Reviews Page 64

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

THE KMX BAND/Guilty Of Rocking (Self Released) At least this band doesn’t take themselves seriously. They have had people who heard them call them ‘comedy metal” and those people aren’t far off. The music is like a sort of comedy metal band and isn’t bad and I think part of that is the comedy part of the band. The singer has a good voice and I can hear the almost chuckle in his voice as this plays on. The songs are just feel good rock/metal tunes from this band. Info:

LOVE AND DEATH/Between Here & Lost (Tooth & Nail) Typical groove metal with all that happy jumping and down mosh parts that sound like any other band doing this style. The clean vocals didn’t win any points with me neither. This band sounds no different than any of other bands doing this thing and this as a former member of Korn and yeah they sound like them too. Bands like this to me are a dime a dozen. Info:

PHAVIAN/Meridan II (Self Released) I am not a fan at all of clean vocals and with a female singing that style this was pretty much it for me. The band manage calls this band progressive metal” and I beg to differ. To me prog metal is Fates Warning of Dream Theatre and this and this music wise sound nothing like them and the music is like a doom/goth/opera band with a female singer. This pretty much bored me as the music just dragged and the vocals were worse. Info;

CRUCIFIX/Visions Of Nihilism (Dark Blasphemues Records) Some very good low tuned death metal with brutality and great vocals. Not that lower than low crap that is just such a joke. This guy is more in the Ross from Immolation style and he totally shreds on vocals. The music is just straight forward death metal with a wicked guitar sound and the music moved from fast and slow. This is just brutal death metal played the right way. Fans of Immolation and Incantation will love this. Info:

ANGAR AS ART/Hubris Inc. (Old School Metal Records) Bone crushing real thrash metal is the ticket on this baby. Steve Gaines who was in Abattoir and other bands returns with this bands 4th album and after hearing this I am going after the other 3. This is pure mid 80’s thrash metal that will have out the spikes and leather and denim for sure. The song “Speed Kills” was written back in 1984 for Abattoir and it is brought back and the band is the one that plays on this. The riffs are a pure thrash metal delight and Steve’s vocals are incredible on this. Oh this is a must have for an fan of old school metal and thrash metal the way it was meant to be. Info:

INFINITE TRANSLATION/Masked Reality (Emances Metal Records) Straight forward old school thrash metal that would not sound out of place in the 80’s. And that is a good thing. Good choppy riffs with a very good singer to boot. Sorta like Overkill in spots. The riffs and song structures are very catchy and every song on this is good to great. The band also mixes up the sapped and mid paced parts rather nicely. A band that is keeping good ole thrash metal alive and doing it very well I might add. Info:

THRUSTOR/Abysmal Fear (Emances Metal Records) Damn more old school thrash and this is as good as the above band. Just that choppy old school thrash metal played the right way. Hell this wouldn’t out of place in the Bay Area in the 80’s. The singer has a great thrash metal voice, understandable, but sung with a mad and vicious tone. This band is faster that the above band as they rip through some rip roaring parts that had me playing air drums. I love old school thrash and both of these bands were the ticket I am buying. Info:

WARCKON/The Madman’s Lullaby (Emances Metal Records) Ah the killer thrash metal bands continue on. This is the best of the bunch so far. This is just rip roaring brutal, fast death metal at its best. Great vocals and riffs and speed that will make any headbanger happy. The guitar crunch on this just totally rules and the speed, intensity and fury this band whips out just blew me away. This band holds the trash metal flag at its finest. Info:

SIN STARLETT/Throat Attack (Emances Metal Records) This was ok, I wasn’t a fan of the vocals and the songs were decent, but nothing to write home about. This is more of a power metal band and the songs just didn’t work for me and singer to me was nothing special. I like the guitar sound, but the song structures just didn’t have that killer hook or song structures to suck me in. Info:

