Reviews Page 70

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

NECRODEMON/Rise Of The Supernatural (Reaper Records) Rob and the boys return with their best release yet. Riffs that will rip through your bones and flesh and vocals that will make the hair on the back of your head stand out. The feeling and emotion the band spews out on this, is 2nd to none. A pure death metal dream. The guitar sound is excellent and the speed burst through like flames on a fire. This will tear and rip you into oblivion I can tell you that right now. The riffs are both catchy and memorable and each song has its own identity that is for sure. Each song takes you on a ride that you won’t want to get off. Rob sings with a ton of emotion and feeling and sings his guts out on this I assure you. This is a perfect example what death metal should be...period....a death metal masterpiece….Buy or die….Info:

ANDI DERIS AND THE BAD BANKERS/Million Dollar Haircuts On Ten Cent Heads (Armoury/earMusic) This is a solo album from him and this is total junk. This sounds like one of those annoying new rock/metal bands and this has plenty of that groove sound to it as well. His voice is about the only thing good on this as the music is totally faceless and just sounds like any other rock band making the rounds these days. Info:

DELAYHEAD/VOL 80% (Inverse Records) Some awful metal with beyond bad songs and terrible vocals. The songs just drag and have no power and no catchy or memorable riffs at all. Nothing stood out at all. Like a generic Metallica 'And Justice For All" release. Terrible band. Info:

TWILIGHT MESSENGER/The World Below (Stormspell Records) I usually like most of the stuff that Stormspell puts out, but this I found kinda boring. The songs had no catchy riffs or anything that made me want to move my neck or even tap my feet. It was kinda like faceless metal and the singer and his high pitched vocals were not welcome with my ears. This was one of those bands that doesn't suck, but aren't anything special at all neither. Info:

IXXI/Skulls n Dust (Osmose Productions) Some ok black/death metal that didn't sound like the 100's of other rubbish bands out there. The band has some death metal to them and the singer is in more of a death metal range and that is fine by me. The songs on this were decent and didn't totally come out and grab me and shake me around, but they also didn't have me reaching for the stop button. The band don't come out and play a million miles an hour and have signing in the woods vocals which was a welcome to my ears. I wish the band would use more speed as I think they would crush with more speedy parts. All in all not a bad release. Info:

BARREN WOMB/The Sun's Not Yellow It's Chicken (Spartan Records) New groove punk that sounded just plain awful. The singer sounds like a bad Johnny Rotten with his shrieks and annoying yells. The songs are faceless and not at all catchy and were just plain boring. Nothing on this was worth a damn. Info:

TORTURE PULSE/Devilroot (Violent Journey Records) Some decent Swedish style death metal that breaks no new ground, but nevertheless is enjoyable. The Entombed guitar sound is present big time and that is ok as the songs are catchy and fast and heavy too. The singer has a good voice as he growls out the songs with a fury and no screeches to be found thank god. Production is solid as well. Info:

POSSESSION/Anneliese 7" (Invictus Productions) 2 raw tracks of boring black metal. All the singer does is scream and growl and sounds awful and the 2 tracks on here did nothing. They just sludge along with no feeling or emotion at all and this just sucked big time.

EREBUS ENTHRONED/Temple Under Hell (Seance Records) Boring death/black with weak songs and a terrible singer. The drum sound is awful and the songs there are nothing to remember about any of them and the singer just growls out the words with little passion. After each song there is nothing memorable about any song on here and they just drag on with nothing. Info:

BIRTH OF JOY/Prisoner (Long Branch Records/SPV) This sounds like Deep Purple in spots especially the keyboards at times and just some of the music. There is nothing wrong with that as I am a fan of Purple, but the songs are weak. There are no strong melodies or hook that made me want to get on this bands rollercoaster so to speak. The songs just lacked that killer punch or hook. I kept waiting and it never came. This isn't bad by any means, but god it could have been so much better. Info:

LUCIFER'S HAMMER/Night Sacrifice Demo (Shadow Kingdom Records) This was heavy metal verging on power metal at times with clean vocals. Ski from Deadly Blessing popped in my mind as this 3 track affair played on. This is pretty good stuff as it is straight forward metal with bits and pieces of power metal thrown in the mix. There is plenty of melody and memorable riffs on this and I was moving the neck move than once on this. The singer, while with a high pitched voice, which I am not a big fan, didn't do it a lot, which was a plus for me. His voice fits the music and if you’re into bands like Deadly Blessing and just fist pounding metal, here is another band for ya. Info:

NERVOSA/A Victim Of Yourself (Napalm Records) An all female thrash metal band and quite a good one to boot. Strong, catchy riffs and speed to make the neck move. The singer is very good and she belts out the lyrics with fury of a charging bull and no not tough guy style I assure you. The ripping riffs could have come out of a 80's thrash band and I love the guitar sound on this and the production is right on the money. The songs just totally rip you into shreds and I am a sucker for a killer riff and this mad more than enough to make my day. Great release of thrash metal on this. Info:

MASS INFECTION/I Am Genocide (Comatose Music) Another Cannibal Corpse clone band. This band does nothing that hasn't been done a 1000 times and then some. The songs are nothing but overdone and then some death metal that just crowds up and over crowded death metal scene. Info:

GRAVEHILL/Death Curse (Dark Descent Records) To me this was some killer old school thrash/heavy metal that just ruled. Catchy riffs and melodies and songs you fuckin remember. The singer reminds me of King Fowley in spots and he just rules on the mic. His voice totally rules and I can feel the hate and emotion in his throat as he belts out the lyrics. The music is just classic speed metal the way it should be played. No damn groove to be found or 3am vocals ha ha. This is the way death metal should be played and is a must have....Info:

MYSTIFIE/Wicca (Greyhaze Records) This originally came out in 1992 now it is back in print and a dvd to boot. Now I don't have the dvd to review, just the cd. This is some fuckin raw, chainsaw pounding black metal that is the real deal. No let’s play a million miles an hour and sing in the woods at 3am vocals. Oh the singer has such an insane voice it isn't funny. Oh does he belt out the words with hate and feeling. The music if fast, evil like black metal with tons of emotion and feeling and this band shows you the way black metal should be A must have. Info:

Hiidenhauta/Noitia on Minun Sukuni (Inverse Records) The music is basic black metal that wasn't too bad, but when the clean female vocals came into the picture I was hitting the throw up box. They totally suck and have no place with this band at all. They sound stupid and this is a really cool band, but lose the female. The music is decent death/black metal band his vocals aren't bad neither, but lose the chick. Info:

Coltsblood/Into the Unfathomable Abyss (Candlelight Records) This was just boring doom that dragged on with bad vocals too. None of the songs had anything that you would remember after it was over. Info:

Ancient Ascendant/Echos And Cinder (Candlelight Records) Solid death metal with some good songs and singing. This didn't blow me away, but it also didn't suck. The band play death metal the right way and singer has a solid set of pipes and he sings in the death metal way of singing. I wish there was a bit more speed with the songs and too many mid tempo parts bored me a bit, but overall not bad. Info:

ONE MACHINE/The Distortion Of Lies And The Overdriven Truth (Scarlet Records) Total new metal with some of the worst vocals. There is a clean style and then high pitched annoying vocals. Total nu metal thrash that belongs in the trash. Beyond bad vocals and songs. Total junk. Info:

BL'AST!/The Expression of Power (Southern Lord)This is old school punk rock sort of in the Black Flag vein, but I didn't see much of an attraction in this. The songs just were boring and the singer didn't do much for me. The songs weren't strong and just lacked that killer punch for me. Info:

HATRIOT/Dawn Of The New Centurion (Massacre Records) Steve Zousa returns with album # 2 and this is some prime meat thrash that should not be missed. As I said with the debut, this is the thrash metal Exodus should be playing. Fast, catchy, thrashy riffs along with Steve's vocals are a highlight on this. The guitar tone shreds on this and your head will be moving in seconds. Steve sounds great on vocals and this is easily one of the best thrashes I have heard and is a must get and have. Info:

METAL INQUISITOR Ultima Ratio Regis (Massacre Records) Kick ass heavy metal with great riffs and catchy ones to boot. This will bring out the headbanger in you for sure. The fist will be pumping and the neck moving on this for sure. Great vocals as the singer just sings with a ton of fury and emotion and his vocals easily fit the music. A metal band that delivers the goods and then some. Info:

Shroud of the Heretic/Revelations in Alchemy (Blood Harvest) Holy shit is this some of the most devastating death metal I have heard in some time. Just crushes you with power and speed and the slow parts are just a ton of heaviness that will have you stumbling like a drunk with its power. The speed on this will just hit you like a 2 ton truck as this is just devastating like no other. The atmosphere on this is killer as well. A total lay waste to all false death metal. This fuckin rules and the vocals are what death metal is all about. Think 1st Incantation record. Info:

VERHEXT/Dogma (Hammer of Hate) This to me was just another death/black metal band making the rounds and doing nothing I haven’t heard 2000 times before. This was just kinds there and didn't do one thing for me one way or another. The singer just growled and screamed into the mic and the music was pretty much faceless. It was fast death/black metal that after a song was over I just kind of yawned off. Nothing on this did a thing for me. Info:

METALSTEEL/This Is Your Revelation (On Parole) Some nice tasteful heavy metal with some rock n roll thrown in the mix. The songs are big time catchy and the singer has a fantastic voice and I was digging this from note # 1 till the last. This just smokes as the riffs are just so catchy how can you not like em. This is how rock/metal should sound, not that crap on the radio that goes for rock n roll these days. Great guitar sound and production on this as well. Info:

Tyrants Blood/Coven (Tridroid Digital) Nothing special death/black metal that just does nothing to separate itself from the 1000's of other bands out there. This was just kind of flat and just went nowhere. The riffs and song structures were nothing special and the same thing with the vocals. Nothing stood out and made me take notice. This was nothing have haven't heard many times before. Info:

GANG/Inject The Venom (Emanes Metal Records) Oh this is some pure old school heavy metal with riffs that give your neck quite a work out and lo and behold the riffs and songs are memorable with plenty of tasteful riffs to boot. Also a kick ass cover of If Heaven and Hell is on this as well from the band Tokyo Blade. This sort of reminds me of Grim Reaper at times in the way the music is done. This is pure straight forward heavy metal and it fuckin rules baby.

HIRAX/Immortal Legacy (Steamhammer / SPV) A pure thrash metal assault on your ears that you will not soon forget. This is the way thrash metal was meant to be played no dance or groove riffs in sight and that is a good thing. Katon's voice sounds great on this and when you have crushing speedy thrash alongside it, it is a lethal combo not to be missed. This has riffs that totally crush and are catchy as hell as well. Hirax proudly keep the thrash metal fire burning.

BATTLEAXE/Heavy Metal Sanctuary (Steamhammer/SPV) This didn't do much for me. This was boring heavy metal with limp riffs that didn't do much for me. It was like a bad version of Saxon. The singer isn't bad, but the songs just didn't click with me and I found this rather boring like a bad heavy metal band. Info:

DOWNSLAVE/Same (Self Released) As most people know I am not a fan of groove metal at all. There is a band here and there that isn't bad, but for the most part I think they all sound the same. Well here is another band that does the groove style and does it pretty good. The songs on this are good and strong and the singer does a hell of a job on this and the songs just plain won me over for being good. Catchy riffs and a decent amount of speed on this won me over. Great guitar sound and production on this as well. Easily one of the better bands doing this style. Info:

King Parrot/Bite Your Head Off (Candlelight Records) Wow this is chaotic shot of death/grind/hardcore/thrash, and anything you can name ha ha. Really cool band we have here. This is fresh and something not heard by my ears. This will hit you like a ton of lead I assure you. The vocals are so out of control as the singer screams his heart out in the name of metal and his voice fits right in with this manic music. The songs are memorable and even though the songs are played at a breakneck speed, there is still melody within them and just prepare for the assault when you play this. Info:

CHAOS THEORY/The Dark Side Of Me (Self Released) This band calls themselves thrash, but I would almost lean more toward a death metal sound. The music isn't bad as it is a mix of thrash and death metal, but where the band loses me is in the vocals. I hate em. The singer sings in a deep growl voice and at times almost goes guttural and he is awful. His voice seems out of place with this band if he is going to sing like he belongs in Cannibal Corpse. The music is decent thrash/death that at least doesn't sound like a million other bands, but the singer just ruins it for me. Info:

TRENCH ROT/Necromomic Warfare (Unspeakable Axe Records) Oh fuck this totally crushes. An onslaught of death metal that must be heard. A pure death metal delight. Think Asphyx meets Autopsy in a dark alley. I love the vocals he is voice just rules and when you got death metal music like this behind ya, well you rule. The production is right on the money and this is just brutality at its best. The speed and intensity of this is 2nd to none. Easily one of the best bands I have heard this year. Info:

OMNIVORE/Same (Unspeakable Axe Records) This didn't do much for me. The songs lacked that killer riff or crunch or anything to really make me stand up and take notice. The band play decent thrash and mix up the speed with some slower parts, but the tunes were kind of flat to my ears and I just didn't hear anything that blew me away and had me going "wow" like the above band. Sort of like mindless, just there thrash. Info:

WOSLOM/Time To Rise (Punishment 18 Records) This came out in 2010 and now this label is putting it back out for those who missed it. This band play thrash metal in the vein of I'd say 'Master Of Puppets" by well you know who. The band def plays thrash the right way, no tough guy shot or groove dance crap. The band keeps it true with pure head banging riffs and the singer sort of reminds me of Dave from Havok. Also I hear a little Whiplash in the music as well. The riffs are damn catchy and memorable and this is just straight ahead thrash metal...nothing more, nothing less. Info:

GAPED/The Murderous Inception (Lacerated Enemy Records) Same ole groove death metal mixed in with some Cannibal Corpse type metal that I have heard time after time and time. This band, as so many others, brings nothing new to the table and this was plain boring and pretty much sucked. Info:

MALEFICENT VIGOR/Novous Ordo (Twin Peak Records) Total boring death/black metal that goes nowhere fast. No catchy or exciting riffs and the drum sound is awful. When they go into speed parts the drums sound awful. The singer is ok, but the songs just do, nothing for me. They are just kind of there and offer nothing of value. There was nothing on this that stood out and made me say, "hell yeah". After each song there nothing memorable on this at all.

PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND/Lowgazers (Throatruiner Records) Whoever signed this band needs his ears examined. This is some of the worst music I have heard this year. A wall of noisy black metal with a singer who all he does is wail and scream. This is total garbage and bands like this, and bands like this on record labels, ruin the underground. I'd love to have somebody tell me why this is good. Worthless.

KULT OF TAURUS/Divination Labyrinths (Forever Plagued) More boring black metal with some god awful tunes that satan would not be a fan of. There is nothing on this that makes me go wow and I was pretty much bored listening to this. No memorable riffs or songs and the singing was about the only good thing on this. He sings with power and conviction, but no solid music to back it up.

UNLIGHT/The Katalyst Of The Katharsis War (Anthem Records) Now this is how black metal should be. Fast and nasty and core to the bone. A pure onslaught of pure power with vocals that had my spine going. He totally crushes on this and the music is a pure blast of power and fury that owns me. I love the guitar sound and this is riffs and songs that are memorable and made me want more and more. One of the best releases of the year so far. Info:

BLOWSIGHT/Winter Show Mercy (Eclipse Records) I am not much into a lot of the new rock bands on the radio these days, but the one song I got from this band is pretty damn good. An excellent song with strong riffs and an excellent singer. He sings with a ton of feeling and passion and his voice fits right in with the music. Just solid rock n roll that is big time memorable. All proceeds from the download go to the homeless which is a nice gesture too. Info:

DIREWOLVES/Aegri Somnia (Throat Ruiner Records) Some decent punkish type death metal with throaty vocals, which actually weren't bad. The music was fast, blasting hardcore with some death metal mixed in and it was a cool combo. Mix in the singer and you got a cool release that got better as I listened more. The band also doesn’t sound like a million other bands and overall this was some cool stuff.

ALIENANTE DAMNATION/Le Chantre Du Charnier (Ars Funebris Records) Some nasty, crud death metal and I loved it. Sort of in the vein of Autopsy, the music on this is a death metal delight. Riffs that cut and rip through your brain and sound fantastic. Rude and crude that is for sure. Vocals from the pits of hell and the music is a just a blast of the way death metal should be. No groove, no female vocals, etc. Just a barren wasteland of raw as fuck death metal that is not to be missed. A fantastic release. Info:

ENDLESS VOID/Stars In The Sky (Self Released) Got one tune from this and it is a pure crunchy, heavy metal number. Strong catchy riff and some nice vocals by the singer. I like the style of metal this band plays and always look forward to hearing more from this band.

COCHISE/118 (Metal Mind Productions) This was a grunge band and they were very good for the style they were playing. Thick riffs like all those Seattle bands from back in the 90’s. They actually kind of reminded me of the Foo Fighters at times. The songs are catchy and heavy and the singer has a great voice to go along with the music. He has his own style and he sings with a ton of feeling and that was kind of the vide I got while listening to this. The tunes are very moody and suck you in and this easily blows away anything on modern rock radio as this band knows how to write and play great rock tunes. Info:

METHANE/Southern Metal (Self Released) 3 tunes of just ass kicking metal with some great riffs and vocals to match the riffs. Strong, catchy songs are a big time plus on this. At times it sounds like Pantera, but that is fine with me because I love Pantera. This may have some of the groove sound to it, but to me the bottom line is songs and the songs on this 3 disc are ass kickers all the way. Total head banging riffs are a plenty on this and oh the guitar sound is unholy.

ASHEN HORDE/Sanguimum Vindicta (Self Released) Some solid black metal that doesn’t come across as generic or just a bunch of fast picking screaming black metal. Oh there is fast parts and they totally crush and will crush your skull in, but there is also some other parts in the music, and some are weird in nature, that really won me over. The singing is very good as the singer has a good solid voice and he sound fits in with the black metal music. Some of the stuff is so off the wall almost like Voivod in spots and just totally rules. The production is right on the money and this is one of the best releases of the year so far in my eyes and ears and oh this is all done by one guy, which is AMAZING…Info:

THE OUTER LIMITS/World Metal Domination (Stormspell Records) Awesome 80's style thrash that crushes. Riffs that will have your neck spinning and foot tapping and air drums will also follow. The singer reminds me of Ski from Deadly Blessing and Russ from Forbidden. I am sucker for a good riff and this has a bag of lollipops. Stormspell has found another gem that totally rules. Forget all this groove crap and nu metal shit, this is a pure thrash metal fans dream. Info:

PILGRIMII: Void Worship (Metal Blade Records) This is a doom metal band and they just sound like Black Sabbath too much for me to get into this much. The songs just sound like Sabbath and even the singer does as well. This pretty much bored me even though I love Sabbath. Info:

ANUBIS GATE/Horizons (Nightmare Records) This was sort of I guess a prog metal band and I just found the songs flat and boring. The singer has a good voice, but the music isn't anything special in my eyes. There were not any catchy riffs that made me want to climb aboard their music train. The songs just lack to me and are limp. Info:

BODY HARVEST/Futile Creation (Grindhouse Music) Same old heard it a million times Cannibal Corpse like death metal. All the singer does is growl into the mic and the music is just death metal that I have heard a million times before and this band brings nothing new to the table and it is another faceless death metal band.

SULTAN/Check Mate (Divebomb Records) This is a re-issue from this band and it is one ass kicking metal release. Great riffs and singing on this one. A pure heavy metal delight. This is fist banging metal all the way. I love the singer he has a total kick ass voice and fits right in with the music. The music is like Grim Reaper, old Dokken, etc. Divebomb has done it to me again. Info:

The Oath/The Oath (Rise Above Records) This band has 2 females in the promo so I am not sure if that is the whole band or not. Anyway the music is totally awful. The songs are big time boring and there is nothing on this that it catchy and the female singer sings with no emotion at all. This was pretty much a bad rock/metal band that should be avoided big time.

Noble Beast/Noble Beast (Tridroid Records) The music on this is wicked power metal, but the almost viking like vocals totally turned me off. I don't think he fits the music and his singing ruins this band in my eyes. The music is speedy power metal with great hooks and songs and had my neck and head moving big time. I love the solos on this as well. Great production and incredible guitar sound to boot. Some will love the vocals, but it is not for me so this gets a hit and miss from me. Info:

Arterial/Mist Draining Your Life (Self-Released) More Suffocation like death metal with the guttural vocals and pig squealing thrown in the mix as well. Awful groove like riffs and terrible songs as well. This is so generic and so awful it isn't funny. Beyond bad. Info:

THE SORCERERA/Graveyard of Fallen Dreams (Hell Prod) A total onslaught of black metal that you won't soon forget. Total hate and feeling on this. Oh the songs were just so crushing it wasn't even funny. This is what black metal should be. Hate, feeling and emotion. Oh the singer I just feel his emotion as he belts out the lyrics. The songs are just a total ton of fast speed that I won't soon forget. I love the raw production on this and the guitar sound is unreal. Easily one of the best black metal releases of this year and beyond. Info:

SKINFATHER/None Will Mourn (Streetcleaner Records) Some crushing death metal with riffs that will melt you and death metal vocals from hell. No groove, no pig squealing, just balls to the wall death metal the way it should be. Sort of a mix of Swedish death metal at times. I wish some of the tunes had some speed mixed in, but that is only a minor complaint. The singer sings from the pits of hell and this is what a death metal singer should be. Great guitar and production as well on this. Info:

PSYCHO/Chainsaw Priest (Selfmadedgod Records) This is this bands 1st album in 22 years and they play raw grindgore/punk. Well the band should have stayed away because this pretty much sucks as it sounds like any generic band out there, but worse. The songs are totally useless and are just a wall of senseless noise and the vocals even worse. They do that dual style I hate. 1st there is death metal style, which isn't bad, but here come the pig squealing vocals and they are just awful. The songs are just a bunch of noise with nothing good about them. This is one of the worst releases of the year so far. Info:

EREBUS ENTHRONED/Temple Under Hell (Senance Records) This isn't bad, but it just is kind of there and doesn't do much for me. The band play raw death/black metal and they aren't bad, but it was nothing to get happy about. Some of the songs are too long and lost my attention and kind of sounded the same. I do like the guitar sound a bit and the vocals are what death/black should be and there is no pig squealing that is for sure. I think the songs should be a big shorter, but that is just me. Not a generic band that is for sure, it just didn't click with me. Info:

IMBROGLIO/The Struggle In Pursuit (The Path Less Traveled Records) Some fast death metal is on this with some strong vocals. No groove or pig squealing on this. The slow parts are Sabbath worship and the speed parts just had me head banging. I like the production on this as everything sounds crisp and they also throw in some weird parts at times that might move up your eyebrows, but not mine. Very cool and different band here. Info:

EVILNIGHT/Stormhymns Of Filth (Hells Headbangers) Ah this is a cassette release my friends and what a killer release it is. Total 80's thrash in the vein of old Venom and Iron Angel. Total mind blowing riffs and vocals had me stunned and the tunes just have that feeling and emotion that can't be faked. Oh this is some godly stuff and who cares if it is only on tape, go out and buy the bloody thing and look for an interview with them soon. Easily one of the best releases of this year. Blows away any pig squealers and groove bands ha ha. Info:

VANHELGD/Relics Of Sulphur Salvation (Pulverized Records) This to me was just a wall of fast death/black metal with nothing interesting about it. The songs were just fast bursts of nothing. Nothing catchy about anything as far the music goes it was just a blur of music nothing more, nothing less. Just a faceless band that brings nothing to the table. Info:

SKINNER/Sleepwalkers (Dead Inside Records) Boring modern style thrash metal with clean vocals that weren't very good, followed by even worse music. The music is that new style thrash groove and was just awful. Nothing catchy at all and you mix that with bad vocals, you get a bad band. This like so many other bands brought nothing to the table at all.

INFERNAL CURSE/The End Is Upon Us (Iron Bonehead) 4 tracks including a Hadez (band from back in the day) cover. The tunes of raw blasts of old school black/death metal and sounded good to these ears. Crushing raw music with some putrid vocals to go with it. The feeling and atmosphere this band produce is really good. Chunks riffs and speed are a highlight on these 4 tunes. Pure death metal vocals as well. Would love to hear more from this band. Info:

GLUTTONY/Beyond The Veil Of Flesh (Vic Records) Some crushing Swedish style death metal with that wicked Entombed guitar sound and vocals as well. The tunes on this are catchy and good and I like the singer he has a good death metal voice and he sings his balls off on this. The songs on this are quite catchy and the guitar sound easily won me over and oh the speed parts had me banging my head in no time. The riffs on this just totally crush and will be a delight to any death metal fans ears. Easily worth getting.

STATUS/ASTARIUM (Black Metal Cult Records) I got a track each from each of these 2 bands. Astarium offer up some raw, wicked black metal with speed and intensity and not fake or generic. I liked the vocals a lot as well and the keyboard parts in the background work as well. Status offer up decent black/death metal, but they just lacked some over the top material. The song I heard was ok, but was nothing special as were the vocals. Nothing stood out on their one song on this. Info:

ASTARIUM/Heritage Of Warlords (Black Metal Cult Records) This is a 3 track covers release that Astarium, who is a one man band, of bands that impacted his creative way. The 3 bands he covers are: Evil, Satanic Warmaster and Graveland. I like his voice a lot as he sings black metal in a non-generic way and doesn’t sound like he is out in the woods at 3am ha ha. I love the guitar sound and feeling he gets and the drums sound real as well and the samples he uses work with the music not against it. I am not familiar with the 3 bands he covers except for Graveland and the tunes on this are all sound great that is easily said. Any fan of black metal would easily love this. Info:

ASTARIUM/Atenvx (Metallic Media) This is another release by this one man band and he keeps churning the good material out. On this one the keyboards are more up front and I prefer the keyboards to be more background, but nevertheless this was still a solid release. His vocals totally rule and the feeling he gets on this is top notch. This was more about feeling and atmosphere that the 2 previous releases I heard from him. The production is right on the money and everything on this just runs smoothly and is another solid release of black metal from this guy. Info:

GMORK/ASTARIUM/IN TENERRIK/3 Band Split (Hell Division Productions) Gmork is up 1st and they are awful. The songs go nowhere and are quite boring. I guess they call this ambient black metal, but I’d call is junk. The singer is terrible all he does is growl into the mic with no feeling or emotion at all. Astarium is up next and he again delivers the goods with 3 more crushing black metal tunes. In Tenerrik offer up some god awful black metal with nothing to it. Just a bunch of blah, blah music with nothing behind it. A singer who is terrible and music that is nothing upon nothing. Just a bunch of instruments that don’t sound like they are in sync at all. The singer is awful he just growls out a bunch of nothing and this is easily one of the worst bands I have heard in a long time and that is saying something trust me as I have gotten lots of garbage over the past few years and this is right at the top. Info:

FROM HELL/Ascent From Hell (Scourgerecords) This band features Paul Bostaph of Slayer, Damien Sisson of Death Angel, Steve Smyth of Nevormore, and Testament on lead guitar and George Anderson of Down Factor doing the vocals. Now you want to know is this any good. Well it sure is. Bone crushing thrash with some sinister vocals to boot. Heavy, chunky riffs that will have the head and neck moving big time. Songs that you will remember after they are done. Each and every song on this crushes big time. Vocals that work perfect for what this band is dong and this is no nu metal thrash neither. This is thrash played the way it should be played and no pig squealing or just grunt with no feeling vocals. Production is great on this as well. This delivers the goods Info: