| MUSIC REVIEWS (February 2007) |
| ARCHAIC WINTER - THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DEATH (8 track CD) METALBOLIC RECORDS ARCHAIC WINTER is a two piece Death Metal beast that consists of Gregory Maudin doing brutal old school style mixed with some intricate & some what technical new school sound. The cold harsh old school style dominates the sound more though. The vocals are done in a mid ranged throaty Death growl style. These guys are great band & have everything any Death Metal fan could want! Get this CD now! www.myspace.com/ARCHAICWINTER |
| ATROCITY - CONTAMINATED (10 track CD) OPEN GRAVE RECORDS ATROCITY was formed in 1985 & unfortunately broke up in 1993. The guys have regroup with the original line up & are working on new material. This CD contains alternate versions of material that was released in 1990 during the "INFECTED" sessions. These guys play a very tight, fast & raw Death Metal style with lots of Grindcore influences mixed within. The guitars at times do have a Thrash Metal vibe to them too. The vocals are done in a mid ranged hallowed & haunting Death Metal growl style. If you were a fan of these guys back in the heyday then your gonna love this new release! |
| BRUTAL DELUXE - DEMO 2007 (3 track CD) CAFE LIFE PROMOTIONS Hailing from the U.K. comes this fresh Metal act called BRUTAL DELUXE. The guys blend together many elements from different Metal styles. You can elements of Heavy Metal, Thrash, Speed, Death metal & Metalcore all mixed in. They have a really crisp clean Metal sound that rips through fast paced Speed slams you head first into a melodic Heavy Metal part & then grooves you through a Metalcore part & tosses you into a Death Metal part. These guys mix it up & mix it up very well. The vocals are done in a mixture of the above styles as well. They have clean melodic, fast grooved Metalcore, harsh Thrash & lower ended Death vocals. If your an all around Metalhead then this is the all around Metal band you should be checking out!!! www.BRUTALDELUXE1.com |
| DOWNLORD - THE DICTIONARY OF THE DAMNED (15 track CD) OPEN GRAVE RECORDS This is the debut full length release from this amazing Death Metal band. These guys play a very cool old school brutal style of Death Metal music. The band features ex-members of the bands familiar with any of these bands then you know your in for some great music. There is an all out fast paced & aggressive sound mixed with some thick thunders heavy parts & some harsh mid ranged old school Death Metal growls. They take influences from American, English & Scandinavian Death Metal scenes. These guys take me back to the late 80's & early 90's when I was first getting into Death Metal music. I love this style & loved this band through & through. Any 90's Death Metal fan would eat this up in a second!!! |
| GUADANA - MATAR POR MATAR (6 track CD) Self Released Hailing from Mexico comes the Death Metal band GUADANA. These guys play Death Metal in music is very strong, thick & tight sounding Death Metal with lots of angry full force intensity. The vocals are done in a low end thick Death growl style. The first band that came to mind was BRUJERIA. If you know these guys & like what they do then you will love what this band has delivered! Give these guys some support!!! It is much deserved & you won't be let down!!! www.GUADANA2.cjb.net |
| INSANITY ARISE - INSANITY IS YOUR DEADLIEST WEAPON (5 track CD) Self Released This Italian band place a great mixture of Thrash & Death Metal music that is heavily influenced by the Swedish scene. They have a very cool grooved sound that reminded me a lot of IN FLAMES. They have a very tight, technical sound that blends the two styles of Thrash & Death sound. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Death Metal growl scream crossover style. because they really deserve it! Hit them up, get their CD & listen to this CD very often!!! www.INSANITYARISE.it |
| KILLGASM - BLACK METAL WHORE KILLER (7' Record) Self Released I can't help but not take this Sacramento band seriously. I find it hard to picture a Black Metal band from California. The picture on the cover is some coniferous forest that looks exactly the same as if I where to look out my front window in Northern Ontario. Once again I ask the question I really don't think Black metal fans care. What they do care about is that they give extra special thanks to their lords & master Satan. Without you this record would never be possible. Pure fucking Satanic Grindcore. I must say that "Menstrual Blood Mustache" was a must listen. Only 500 of these suckers made so Black Metal fans get in touch!!! (Review done by Jeremy of SPUNK ZINE) www.myspace.com/KILLGASM |