OMISSION/Pioneers Of The Storm (Emances Metal Records) Before I popped this in I expected a black metal band due to the corpse paint and that is what I got, but this was mixed in with some death metal as well. This is some chaotic shit on this. Total old school black metal that brings to mind early Sodom, and Destruction, Blasemeym and bands of that nature. This is total old school all the way and the riffs and signing total blew me away with his intensity and intensity and fury of this band. Just pound and pound more with songs with speed that would belong on the Indy 500. This is easily a must for any fan of metal and this so far goes in my top 10 of the year and yeah it is that fuckin good. This isn’t some “evil” black metal band, this band is much more than that and shouldn’t be grouped in with all those shitty wannabe bands as this will have them on their knees begging for mercy. Info:

YATTAI/Fast Music Means Love (Self Released) This is a grind band and I got a CDR of from this band of all or most of their material which is going to be coming out on a double disc soon. Now while not a big fan of grind, this totally crushes. The band actually play songs…wow what a concept! The fast stuff is total 100% brutality all the way. The drums don’t sound like tin cans neither. Production is good and vocals are total warped out and not a bunch of cup the mic crap neither. Easily one of the best grind bands I have heard in years that is cool all this stuff is coming out on a 2 disc set. Info:

SCARECROW/Fleasheaters III (82 Records) This is like a massive wave of pure, fast death metal that will punish the weak. I love the chainsaw pounding guitar sound and the fast parts are awesome as well. A singer that sings his balls off with intensity and fury to boot. Riffs and songs that cut through to the bone and this is how an underground death metal should sound, great songs, great vocals and this is like a pit ball charging in your path and you’re not going to be to get away of the way. Info:

SATANS GOD/Various (Self Released) This easily has the distinction of being one of the worst bands I have heard in say the last 5 years. The opening tune all it has is somebody playing a guitar note over and over. Tune # 2 is a wall of senseless noise and I shut this off as listening to it was pure torture. Want to get even with somebody. Tie em to a chair and play this full blast ha ha. Info:

STRADION/Holy Midnight Gloom (Self Released) This was some decent heavy metal with a bit of thrash to it. It def has that 80’s sounds of metal, which isn’t a bad thing mind you. The singer has a good voice as he belts the lyrics out like a solid thrash metal singer. I just wish this had a bit more speed to it as the band has a lot of the same tempo and they should try and mix it up a bit more. I like the guitar sound a lot, but guys hit the speed button please. Info:

THE FRANKENHOOKERS/Poseurs (Self Released) Total DIY punk rock that sounded mighty good to these ears. The singer, in pissed off, not tough guy, voice just shines on this. The songs just totally crush as this was the way hardcore should sound and be. I felt like I was at City Gardens in Trenton, NJ around 1986 as this played. This is just some absolute fun music that I liked a lot. Punk rock at its best. Info:

WITH BURNING CONTEMPT/Red Visions (Self Released) 4 tunes of punishing black metal that totally crushes. This band doesn’t do all that pic fifing style, they more hit with semi-fast stuff along with some serious great vocals. I love the guitar sound on this and the production is right on the money. The singer sings with total feeling and doesn’t come across as generic. The songs were memorable and catchy and the bottom line is the 4 tunes on this are some of the best black metal around. Info:

FIFTY LOVE HYMNS FOR GINDHEADS/Same (Self Released) This is a compilation of all the music this band has done from 2004 till 2011. To me this is a wall of noise with the lower than low vocals and a bunch of screaming. The sound is awful as the drums sound like tin cans and every song has the same blast beats with screaming as the band try’s to play as fast as possible. Every song sounds the same and this didn’t do a thing for me. No info provided.

DO OR DIE RECORDS/Winter 2013 Promo (Do Or Die Records) This is a 3 song promo of 3 different bands on the label. Up 1st is Relentless and they deliver doom metal in the vein of Candlemass and didn’t sound too bad to these ears. Next up is Norturne and they delivered pretty forgettable doom/death metal that had no substance to it and the singer just growls into the mic with no feeling and this band was pretty bad. Last yup is Deathcult, I don’t think is the same band from many moons ago. This band plays some decent black metal that at least isn’t generic. They bring nothing new to the table, but they are a solid band. The singer has a good black metal voice and the speed is unreal on this and the slower parts worked for me. It is tough to judge bands with one song (the 1st two only as a full Deathcult review is below) but hopefully be able to hear from these bands in the future.

DEATHCULT/The Test Of Time (Do Or Die Records) Some decent black/death metal here. The music is mostly mid-paced with some fast parts thrown in the mix. The problem with this at times is the music is too mid-paced and the songs don’t have a certain identity to them. The guitar sound the band is really good as is the singing and production. This band just needs to learn to mix it up a bit more and maybe add some more speed parts they sound great when the band break into them as they just totally rip like a racing car going 100 mph. This band is good for now, but should work on being that much better.

ASTARIUM/Wyrm Of Melancholly (Self Released) This is a one man band/project and it is some weird fucked up shit. Now this isn’t something I would listen to on a regular basis, but it is very, very moody and haunting at times. The songs just suck you in and you go into a deep, dark tunnel which you won’t exit till the cd is done. The vocals are in the black metal vein and do fit the music, which has keyboards and also is doomy like in parts. The man behind this has one demented mind for sure. Info:

ASTARIUM/Ostracism of Anachoret (Self Released) Another release from this guy. This you will get pretty much of the same as the above review except there is a bit more keyboards on this. See website addy above.

CROSS UP Yours/Holy Shit (Self Released) Some really warped and fuck up black metal on this. The singer is totally out of control with his vocals as they are black metal, but it feels like the guy is on fire as he sings and he just lets it loose like his last breaths. The music is chaotic and is fast and wicked and I just love the way this band is. They try and succeed at trying to do something different and man oh those speed/blast parts on this unreal. If a label was smart they would snatch these guys up as they are one great unsigned band and play black metal the right way. Info:

MACABRE DEMISE – Stench Of Death (Rebirth The Metal Productions) Complete 5th rate Cannibal Corpse death metal. This band sounds like every other band trying to sound like the Cannibal guys and the songs just are so flat and the vocals suck as well. Just another yawn band in my book. Info:

D.I.S./Becoming Wrath (Deep Six Records) This was some decent death/thrash metal. The vocals are ok; he just screams and growls through the songs. The music is a crushing slab of death/thrash with a touch of hardcore as well. Thank god no groove on this. The music is mostly fast paced with some slower parts at times. The singing is my one gripe as he just yells and screams with no emotion. Info;

OV HOLLOWNESS/The World Ends (Code 666) This is a one man band/project that plays black metal. While this is not your normal sound like every black metal and actually has a pretty original sound, the songs pretty much bored. There was no catchy hook or anything that drove me into liking this. The songs just dragged along with no substance to them. The guy singing has a great black metal voice but I hate the clean vocals he does on this mixing in with the black metal vocals. This guy would be better off finding a great black metal band and be their singer. Info:

CULTES DES GHOULE/Shenbane (Hells Headbangers) Long songs of some god awful black metal that has no substance at all. The songs are totally awful with nothing to them and sound just a band all playing on different levels. The songs lengths are even worse and you’re tortured for over 10 minutes and the vocals are buried and this was bad. This is like an ultra-bad horror movie. Info:

IMPIOUS BAPTISM/Wrath of the Apex Predator (Hells Headbangers) Now this is more like it. Crushing old school black metal with bits and pieces of death metal thrown in. Riffs and songs that will melt you and sunk in deep. Vocals that are excellent and sung with feeling and just fit this band big time. The music is fast, unrelenting and will hit you like a boulder in the face. The feeling of this band is so crushing and the speed and intensity will blow you away. This is the way black/death metal should be played. Just total unrelenting slew of music that everyone should check out. Info:

SPASMODIC MONDO/ Illustrated (Unexploded Records) Generic death metal with all those stupid break down parts along with average at best death metal vocals. The band mix up the break down parts with some faster parts that aren’t bad, but when they go into that groovy dance like shit they lose me. When they stay away from that it isn’t bad, but when that crap starts I just shake my head and think “no, no, no”. The singer also does those pitchy almost pig squeals that are an absolute waste of time. Down the middle for me. Info:

TERMINATE/Ascending To Red Heavens (Selfmadegod Records) Oh fuckin a finally some death metal band that gets it. None of this shitty generic stuff. This is a mix of Entombed and Autopsy and throw in some Dismember. I love the chainsaw pounding riffs and they just totally crush all these weak death metal and generic death metal bands. The production is perfect and allows everything to shine and the vocals are to die for. Just a pure death metal onslaught of sound, mind, body and soul. Info:

LIFELESS/Godconstruct (FDA Rekotz) Holy fuck this some balls to the wall death metal with tons of aggression, speed, blast parts and wicked vocals. The songs will total crush you into oblivion trust me. REAL death metal vocals that are sung with such power and hate. Oh I was playing air guitar and air drums to this puppy. Production is killer and the sound on this is like a 2 ton truck. This is death metal at its highest form of brutality. Info:

DEVOURMENT/Conceived in Sewage (Relapse Records) This isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. The vocals, while that cup the mic crap, aren’t so low that they suck. The band, some of the fast parts are pretty damn good, but I hate the groove like slower parts. The guitar sound on this is great and hey the drums don’t sound like tin cans. For a band doing this sort of death metal style this is easily one of the best. Info:

VORUM/Poisoned Void (Dark Descent Records) Just fast brutal death metal to the core. This is easily the best thing this label has put out. Mix in Immolation and Incantation is the sound you will get on this. Just crushing riff after riff that will burn deep in your soul. The fast parts will rip through your body and then slow it down with some slower parts to let you catch your breath and then it is back to full blown brutality. Nice to see more bands playing death metal the way it should sound. This will blast you away like a ton of lead. Info:

SACRED STEEL/The Bloodshed Summoning (Cruz Del Sur Music SRL) I have heard this band in the past, but not in the past few years and here they are with their 8th release. This is some wicked power metal, but not that happy power metal crap. This is true heavy/power metal with some great soaring vocals, pure choppy heavy metal riffs and some tasteful speed parts that the band mix up well. The production is solid and that guitar sound is massive and this will have the headbanger in your giving that neck a workout. Info:

HATRIOT/Heroes Of Origin (Massacre Records) I had heard many great things about this as this is the new band of former singer of Exodus Steve Souza. This is what Exodus should sound like. Steve sounds great and oh is this some awesome thrash metal way better than any of the new Exodus stuff that is for sure. The songs just totally crush with wave after wave of riffs and speed and pure power. This is how thrash needs to be not some of that happy thrash crap or any of that jump metal stuff. This will easily be one of my favorite releases of 2013 that's for sure. Info:

MOTHERSHIP/Same (Ripple Records) Wow when this was playing I thought it was 1972 and Deep Purple or 1975 with Black Sabbath. What a cool and neat band this is. I love the 70's vibe and the songs are great with a singer than can belt out the words and he easily fits in with this band. The 70's like production also works rather well and this is just some great rock n roll done the right way. Info:

NECROCURSE/Grip Of The Dead (Pulverised Records) A display of death/black metal that dulls the senses. It is good to see more bands going the old school route and playing with feeling and not doing all that groove and happy shit or singing so low it is a joke. The fast parts will rip you in 2 and even the slower parts crush, giving you a minute to catch your breath before you encounter the insanity again. Think old Entombed meets a death/black metal band. Info:

CORPUS MORTALE/FleshCraft (Deepsend) Same ole death metal with generic riffs and below average vocals as all the guy does is growl with no feeling at all. This was one of the "blah" releases as after every song I felt nothing and was growing bored the more it played. Nothing exciting about this at all. Info:

DEFEATED SANITY/Passages Into Deformity (Willowtip) God awful generic groove death metal with the lower than low vocal shit and this was pretty much garbage and the tin can drum sound is just lovely. Info:

MEGASCAVENGER/Descent Of Yuggoth (Selfmadegod) More groove death metal that was pretty much pointless. Been done a million times and the only good thing was the vocals were good, but with worthless music behind it, this pretty much blows. Info:

I LIED/World Insane (Violent Journey Records) Happy nu metal thrash with decent thrash vocals and then the band does that dual shit where it is thrash vocals then the lower than low shit. This music isn’t too bad, but the vocals are a total joke and generic big time. Info:

ENSHADOWED/Magic Chaos Psychedelia (Pulverised Records) Another generic death metal band with total forgettable songs and horrible vocals. This is music that has been done to death and the screeching vocals and blast beats are a total joke. Another waste of a band. A 5th rate At The Gates. Info:

SKINEATER/Dermal Harvest (Pulverized Records) More 5th rate At The Gates and this is worth due to the shitty groove parts and the death metal growls and screeching. This is fuckin junk. Info:

ULCER/Grant us Death (Pulverised) Hey a band that plays real death metal. Taking cues from Entombed and Dismember with those wicked low tuned guitars and crushing speed this easily brought a smile to my face. Just pure non generic death metal vocals sung with conviction and power and are the way death metal vocals need to be. Great thick production and the guitar sound rules and the blazing fast parts will have you playing air drums. Info:

ENDEZZMA/Erotik Nekrosis (Agonia Records) Total ass kickin old school metal in the vein of Venom. Just has that sound and the vocals of old Kronus and the boys. Riffs that rip through your body and this band plays with a ton of feeling and passion that I can totally hear and not some band just going through the motions or trying to be totally “evil”. The production has that old school sound as well and I love the guitar sound, the speed and the intensity that pours out of this. Info:

ACRIMOMIOUS/Sunyata (Agonia Records) While breaking no new ground, this is some solid death/black metal old school all the way. No super fast pic riffing with screeching singing that is totally laughable. The vocals are sort of in the vein of Paul Speckman and the songs have plenty of speed and intensity and the band slow it down to let you catch your breath and then it is break neck speed galore. This band plays metal the right way. Info:

HOLLYWOOD RED/Same (Self Titled) This is a down and dirty sort of sleaze rock band with a touch of metal mixed in. The singer reminds me of the singer in Teeze from many moons ago in Phila, PA. The tunes are crunchy, catchy numbers and I had my head bobbing to the tunes. There are not many bands doing this these days and it is actually a nice change of pace from all the underground metal stuff. I am a sucker for a good riff and this has a ton on them and you throw that in with a cool singer and this is a lot better than the stuff on the radio called “modern rock” (stupid term) out there. Info:

GHOSTS OF EDEN/Something (Kinetic) (Self Released) This pretty was pretty bad. The songs were nothing to write home about. The songs were flat and just plain boring. There was just now flow to them and nothing stood out to me. No riffs or song structures at all that are catchy and anything memorable. Info:

MORBID INSULTER/Funeral Mysticism (I Hate) 2 discs of some of the rawest, crudest black metal I have heard in some time. This 2 CD set contains all this bands demos, 2 eps (which were vinyl only) and some unreleased goodies. This is some raw as fuck black metal which satan would love. The vocals are spawned from hell itself and the music just has a ton feeling and hate and this is what black metal should be like. No stupid screeching like a whining baby and no speed for speeds sake crap. The songs on this will crush and destroy the weak and also what is cool is that you get everything put out the band in one package. I am not the biggest black metal fan, but I like it when it is done right and I love this and is a must have. Info:

THE BLACK MORIAH/Casket Prospects (Self Released) Black metal mixed in with some death metal is the ticket here. Well I got my ticket and I am going along for the ride. This is some rip roaring music that burns the candle bright and keeps it burning till the end. I love the singer as he sings with such intensity and feeling and the music is right behind him. Just ground and pound riffs and drums that hit hard and hit often. I love both the mid paced and the blazing fat parts equally. Intensity, feeling, speed, and having a spike driven in you are what this band delivers. Info:

MICHAEL SCHENKER/Temple Of Rock/Live In Europe (MVD Visual and Audio) This comes out in DVD and CD and omg if this isn’t an incredible release. I am a HUGE UFO fan and early Scorpions too and this double disc is packed with music from both bands as well as his solo stuff. 25 tunes and how can you go wrong these songs, “Armed and Ready”, “Into The Arena”, “Lights Out, “Rock Bottom”, “Another Piece of Meat”, ‘Cry For The Nations” and many, many more. The sound on this is unreal and Michael totally kills it on guitar. So far this is easily on my Top 10 of the year and I can’t see 9 other beating this out. Incredible release and Michael makes love to that guitar big time and that sound that comes out of it is unholy. Info: