Pest Webzine - January 2012

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Thursday, 2012-02-23, 11:32 AM
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Pest Webzine

January 2012


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(EchO) - Devoid of Illusions
7Days - Into Forever
Adragard - Sadistic Delirium Manifest
An Handful Of Dust - Nu Emotional Injection
Blasphemation / Coffin Rot / Proctophobic - Blasphemous Brutality
Coronatus - Terra Incognita
Dead - Hardnaked...But Dead
Deadnight - Raiders of the Black Wind
Deep Desolation / Iugulatus / Primal - Chapel of Fear
Desekratewhore - Shadows of the Past
Dying Humanity - Living on the Razor’s Edge
Elm Street - Barbed Wire Metal
Entrench - Inevitable Decay
Evil Amidst - Lords of the Nine
Fading Waves - The Sense of Space
Gorgy - Birth of Damnation
Isolation - Closing a Circle
Kolac - Bastard Son Is Dead
Lacerhate - Reborn From Ashes
Leviathan - Beyond the Gates of Imagination Pt. I
Loup Noir - L'âme de la steppe
Mound Road Engine - Mound Road Engine
Necrodemon - Reclamation of the Stygian Throne
Nocturnal Depression - Suicidal Thoughts
Outcast - Vendetta
Pleurisy / Asgaia - Unholy Spheres / Waves
Reign Of Vengeance - Disemboweling Swine
Signum Regis - The Eyes of Power
Sons of Tonatiuh - Sons of Tonatiuh
Storhet Av Morke - Grandeur of Eternal Cold
Supuration - Back from the Crematory


Tantalos - Ab Luce
Terrortory - The Seed Left Behind
Thanathron - Hiarra
Thanathron - TH Horde
The Burning - Hail the Horde
Thorngoth - Leere
Thromdarr - Electric Hellfire
Thulcandra - Under a Frozen Sun
To Cast A Shadow - In Memory Of
Uncanny - MCMXCI - MCMXCIV
Unlight - Sulphurblooded
Valdur - Raven God Amongst Us
Veneficum - In Tranquil Absurd
Vex - Thanatopsis
Vinterslav - Obliteration
Virvel Av Morkerhatet - Forsaken Hate Sickness
Voices Of Destiny - From the Ashes
Volturyon - Coordinated Mutilation
Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder
Warnungstraum - Inter Peritura
War Of Conquest - Erobringskrig Apollinarius 9889
Winterage - Winterage
Zwartplaag - Haatstorm




Band: (ECHO)
Country: Italy
Title: Devoid of Illusions
Label: BadMoodMan Music
Year: 2011
Style: Dark Doom Death Metal

Review:
From Italy come the devout players of Melodic Doom and technical proficiency, Echo.  Their opus "Devoid of Illusions" shares an ambient feeling along with an almost electronic trance like feeling well.  That's not all though, doom metal persists to rear its ugly head throughout this release, and it does.  Tracks like "The Coldest Land" give out the most vicious feeling of darkness while "Once was a Darkness" gives the appeal of the aforementioned trance feelings and ambient tunnels to add.  All in all if you want diversity in your metal then Echo is the shit!  Not my genre to get into, but I must admit that when I was listening to this record I went into a total hypnotic state (Maybe the weed had something to do with it!) Either way it was awesome and worth the listen!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: 7DAYS
Country: Sweden
Title: Into Forever
Label: Rivel Records
Year: 2010
Style: Symphonic Metal

Review:
11 tracks totaling over an hour’s worth of Symphonic Metal from 7 Days.  7 Days has a wonderful female vocalist, as most do in this genre, but the vocalist mixes so well with the music playing throughout the background.  I am not an expert on this type of style as far as metal is concerned, but I know what sounds good to me when I hear it.  7 Days puts out such a classic sounding opus with Into Forever.  All the tracks have a heavy, groove laden feeling to them, and also the in between elements of influence from old school metal bands.  I can hear a Swedish Death Metal influence all over this record, but I could be wrong about that.  What can be said about all these different styles and elements is that 7 Days keeps their music interesting and filled with heavy electronic metal.  Progressive Metal is coming from so many different directions, but 7 Days knows what they are doing and playing, and it is a sound of Symphonic Style with evil and atmospheric beauty.  Songs like "Into Forever” and "Under the Sun” really show the talent that 7 Days has as a band, and as individuals. 
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: ADRAGARD
Country: Italy
Title: Sadistic Delirium Manifest
Label: Self-released
Year: 2010
Style: Black Metal

Review:
Debut album of this two members band, "Sadistic Delirium Manifest" contains no less than 14 tracks and lasts for almost an hour, not a usual release for old-school Black Metal, but the guys definitely had time to compose as the band was on ice for 10 years. Adragard was founded in 1997, but split up after only 1 year and a demo released. The compositions on this album are really stunning, I wasn't expecting such a good release to be honest. Fast, technical, grim and vicious tracks with extremely well executed rhythm section (in fact it's so good at times I tent to think this is a drum-machine after all), catchy and atmospheric guitar riffs with the right amount of repetition not to bore the shit out of you, and a very raw vocal that piles up perfectly on this sick release. This is a band many of you should give a chance, and I really hope they get signed soon if they keep working on new material and don't give up the project again. Recommended!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10

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Band: AN HANDFUL OF DUST
Country: Italy
Title: Nu Emotional Injection
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Power Thrash Metal

Review:
Interesting band from Italy we have in the form of An Handful of Dust.  Described as an Alternative type of metal ban, these guys play a different style of thrash Metal as well.  Nu Emotional Injection gives the vibe of being more heavier Thrash than alternative, which is no problem with me!  there are ten tracks total and this gave me time to feel out the sound and metal of the music.  There is primarily Melodic parts throughout the record, but the heavier parts consist of an old school thrash metal feeling at times.  The vocalist is pretty good with mixing his vocals in with the rest of the band, almost like he uses his voice as another instrument sometimes.  An Handful of Dust are good at what they do and this newest record does prove that, in a lot of ways.  Groove, Thrash, Power metal, and Melody all combined to make a pretty damn good record for An Handful of Dust.  Check out tracks like "Sleeping Giant” which has elements of all the above mentions as far as melody and heaviness goes.  The other track I enjoyed was "Soulmirror”. A heavy band with  no boundaries is worth the money people!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: BLASPHEMATION / COFFIN ROT / PROCTOPHOBIC
Country: USA / USA / Canada
Title: Blasphemous Brutality
Label: Torn Flesh Records
Year: 2011
Style: Black Death Grind

Review:
Proctophobic is the only band on this split that I am familiar with, at the very least!  Anyway this is pure grinding sickness in a pornographic and pissed off way.  Definitely a genre that is not a dime a dozen, This three way split is just plain fucking sick!  According to Proctophobic they play Blackened Gore Grind, and they are truly good at it.  Either way this is not for the weak hearted metal fans out there.  This release is made for the pure fans of true goregrind/porno sickness.  3 bands, 12 tracks bringing in not even 20 minutes of sickness, a true portrait of brutality!  So for the fans of the sickest sub-genre around check out this split with Blasphemation, Proctophobic, and Coffin Rot.  Remember, all three bands ARE NOT for the weak or chumps of the metal underground! 
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 7/10

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Band: CORONATUS
Country: Germany
Title: Terra Incognita
Label: Massacre Records
Year: 2011
Style: Gothic Metal

Review:
Germany delivers a band well into the Gothic Genre of the metal underground, and this is interesting metal to me.  I have never had the chance to hear Coronatus before today, but I am glad I did.  First off the fact that it is mixed with female and male members is added wealth to the music.  I could be wrong, but I believe that both female members handle vocal duties throughout the record.  So the Gothic Operatic mixture here is cool.  I have always loved the female vocals of these bands.  The beauty explored while hearing the vocals is an aspect of this genre I like a lot.  Other reasons?  Well...The music itself can get pretty damn heavy when it wants to.  Passion and Desire are something every human craves whether they want to admit it or not, Coronatus does not keep this silent.  Coronatus will kick ass for people into the Gothic side of metal, hell...Even bits of early Power Metal music is heard throughout the release.  "Dead Man's Tale", "Hateful Affection", and "Traumziet" will certainly fancy the ears of the metal world.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: DEAD
Country: Germany
Title: Hardnaked...But Dead
Label: FDA Rekotz
Year: 2011
Style: Death Grind Metal

Review:
Germany certainly knows how to berate the Metal World with some brutal stuff these days, besides Black/Thrash/Death/Extreme and whatever else comes to mind, Dead joins the ensemble of sickness that is currently moving throughout the Metal Underground these days.  "Hardnaked...But Dead" is a must have piece of grinding sickness.  1990 was the year of birth for Dead, and ever since that year Dead have released a slew of sick and brutal releases with no intent on stopping the bleeding!  Now for those who don't already know, Dead released a full-length earlier in 2011 entitled "For Lovers of the New Bizarre", so this must be part II or something.  Either way you get what Dead has been giving for the past 23 or so years of being involved with this sick scene...GRINDING METAL with Death N' Roll on top for good measure.  If you have this particular taste in your mouth then check out Dead's efforts of brutality!  Sick, disgusting, and Fetish feeling, Dead is what they always will be - SICK!!!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: DEADNIGHT
Country: USA
Title: Riders of the Black Wind
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:
Deadnight was formed in 2003 but for some unfortunate reasons they have only managed to release 1 full-length album in 2008. This EP follows after 3 years and I guess their main problem is the unstable line-up since "Riders of the Black Wind" was recorded as a duo and at the moment I'm writing this review they are again a quartet. Anyway, the 4 tracks presented on this EP are great, old-school fast and dirty Thrash Metal a la '80's Kreator, Slayer or Destruction, spiced with a bit of sinister Death Metal touches here and there, but the general idea is of course Thrash Metal to the bone. The material was mastered by Andy LaRocque so you know you'll deal with top notch sound inhere, the simple but professional CD production and look deserve a thumbs up as well, and the compositions are extremely tight and mature, leaving no space for boredom. I especially like the hoarse vocals, the killer solos and the clever addition of keyboard backgrounds that add a note of darkness to the overall product. Too bad the CD ends in less than 20 minutes, but on the other hand it's like a teaser for the upcoming album due to be out this year. Check this band out, you won't regret it!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10

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Band: DEEP DESOLATION / IUGULATUS / PRIMAL
Country: Poland / Poland / Poland
Title: Chapel of Fear
Label: Quid Est Veritas Productions
Year: 2011
Style: Doom Black Metal / Black Metal / Black Metal

Review:
From the 3 bands on this Split I've only heard of Deep Desolation before so it's a good chance to meet some new names from the Polish underground. 
Opening this CD is Primal, a Black Metal band using Polish language for their lyrics. The guitar riffs are a bit too repetitive, but mixed with the good drum parts they manage to give a cold, sinister feeling to the overall product. They manage to combine the fast parts with slow, doomy rhythms giving a horrifying overall atmosphere that unfortunately at times becomes too chaotic. But I like mostly the cavernous vocals in this band. Nothing exceptional here, but definitely a good deal of macabre Black Metal for the ones of you in search for atmospheres rather than speed.
Second band is Iugulatus that comes with a better sound and a music based more on technical abilities rather than atmosphere. Pretty brutal Black Metal with a hint of Thrash and Death Metal too, good for the fans of the new wave of Black Death Metal. It failed to catch my interest especially because of the discrepancy of sound between the guitar riffs and the leads/solos, but there's certainly a good potential in this band, just give a listen to the track "Will of Satan". 
Deep Desolation is Doom Metal with Black Metal touches given mainly by the vocals and an overall blackened atmosphere. Their 2 tracks are the heaviest on this release, it all feels like Candlemass meets Samael, the old Samael, and Deep Desolation clearly gives the impression of a mature band although they have only released a full-length prior to this split. Definitely a band I would recommend, Deep Desolation has a huge potential.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10, 7/10, 8.5/10

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Band: DESEKRATEWHORE
Country: Canada
Title: Shadows of the Past
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Metal

Review:
From Canada we have a sickening old school metal band by the name Desekratewhore.  They remind me of the early days of Abomination, Funeral Nation, and Master from Chicago's early Metal Underground days.  Plenty of Speed/Thrash and definite elements of the Doom Metal and Death Metal genres.  Even bits of Black Metal take notice during playtime.  Either way this band is kick ass and will certainly make some fucking waves throughout the underground.  Songs like "Souls of the Insane" and "Shadows of the Past" really take the listener into a deep realm of hypnotic Doom, gloom, and Metal!  Fans of the early style of metal will enjoy this release.  The pattern of the album cover reminds me of the old days of when bands like "Winter" were coming out of the woodwork.  Check em' out, it is worth the time and money.  Check out other songs like "As the Angels Burn" and the aforementioned track "Shadows of the Past" which is a great instrumental which shows the talent behind the music.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: DYING HUMANITY
Country: Germany
Title: Living on the Razor’s Edge
Label: Bastardized Recordings
Year: 2011
Style: Death Metal

Review:
Germany delivers a brutal, but technically sick band, Dying Humanity.  In recent years the brutality has become potentially great as each year flows by for the band.  Dying Humanity unleash some progressive, thrashy, and deathly metal all rolled up into one release..."Living on the Razor's Edge" is a good effort and will garner definite attention in the underground.  Tracks such as "Till the End", "Clarity of Mind", and "Revenge and Murder".  These songs show just some of the diversity within the brutal metal these guys deliver.  Dying Humanity is a killer band with potential to become a mainstream piece of Deathcore sickness!  One track entitled "Clarity of Mind' has many elements of the metal genres.  Thrash/Death/and even a hint of Black Metal influence besides the melodic parts.  Good Shit!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: ELM STREET
Country: Australia
Title: Barbed Wire Metal
Label: Massacre Records
Year: 2011
Style: Heavy Metal

Review:
Elm Street formed in 2003, but it seems that nothing was put out until 2011.  From Australia comes Elm Street, a band of Melodic Thrash Metal played in a technically proficient manner.  The vocals leave a bit to be desired on the slower parts of the tracks, but mainly do well with the rest of the record.  Elm Street seem to be a more Heavier Power Metal band with "Barbed Wire Metal".  This band has started a roar in the underground, fans seem to be getting into this debut release very much. Songs like "Metal is the Way" and "King of Kings" really deliver a mix of good Melodic Thrash Metal in a Power Metal sense.  The early 80's metal scene is a feeling all over this release that I get, and also the newer style metal.  For fans of the old school Power Metal/Thrash Metal scene, this one is for you.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: ENTRENCH
Country: Sweden
Title: Inevitable Decay
Label: Abyss Records
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Metal

Review:
A new addition in Abyss Records' roster Entrench descends from Sweden and propose us their '80's-like Thrash Metal based on killer guitar solos and leads, fast to Speed-like rhythms and crazy good vocals. This album / band won't bring us anything new, but for sure their music is worth checking out if you're an old-school follower, there are so many catchy tunes on this album that I can't stop thinking what would have happened if this would have been released 25 years ago, I guess the Would would have gone nuts for Entrench. If you buy this album please keep in mind you'll have to enjoy not only the Thrash Metal from the '80's, but the sound from those years as well as there's nothing fancy or polished on "Inevitable Decay", old-school to the bone. Strongly recommended!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: EVIL AMIDST
Country: USA
Title: Lords of the Nine
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2010
Style: Black Death Metal

Review:
Florida has been a breeding ground for Death Metal bands since the inception of time it seems like, but what we have here is a bit different.  Death/Black Metal is more like it with Evil Amidst and the brutality sticks out.  I think of Hate Eternal or Morbid Angel when I hear this release.  The influences are brutal and the band jam the angry passion along with the riffs that tear a person’s heart out in certain areas.  Evil Amidst will make fans of the extreme happy, and with tracks like "Onward Into Fire,” and "Flesh of Thorns” really stick a knife in your back!  As I said earlier, if you like Immolation, Morbid Angel, or Hate Eternal then this is your shit right here.  9 tracks totaling 36 minutes of hatred, anger, and passion brutality.  Evil Amidst is well worth the time to check out. 
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 9/10

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Band: FADING WAVES
Country: Russia
Title: The Sense of Space
Label: Slow Burn Records
Year: 2011
Style: Progressive Sludge Metal

Review:
Russia brings us the band Fading Waves, a band of Post Metal genre from what I understand.  This is uncharted territory for me as I review many band, but the sub-genres are something I am not too keen on.  I tell what I hear, and what I hear is a Melodic Metal band with touches of Black Metal and Doom Metal Sludge.  Maybe?  I hope I almost correct!  Anyway, the Melodic trance added with such an evil aura is great while smoking some of the good shit!  Atmospheric and Ambient comes across throughout the tracks with a darkened drone outlook in the sound.  Fading Waves isn't a dime a dozen and fans of open minds will enjoy the hypnotic evil that is delivered throughout the release.  5 tracks at 38 minutes playing time will give the fan plenty of time to feel out what this band has to offer, both mentally and physically speaking!  Good stuff here, check out tracks like "Perforate the Sky" and "Flashes" both tracks so awesomely put together that even Katatonia would love this shit!  Oh, and by the way, the female vocalist is excellent on this disc.  Sirenia watch out! 
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: GORGY
Country: USA
Title: Birth of Damnation
Label: Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Year: 2011
Style: Death Grind

Review:
Debut album of this Kentucky based combo, "Birth of Damnation" is made of 8 tracks totaling almost half an hour of extremely sick and disturbed Death Grind. This is actually very good music, not the new type of nonsense Gore Grind that slowly ruins the scene. Gorgy is technical enough to keep you tight until the end of this album and most probably lure you for some more auditions. They have managed to find a great link between the old-school of Brutal Death Metal and the new Death Grind scene, so if you're into either one of those give these guys a listen, you'll be surprised. 
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: ISOLATION
Country: Germany
Title: Closing a Circle
Label: Eisenwald Tonschmiede
Year: 2011
Style: Black Doom Metal

Review:
Atmospheric and almost suicidal at times, Isolation comes at you from al different directions as far as influence goes.  Depressing and doomy is the feeling here with the added darkness of atmospheric sound.  I loved it.  Isolation puts out 10 tracks at 46 minutes of playing time, plenty of time to soak in all the depression and visions of demise!  I was remembering the early days of Cathedral when they released Forest of Equilibrium and Paradise Lost from the Gothic era.  Doom, thoughts of death and demise, and a technically talented band bring forth a pretty cool doom metal, but atmospheric in sound as well.  Tracks like the title track "Closing a Circle” and "Nomad” peak the interest of my levels of doom!  Anyway, Isolation is your game when it comes to telling the world about reality!  Check out Closing a Circle!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: KOLAC
Country: Serbia
Title: Bastard Son Is Dead
Label: Moon Records
Year: 2011
Style: Black Metal

Review:
Debut album for this Serbian trio that is starting to get its name out there quite a lot lately, or at least that's my impression since I've came across multiple times lately with their band name. They have decided to work with Moon Records and release their debut album on tape, what else can be more old-school than that? Kolac plays fast, mature sounding Black Metal that reminds me of Marduk, and not only because of their well-done cover of Marduk's "Bleached Bones". A band that prefers to keep their music as offensive as possible rather than trying to discover new territories, so if you're looking for progressive or avantgarde stuff stay away from this, I would recommend it only for the ones of you in search for what's nowadays called "the real" or "trv" Black Metal.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: LACERHATE
Country: Italy
Title: Reborn From Ashes?
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Groove Metal

Review:
Lacerhate lives up to the moniker on this opus they created.  Reborn from Ashes gives off anger and hatred in such a cool Hatebreed kind of way throughout the record.  From start to finish there is pure hardcore energy mixed with killer death metal riffs of chunky nature!  An angered sounding vocal style added to the mix and we have a killer death/hardcore style of metal here, and done very well.  Lacerhate unleashes these 6 tracks with groove laden feel and such a cool production as well.  The production kind of reminds of the old school Swedish Metal bands like Dismember and Grave only with a hardcore edge.  Lacerhate do a great job pounding out the metal and I cannot wait until they release a full length record because if it sounds anything like this then the underground will shit their pants!  Maybe I am a little too excited about this EP but who gives a fuck, when I hear something that peaks my interest like this then I feel the rest of the underground has to hear it as well.  All 6 tracks will take whatever anger you have inside you and make it gone!  Check them out for yourself.  Tracks such as "Intro - Nerds on Fire” and "Against” give me the chills, awesome tracks!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 10/10

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Band: LEVIATHAN
Country: Germany
Title: Beyond the Gates of Imagination Pt. I
Label: Bret Hard Records
Year: 2011
Style: Progressive Melodic Death Metal

Review:
Progressive Metal all the way with Leviathan’s newest opus entitled "Beyond the Gates of Imagination”.  Starts off almost in a Folk Metal kind of way on the song "Beneath the Blackened Sky”.  There is such a Black Metal feel on this track in the beginning, even with the vocals.  Leviathan has all the different goodies on this release that certain Black Metal fans will like - symphonics, electronics, and melodic groove riffs.  I have always used styles and labels to help people understand my reviews better, but I really can’t stand labels.  Sometimes the only way to get a review through is to put a label on a band, but leviathan is a hard one to pick because they have so many different influences churning out in their music.  Though only forming in 2007, Leviathan has come far from the underground in Germany.  Beyond the Gates of Imagination is good and the next release will be better.  I can’t say much more, this is an album that has to be heard to understand the full capacity of talent here.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 9/10

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Band: LOUP NOIR
Country: France
Title: L'âme de la steppe
Label: Mortis Humanae Productions
Year: 2011
Style: Black Metal

Review:
Hey, what a nice surprise! This is the side project of Alrinack (also in Asphodeles, P.H.T.O, Suicidal Madness, and others) who has contributed to Pest Webzine with his reviews not a long time ago. Didn't know this project so I'm glad Mortis Humanae sent it for a review. "L'âme de la steppe" is Loup Noir's debut album, a 9 tracks effort lasting for more than 70 minutes. Unfortunately the sound isn't the best around, and especially on the drum-machine that annoys me to death, but the good thing about Loup Noir's music is that although the guitar riffs are at times too repetitive and just in to make the tracks longer, they manage to create a horrifying atmosphere with the aid of the vocal layers and the omnipresent wolf howls. I have to mention also the brilliant intro, one of the most macabre I've heard in a long time, and I also like that it lasts for almost 7 minutes. If you don't care that much about the sound quality and are rather interested in the atmospheres of an underground Black Metal release, give this one a try, after a couple of tracks it grew on me and I've listened to it completely for a couple of times without getting bored, so maybe you'll enjoy it as well. Don't expect anything joyful or calm inhere, this is colder than the North Pole...
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10

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Band: MOUND ROAD ENGINE
Country: USA
Title: Mound Road Engine
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Groove Metal

Review:
Female fronted band from Detroit, Mound Road Engine (MRE) plays a blend of metal I couldn't exactly label, but just to give an impression on what I have here I can say it's a mix of modern groovy metal with alternative metal and some hard rock remains here and there. This debut EP I'm listening to was produced by Kid Rock's sound engineer Al Sutton, and I must admit it sounds pretty sharp and to the spot. Although their music is quite interesting and diversified something feels like missing, there's not enough catchiness to keep you mumbling their tracks after the audition. Anyway, a very energetic band that from my point of view can reach really high peaks in the US scene (not really Europe oriented music).
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10

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Band: NECRODEMON
Country: USA
Title: Reclamation of the Stygian Throne
Label: Reaper
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:
Chris Fucking Forbes, the man behind the primitive, but awesome fanzine Metal Core Fanzine.  To be honest when the boss asked me to review this I was excited, and after hearing the opus…My thirst for old school sickness in a Black Metal way came to be!  Necrodemon, at least to me, is a mix between a few different styles of metal.  I hear old school Immolation and maybe even some Thrash Metal influence as well.  I definitely heard the Black metal influence in the music and vocals throughout the record.  Everything was put together very well and the interest just peaks with each track.  Now I have to admit one thing, this review would have been a biased review in Chris Forbes’ favor even if his band really fucking sucked, but thankfully and fortunately for me Necrodemon kicks major fucking ass all the way on this release.  Old school metal in an evil way right here people!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 9/10

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Band: NOCTURNAL DEPRESSION
Country: France
Title: Suicidal Thoughts
Label: Sun & Moon Records
Year: 2011
Style: Depressive Black Metal

Review:
Sun & Moon recently re-released Nocturnal Depression's 2004 album, "Suicidal Thoughts" (also re-recorded in 2011), and I'm glad I have the chance to review this album as well simply because I haven't heard it before. After a couple of spins I think this is my favourite N.D. album so far, the music on it is more aggressive then their next releases being structured more on typical Black Metal elements rather than pointing full on for the depressive side, so I can say it's more engaging, more energetic than on their other releases. N.D.'s trademark could be considered the successful combination of catchy drums rhythms with repetitive, mid-tempo guitar riffs and semi acoustic guitar leads for thickening the atmosphere. Maybe I like this more because it has such an organic, old-school feeling to it and the listener can imagine being close to the band, right in the studio. Recommended!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10

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Band: OUTCAST
Country: Chile
Title: Vendetta
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2011
Style: Thrash Metal

Review:
Chile sure does have it’s fair share of metal bands these days, one of those is Outcast with a new EP entitled "Vendetta”.  Thrash is what this band is all about, nothing more and nothing less.  This is good old school metal with all those cool mosh parts and speedy riffs to go with it.  Vocals mix well because of the rough style he has.  Instead of the really clean Confessor or Holy Terror type vocals, the vocals are lower and raw which is awesome.  Outcast never gets boring, each song has a good structure and great feeling to it.  Tracks such as "Mayhem to the World”, and "Bioterror” really show the talent and future of outcast in the already stuffed up metal genre of Thrash Metal.  So fans of old school Thrash Metal who love to mosh should check out Outcast and this new EP Vendetta, well worth the effort by this band.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 9/10

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Band: PLEURISY / ASGAIA
Country: Holland / Germany
Title: Unholy Spheres / Waves
Label: Magnificence Records
Year: 2011
Style: Death Metal / Melodic Death Metal

Review:
This split was originally released on Paranoia Syndrome in 1998, and Magnificence Records re-released it unfortunately in a limited edition on CD last year, unfortunately because it is already sold-out. 
The opening band should ring a bell to all old-school Death Metal followers out there as Pleurisy were pretty active in the underground in the '90's and not only. The band is now split-up, but they have managed to release 3 full-length albums in their career. Their music is old-school Death Metal based on quite melodic guitar lines and combining the mid-tempo rhythms with the fast ones in a successful way. Good as hell stuff, no wonder why they were mentioned in lots of metal publications from more than a decade ago. 
The Germans Asgaia are still active and actually they have released their third full-length album last year, but they have never achieved the pupularity of their split mates here Pleurisy. This split was their debut in the metal scene but even knowing that aspect their tracks are quite good. Melodic Death Metal in the old fashion way meaning based on organic, intelligent guitar leads and a few keyboards insertions. The guitar riffs and drums are a bit dull at times, but given their experience at that time it is totally understandable. Honest music, quite melancholic for me, I have to admit. This type of music reminds me of the good old days of Doom Death Metal, the mid '90's.
Hopefully Magnificence will reissue this as at this moment it's sold out.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10  7/10

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Band: REIGN OF VENGEANCE
Country: USA
Title: Disemboweling Swine
Label: Brain Damage Music
Year: 2011
Style: Technical Death Metal

Review:
This album is actually released by a horror movies production company that seems to be opening its gates to Metal music also. Reign Of Vengeance features on this release Samus Paulicelli (ex-Abigail Williams, Goatwhore, Decrepit Birth) and Nick Schendzielos (Cephalic Carnage), I'm not sure if they are permanent members or only guests (most probably), but only having them contributing to Reign Of Vengeance's music is a major step forward in this scene, you can be almost sure of its good quality. "Disemboweling Swine" is brutal, technical, tight as hell, groovy here and there and above all it's catchy, not boring at all. The only problem I can see here is the sound on vocals; the vocalist seems to cuff its mic, or at least it sounds that way, and that's not exactly what I like on a studio recording. Anyway, all in all this is a top-notch release that deserves your attention. Go check it out!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10

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Band: SIGNUM REGIS
Country: Slovakia
Title: The Eyes of Power
Label: Inner Wound Recordings
Year: 2010
Style: Power Metal

Review:
Slovakia has no shortage of brutality, sickness, or unrelenting madness as far as the metal underground is concerned, but there is also bands like Signum Regis, a Power Metal band with a Progressive edge added to the fold.  Interesting metal here, with the background elements and the cool intros the tracks brings Signum Regis to life.  Even though this is not my cup of tea, I can always recognize good metal when I hear it and this is good!  Signum Regis seems to have an influence of almost a classical feel mixed with the old school Power Metal feel as well.  Together comes a tight-knit production and metal that any metal-head into this particular genre will enjoy.  Tracks such as "Roma Aeterna” and "Destroyers of the World” really show off what this band can handle as far as talent goes, I am impressed by the musicianship on this release.  For those of you who enjoy a mix of doom, power metal, operatic intros, and elements of early old school Power Feel…This is your band - Signum Regis.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: SONS OF TONATIUH
Country: USA
Title: Sons of Tonatiuh
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2010
Style: Sludge Doom Metal

Review:
From Atlanta, Georgia comes the Southern charm of Sludge/Doom metal from these boys.  Kind of reminds me of a band I heard, Beaten Back to Pure with that Southern 80’s feel in rock mixed with the doom and gloom of today’s metal world.  I love it and so will everybody else.  Sons of Tonasiuh really add that hardcore edge in the vocal department.  All of the elements mixed together bring about such a mature and sludgy feeling with an edge of that old school feel.  This is the first full length effort by this band and they did a good fucking job, I can’t wait to hear what comes next.  8 full tracks giving about 35 minutes of metal.  Crush your skull or shoot yourself first, either way your options are bleak!  Fans of old school metal will eat this shit up quick!  Sons of Tonasiuh have just earned themselves a new fan with Luther here!  Check out these tracks "Consumed”, "Oracle” and a new track I ran into on You-tube.  It says that on December 12, 2011 Sons of Tonasiuh performed a song entitled "Season of Pills” which isn’t on any of the previous efforts released by this band.  Check them out and see what the metal world thinks of this band, I like them.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 9/10

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Band: STORHET AV MORKE
Country: Russia
Title: Grandeur of Eternal Cold
Label: Archaic Sound
Year: 2010
Style: Black Metal

Review:
7 tracks totaling 33 minutes of raw Black Metal from the land of the coldest of woods…Russia.  Some good riffs coming from an early sort of influence, maybe Thrash or Power Metal, but I could be wrong.  All the songs are very well played and all have a sort of concept, maybe a story.  I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that Storhet Av Morket is a different type of Black Metal band in that the songs aren’t 10 minutes long and there is nothing fancy to add.  Primitive and cold is what there is here.  Fans of the early style of Black Metal will certainly enjoy this release.  Besides being formed in 2008 in Russia, I really no nothing more about this band, too bad.  Maybe songs like "Lord of the Frost Winds” and "Eternal Silence” will shed some more darkened light to the fans of these guys?!  Good Black Metal well worth the time to check out.
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10

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Band: SUPURATION
Country: France
Title: Back from the Crematory
Label: Xtreem Music
Year: 2011
Style: Death Metal

Review:
This is one hell of a gift for any old-school Death Metallers out there, especially the ones into the European school as Supuration (now SUP) is one of the biggest names France ever produced for Death Metal. This new official compilation includes their first releases from when they were called Etsicroxe, one studio recorded and one captured live, and the first Supuration releases, a rehearsal recording and their first EP. Supuration were one of the first European Death Metal bands ever to use keyboards but if you're not familiar with their music don't think they are soft or anything, on the contrary, Supuration is extremely morbid, heavy and sinister. Their Etsicroxe releases are more Thrash Metal influenced, but the Supuration ones are more into doomy, morbid Death Metal. A must have release for all Death Metal collectors out there!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -

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