here some influences from Alternative, Pop, Soutern Rock & even a little Punk too at times. This mostly comes if the beautiful aggressiveness in her voice at times. She reminded me a lot of Merideth Brooks & Jewel a lot. I love both of those singers, so i think this is a great compliment! Give here some of your well deserved attention! www.JENNFRANKLIN.com |
| JUNE - MAKE IT BLUR (12 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS JUNE is back with another new release. This time around these guys stick to a similar sound that they had on their last album. The music has gotten a bit heavier this time around & sounds alittle more rocking than the past release too. There is less Emo influences on this release as well. The music is very upbeat, power Pop Punk Alternative sounding. The vocals following in the same style as the music with Pop Rock melodic vocals & a little bit of Emo ones mixed in. I'm not a big fan of this music or these guys, but I enjoyed this disc a lot better than their last one! www.JUNErock.com |
| KRATORNAS - OVER THE FOURTH PART OF THE EARTH (8 track CD) GRAVE SMASHER RECORDS KRATORNAS is one of the first Black metal bands to emerge out of the Philippines back in 1995. These guys have been destroying the Black Metal scene with their relentless onslaught of Black Metal mayhem. The music is very fast paced, aggressive & in your face Black Metal with a very raw old school influence. The music is a bit different than other bands of this style. They add in little flairs, like distortion, many change ups & some unique vocal stylings. There are some heavy Thrash Metal influences in the guitar sounds at times too. These guys just keep getting better & better with each release! KRATORNAS@gmail.com / www.KRATORNAS.com |
| MAN OF THE HOUR - DESTROY THE MACHINES OF SLAUGHTER (12 track CD) NO FACE RECORDS MAN OF THE HOUR is the newest signing to NO FACE RECORDS & these guys fit in well with their other bands. These guys play some very cool blends of Heavy Metal & Thrash Metal music. They have a really cool vibe that takes sounds of 80's Metal with 90's Metal. The music has a lot of adrenaline pouring out of it everywhere. There are some real crunchy Thrash riffs & cool tempo changes through out. The vocals are a mix of Power, Heavy & Thrash Metal music. If you were to collide JUDAS PRIEST with PANTERA, then you'd have a great idea of what these guys sound like. Metal! Metal! Metal! www.MANOFTHEHOUR.co.uk |
| MISTERY COLD - GOD SAVE THE GUNS (3 track CD) Self Released This band out of Switzerland features ex-members of SADNESS, FEEL MY HATE, ALSTIS & EVER SINCE. This new project of theirs is a combination of many Metal styles. There are heavy influences of Heavy, Thrash, Black, Power, Death Metal & even some Goth & Industrial type influences. I really dig how well they blended these styles together with such ease. There is a lot of depth & layers to their sound. The songs are well structured, tight & very professional. The vocals are done in some Power Metal & Thrash metal male vocals with some Black Metal & Goth sounding female vocals. This is a must to hear to fully appreciate what this band has to offer!!! caroline@netplus.ch / www.MYSTERYCOLD.com |
| NERVOCHAOS - QUARREL IN HELL (10 track CD) IBEX MOON RECORDS I don't know much about these guys except that they are exceptionally good & play some amazing sounding Death Metal music. The music has awell rounded Death Metal sound that pulls both from old school & new school influences. The music is really tight, blasting & kind of crunchy sounding too. I liked the machine gun like sound the drums had a lot, with the different change ups mixed through out. There are some Thrash Metal elements present in their sound too. The vocals are done in a mid ranged kind of throaty Death Metal growl style. These guys are extremely good & I hope to hear more from them in the future. There are guest appearances from members of KRISIUN, INCANTATION, DARK FUNERAL, NAPALM DEATH & AVERSE SEFIRA! |
| N.I.L. - SELF TITLED (8 track CD) BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS N.I.L. is the newest Black Metal project from ex- KRIEG & current TWILIGHT member, N. Imperial. He has brought into the fold J. Marcheski to add to the bands sound. This two man group plays some droning, primitive & dirty sounding Black Metal music. The music has a really low ended dark & dingy feel to it. There are some really haunting & disturbing sounds in the music at times too. The vocals are done ina low thick drawn out Death/Black Metal growl style. Fans of N. Imperial's other bands & other bands on BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS will surely dig this new offering!!! |
| NODES OF RANVIER - DEFINED BY STRUGGLE (11 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS This is the debut CD release for these guys on VICTORY RECORDS, but it's definately not their first album to date. These guys have been around for about 7 years & have really been building a name for themselves in the Metal & hardcore field. They blend many elements from both styles to create their sound. there is some really cool Thrash riffing mixed with some thick solid Hardcore beats & even some mixtures of both styles grooved together. The vocals also combine both Metal & Hardcore styles. These guys fit extremely well with most of VICTORY RECORDS roster of bands & I'm sure these guys will become one of their most popular! A must for fans of HATEBREED, LAMB OF GOD, DARKEST HOUR & CHILDREN OF BODOM! www.NODESOFRANVIER.com |
| NOISZART - A NEW BEGINNING (8 track CD) Self Released NOISZART hails from Columbia & play some very impressive Metal music. Their music is a bit different than most Metal bands of this style. They are mostly grounded in the Power Metal style, but add much more to creat their sound. They add in flavorings of Classical, Jazz & Columbian Folk music as well. This gives the band a bit of a mystical, fatasy type vibe. I really dug this a lot & thought that this was quit original sounding & was very fresh all through out. The music is very well structured from the songs, lyrics, instruments, production & vocals. This band is on the rise in the Metal scene! Hope on board now so you can enjoy the ride from the start! NOISZART_band@yahoo.com / www.myspace.com/NOISZART |
| NOMINON - TERRA NECROSIS (11 track CD) IBEXMOON RECORDS / DEATHGASM RECORDS I was very happy to find this CD in my hands, as I am a big fan of these guys & I just did an interview with them a few months back. These guys have a very strong & powerful old school Death Metal sound. Thier music is relentless, aggressive & brutal as hell Death Metal all the way. At times you may hear some slight Thrash Metal in the guitars too. They have a very fast paced, thick & tight style. The vocals are done in a mid ranged thick Death Metal growl style. This is amust for any fan of Swedish Death Metal, especially bands like ENTOMBED, DISMEMBER, UNLEASHED & old GRAVE & GORGUTS! If you get only a few disc this year, this has to be one of them!!! |
| ROBOT LORDS OF TOKYO - SELF TITLED (9 track CD) Self Released First off, THESE GUYS KICK ASS! I just wanted to get that out of the way! This Ohio based band comes out kicking with some very cool Southern Rock/Metal styled music, but they add in lots of other stuff to add more flair to their sound. There are some elements of Stoner Rock, Blues, Heavy Metal & even a little Doom too! I dig the way the whole bands sound has that very cool whiskey soaked Metal sound all through out! The vocals are a blend of Stoner, Blues, Southern Metal as well. If you were to blend the great bands PROBOT, MAYLENE & THE SONS OF DISASTER, NASHVILLE PUSSY, CROWBAR, FIREBALL MINISTRY & MOTORHEAD together, you'd come up with a slight idea of what these guys sound like! rritzler@iccohio.com / www.ROBOTLORDSOFTOKYO.com |
| SLOUGH FEG - HARDWORLDER (13 track CD) CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC SLOUGH FEG has been pouring their hearts out in the Metal scene for many years & are starting to finally get the recognition they so well deserve. This album will surely help them achieve that. The music is played in a Traditional Heavy metal style that has almost an Italian Metal influence to their sound. They have some amazing song structures, that just capture you & pull you in. There is an epic story concept through out the album as well. They also are heavily influenced by 70's Rock music The vocals are done in a melodic Metal style with some 70's influences as well. Check these guys out & pay them some respect, because they deserve it! www.myspace.com/SLOUGHFEG |
| SONS OF AZRAEL - THE CONJURATION OF VENGEANCE (10 track CD) IRONCLAD RECORDINGS / METAL BLADE RECORDS I was quite happy to get this CD for review, as I saw these guys up @ the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival. These guys emerged from the bowls of Buffalo, Ny & have come to tear up the extreme Metal scene. This album will do just that for them. They hit you with an onslought of firece intense & brutal as hell Death Metal music, that is injected with tons of Grindcore & Thrash metal music. They pretty much beat the shit out of the listener with each new song, but it keep making you want more & more. The vocals are done in a harsh Grindcore scream with some lower ended Death Metal growls. A must for fans of CEPHALIC CARNAGE, JOB FOR A COWBOY & BLACK DAHLIA MURDER!!! |
| SPUN IN DARKNESS - BIRTHRIGHT (9 track CD) INVOCATION RECORDS / BATTLE KOMMAND RECORDS SPUN IN DARKNESS play some very awesome old school Death Metal music. There is a strong influence from the late 80's & early 90's Death metal bands. They have a lower ended thick Death Metal sound. The guitar work has a kind of crunchy almost chugging style to it. There is a solid pwerful driven bass & drum sound as well. The vocals are done in a mid ranged thick & groggy Death Metal growl style. This would be perfect for fans of older CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, CIANIDE & NUNSLAUGHTER material! www.SPUNINDARKNESS.com |
| TERMINAL DESCENT - HOST AGE TO THE DEVIL (11 track CD) VITRIOLIC RECORDS I have been a fan of TERMINAL DESCENT for a while now & have even carryed their releases on my label. These guys just keep getting better & better with each new release. They also do a little reinventing of themselves with each new releases too. This time the band incorporates lots of old school Death Metal elements, but add in lots of new elements too. There is a different approach to thier Death metal than most bands. They have a fast paced, brutal sound, but there are lots of different twists & turns all through out. The vocals are a combination of mid ranged Death screams with lower ended Death growls! This is one band that shouldn't be overlooked! eternalmindsect@aol.com / www.myspace.com/TERMINALDESCENT |
| THE WARRIORS - GENUINE SENSE OF OUTRAGE (13 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS I really dug this bands last album, but truly love this new one! This time around the guys hit us with a darker more aggressive style of their Hardcore sound. They have some Thrash Metal riffs under all the Hardcore layered chaos. The songs here are like a flashback to when Hardcore was really intense & angry sounding & most people were quite affraid of it. Now adays, too many people have imbraced the scene & watered it down. This new WARRIORS album is taking it back & fill it with all the great angst & fireceness Hardcore once had. This is one of the better releases that VICTORY has put out all year! A must for any fan of old school Hardcore!!! www.THEWARRIORZ.com |
| WAR OF AGES - FIRE FROM THE TOMBS (12 track CD) FACEDOWN RECORDS I was surprised to find another new WAR OF AGES CD in my pile. The reason for this is it's not really a new release. The band went back into the studio to re-write & re-record their debut self titled album. The band felt the album didn't have the strength & intensity of their live shows & wanted to give this album it's due justice. They have also recorded a new track called "The Awakening". These guys pour out some of the best Metal & Hardcore combine music out there today. Thier music is very intense, aggressive & in your face, while still have some stomping grooves & breakdowns all through out. The vocals are mix of both Hardcore & Metal as well. Some of the finest in the industry today. A must if you would love a supergroup that was a mix of IN FLAMES & HATEBREED!!! |
| WEAPON - EUROPE'S REVENGE (8 track CD) Self Released This is a one man project out of Portugal. This project consite of Aelle, doing everything & doing it well. The music is mostly based in the Death Metal genre, but you can hear lots of Black Metal influences all through out. There is a really harsh cold sound to the music, almost as if it was Industrial influenced at times. This is mostly in the guitar sound. There are some dark overtones all through the music too. The vocals are done in a mid to low ranged Black Metal groggy growl style. This is one for old school Black Metal fans, but most Death Metal fans will enjoy this too! son_of_uther@hotmail.com / www.myspace.com/WEAPON1143 |
| WIDOW - NIGHTLIFE (11 track CD) CRUZ DEL SUR MUSIC This is the third release from this North Carolina based Heavy Metal band. They are considered a Heavy Metal band, but they do add touches of 70's Hard Rock, Traditional Metal, Power Metal, Progressive Metal & Thrash Metal all into their sound. At times they almost have a fast paced Death metal sound too. These blend all these style together with greate ase. There is some ultra cool guitar shredding through out thier songs too. The vocals are done in a combine style of Power Metal & harsh Thrash vocals, with some occasional almost Death Metal vocals. If you are a true Metal fan than this is one band for you! Don't let these guys pass by! www.WIDOWusa.com |
| YAKUZA - TRANSMUTATIONS (11 track CD) PROSTHETIC RECORDS Wow! If your a Metal fan & you want something completely different than look no further. These guys from Chicago, play some very exceptional Metal that pounded with many other elements such as Progressive, Jazz, World Beat & Post-Rock Ambience. I know it sounds weird, but they make it work & make it work right. There are also lots of Grindcore influences all through out. The music takes you on one crazy ass ride, that once it's done, you want to go for another ride. The vocals also follow the same line as the music. There are slow melodic & spacey type vocals, deep soul Jazz type vocals & spastic insane Grindcore type vocals. This is one band that is very hard to explain & must be heard to be fully appreciated!!! www.YAKUZAdojo.com |