Anarcoterror - Worms from Past
Anewrage - Anewrage
Bear Bone Company - Bear Bone Company
Carn Dum - Carn Dum
Clouds Taste Satanic - Your Doom Has Come
Comaniac - Return to the Wasteland
Deadlysins - Anticlockwise
Deathinition - Art of Manipulation
Disloyal - Godless
Doomshine - The End Is Worth Waiting For
Dor Feafaroth - Behind the Twilight Devastation
Dor Feafaroth - Extermination Of Spiritual Leprosy
Drawn into Descent - Drawn into Descent
Drudkh - A Furrow Cut Short
Empheris - Ye Olde Varsovia
Ereb Altor - Nattramn
Evil Conqueror - Carnage
Evoke Thy Lords - Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar!
Fhoi Myore / Pestiferum - La forme créatrice du chaos / Le chaos religieux
Firelord - Hammer of Chaos
Forgotten Pathways - A Long Way Home
Fortid - 9
Genital Grinder - Abduction
Haiduk - Demonicon
Idis Orlog - Froya og Svipdag and Songs from Njartharlag
Imago Mortis - Carnicon
Infected Chaos - The Wake of Ares
Kaoskult - Secret Serpent
La Horde - Dystopie
Lucid Dreams - Build and Destroy
Mare Infinitum - Alien Monolith God
Miellnir - Incieration Astern
Mortal Strike - For the Loud and the Aggressive
Naviya - Vodokres
Neptrecus - Frères de Sang
November-7 - Awaraxid 7mg
Paganus Doctrina - OmnipotencE AeternaE DiabolouS
Reanimator - Horns Up
Regurgitated Innards - Feeding the Abominable
Schnauzer / Solipsist - Mr. MHS / Night of the Wolf
Sorrowful - In the Rainfall
Soulspirya - Stay Human
South of Hell - Rising of Hate
Steorrah - II: Thin White Paint
Stillnes - Sin destino
Terrordome - Machete Justice
The Arisen - Rising Times
The Pete Flesh Deathtrip - Mortui Vivos Docent
The Silverblack - The Grand Turmoil
The Ward - Part of Humanity
Vingulmork - Chiaroscuro
Violent Revolution - Damaged Society
Warfaith - Wise Man Is Dead
Band: ANARCOTERROR
Country: Italy
Title: Worms from Past
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2015
Style: Death Metal
Review:
Man, this one looks all necro, starting from the band's name, continuing with the DIY obscure release type and of course ending with the band's music. Anarcoterror are around since 2013 and this is their debut EP and first official release; made of 6 tracks and clocking 16 minutes of playing time, Worms from Past is a brutal, old-school, organic and visceral type of Death Metal, as underground as like still covered with dirt, defined by the necro sound, fast paced rhythms, bestial screaming vocals supported by inhuman distorted low growls (I would have liked them with a bit more volume though), fast and chaotic guitars, and demented drums. Although it all sounds very stuffed and raw at the same time, this is a promising piece of old-school bestial Death Metal from, what seems to me, a very devoted duo.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/anarcoworms
Band: ANEWRAGE
Country: Italy
Title: Anewrage
Label: Sliptrick Records
Year: 2015
Style: Alternative Metal
Review:
Debut selftitled album from this Milan based quartet founded in 2009, Anewrage offers us 12 tracks and clocks 45 minutes of playin time. The band plays a genre we don't usually cover inhere, so I'm definitely not an expert in it, but I can appreciate good music regardless of its genre, and Anewrage is a good band making good music, no doubt. This is Alternative Metal mixed with Post Grunge, Nu Metal, and bit of Southern Metal and even some hints of Progressive Metal and Post Rock, an easy to listen music that can work anytime on any daily TV music show, that's why I'd say they need more attention and if they'll get it I won't be surprised to see them in the mainstream Rock / Metal scene. This album is groovy, catchy, sounds fresh, it's varied, a good audition.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10
Contact:
facebook.com/ANEWRAGE
sliptrickrecords.com
Band: BEAR BONE COMPANY
Country: Sweden
Title: Bear Bone Company
Label: Sliptrick Records
Year: 2015
Style: Heavy Rock
Review:
"Think Kiss meets Pantera and they all go partying at the famous Hollywood bar Rainbow where they hit it off with members from Black Label Society, Gary Moore, Foo Fighters and more…" - well this is how the band describes their style and yes, it's that complicated to label it somehow or pinpoint it somewhere. This is their debut album, a 12 tracks material clocking 50 minutes of a mix between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal, Glam Rock, Hard'n'Heavy, and pure Metal, an album that could easily become very commercial within the scene and uplift the band's name in an instant. It's well dosed between all those influenced, catchy as hell, easy flowing, and well balanced between melody and power, very well balanced. The three members of the band seem to get along well, their compositions sound curdled and although this album is not something to be considered innovative, I find it very entertaining, something to perfectly fit any bikers' meetings as well as any TV or Radio Rock Shows, and this due in no small part to the awesome versatile timbre of their vocalist, too.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10
