Reviews
ANY BANDS/LABELS that want their releases reviewed can send me a
promo kit at the following address. Anything sent will be reviewed and posted
within 30 days.
METAL CORE ZINE c/o CHRIS FORBES PO BOX622 MARLTON, NJ 08053 USA
DEATHALIZER/It Dwells Within (Self Released) 6 killer tracks of
total old school mid 80’s thrash. The singer and the music remind me of old
Metallica, which in my book is a great thing. The 6 tracks on this just crush
as there are chunk full of meaty of fuck riffs that will have your neck moving
in no time. Production is right on the money and not a note of nu metal in sight,
just classic good old thrash the way it was meant to be played.
Info: www.deathizer.com
or www.myspace.com/deathalizer
GRENOUER/Lifelong Days (Locomotive Records) A review of this release from the
magazine Kerrang said this is darn right cool that classic Sepultura! Well the
reviewer must be on crack cause this is easily some of the worst garbage I have
heard this year. This band totally sucks as they are yet another groove metal
band in the vein of Korn, only I think they are worse. The singing sucks, the
music and riffs sucks and this band should do the metal world a favor and break
up. Bands like this and all that nu metal shit have ruined the underground.
The bio says this band “doesn’t follow trends”!!! Ha Ha they sound like every
other groove metal band I have heard, only this is about the worst one of the
bunch. Fuckin band BLOWS!!!
Info: www.locomotiverecords.com
GRENOUER/Try (Molox Records) Oh my god this is even worse than the above release.
More fuckin crappy nu metal with all that dance metal shit with some of the
worst vocals I have heard in my life. This is so fuckin bad it is not funny.
Please guys stay in Russia and stay the fuck away from me. One of the worst
bands I have heard in years and the vocals are not, not even close to being
brutal. Sorry but screaming into the mic is not brutal. Try old Kreator instead.
Info: www.irond.ru
THE NEW CZARS/Doomsday Revolution (Samson Records) This band wasn’t too bad,
they have a bit of that metal groove to them, but they mix it with some rock
n roll and some industrial as well to keep it from being generic. The singer
has a voice a bit like Chris from Soundgarden. The production is nice and solid
and the guitar sound is loud and proud. I am not a big fan of this style, but
this is one of the few bands I’d give a passing grade to.
Info: www.myspace.com/thenewczars
PERDITION TEMPLE/Edict Of The Antichrist Elect (Osmose Productions) Holy shit
does this pack quite a punch. Crushing death/black metal that will crush you
in 2. Vocals from hell itself and real blast beats. Music that has tons of feeling
and emotion that can’t be faked. All you old school fans like myself know what
I mean. This band is from the ashes of AngelCorpse and this is one you can’t.
Killer riffs and this is the way black/death metal should be, just a fuckin
brutal assault that will turn your ears inside out and you will have a grin
from ear to ear and prepare to play air drums more than once to this. Buy or
be a poser ha ha. Great stuff and look for an interview for sure.
Info: www.myspace.com/perditiontemple
IRON DRAGON/Open The Gates (Self Released) This is an all instrumental release
with guitar and bass and I guess machine drums. This really didn’t appeal to
me much as all it was, was a guy ripping away on his guitar doing leads. There
wasn’t and isn’t much catchy riffing going on at all. The production is kinda
sludgy too. The guy on this can play guitar, but he would be better off getting
a band together and getting a singer and playing some tunes cause this is only
going to be going to a select few. If he is OK with that then good for him.
For me this wasn’t my cup of tea.
Info: www.starverse.ca/irondragon
or www.myspace.com/irondragon0
BLACK DAWN/Age Of Reason (Self Released) This band reminded me a lot of Pantera
music wise and singing wise. The band aren’t bad as they just aren’t some Pantera
clone band, but they just have a sound similar to them. For the style they are
playing, which I like some and mostly hate, they are better than most bands
I have heard. The key to this for my ears is the riffs and the guitar crunch
don’t come off to me as generic like most bands. The production on this is thick
and heavy too and I just liked the songs structures and the vocals weren’t bad
neither as he gets into the tunes. Not bad for what it is.