| KRATORNAS - HOLLOW GROUND DESTRUCTION Blood thirsty Black Metal from the Philippines. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but in the bio it says "true underground one man war". Does this mean this is a one piece Black Metal band then? If so, be it. I don't know what is more hardcore, to be in a real Black Metal band or just one dude thrashing out Black Metal in his apt on the computer? This is a picture disc as which I thought was really sick, until I flipped it over & seen the pentagram with the goat head. I wasn't sure if I should be like "cool" or be scared for my life that Satan himself has entered my apt by the form of a KRATORNAS 7". The other side is nice, it's one of those depictions from like ancient Rome where everybody is naked climbing all over each other. The recording was kind of shitty, but for some reason I don't think Black Metal fans will care, as long as it's Black Metal they will be happy, or sad, or happy because they are sad & angry because they are happy, fuck I don't know! (Review done by Jeremy of SPUNK ZINE) |
| LANGSUYR - ASYIK (6 track CD) CLOCKWORK RECORDS This is just a promo copy of the bands actual release which is a digi pack with full cover & everything. This release comes after 10 years since the bands last disc. These guys play some very cool intricate & highly involved sounding Death Metal music. The music has some what of a melodic feel to it with lots of Goth overtones to it. There are some Speed or Thrash metal elements present within their sound as well. The music is very well structured & tight. I dig the blend of sounds they put all together. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death Metal growl Metal band than I usually get. These guys will surely stick out in a sea of great bands & all for good reasons!!! http://LANGSUYR.metalterus.com.my |
| LAND OF HATE - GENER(H)ATE (5 track CD) Self Released This five piece out of Italy hits you smack in the face with their brand of Death Metal violence. more dominate of the two. The music comes fast & is relentless. It plows you over & repeatedly stomps the shit out of you. They toss in some grooves here & there to mix things up a bit, but it & then back to the madness. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style with some more groggy higher ones mixed in. One of the best newer Death metal bands I've heard come out of Italy in awhile!!! www.LANDOFHATE.tk (Available through BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS) |
| MALSTROM - THE WORLD WILL BE LOST (7 track CD) Self Released Rampaging from New York comes this great Metal / Hardcore hybrid band. These guys take an even amount of elements from both styles & mash them together to create a great sound. They have Thrash Metal dominate guitars, thick solid Hardcore drum beats, pounding bass licks & a combo styled vocal sound. I really dig the powerful aggressive sound they have that is both technical & brutal at the same time. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style, mid ranged Hardcore screams & at times some melodic Metal vocals too. This band has it all for fans of both these styles. A must listen!!! www.MALSTROM.net |
| MANDATORY - WHERE THEY BLEED (4 track CD) Self Released Spreading their sound since 2001, Germany's Death Metal greats MANDATORY are back with a These guys play old school styled Death metal that is reminiscent of the great 90's Florida Death scene. There are some touches of classic German Thrash in the guitar work at times. They have a great thick solid sound that hits you like a brick house. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Metal fan to add to their collection!!! www.MANDATORY-death.de |
| MY BITTER END - THE RENOVATION (11 track CD) UPRISING RECORDS Wow! I was totally blown away by these guys! I was expecting a typical Hardcore band. These These guys are amazingly good & nothing like I've heard before. There are crushing breakdowns, guys are not a Hardcore band & they are far from typical. They play Metal music in all it's forms. off time chord progressions, technical precision & melodic undertones. There are also very Wow! I was totally blown away by these guys! I was expecting a typical Hardcore band. These complex song structures mixed with some very intense spastic song structures. The vocals are These guys are amazingly good & nothing like I've heard before. There are crushing breakdowns, Wow! I was totally blown away by these guys! I was expecting a typical Hardcore band. These guys are not a Hardcore band & they are far from typical. They play Metal music in all it's forms. off time chord progressions, technical precision & melodic undertones. There are also very complex song structures mixed with some very intense spastic song structures. The vocals are done in a mid ranged Death growl style mixed with some Death/Hardcore crossover styled screams. This is one superbly amazing band that really needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated!!! |
| PHILOSOPHER - LAW OV FORM (4 track CD) RUPTURED SILENCE RECORDS These German Death Metalers have released once again another great CD. This time around they have a concept Ep which is a Lovcraftian Observation. Meaning all the songs deal with H.P. some new school influences,. There are some more melodic & atmospheric almost Black Metal parts at times too. There is a really creepy dark overtone to their sound as well. The vocals are done in amid ranged Death growls with some groggy almost Black metal like ones mixed in. If you liked their last disc, then you'll love this one. The band keeps getting better with each new release they place upon us!!! www.PHILOSOPHER-music.de (Available through BEOWOLF PRODUCTIONS) |
| PURE DEATH PRODUCTIONS SHOW 1-23-07 (14 track CD) PURE DEATH PRODUCTIONS This is a sampler CD to help a show that PURE DEATH PRODUCTIONS set up for January AMORPHIC FORM & WAKING THE CADAVER. These bands all rip & it sucks I wasn't able to make it to the show. Hopefully they will play again & I can check them out. These are cool samplers by 2 cool guys who are doing a great service to help boost the music scene in this area. Get in touch with these guys & go to their shows & support these bands!!! www.myspace.com/PUREDEATHPRODUCTIONS |
| SCARS OF TOMORROW - THE FAILURE IN DROWNING (11 track CD) VICTORY RECORDS This is the bands 3rd VICTORY RECORDS release & so far their best. They blend together many elements of Hardcore & Death Metal together. There are tons of fast breakdowns, change ups & lots of Hardcore grooves all mixed in. They also toss in some stop & start parts which I dig a lot!!! The vocals also follow the lead of the music, by taking from both Metal & Hardcore. They have mid ranged Death/Hardcore crossover styled vocal growls with some more melodic Metal & some more scream like aggressive Hardcore vocals. These guys are one of VICTORY's best bands & each new album just keeps proving the fact!!! If you haven't heard these guys before you must get this disc!!! www.SCARSOFTOMORROW.net |
| SEPTER - THE GOD KEY (10 track CD) PULSE MUSIC SEPTER play a classic style of Power Metal mixed with lots of Traditional & Heavy Metal music mixed together. They have a very cool 80's Metal style that reminds me a lot of such greats as Speed Metal mixed in the sounds, which is mostly dominate in the guitar styling. The songs have an epic feel to them which kind of reminded me of DIO. The vocals are done in a Power Metal mixed with Traditional Heavy Metal style, which was very clean, melodic & operatic. If your a fan of any of the above mentioned bands then you'll love these guys, because they could hang with them easily!!! |
| THE SEVENTH GATE - SELF TITLED (2 track CD) SATAN ROCK you think they are a Noise or Grindcore band, but then the Death Metal mayhem kicks in. There are some parts that are spastic & have a Grindcore vibe, but they are dominated by the Death Metal brutality. They toss in some Death grooves into the songs this time around though. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh Death Metal scream style with some lower Death Metal type growls. The guys are going in a slightly different direction, but I'm will to go with them. I look forward to hearing their next release. www.myspace.com/THESEVENTHGATE |
| THE TENTH KEY - SELF TITLED This CD is a compilation of previously unreleased, compilation tracks, split release tracks, 7" inch tracks & demo tracks all gathered on one disc. These guys play some crazy ass out of control sounding music. The music is a blend of Death Metal, Noisecore, Experimental & Grindcore. A lot of the music is covered with some static & feedback type sounds. The vocals are done in a high pitched loud screaming Noisecore type style with some Grindcore & Death Metal vocals in the mix at times. This bands music is all over the place & spastic sounding. If you can handle it, give it a whirl!!! www.THETENTHKEY.cjb.net |
| THREE FACES OF EVE - SUBJECT TO DECAY (5 track CD) Self Released Grindcore & mix them into their sound as well. I liked the way they go from all out hyperactive shreds into a bit slower more Thrash part & then hit you with the fast stuff again. They have a bit of a Mathcore style to their sound too. The music reminds me a bit of bands like MY BITTER END & DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN. The vocals are done in a mid ranged harsh screaming/growling crossover style with lower ended Death growls accompanying them. These guys will be getting huge in the underground very quickly!! Keep an ear out for them!!! www.THREEFACESOFEVE.com |
| VOODOO MOONSHINE - DECADE OF DECAY (10 track CD) MISPELLED MUSIC This Memphis based band brings on some really good Southern grooved swamp Metal music. They have a really cool 80's Metal sound but it is covered with swampy grooved Southern Rock & some touches of Blues here & there. The music also grabs you & pulls you & makes you want to rock out with them. The vocals are done in a Southern Rock style with tinges of Metal entwined with in. These guys have a great sound that would have been huge in the 80's & these guys would have been very big then & have hung well with the big names of that time!!! www.VOODOOMOONSHINEtheband.com |
| WUTHERING HEIGHTS - THE SHADOW CABINET (10 track CD) THE LASER'S EDGE / SENSORY These guys play some very very good, tight, technical & very impressive Progressive Power Metal music. I was enraptured within the music as soon as it kicked in & never wanted to be let go. They have a twin lead guitar attack with symphonic keyboards & they also incorporate Classical instruments. At times they have a darker vibe with a mix of Folk music. The vocals are reminiscent of the great DRAGONFORCE a major run for their money! The release comes with a bonus live CD with the bands performance @ the PROGPOWER V Festival in 2004. This band deserves mega attention!!! www.WUTHERING-HEIGHTS.dk |
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