Contact:
facebook.com/BearBoneCompany
sliptrickrecords.com
Band: CARN DUM
Country: Germany
Title: Carn Dum
Label: Dominance of Darkness Records
Year: 2015
Style: Epic Black Metal
Review:
This is a young band founded in 2012 but they already have 2 demos and a split with Swiss one man band Black Jade out by now. This is their debut full-length album made of 10 tracks and clocking almost 50 minutes of Tolkien inspired Melodic and Epic Black Metal. Although they have a keyboard player in the line-up this instrument is not overused, actually in quite subtle in the general construction of this album acting well in the background, enveloping the music in a mystic atmosphere perfectly fit for Nazgul's realms. Occasional semi-acoustic and melancholic parts have also a big influence on the final outcome, and regarding the core of Carn Dum's music I'd say it's mostly mid-tempo Melodic Black Metal with both simple and rich structures, raw and carnivorous vocals singing lyrics in German language and this making them even more razor-sharp. unfortunately the production is not as professional as this music would require, it's organic and honest sounding, yes, but I would have enjoyed it better if more polished, more majestic, this album reuqires such a polished sound. CD comes with 8 pages booklet featuring the lyrics, but that's a joy only if you know the language. the band has high potential.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
carndum.bandcamp.com
dod-records.de
Band: CLOUDS TASTE SATANIC
Country: USA
Title: Your Doom Has Come
Label: Kinda Like Music
Year: 2015
Style: Doom Metal
Review:
I remember reviewing these guys' debut album last year and wondering how come they don't have a vocalist, now I know, they don't want one, plain and simple. CSS present us here their second full-length album, a 6 tracks effort clocking 40 minutes of playing time. Traditional Doom Metal is the name of the game here, with important Stoner influences and even an occasional Post Rock feeling to it, but all done without the use of vocals which at times can become a bit dull and to be honest there were a few times throughout the audition when I thought they really needed a vocalist, a good one. It's good that they reduced the tracks' length and so 6 tracks now are "only" 40 minutes, but the listener can react better to one or another. What else to say, I still miss that evil attitude the band's name suggests, but as for the rest we're treated with some really enjoyable Doom Metal based on catchy guitar riffs and groovy rhythms.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/CloudsTasteSatanic
Band: COMANIAC
Country: Switzerland
Title: Return to the Wasteland
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2015
Style: Thrash Metal
Review:
Fouded in 2010, Comaniac managed to record and release this debut album this year, and I feel like it's a perfect introduction to the Thrash Metal fanatics out there. The band displays clear and wide immagination while still keeping things traditional and as "true" as possible, their Thrash Metal is pure but swings well, actually mixes both aggressive passages and melodic ones, and completed by a vocalist that has the potential to becoming original by blending Punk and Thrash influences, so all in all for a debut album I think Return to the Wasteland really did its job perfectly. Now you shouldn't expect something you haven't heard before, something to blow you away, but rather a very entertaining, headbanging-friendly, clean sounding Thrash Metal. the band did everything on their own, and they did it professionally, faultless in every aspects, I'm curious to see where this debut takes them.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
Contact:
comaniac.ch
Band: DEADLYSINS
Country: France
Title: Anticlockwise
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2014
Style: Thrash Metal
Review:
Thrash Metal, traditional Thrash Metal, that's what these Lyon based guys offer us on their second full-length album released two years after their debut and 14 (!) years after the bands foundation. 10 tracks, almost 40 minutes of playing time, and a huge 18 pages booklet that unfolds into a huge painting, similar to the one on the front cover, but with more familiar faces (Jack Black, Conchita Wurst, among others, and funniest of them all: Darth Vader butt-fucked by Mickey Mouse). The music is, as I said, traditional Thrash Metal, mid-tempo to fast paced, featuring some kick-ass guitar riffs, a demented main vocalist (that could use a bit more flexibility though), and precise rhythm section. There are some incursions into Death Metal territories at times, but not enough to consider this Thrash Death, yet all in all I feel there's the need of something more, something to avoid monotony. This should be fun if saw live, but on recording there's a slight chance you get bored after a couple of tracks as it's similar to many other things you've already heard.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10
Contact:
facebook.com/DeadlySins.Official
Band: DEATHINITION
Country: Poland
Title: Art of Manipulation
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2013
Style: Thrash Metal
Review:
A nowadays old (2 years) release that has been also used for a split with Canadian Terrifier this year, so I guess the tracks are pretty actual nonetheless. 4 tracks, 16 minutes of playing time, a very nice looking self-released CD with a 4 pages booklet featuring the lyrics as well. Now here we have a problem, 3 tracks are in English and the remaining 1 in Polish; since I don't know Polish I wouldn't know what to say about the lyrics, but regarding the English written ones, they really suck, their ideas as pretty ok, overused in this Rock/Metal scene, but written at a 3rd grade school kid level, so my suggestion would be to loose the English version asap, native speakers will diss them for this. Regarding the music on this EP, Deathinition is pure US-style Thrash Metal with loads of good riffs, excellent solos, nice harmonies, a good, stand-out vocalist, and neck-beaking intensity, I think every Thrash Metal fanatic will find something to enjoy in this band's music, a really good '80's type Thrash Metal, as traditional and bold as possible.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/deathinition
Band: DISLOYAL
Country: Poland
Title: Godless
Label: Ghastly Music
Year: 2015
Style: Death Metal
Review:
Fourth studio album from this almost 2 decades old band from the North of Poland, Godless is made of 10 tracks clocking almost 45 minutes of brutal, technical, precise, clean Death Metal, something that easily reaches the level of masters like Morbid Angel or Hate Eternal. I have to admit the band is all new to me, although I've seen the previous album was released on No Colours Records, a huge name in the scene, but probably one that doesn't know its promo ways so well as for its Black Metal groups. Anyway, Disloyal are absolutely ripping it on this new album, it sounds so well-thought, so mathematic and precise that at times you'll start to feel claustrophobic, the blasting drums, the tons upon tons of complex riffs and leads, the devastating bass lines, and the hateful (multiple layers of) vocals are all working towards the construction of a magnificent record for the Brutal and Technical Death Metal scene, one of those releases other musicians will listen to in awe. My only regret is that it's not a darker, heavier in atmosphere release, I would have liked it a bit more obscure, a bit more cavernous if possible.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
Contact:
disloyal-godless.bandcamp.com
ghastlymusic.com
Band: DOOMSHINE
Country: Germany
Title: The End Is Worth Waiting For
Label: Metal on Metal Records
Year: 2015
Style: Epic Doom Metal
Review:
A few second into this third full-length from Doomshine and you already know you're in for a real treat of good quality Doom Metal, yey! And indeed the third studio album from this German band founded back in 2000, demonstrates they have reached a good level of understanding and creating / performing traditional Doom Metal with a heavy Epic feeling to it. The guitar harmonies and solos are absolutely delicious, but to be honest I have expected more from the riffs and actually from the band as a whole, some parts of the album are quite dull and uninteresting. in my opinion they should add more of those guitar solos and the vocalist should become more of a leader in music, too, as he has an amazing vocal tone, comparable to Warrel Dane's from Nevermore, but throughout this album it gives me the feeling he's afraid of pushing himself to the max of his capabilities. I have a word that could sum this album up for me: frustrating. Frustrating because this band could be one of the best in the World in this genre (not kidding) yet they seem to be happy to settle for less. I'll probably spin this more in the future and hopefully it will grow on me, who knows.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
doomshine.de
metal-on-metal.com
Band: DOR FEAFAROTH
Country: Russia
Title: Behind the Twilight Devastation
Label: Yar' Productions
Year: 2012
Style: Black Metal
Review:
The band's name "Dor Feafaroth" means "The Land of Hunting Spirits" and it is taken from the books of Russian fantasy writer Nick Perumov, or at least that's what Metal Archives has to say about the band. It was founded back in 1999 and it's to be appreciated they are still alive and fairly active. This EP was first released by the band in 2008 and re-released by Yar' Productions in 2012 on CD with 4 pages booklet, around 20 minutes of playing time. Dor Feafaroth plays traditional Black Metal with comprehensive (a la Pagan) kind of hoarse vocals, and this EP benefits from a quite clean ('80's Thrash Death Metal like) production so you'll be able to enjoy every instrument's work in full. Traditional Black Metal with occasional Death Metal influences on guitars, well executed, not boring at all, but nothing very impressive either.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 6/10
Contact:
dorfeafaroth.ru
yar-productions.com
Band: DOR FEAFAROTH
Country: Russia
Title: Extermination Of Spiritual Leprosy
Label: Yar' / Symbol Of Domination
Year: 2014
Style: Black Metal
Review:
This is the band's debut album, a proper celebration of their (first) 15 years of activity, a 7 tracks effort clocking almost 35 minutes of Black Metal. This time, compared to the previous release I've heard, the production is a definite step up, at least in volume, the atmosphere is more mysterious because of the keyboard backgrounds, and there's much more versatility on the vocal part, with Black Metal screams capturing all attention this time in respect to the Pagan-like clean (and hoarse) vocals that are being used as support now. The guitar work is also much better, more technical and complex still welcoming Thrash and Death Metal influences, the rhythm section is good and stable but without much to impress, and the keyboards, as said, are being used as background layers to enhance the mysterious atmosphere, but if you ask me they sound quite outdated. I'm still not sold on this band's potential, so you should try it and make yourselves an opinion.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10
Contact:
dorfeafaroth.ru
yar-productions.com
satanath.com/sodp
Band: DRAWN INTO DESCENT
Country: Belgium
Title: Drawn into Descent
Label: Immortal Frost Productions
Year: 2015
Style: Atmospheric Black Metal
Review:
Belgian quartet founded in 2013, Drawn into Descent present us their debut album, a 6 tracks effort totaling 45 minutes of playing time. Their music is highly melodic and emotional at times, a fine blend between Atmospheric Black Metal and Post Black Metal made on traditional instruments only: guitars, bass and drums, no keyboards or synths, no other instruments. To be able to hit the emotions of the listener, to make him/her dream while listening to Black Metal requires skills, and these guys have them, all tracks on this album are enjoyable, all have their own contribution to the final outcome, a good and very promising release that introduces us a band I'd like to hear more in the near future. I'd compare it with a clash between the melodic UK Doom Death from the '90's with the Finnish Black Metal, plus the nowadays Post Black Metal movement, simple and effective, try it yourselves. The only chapter I'd like an improvement on the next release are the vocals that sometime sound forced and unable to reach the desired timbre. Other than that kudos for this debut.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/DrawnIntoDescent
immortalfrostproductions.com
Band: DRUDKH
Country: Ukraine
Title: A Furrow Cut Short
Label: Season of Mist
Year: 2015
Style: Black Metal
Review:
58 minutes and just only 7 tracks. Only? Until! Ukrainian Drudkh for years accustomed us to listen great nostalgic black metal, so „A furrow cut short” is not a surprise. Big piece of melancholic melody connected with oldschool riffs are pleasantly absorbed (about track 1 and 2). Beautiful pathetic sounds which
that until the heart grow, yeah, lyrics is about steadfast poets – this is track 3. Fourth is a „Embers” – but just Drudkh’s embers wih ukrainian homesickness... Other tracks from this album is a simple, but „brain burn” black metal symphony – big, heavy machine, which slowly ride across autumn’s rain steppes. I’m not a big fan of black metal – but this stuff is really great!
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 8/10
Band: EMPHERIS
Country: Poland
Title: Ye Olde Varsovia
Label: Bestial Invasion / Necroscope
Year: 2015
Style: Thrash Black Death
Review:
Released as some sort of tribute to both the band and Necroscope zine, this live album was recorded during two of band's recent gigs, one with Rotting Christ, Varathron and Atropos, and one with Relentless, Ferosity and Hell Patrol. Adam from Necroscope (an amazing Polish printed fanzine that keep the flame burning since the '90's) contributed to this release, and I've actually got this CD from him. 11 tracks, half an hour of playing time, a mix of Thrash, Black and Death Metal with acceptable sound for a live recording and unpolished execution (no mistakes in execution were removed, or at least that's what I think), so you get the real deal, nothing less, nothing more. Although I can find a few riffs and parts of the tracks that I can enjoy, this is not my thing actually, I'd prefer seeing / listening to it live than on CD, or listen to these tracks studio recorded if at home, but on this one I don't like the vocals at all, and the music seems too chaotic most of the time. Well, I guess I'm not true enough, that's it, no offense.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10
Contact:
empheris.bandcamp.com
necroscope1@wp.pl
bestialinvasionrecords.co.uk
Band: EREB ALTOR
Country: Sweden
Title: Nattramn
Label: Cyclone Empire
Year: 2015
Style: Epic Viking Doom Metal
Review:
Intro at the beginning and – long intro with neofolk motives! What’s a sympathetic surprise! „Nattramn” is a good swedish steel, even filled by symphonic and pathetic scandinavian sorrow... „Nattramn” is a thoughtful collection of technical riffs, keyboards atmospheres and neverending dialogues between blackened growl and melancholic voices of nordic bards. 7 rather longer than shorter tracks, „technically polished” up in every way and without
major discoveries music but just a good crafts. Not bad, smart album.
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 7/10
Band: EVIL CONQUEROR
Country: Hungary
Title: Carnage
Label: Dominance of Darkness Records
Year: 2015
Style: Thrash Black Metal
Review:
A year after its debut album, Evil Conqueror, this one man band from Hungary, follows with a new full-length effort made of 10 tracks and clocking a bit over half an hour of playing time. We're treated with raw, demo-like production, catchy but quite overused guitar riffs, mysterious raspy vocals, blasphemous lyrics and attitude, and some of the most annoying drum programming I've heard this year, not only their sound is synthetic to death, but they are also simple and repetitive as hell. Unfortunately except for a few guitar Thrashy riffs, the morbid sounding vocals and the hand-drawn cover artwork, I find nothing interesting or appealing on this album, I find it quite a repulsive release for both fans of old-school primitive mental and fans of more polished Metal.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 4/10
Contact:
facebook.com/evilconqueror
dod-records.de
Band: EVOKE THY LORDS
Country: Russia
Title: Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar!
Label: Solitude Productions
Year: 2015
Style: Psychedelic Stoner Doom Metal
Review:
Oh man, this one sounds so weed-friendly, so much more laid back than law allows, that it's almost impossible to listen to it without at least once close your eyes and let yourself go on the wings of your thoughts, dream, fantasize, chill. The third album from this Russian combo follows the next step of letting oneself go, 2 years after being drunk (Drunken Tales), they thought becoming farmers, modern farmers (Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar!). Mixing Stoner, '70's Doom with an almost oriental but definitely psychedelic flute, Evoke Thy Lords, and a hint of Doom Death also, are something else, a different kind of expression within this genre yet without abandoning its typical aspects: organic, fat sounding bass lines and low tuned guitar riffs. The other highlights of this release would be the awesome structured groovy rhythms that make me bob my head continuously, and some good Rock female vocals here and there, although the main vocals (Doom Death male growls) are less expressive than they should. All in all a highly enjoyable release for the ones of you in search of a good mix betweeb Psychedelic Rock and Doom Metal.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
Contact:
evokethylords.com
solitude-prod.com
Band: FHOI MYORE / PESTIFERUM
Country: France / France
Title: La forme créatrice du chaos / Le chaos religieux
Label: Ossuaire Records
Year: 2013
Style: Black Metal / Black Metal
Review:
One could think this is a new generation of French Black Metal split, but would immediately be forced to change oppinion as Fhoi Myore are around since 2008 and Pestiferum from 2004, it's just that they haven't been that active on discographic level yet. This split is made of 8 tracks, 4 for each band, and clocks 50 minutes of playing time. Opening are Fhoi Myore with a fast and aggressive Black Metal with a touch of melody in its guitar leads and riffs, a bit of an epic atmosphere at times, but far from having an own style, that being also the fault of a non-versatile vocal part. yes, the execution is good enough to avoid annoying you, but apart for the interesting guitar work there is not much to be impressed by although their part is quite enjoyable after all. Pestiferum are around for more than a decade now and right after this split they managed to release their debut album as well. Their side of this split is made of 4 tracks with raw, almost annoying sound, but if you listen carefully you'll discover a music that's based on interesting and complex guitar structures, with multiple leads and solos that for me are its charm. Mid-tempo to fast paced rhythms, rough, decaying vocals that could have been a bit more versatile, live recorded drums that take most of your attention due to their high volume, and as I said before, good guitar work. I won't listen to their side of this split anymore, that's for sure, the sound quality is too poor for these days, but as a band Pestiferum might have some potential, don't know how their album sounds though.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 6.5/10 5.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/fhoimyore
facebook.com/Pestiferum
ossuairerecords.fr
Band: FIRELORD
Country: Italy
Title: Hammer of Chaos
Label: Sliptrick Records
Year: 2015
Style: Stoner Doom Metal
Review:
Straight out of Turin, this now power-trio band was founded back in 2007 and they already managed to release a full-length album and an EP before this one, which is another EP, a 4 tracks (+ 1 cover) effort clocking almost half an hour playing time. A groovy, entertaining Stoner Rock with Doom Metal influences, or how they call it Doom'n'Roll highlighted by heavy Doom Metal specific bass lines, energetic drumming, groovy guitar riffs and a good vocal that's unfortunately quite hidden by the rest of the instruments (especially drums), so you can easily guess I don't like the production. The first track is also my fave, but there are also some other hooks and elements that I like on all other tracks, so all in all I'd say this is pretty much a well-done release that opened my appetite for this band's music.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/FIRELORD999
sliptrickrecords.com
Band: FORGOTTEN PATHWAYS
Country: Germany
Title: A Long Way Home
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2015
Style: Medieval Ambient Dungeon Synth
Review:
18 years after its foundation Forgotten Pathways manages to release its debut full-length album. The band was always a one man show, but it seems that after a couple of demos and an EP released in 2004 it kind of fell into an icy state. This debut album is way, way better sounding than anything released by this project (I've listened online), but keeps the exact same path called Medieval Ambient Dungeon Synth, and this label of its music is perfectly accurate. You'll travel through long forgotten times and worlds pictured by an instrumental music based on synth sounds, a calm at times, intense at other music that by the amount of instruments involved seems to have taken quite a long time creating to its artist, Cedric Hommel. I can easily see this music as soundtrack to any of the nowadays so popular Medieval TV series, and would recommend it to you too if you're in search of music that transports you away for the daily routine.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10
Contact:
forgottenpathways.de
Band: FORTID
Country: Iceland
Title: 9
Label: Schwarzdorn Production
Year: 2015
Style: Viking Black Metal
Review:
Fortid was formed in Iceland in 2002 as a solo project of Eldur (Curse, Potentiam) with the purpose of promoting and exposing the ancient Icelandic language and literature of Asatru. „9” is a musical-mathematical average drawn from nordic black metal, asatru paganism, neofolk/folk motives, aurora nostalgic effects and all, typical for Iceland and Norway metal sounds. The simplicity of playing penetrates the atmospheric moods and we can hear a bit of everything from Ten Nord: almost punk rock vocal vs. blackened growl, old school blackmetal vs nordic folkmetal, fast and fury riffs vs nostalgic whine etc, etc... We can get there some symphonic/pathetic sounds too. Last two tracks are closer to heavy and doom metal than viking/black. However - a lot are happening on this album, that’s good.
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 7/10
Band: GENITAL GRINDER
Country: Italy
Title: Abduction
Label: Eyes of the Dead Productions
Year: 2015
Style: Brutal Death Metal
Review:
Wow, Abduction represents the culmination of this band's activity that was started 25 years back! Yes, the band was founded back in 1990 as Mass Slaughter but changed name to current one a year later. They were inactive from 1994 until 2002 when they released a new, but since now there's nothing new in their discography. This debut album features 11 tracks and clocks 25 minutes of brutal, fast and traditional Death Metal. All tracks are fast and furious asa raging wounded animal, these guys only know two gears: fast and faster, and their compositions remind me the most of Cannibal Corpse, although there's plenty of the European Technical and Brutal Death Metal thrown in, too. Unfortunately, like many other similar bands, they don't have anything original except maybe for the soumehow cuffed-sounding growling vocals. Their technical level is well above the average, the brutality expressed on this release is tremendous, and the production is acceptable as well, so fans of Brutal Death will probably enjoy it, but I think they have to come up with something unique to stand out i this overcrowded scene.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/GenitalGrinderMN
eotdprods.blogspot.it
Band: HAIDUK
Country: Canada
Title: Demonicon
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2015
Style: Melodic Black Death Metal
Review:
Here's the new Haiduk full-length album, 2 years after the release of its debut. Demonicon follows the same path of Melodic Black Death (with some Thrash influences, too) recorded and offered with a highly synthetic sound, something that reminds me of the one man Russian project Astarium, which I labeled once as Gamer's Metal. Luka, the man behind Haiduk, is an extremely talented musician, but above all he's an extremely gifted composer, what we get here, if you manage to ignore the synthetic sound, are some very interesting guitar riffs and leads, fast paced, surprising, fresh, and catchy, and I'm sure if Luka would have the chance to find suitable musicians and form a full line-up for Haiduk this would become a Worldwide sensation. Recorded by his own, with drum machine and a weak sound, it still sounds ok, but not enough for this album to be considered a top release, and that's too bad as these are clearly some masterpiece-material compositions right here. 9 tracks, a bit over half an hour of playing time, a highly recommended release if you're looking for some fresh ideas and you wouldn't a synthetic sound, Haiduk deserves support for making everything in a 100% pure DIY fashion.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
Contact:
haiduk.ca
Band: IDIS ORLOG
Country: Norway
Title: Froya og Svipdag and Songs from Njartharlag
Label: WolfTyr / In the Morningside / Heathen Tribes / Aurora Australis / Fjordafolk
Year: 2015
Style: Pagan Folk Music
Review:
Idis Orlog is the one woman project moniker of a Norwegian lady called Siv Idis. On this new album of hers she got help from Brenda Runahild, better known as Eliwagar, another Norse project that I think has more ties with the Metal scene. After a couple of spins my conclusions are pretty confuse; there are a few songs that sound good and memorable (found myself humming them after the audition), but there are also others that sound below mediocre. To me it seems that when Siv Idis keeps things simple, without too many instruments, the tracks come out sounding good, but when she adds more instruments and multiple layers of vocals it all sounds chaotic and amateurish. Yes, part of this album brings you closer to the nature, but part of it is frustratingly boring, it feels like the whole was recorded in a single take, in a rush, without polishing it afterwards. The fact that so many labels united onto releasing this album tells me this project has a good name in its scene, but at least I, as an outsider, wasn't impressed by it at all, I've heard much better, much more profesional yet still organic work. Try it yourselves if you're into Folk Music.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10
Contact:
facebook.com/idisorlog
wolftyr.com
Band: IMAGO MORTIS
Country: Italy
Title: Carnicon
Label: Drakkar Productions
Year: 2014
Style: Black Metal
Review:
I've already started listening to this album a couple of times with the intent of reviewing it, but soon realized it needs more time, a more in depth audition that usual, and that's because Imago Mortis present us here a real masterpiece in modern intelligent Black Metal, an album that actually required lots and lots of documentation and preparation since it's an incursion into their local witchcraft, occultism, esotericism and death stories / facts. Using now defunct languaes like vernacular '600, latin and Bergamasco, as well as current Italian, Imago Mortis manage to depict some really horrifying stories through their tracks, all dealing with death, and by also printing the real stories on which their lyrics are built on, the band manages to capture the listener even more, and don't worry if you don't know Italian, they are presented in English, too. The music on this new album is quite traditional '90's type Black Metal with occasional Thrash Black and even Doom influences here and there, good quality music. I would have only liked a bit more effects (like the wolf howling I think I've heard once, or the spell at the beginning of the track Lumere) to display the atmosphere even better, like a witch singing her spells, or the priest's chant, or things like that to give the album an even higher theatrical level. Anyway, if you take the time to get into this album by also reading the lyrics and the stories around them, you'll be able to discover a masterpiece, if not, you'll find it a good album bu nothing more.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
Contact:
imagomortis.net
drakkar666.com
Band: INFECTED CHAOS
Country: Austria
Title: The Wake of Ares
Label: Metal Music Austria
Year: 2015
Style: Death Metal
Review:
Young Austrian band founded last year from the ashes of another band, Chaosreign, that activated between 2006 and 2013 and managed to release a full-length album, too. Infected Chaos present us here their debut full-length album, a 12 tracks effort clocking a bit over 45 minutes of playing time, a modern take on Swedish Death Metal if you ask me, a mix of Stockholm Death Metal and Melodic Death Metal, with maybe a bit of Black Death Metal, too, but very powerful sounding, professional and cudled as it should be. To be honest I would have liked more of those good guitar solos you'll be able to hear here and there, but nonetheless as a debut album this The Wake of Ares is absolutely smashing, the compositions are well-thought and complex enough not to bore the listeners, yet at the same time featuring good hooks to become memorable; the vocal part is complex and interesting, too, the intense bass lines, the Swedish Death Metal-like tuned guitar riffs supported by melodic and technical leads, and the perfect soudning drums, all of these are making this album a very good release easily fit for the tops of this genre. A band to keep both eyes on!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
Contact:
infectedchaos.bandcamp.com
metalmusic.at
Band: KAOSKULT
Country: Poland
Title: Secret Serpent
Label: Odium Records
Year: 2014
Style: Black Metal
Review:
Seen from here I'd say the French and Polish Black Metal scenes are the most active in Europe at the moment, with the French one being the more inventive, more daring one, and the Polish the more traditional and aggressive one. And here we have another Polish band with their debut album although it was founded in 2006 and only released a demo prior to this. Kaoskult is wasting no time in attacking the listener right from the start with venomous, intoxicating Black Metal rhythms with a twist, with an impressive instrumental work, all instruments have a massive, massive influence on the final outcome of this release, and the result is extremely impressive. The vocals could have been a bit more versatile if you ask me, but nonetheless they are vicious and aggressive as they should be to complement such a wrathful work. 7 tracks, 50 minutes playing time, traditional, technical, evil mid-tempo to (mostly) fast-paced Black Metal recommended to everyone, this release deserves lots of attention and should definitely be in the year end tops. Great stuff!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9.5/10
Contact:
facebook.com/kaoskultofficial
odiumrex.com
Band: LA HORDE
Country: France
Title: Dystopie
Label: Fantai'zic
Year: 2015
Style: Thrashcore
Review:
La Horde are a quartet from France presenting us here a 14 tracks effort clocking almost 45 minutes of what they name as Thrashcore, or better said a mix of Thrash and Hardcore, with a few other influences here and there. The atmosphere is pretty Hardcore, indeed, but for the Thrash part of it I would have liked a much more powerful production as this one sounds preety soft, not aggressive enough to impress anyone. The vocals are ok for a Hardcore band, too, but a bit more versatility wouldn't hurt, especially since the instrumental part isn't particularly interesting either. Unfortunately this album totally failed to catch my interest, but maybe for French speaking listeners it could be more entertaining since the lyrics are in their native tongue.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 5/10
Contact:
la-horde.fr
Band: LUCID DREAMS
Country: Norway
Title: Build and Destroy
Label: Red Ball Productions
Year: 2015
Style: Melodic Heavy Metal
Review:
Second full-length album from this Norwegian band, released 2 years after their promising debut, Build and Destroy is a bit shorter in playing time, 37 minutes, but also features less tracks, only 8 this time compared to the 12 featured on the first album. The band switched, subtly, to a more melodic yet a more aggressive type of Metal, so if in my opinion their debut was on a Poison / Motley Crue path, this new one is more on an Iron Maiden meets Queensryche meets Dream Theater meets Van Halen, plus a healthy dose of personal touch; metallic guitar riffs, melodic leads, incisive yet atmospheric keyboard backgrounds, solid rhythm section and again, an excellent performance from the band's vocalist, absolutely one of the best around, smooth, powerful, versatile and capable of reaching expected levels. The fact that only one of the 8 tracks is exceeding 5 minutes in length, and that one is the album's "ballad", makes me think the band took plenty of time to prepare and deliver this album, well-thought and above all well-targeted, so who knows, this might also be their break-thru, we'll see. Released I guess by the band's own label, Build and Destroy comes in form of a 3 panels Digipak with complete booklet featuring all lyrics; recommended for fans of old-school and also new Melodic Metal.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
Contact:
luciddreamsband.com