Info: www.myspace.com/blackdawnband
DECOMPOSED/Contorted And Rotting (Self Released) This to me is just another
faceless Suffocation clone type band that I have heard a 1000 times before from
a 1000 other bands. This is straight ahead brutal death metal and is well played,
but again it has been done before by so many, many other bands that this just
gets tired and old really quick with me. There is just nothing different from
this band than what such bands as Internal Bleeding, Lividity, Pyrexia, and
1000’s of others have done in the past.
Info; www.condemned.ws
GALAR/Til Alle Heimens Endar (Dark Essence Records) This band pretty much put
me to sleep. This band plays what they call black/folk metal, but I would say
it is typical heard a 1000 times before black metal. The band have the same
tired blast beats and black metal vocals and they add a bit of folk style to
it and try to make it different, but the bottom line is this sounds no different
from a 1000 other black metal bands I have heard over the years minus the folk
style stuff and that sucks too. Just another case of heard it all before. The
clean vocals are beyond awful as well. Lose them please.
Info: www.darkessencerecords.no
SULPHUR/Thorns In Existence (Dark Essence Records) This was some pretty solid
death metal that also had a touch of black metal in it as well regular heavy
metal too.. The vocals are just screamed black metal and the singer sings more
of in a death metal style and he is really good. The songs also have some melody
and just aren’t a bunch of noiseless blasting. The songs are played with emotion
and feeling as well as aggression, which a lot of the bands of today lack. This
was something very cool and different and I would give this a horns up.
Info: www.darkessencerecords.no
BULLETPROOF MESSENGER/Arm Yourself (Self Released) This band sent me 2 discs
of material and they are just one of the many, many new rock bands making the
rounds these days. I am not up on every new rock band, but these guys were really
good. Solid riffs, great vocals and very, very catchy tunes. The production
on the 2 discs is solid and I love the guitar sound and the singer has a great
voice and sings the songs on the 2 discs with a lot of feeling in passion and
doesn’t come across like something he is not. Both discs were chock full of
great rock tunes.
Info: www.reverbnation.com/bulletproofmessenger
BASTARD PRIEST/Under The Hammer Of Destruction (Pulverised Records) Just bone
crushing old school death/black metal that had me grinning from ear to ear.
No keyboards, no mystic stuff, no folk, just pure 100% old school true to form
black/death metal the way it should be. Sick, painful vocals and music that
satan would be proud of. Chainsaw pounding riffs and smashing drums make this
a work of art. Mix in old Destruction meets Angel Corpse. This will rip your
fuckin head off.
Info: www.pulverisedrecords.net
INTERMENT/Into The Crypts Of Blasphemy (Pulverised Records) Another crushing
slab of old school death metal that must be heard. This will crush, hurt and
punish you into oblivion. Chainsaw sounding riffs meets Swedish death metal
with some Pestilence like vocals make for a great band. The production is perfect
as everything flows and sounds awesome. I love the guitar sound on this, it’s
fuckin unreal. Real death metal vocals too, not just a bunch of senseless screaming,
this guy is the real deal. Prepare for the onslaught you wimps.
Info: www.pulverisedrecords.net
QUEST OF AIDANCE/Dark Are The Skys At Hand (Pulverised Records) This was a bunch
of boring keyboards and almost opera like music that I found big time boring
and this was pretty much a waste of time for me and you if you buy this.
Info: www.pulverisedrecords.net
THE EMPIRE SHALL FALL/Awaken (Manic Music) Boring modern rock/metal that sounds
like all the others with the same tired riffs and vocals. This band pretty much
sucked and I didn’t like this at all.
KRIEG/The Isolationist (Candlelight Records) This band I haven’t much about
over the years and they are back with another slab of black metal. I am not
the biggest black metal fan, but this was some pretty killer stuff. Fast, dark
like riffs played with feeling and aggression, but not nu metal shit. Vocals
are pure black metal and the production is raw and violent. If your into black
metal and quality black metal, here ya go.
Info: www.candlelightrecordsusa.com
HELL MILITIA/Last Station On The Road To Death (Debemur Morti) This was just
below average black metal with lots of blast beats and screaming. This band
did nothing to separate itself from the 1000’s of other bands I have heard over
the years and they pretty much bored me. I found nothing of value on this.
Info: www.debemur-morti.com
KROHM/TENEBRAE IN PERPETUAL (Dememur Morti Records) 2 of the worst black metal
bands I have heard in the past few years. Both play below average black metal
that bored me to death. There is no power or feeling at all. This is just yet
another case of heard it all before. Krohm offer up 3 tracks of black metal
that does nothing to separate itself from the 1000’s of other black metal bands.
Tenebrae play some of the worst and most boring black metal I have heard in
ages. Just scream yelled black metal vocals over some music that would put anybody
to sleep. Junk.
Info: www.dememur-morti.com
HAERESIARCHS OF DIS/Denuntiatus Of Dis (Moribund Records) This is yet another
black metal band they are a bit different that most of the stuff I usually get
to review. They aren’t just banging away a million miles and hour and just having
some guy scream. The music is different and it still retains that black metal
style and yes they are still fast. The vocals are the screeching black metal
style and they sound better than most of the other black metal bands I have
heard. Overall this is one of the better black metal bands I have heard and
is worth checking out.
Info: www.moribundcult.com
THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT/The White Crematorium 2.0 (Epitomite Productions) This
band apparently re-recorded this and it average death metal that has been done
over and over and then over again. The blast and slash through these tunes with
plenty of speed and power, but I have heard it all before many, many times.
What makes this different that the 1000’s upon 1000’s of other death metal bands
I have heard over the last 20 years of doing Metal Core. This I will say is
well played and is big time brutal and the vocals aren’t bad, but this just
didn’t excite me much as it sounds like too many others.
ENCOFFINATION/Ritual Ascension Beyond Flesh (Self Made God Records) Oh this
is simply some of the most punishing doom metal I have ever heard. This just
blew me away with how heavy and sad it is and oh the band also sucked me in
with tons of feeling and emotion that tons of today’s band lack, but not this
one. The vocals are some of the sickest I have heard and they just fit the music
so fuckin well it isn’t funny. The production is perfect and if your into Symphony
of Grief, Disembowlment, etc you will love this band as I did. Crushing doom
that can’t be touched my many.
Info: www.selfmadegod.com
UPON INFLICTION/In Human Arctic Music Group) Finally some killer death metal
I can sing my fangs into. The singer is Kyle who also sang in Hateplow and Malevolent
Creation. This is 100% straight forward death metal with some crushing riffs,
pure death metal vocals and plenty of fast parts to have your neck snapping
in 2. The band also do a awesome cover of “Mutilation” by Death as well. The
production is right on the money and any fan of 90’s Florida death metal, one
being myself, will worship this.
Info: www.mvdb2b.com
MANIAC BUTCHER/Masakr (Negative Existence) I have heard several releases from
this band before and they were very good slabs of black metal, but with this
release I would move the band up way many more notches as this is some crippling
black metal. The band have slowed down a bit in parts, but still have many fast
parts, but they have slowed it down just a hair. The music is also way more
in the vein of old school black metal than the newer style. The vocals are awesome
black metal vocals, but not just a bunch of screaming as this guy really gets
into it and just has his own style and I loved it. I am not a huge black metal
fan, but love the genre when it is done right and done well, and well this band
didn’t just do it right they got it right between the eyes and this is easily
one of the best black metal releases I have heard this year.
Info: www.negative-existence.com
or www.myspace.com/negex
SANCTUS DAEMONEON/The Unavoidable (Negative Existence) OK we go from an unholy
black metal release to one of the worst. I can’t even describe this as it is
so fuckin bad. This has a bunch of keyboard slow doomy parts with some guy growling
and the songs make no sense at all and this was just plain awful. They call
this dark and eerie composed of limitless elements ranging from black metal,
ambient, psychedelic. I call it a bunch of senseless noise that has no emotion,
no feeling, no nothing. The songs are flat as a pancake and this just put me
to sleep. Info: www.myspace.com/negex
IRON MAIDEN/The Final Frontier (Universal Music) I am not a huge Iron Maiden
fan, I do like some of their early stuff up until Powerslave. This isn’t bad
it is I guess what you can expect from a Maiden release. Gallop riffing, long
songs, and soaring vocals. Some of the songs are solid, catchy metal numbers.
I do think a few of the tunes are a bit long, but if you’re a fan of this band,
I would say this is better than some of their past releases, which I didn’t
like at all.
BUG GIRL/Dirt In The Skirt (Impedance) Some really down in dirty old school
rock n roll from this band and I really liked this. Just plug in the guitars,
turn it up loud and blast away. This band is sort of like AC/DC in spots with
a female singer. The band just churn out 100% bike riding rock n roll and the
female singer has a great voice and her voice fits this band perfectly. Not
many bands playing this style now and this is a welcome relief from all the
crap out there. Info:www.mvdb2b.com
IMPOSER/Divine Intolerance (Butchered Records) 4 killer tracks of some crushing
death/black metal that blew me away. Immolation, Incantion came to mind as this
played on. Real vocals, not that lower than low gutteral shit and none of that
idiotic screeching neither. This is 100% fast, brutal, slash your throat death/black
metal played with feeling, power and aggression. Only a MCD, I need more dammit.
Info: www.butcheredrecords.com
HYDEST/Dishing Out The Good Times (Impedance) This was a cool punk rock band
that play short, catchy tunes with lots of shouted vocals. They are more like
what a band like The Sex Pistols would do. Production is cool and this is just
a cool fun punk rock band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
Info: www.mvdb2b.com
PLAGUE ANGEL/Stagnation Of Chris (Butchered Records) This wasn’t bad, but the
band isn’t doing anything different I have not heard at least 500 times before
by signed and unsigned bands. The band play brutal death metal that has been
done time and time again by a variety of bands over the years. This just another
case of heard it all before and before.
Info: www.butheredrecords.com
9 TH ENITY/Diabolical Enticement Of Blood And Lust (Butchered Records) This
another case of heard it all before a 1000 times, thought this band is boring
and totally didn’t nothing for me. At least the above band isn’t bad, they just
aren’t doing anything new and there is no “wow” factor with them. This band
isn’t doing anything new and the songs are just flat and faceless. This is just
another faceless death metal band in an already overcrowded music scene that
adds nothing to the scene. The band play straight forward death metal and are
like a 5th race Incantation band. This did nothing for me at all.
Info: www.butheredrecords.com
FOUL STENCH/Eternal Rot (Butchered Records) Some cool low tunes death metal
in the vein of Autopsy and some Swedish death metal style. Again this band may
not be super original, but they are far from average and the band crank out
a killer slab of death metal that I enjoyed. Great vocals and I love the guitar
sound. The band mix up the speed and slow parts and the fast parts don’t sound
like a bunch of senseless blasting neither. Cool band.
Info: www.butcheredrecords.com
HIDEOUS DEFORMITY/Defoulment Of Human Purity (Sevared Records) Another case
of heard it a million times death metal from yet another faceless death metal
that is not doing anything different I have heard time and time again, down
from the riffs, to the vocals, to the blast beats. Please bands at least try
to be a different from the million other bands before you.
Info: www.myspace.com/sevaredrecords
BRACED FOR NAILS/Icons Above Al Others (Sevared Records) Some decent death metal
that thankfully doesn’t sound like a generic Cannibal Corpse band. This band
churn out some sick death metal with tons of wicking riffing and drumming. I
love the guitar sound the band use and it had my neck moving and the songs are
catchy too. Production on this kills too. A really awesome band and release.
Info: www.myspace.com/sevaredrecords
STIMULATOR/Lovelier In Black (Self Released) I am not into many goth bands,
but this was one that sucked me in. The music is very haunting and the female
singer in this band sucked me right in and I was hooked. She has such a killer
voice and her voice fit’s the music so damn good it isn’t funny. This band is
marketed the right way could sell a ton of records. Her vocals are full of feeling
and this band actually reminded me of the sadly missed Sapphic Ode. Cool and
different band here.
Info: www.myspace.com/stimulator
HOLY GRAIL/Improper Burial-I saw this band in Phila, PA not to long ago live
and they totally blew me away. I felt like I was on a time warp and back at
Lamour’s in the late 80’s ha ha. This is only an EP and it just wet my appitite
for more. I need more. This band play classic heavy metal with bits and pieces
of power and thrash metal thrown in. The singer has a classic Halford type of
voice and the band run all around onstage which I loved. This has a Judas Priest
and Accept cover tunes as well as 2 originals and they both and the cover tunes
kill. This is easily one of my favorite new bands and is like a breath of fresh
air and when I discover new bands like this I tell myself this is why I still
do my zine.
Info: www.myspace.com/holygrail
DECOMPOSED/Created To Kill (Ruptured Records) This is without a doubt one of
the worst bands I have heard this year. This is super generic Suffocation garbage
death metal that fuckin blows. This shit sucks my left ball. The singer, yeah
singer, just growls into the mic with the same heard it a million times before
blast beats with that tin can sounding drumming. This band was so generic on
so many levels it wasn’t funny. Beyond bad.
Info: www.ruptured-records.com
HOUWITSER/Bestial Atrocity (Sevared Records) Some solid death metal is the ticket
here. Just brutal riffs and some solid singing won me over. No silly tin can
drumming and some thick, catchy riffs played with brutality and emotion and
feeling as well. This just hits hard and hits often. The fast parts are real
slabs of blast not that tin can fake shit. I love the vocals as the singer really
gets into it and this band just doesn’t sound like a ton of other generic bands
out there and if your into solid, brutal death metal, look no further.
Info: www.sevared.com
SAPHREMIA/With Winter Comes Despair (Open Grave Records) This is a local band
that I have not heard in some time and I recently got to see them live and now
I have a disc that came out in 2007 in my hands. This band play death metal
with a mix of the old and new styles and it didn’t sound bad to my ears. They
don’t have that lower than low vocal crap and the drums don’t sound like tin
cans. They do have some of that new groove metal style and blast style, but
this band is way better than most other bands I have heard doing this style.
This band have also been around a lot longer than most bands and they have really
gotten better since the last time I had heard them. Great production on this
too and the guitar sound is heavy as fuck and the more I listened to this, the
better it became. Kinda like the best of both worlds on this without all the
generic crap.
Info: www.myspace.com/sapremia
CLEANSE YOUR DEMONS/2010 Demo (Self Released) I got 3 tracks here of some really
good solid death metal. This is no frills and is straight forward death metal.
Brutal riffs and vocals and just music to make that head bang. Great production
too for a demo as well. This reminded me of Obituary at times, but for sure
is no clone of that band. Just one brutal heavy as a ton riff after another.
Death metal the way it was meant and should be. Love to hear more as 3 songs
was not enough.
Info: www.myspace.com/cleanseyourdemons
CREATED TO KILL/Worship Or Die (Ruptured Records) This is a band I saw live
at the Hostile City Deathfest and they weren’t bad live, but on this CD I hate
to say it, but them come across as just another Suffocation/Cannibal Corpse
clone band that sounds no different that the 1000’s before them. The low vocals,
the tin can drumming, the cheezy blast beats along with the groove parts. They
also use the screechy vocal thing, which has more than worn out it’s welcome.
Live these guys were good, but this is just as generic as a CD as I have heard.
Guys just work on losing the stuff that every other band doing this style is
doing cause I can hear bits and pieces of other stuff going on.
Info: www.ruptured-records.com
NUCLEAR THRONE/Dog Prophet (Self Released) This wasn’t too bad, but it was just
missing a “wow” factory in my eyes. The music is old school death metal with
some black metal here and there and it isn’t bad, but this also didn’t blow
me away. The production I felt was kinda weak and they may have taken something
away from the 3 tunes on this CDR. The vocals are really good and I like the
style and the way he sings and the band just too me sound like too many of these
modern death/black metal bands coming out and like I said it is OK, but nothing
mind blowing.
Info: www.nuclearthrone.net
PROTOGENOI/Self Titled (Self Released) This was OK death metal. The band don’t
suck, but again as with the case of many, many others bands, this band is not
doing anything different or super exciting to separate themselves from the thousand’s
upon thousand’s of death metal bands making the rounds these days. This isn’t
badly played and there are some decent songs on this and the band is young and
stuff so hopefully they will grow and work on getting more original.
Info:www.myspace.com/protogenoi
I AM THE TRIREME/Unholy Divination (Self Released) This is a 5 song disc and
it has its good and bad points. First the good. The music is not typical and
the band is not trying to sound like every other death metal band and they do
have somewhat of their own sound and they play fast death/black metal, which
I thought music wise was decent. The bad things is the vocals are pretty bad.
The singer when he just sings in a growl voice isn’t bad, but then there is
all these screeching going on at times that is very annoying and has been done
to death by many other bands and the screeching style of singing sucks big time.
The singer just growl and sing that way and lose all the generic things and
this band again is a young band and hopefully they will grow with their next
release. A band I will keep my eye on.
Info: www.myspace.com/iattpa
THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF/Battle For The Mind (Crowell Music) This grew on me cause
at first I hated it, but by the 2nd time I gave it a listen I was hooked. The
band has a female singer and she has a great voice and fit’s the bands music,
which is along the lines of rock n roll with a metal edge to it and some really
cool licks to boot. The 6 tunes on this are all catchy rock n roll tunes and
are more in tune of 80’s rock than modern rock. I liked what I heard and I don’t
love female fronted bands that much, only a few and you can add this to the
list.
Info: www.thecommanderinchief.net
RUBUFASO NUKUFO/Remolab (Khaaranus) Typical death metal with screeching death
metal vocals that I have over and over. Nothing new here the band play death
metal with a bit of an industrial feel and the songs were big time boring and
the vocals worse.
Info: www.myspace.com/khaaranus
EVERYTHING AFTER ZERO/Self Titled (Self Released) This band mixes metal and
rock n roll and this is a fuckin terrible release. Wow the singer does the old
death metal growls and tough guy vocals and screeches along with clean vocals.
The music tries to mix in metal and rock and this is so generic and so awful
on so many fronts it isn’t funny. The guitar player is all over the place and
he might be a good player, but his riffing all over the place is out of place
and this pretty much sucked. Generic on so many levels and the band use every
cliché trick in the book. Yawn.
Info: www.myspace.com/everythingafterzero
NIGHTFIREMETAL/Self Titled (Self Released) Oh this is as bad as the above band.
Every cliché death metal trick in the book.. The vocals go from screeching
to cup the mic and are beyond bad. The songs are flat and there is no catchy
riffs at all and it is just beyond bad death metal. No production, no power,
no nothing. The vocals are the worst part though as the singing is so generic
and stupid it isn’t funny. There are so many bands doing the low and screeching
thing that it is now totally out of control. Lose the vocals and the tin can
drumming parts and lose the high low vocal thing as this band just sounds like
any one of 50,000 faceless, generic death metal bands out there.
Info: www.myspace.com/nightfiremetal
AHAEM/Doch Lunnogo Sveta (Apollon Records) This is some modern power metal with
female vocals. I am not a big fan of female vocals, but this wasn’t too bad
as she has a pretty strong voice and she sings in a bit of an aggressive style,
not that opera style, which I hate. The music is modern gallop riffing power
metal with plenty of hooks. The music is easy to get into and there is plenty
of riffs to have that head banging. Production is good and solid as well. Not
a bad release here.
Info: www.apollonrecords.nl
ANGELS AND ENEMIES/Gttkmplx (Apollon Records) This is that modern thrash metal
stuff with the tough guy vocals and some keyboard parts. This style has been
done to death and then some by 100’s of other bands and this just doesn’t sound
any different from them. The vocals suck as the guy is not brutal and just sounds
like any other tough guy singer and the riffs and music on this bored me tears
as there is nothing new and nothing of value on this neither. A tired style
I wish would go to sleep.
Info: www.apollonrecords.nl
BYFROST/Black Earth (Apollon Records) This is a average at best death/black
metal band. The music isn’t so bad, but there is nothing on this that really
got my attention as the band’s music was just kinda there and then they go off
and blast for a few seconds and then slow it back down. There is nothing on
this that blew me out of my seat and there was nothing that made me want to
shut off the music neither. The singer sings in a more black metal style and
this wasn’t bad and actually I enjoyed it more upon multiple listens so I would
say this is a bit above of an average combo of death and black metal and the
singer does have a killer voice and that helps this.
Info: www.apollonrecords.nl
ARRANGED CHAOS/As Time Goes By (Apollon Records) Absolutely god awful death
metal with all the generic qualities of a generic death metal band. Same old
groove death metal riffs and oh how original that the band does the low death
growls and the high screaming pig metal vocals. That is fuckin garbage in my
book. This is one shitty death metal band that is doing nothing new or exciting
and just takes up space in an already crowded underground.
Info: www.apollonrecords.nl
WOLFFERY/Glorious (Apollon Records) Awesome power metal with tons of killer
hooks and vocals that are strong as well. The riffs will have that head banging
and doesn’t have any of that modern thrash style, which I am not a fan of. The
singer has a strong voice and he sounds good and not like a million other singers
thank god. The tunes are just solid blasts of power metal mixed in with a touch
of thrash. Production is cool and the keyboard parts are cool as well. The band
also have their own sound and this was just a pleasure to listen to.
Info: www.apollonrecords.nl
PROJECT: FAILING FLESH/Count Back From Ten (Self Released) This is a new release
from these guys and another good one from this band. They combine some hard
hitting metal with some industrial sounds and it sounded good to my ears. Sort
of like Ministry at times. The singer growls and screams with all his might
during these tunes and his voice and style fit the music. Production on this
is strong and the music is just hard hitting and at times fast and this works
for me.
Info: www.projectfallingflesh.com
or www.myspace.com/projectfallingflesh
CASUS/Redemption Through Pervertion (Self Released) This music wise wasn’t bad,
but I didn’t like the changing of the vocal thing. What I mean by that is the
growl vocals which are cool and then the high pitched pig screaming vocals,
which I hate and are so over done. The music is some old school death metal
and I thought this EP was OK, nothing to make me fall out of chair. The music
at times just was kinda there and didn’t knock me off my feet. The vocals and
music in track 3 are more what I like and need more of. The band have their
own style they just need to work on a few little things and they will be right
there.
BLVD/Boulevard-Into The Street (Metal Mind Productions) This is a re-releases
of this band’s 2 releases that came out in the 80’s. Both Cd’s totally blew
me away as they both uncovered gems of AOR music not to be missed. Not a bad
song on either disc. The singer has an incredible, passionate voice and the
music is just godly rock n roll with tons of catchy hooks and soaring melodies.
This band got lost in the grunge shuffle and it is awesome that Metal Mind is
putting these 2 releases out. An fan of AOR or want some great rock n roll played
with passion, feeling, and emotion will do backflips over this as I did. I can’t
stop listening to these releases and if you think I am a wimp for liking this
sort of stuff, GO FUCK YOURSELF…it’s called being open minded…
Info: www.metalmind.com.pl
PLANET GRAVEYARD/Same (Self Released) This is a groove metal band and they are
easily the best band I have heard doing this style in years. The band remind
me of Pro-Pain and the singer has a cool voice and he doesn’t sound generic
and the music has a sort of old school thrash vibe with some groove and it is
way better than the 100’s of other bands I have heard doing this style. This
band is one of the few bands I heave heard lately that can mix in the hardcore
and metal styles and make it work. Production is great and I love the guitar
sound this band uses as well.
Info: www.planetgraveyard.com
or www.myspace.com/planetgraveyard
TERAKAI/The Last Sound (Self Released) Oh now this band on the other hand have
ever generic and cliché metal sound in the book. The band have that total
groove metal style with tough guy vocals and lower vocals and wow they use the
clean vocal style too. This band totally sucks as they combine all the things
wrong in metal today and make it one big ball of waste. This band sound like
every other nu metal band making the rounds these days and this is why most
new bands suck, they sound like everybody else. Guys the low and clean vocal
thing has been overdone as is the groove metal style. If I want that I’ll listen
to Pantera.
Info: www.myspace.com/terakai
NO PITY/Iron From Hell (Self Released) This is a 5 track EP and I need more.
The 5 songs on this weren’t enough. This is pure old school death/thrash the
way it should be. Killer riffs that sent chills up and down my spine. This is
vicious, evil and just kills. This band sound like they stepped out of a time
warp from 1988. Think Atrophy, Viking, old Kreator, etc. Singer reminds me of
Mille at times from “Endless Pain”. The production has that raw, dirty underground
sound which I was going ga ga over as well. Trust me this band is the real deal
and if I owned a label I’d sign these guys in a heartbeat. You are ordered to
check this band out and if you don’t go die….
Info: www.myspace.com/nopity
KOMMANDANT/Kontakt (Planet Metal) This is this band’s 2nd release and it is
another killer release of death/black metal. The vocals are crushing black metal
style and aren’t all that banshee wailing, no these are more just straight forward
say like a band Angelcorpse uses. He singer sings with emotion and feeling and
plenty of hate as well. The music is a vicious assault on your ears. Wicked
drum blasts along with crushing riffs that will knock you out of your chair.
Like the above band, 6 tunes just aren’t enough as I need more. Production is
great as well and everything is right where it needs to be. Great release.
Info: www.myspace.com/kommandantofficiall
HIS NAME WAS YESTERDAY/Same (Self Released) Typical modern rock/metal that sounds
like every other band I have heard doing this style. Groove like riffs with
a metal edge and clean vocals with that tailor made modern rock sound. Nothing
new or different here and yet again another case of same ole same ole.
Info: www.myspace.com/hisnamewasyesterday
SOLACE OF REQUIEM/The Great Awakening (Compilation CD) This I thought was going
to be some goth metal band, but how wrong I was. This is some decent death metal
that has some groove to it, but has more speed and mixes in some old style death
metal to make it better than most of the newer bands and thank god the singer
doesn’t do the high low thing and just sings in a powerful, growl like voice
and that also scored points with me. Production is right on the money and this
is a good release.
Info: www.myspace.com/frombeneaththegarage
GROTESQUEUPHORIA/Conquered By Corruption (Destro Records) Some cool Immolation
like death metal is the ticket here. The singer sounds like Ross and the music
has that Immolation like feel to it as well. Not that it’s a bad thing mind
you. I hear Dawn of Possession floating through my head as this plays on. Production
sounds a lot like that release as well. If you like Immolation you’ll love this.
100 % no frills death metal.
Info: www.destrorecords.com
MALHKEBRE/Prostration (Ahdistuksenaihio Records) Wicked black metal that hey
doesn’t sound like every other generic black metal band. The band for sure play
fast black metal, but they do different things within the songs and try out
different things and also have a bit of a different tone to their guitars making
them different from every other pick riffing black metal band. Production is
crushing and the vocals are pure hate and evil and this is a cool band that
is trying to be different and they are and still retain that classic black metal
sound.
Info: www.ahdistuksenaihio.com
JUMALHAMARA/Resignaatio (Ahdistuksenaihio Records) To me this is just another
run of the mill black metal band that plays fast black metal with the same pick
riffing style and same ole black metal vocals I have heard a 1000 times and
then some. This to me just sounded like any one of 500 black metal bands that
I have reviewed in the past 15 years.
Info: www.ahdistuksenaihio.com