Band: IGNITOR
Country: USA
Title: The Spider Queen
Label: Heavy Artillery
Year: 2009
Style: Traditional Heavy Metal
Review:
Time has come for the first Traditional Metal review ever featured on Pest Webzine, huh, I'm excited and curious what I have here.
Ignitor is a Texan band formed in 2003 and since now they have released 2 albums but with a different vocalist, a totally different one: Erika Tandy. In 2007 Erika and the other girl in the band, guitarist Annah, left the band and were replaced by the original guitarist, Beverly, and by the legendary Jason McMaster from Watchtower! Of course the band had a much better impact on media and public so they have concluded a deal with Heavy Artillery.
"Spider Queen" is an 11 tracks (around 45 minutes) album strongly inspired by the '80's NWOBHM especially by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, by the new age of Power Metal when it comes to the melodic lines included, but also by the melodic '80's hard'n'heavy (check the 5th track). So a pretty large area of genres inhere. McMaster does a great job, he's in great form, and after seeing some new live footage with the band I'm sure he's enjoying his time with this band a lot. The instrumentists are good as well, they manage to create some good, catchy tunes, although I would have liked the guitar solos, and the twin guitar lines to be used a lot more. The sound should have needed more power because there are some times when you feel something's missing.
All in all this is a good release that opens a new beginning for this band. My fave track, the 9th, "Construct of Destruction".
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: IMMANIS
Country: Portugal
Title: T.O.M.B.
Label: Orion Productions
Year: 2008
Style: Raw Black Metal
Review:
This is the first release of Orion Productions, a new, promising label set to spread underground Black Metal all over the world.
Immanis comes from Portugal and was formed in 2006. This is their second demo to date, a five songs (one is an Enslaved - "Heimdallr" cover) release that lasts for 20 minutes. Well, about the music, I like it, it's that old-school fast and devilish black metal many try to create nowadays with more or less success. Immanis is pretty varied when it comes to compositions, so you won't get a boring release here, although this is not complex music, it's just primitive old-school black metal played with the right amount of anger and inspiring the right amount of devilish atmosphere. The "trv kult" fashion nowadays ruined these kind of bands, bands that play for real, with feelings; the scene is so full of posers and wanna-be's that bands who play old-school raw black metal are taking too many fists in their face. Immanis is a band I would follow and look forward for more and more releases. On this demo, the most curious thing is the premier sound, it's either distorted with effects (weak chances) or its membrane is loosen up a lot, so it gives a pretty unique sound.
This is limited to 300 copies, has a very nice package with lyrics and b/w artwork, so be fast to get yours as Black Metal is selling good nowadays.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: INBREEDING SICK
Country: Colombia
Title: Sodomized and Gutted
Label: Chainsaw Prod.
Year: 2009
Style: Gore Death Metal
Review:
After reviewing their promo from last year I was curious to find out what's new on Inbreeding Sick's full-length. Basically nothing I haven't heard on their promo, this is the same Guttural Death Metal, Gore infused, very sick and dark in atmosphere. Let's talk about the bad things: definitely the drum-machine which sometimes is really disturbing, and I say this not in a good way; it's too simple and by trying to make it the fastest possible the programmer makes mistakes, too. Than this is an album that brings nothing new, nothing spectacular. Now, the good things: the very good gory gurgling vocals that never go out of hand, the vocalist knows how to control them; then the variety, if you're a fan of this genre you'll notice the various compositions, the CD never gets boring; the sick, brutal and dark atmosphere is exactly what such a band should obtain through their music. So there are bad and good things, I think it's better to judge this by yourselves.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: INDIAN FALL
Country: Romania
Title: Seasons in Equilibrium
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Melodic Black Death
Review:
Indian Fall is one of my favorite Romanian bands, I've followed these guys' activity since their debut album, "Pathfinder", back in 2001, album that was one of the best local extreme metal releases to that date. Now, after 8 years, 1 EP and 1 single released, they are back with the second effort, 8 tracks of Melodic and Aggressive Black Death Metal to crown their existence so far. This album is fantastic! There is so much emotion in all these tracks that it is absolutely impossible not to be touched even at a first listening, and Indian Fall is a band I'm not afraid to use the word original for.
On "Seasons ..." the band is more aggressive, but it still keeps that deep melodic atmosphere. The whole is so complex and interesting that along the way you're tempted to re-play certain tracks, but the curiosity to see what's next is winning every time. There are only 2 things I don't like here: the ending of the 4th track and the clean vox on track 5.
So here's what you can find on this album, I've praised it too much already, haha: death metal, comprehensive vocals supported by some clean, experimental ones from time to time, aggressive guitars, melodic guitar leads all over, beautiful, very clever guitar solos (the one on track 5 is great!), a flawless rhythm section and an enchanting keyboards background that sometimes becomes the leading instrument (just listen to the 2nd and 4th track). The meterial was mastered by Dan Swano so you're sure you get a high release here.
I'm proud my country still gives such talented bands. Highly recommended to all of you!
Reviewed by Adrian
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Band: INNSMOUTH
Country: Dominican Republic
Title: Live Manifesto
Label: Orion Productions
Year: 2008
Style: Black Metal
Review:
This is my first contact whatsoever with the Dominican extreme metal scene. maybe I've browsed some bands proviles over the Myspace or Metal Archives before, but I've never reviewed a band from those lands.
Innsmouth was formed back in 2004 as a solo project but a year later Corpse, the man behind it decided to go for a full line-up and so this Black Metal trio was formed. Live Manifesto is their first release, and it's of course a live recording of one of their gigs, a 6 tracks release containing 5 of their own (including an intro) and a cover of Beherit's "Salomon's Gates", a pretty good one I could say. Overall the sound is raw, and listening to this you really feel that you're in the crowd, but unfortunately the sound equipment isn't the best, you cannot really hear the instruments in part. Their music is mostly fast Black Metal, but it has it's moments of gloomy atmospheres, too. Nothing spectacular, nor catchy, but the band is a mature one, there are not ridiculous mistakes on the live tracks so die-hard fans of underground black metal should get this as it comes in 100 copies limited edition and also the format is pretty original, a combination of a promo ecopack CD with a profi CD; also the cover artwork is great.
Reviewed by Adrian
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Band: IRA
Country: Italy
Title: Dawn of World Redemption
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2007
Style: Technical Death Metal
Review:
This band was formed back in 1997, but from what's in their biography you can tell for sure they are more inclined on live activity rather than releasing stuff. Until now they have released only 2 demos and this promo CD that should have been a preview of a full-length, full-length that's not out until today.
Anyway, another curious fact is that the band admits and takes pride on being a copycat of Death and it seems they plan to stay on that path for the future, too. Indeed their music is a Death copy, a bit more melodic. A very enjoyable music, especially if you're a fan of Schuldiner, I would recommend this for abit of nostalgic feelings, but don't look for originality in Ira. Too bad, whith the skills they have they could definitely add some personality in their compositions.
This promo is composed of 3 tracks with good sound, about 13 minutes of playing; you can listen to it on Myspace.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: ISTHAR
Country: Germany / Holland
Title: Chaos Death Reincarnation
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Black Death Metal
Review:
This is a German / Dutch band, a real band that plays live too, not a project, and that's interesting, how such a double nationality band managed to exist for more than 12 years now. Isthar had a pretty common history so far, released 2 demos back in the '90's, then a full-length and now this EP through which I think they're trying to find a good deal.
This is a very mature band, with good compositional skills, playing a mid-tempo black metal with strong death metal and even doom metal influences. They manage to create a Pagan war-like atmosphere but, unlike lots of others, using Mesopotamian concepts.
The CD contains 3 tracks, 2 of them with atmospheric intros attached, lasting for over 22 minutes. The use of percussion gives a somehow darker, majestic atmosphere, weather the drums pretty weak sound gets boring sometimes, but if you're into black metal you're used to this type of drums sound. The last track is a 9 minutes track that starts pretty monotonous but turns, around the second minute of playing, into a beautiful majestic metal ode, definitely the highlight of this CD: clean vocals, male choirs in the background, battle percussion, linear slow guitar riffs turning into melodic guitars at the end of the track.
An interesting release, try it yourselves.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: KARPATHIA
Country: Slovakia
Title: Urheimat - Volanie Havranov
Label: Morbid Winter / Tryzna Prod.
Year: 2009
Style: Black Metal
Review:
Karpathia was formed in 2006 and until now they have released 1 demo tape and a Split with Sirin. "Urheimat" is their debut album, released by Morbid Winter Records and promoted / distributed by the young label Tryzna Productions.
The CD is composed of 10 tracks into aggressive Black Metal with Keyboard backgrounds. It starts pretty chaotic and undecided, the first 2 tracks are definitely not the best I've heard in this genre. The third tracks is a bit more aggressive, faster and the addition of war-like male choirs only do them well. Next is more and more fast paced and very aggressive tracks, so the CD is getting better and better, but I don't really like the keyboard which most of the time have no personality or are too simple, no real place in Karpathia's music. The 5th track, made only by keys, is there to proove me wrong, but it doesn't succeed, it's just too simple. I do enjoy a lot the Old-School feeling created by the other instruments; the guitar riffs are powerful and fast enough, the rhythm section is brutal and makes no compromises, and also the vocals are ok. The last track on this CD has also some acoustic guitars and synths to give the whole a more majestic touch.
I would recommend this to old-school Black Metal followers that can accept a bit of keys in their music. The production of this CD is top-notch: beautiful cover artwork, 4 pages booklet with lyrics in both their native language and English, so it definitely looks very good.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: KRIG
Country: Brazil
Title: Feed me
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2007
Style: Death/White Metal
Review:
Everybody has its own view on a metal genre called white metal. It means all metal bands who say they Christians. I have indeed no problem with Christianity, but I don't like that genre personally. Especially not when they play death metal. Even worse it would be in connection with black metal. The roots of this genre are juts to deep connected with anti-church thinking.
But okay, here I must say it does not disturb that much. The music is good, heavy guitars, a deep growling and typical death metal drums and quite a good quality and nice changes. But the main thing is, that in the lyrics are very less god praying things. Mostly it is against our society and their shitty sites. Against capitalism and big managers and destruction of the earth. But somehow I cannot take those white metal bands serious, but maybe others can and if they should try this and and release.
Reviewed by Robert
Contact:
Band: KRIG
Country: Brazil
Title: Stop the Manupilation
Label: Forca Eterna Records
Year: 2008
Style: Death/White Metal
Review:
The second CD of the Brazilian death metal band "Krig”. Here you can enjoy again great riffs, the great growls of Vinicius Soares, on of the three family members. The woman playing at the bass named Jully and the guitarist Isaque are either from the same clan. Just the drummer Daniell Corpse is an outsider. As the title says, the topic of the album is again society criticism and the languages are English and Brazilian. It is the constant and good continuing of the "Feed me” album, which is reviewed above. The riffing reminds me a little bit of Kataklysm and here it invites you much times to bang your head, if the white background is not disturbing you. At least I saw yet that in Brazil they make metal gigs in a church, so there they have a different relation to that, but for us unholy persons it seems to be a strange thing.
They released a new album this year, just check the myspace page or the homepage.
Reviewed by Robert
Contact:
Band: LABYRINTHEORY
Country: USA
Title: In Memorium Demo #1
Label: Self-released
Year: 2009
Style: Funeral Doom Black Metal
Review:
Labyrintheory is a new funeral doom band from the New England area. The music was written by Matthew Davis {vocals, guitars, keyboards, drum programing} and is a mesmerizing blend of crushing funeral doom with some nice melody and atmospheres compliments of Matthews impressive keyboard writing and the nice violin work of Aurora Grabill who adds nicely to the dark, haunting sound of Labyrintheory. The vocals are arranged and pulled off excellent with some varied styles ranging from traditional clean vocals to a more harsh/brutal vocal pattern. I know this is a strange comparison but Matthew's more vicious growl reminded me alot of John Tardy from Obituary's early days. This is a debut demo release and a great demo of funeral doom with waves of dark atmosphere. Not to be missed by fans who enjoy crushing, dark doom.
Reviewed by Patrick
Contact:
Band: MOSE
Country: Belgium
Title: Halfway to Nowhere
Label: Solitude Prod.
Year: 2009
Style: Sludge Doom
Review:
A very long overdue review of a great band from Belgium and I must thank Twan from Brutalism.Com for making me re-investigate this band. I originally bought the album early this year and it kind of got put aside as I was buying so many albums around that time. After deciding to give this band a much needed re-play I was awestruck as to how good this band is and this album has winner written all over it. The band has members of other great bands from the area, namely "Thee Plague Of Gentlemen" who another band I must listen to again real soon. Mose roughly translated means Sludge and indeed this is a Doom/Sludge album all the way. Once again this is another release on the great Solitude Productions Label and while most of their bands are of the Funeral Doom/Gothic variety, Mose are a different breed all together. Imagine if Fu Manchu all of a sudden became a Doom band and mix that with the brain shattering volume drenched Blues Sludge of Ol Scratch and you will close to the sound of Mose. The extremely powerful stoner riffing of the opening track "People eat dogs in China" just slays, and when the voice comes in it sends you into some sort of Psychedelic shock. They have some vibes that sound a little like Electric Wizard but for the most part this has a hardcore-ish feel, and even a progressive rock feel at times. There is plenty of variation going on, drum beats change regularly and guitar parts sway and move at a constant rate. The main thing here though is the riffs and this album has some killers but also a couple of real duds, not to worry though as they are kept to a minimum. Tracks like "The Levee Will Break" and the instrumental "Gl%ss" have amazing riffing parts and if there was ever a Sludge band made for air-guitaring then this would be the one. The harsh, raspy vocals bring it down to the crust level but once again it is the riffing that is the main action here. Some of the riffs are so good that guitar-breaks and solos almost seem unnecessary at times. There is no filler, its all good but with bands that are this riff - orientated, you are bound to find a couple of moments that don't quite cut it but that is a minor quibble. This is a great album and things can only get better, this band has the potential to one of the best bands in the underground Sludge/Doom scene but it might take another album or two to get there. This album is real good but a couple of ordinary riffs, boring breaks, patchy solos and effects that are used when not really needed spoil tracks that could have been classed as perfection. The album has great artwork, killer production but sadly no lyric sheet which is a pity because the vocals do have a sing-along quality. This is still highly recommended.
Reviewed by Ed
Contact:
Band: MYTHOLOGY
Country: Tepes
Title: Tepes
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Black Death
Review:
Mythology are back this time with a selfreleased demo CD, "Tepes". For me as a Romanian, and pretty much interested in my country history, it's funny to see all sorts of extreme metal bands playing evil songs about a defender of Christianity such as Vlad Tepes, but I can understand all this fascination for his bloody methods as well. After all I'm glad that not all bands playing about the past are taking their topics from Vikings only. I'm just sorry this CD booklet is not containing the lyrics, too.
Musicwise "Tepes" contains 9 tracks lasting for almost 50 minutes of intense and furious Black Death Metal played the old-school fashion, more Death than Black I would say. Unfortunately the sound is a weak one, quite raw and unpolished for their sound. This time there are much more death metal fat, killer guitar riffs with a lot of Florida's Tampa Bay inspiration that I enjoy a lot and I would enjoy a lot more with a proper sound. For a demo this is ok, when listening to this material you feel like listening to a more Black Metal oriented Deicide in their good ol' days. Of course, there are some mid-tempo parts, but I like the fast ones better. As a conclusion, these tracks definitely need a proper studio recording, I would recommend this demo only if you're an old-school Death Black maniac looking for raw, primitive recordings.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: NECRASS
Country: Italy
Title: Etrofacus
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Porn Death Grind
Review:
The Italian Underground gives us yet another interesting act, Necrass, band founded in 2007 that recently released their debut demo, "Etrofacus", a 13 tracks (16 minutes) of intense, fat and brutal assault of Porn Death Grind pretty well done: catchy, curdled enough, funny but at the same time brutal and atrocious. Tracks are ranging from mid-tempo groovy rhythms to fast paced lines. The idea to include Italian trash movies cuts is brilliant for my tastes as I'm a big fan of such movies (Pierino is a God, haha). "Etrofacus" has a very good sound for such a release and that's why I recommend it to all of you into Gore Death Grind, inhere you can hear all instruments clearly: very good gory vocals, groovy old-school brutal death guitars, and a sick rhythm section that's the backbone of their music. I'm just sorry I don't have the lyrics. This is not a ground-breaking release bringing new stuff to the table but it's a well done and easy listening piece of disgusting music which makes it a quality release. Looking forward for more Necrass stuff.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: NEW BLOOD
Country: Australia
Title: Paradise Desintegrates
Label: Grindhead Records
Year: 2008
Style: Brutal Death Metal
Review:
Hailing from Australia here's a strange act in the Grindhead Records' roster, a Death Metal act. New Blood is a pretty new band, this is their debut EP that contains 7 tracks, lasting for around 18 minutes.
What you get here is a quite good old-school Brutal Death Metal with deep and extremely dark guttural vocals, fast guitar leads (played with pretty good skills), and a thick, groove-driven rhythm section. The part that could have been improved: the drums sound should have been a bit better mastered as it's too raw as it is. What I like the most at New Blood are the impressive, voracious vocals. They have skills, I'm curious about their next release.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: NOCTEM
Country: Spain
Title: Divinity
Label: Noisehead Records / Relapse Records
Year: 2009
Style : Black / Death Metal
Review:
With "Divinity" Noctem we use a real listening pleasure, really, their black / death thrash-tinged sound is very dense and highly technical. Found throughout their 12 titles, the themes of their own, namely, the radical opposition to religious dogma, misanthropy and hatred throughout his expression!
"Divinity" starts out strong with the song "Across heracles towards", within seconds we can hear the waves of killers riffs that set the tone of the album. The spill of brutality will end at the end of the last title. For me, the title is the most representative and best picture, the talent and potential of the group is without a doubt "in the path of heleim" exlosion pure hatred and fury! We can appreciate in the middle of the workings of this war machine, the presence of an interlude to the dreamlike atmosphere, as a truce in the fighting! The production of "Divinity" is simply enormous, both in instruments like vocals. The work is neat and excellent musicians. This album is essential to hold and will surely become a reference for fans of extreme music! I look forward already, the next mischief of Noctem!
Reviewed by Alrinack
Contact:
Band: NOCTURNAL MISANTHROPY
Country: Italy
Title: Eterna Notte
Label: Naturmacht Prod.
Year: 2009
Style: Depressive Black Metal
Review:
My friend and collaborator, Robert from Naturmacht Productions, released his first materials on Naturmacht Productions and sent 'em to me for reviews. Although friends, I won't make him false reviews and I'm sure he knows that.
Nokturnal Misanthropy is a duo founded last year from the ashes of an Italian band Domini Tenebrarum which appearently broke up. This is their debut Demo CD, it contains 5 tracks and lasts for 32 minutes. Their aim is to create Depressive Black Metal, but unfortunately on this one they have not succeeded much, their music is too simple, especially on drums and gruitars, the keyboard lines and vocals are the elements that could point to a depressive direction, but after listening to this CD you remain only with a sensation that it could have been done a lot better. It's recorded live, one take for all tracks, or at least that's how I think because there are numerous mistakes on all instruments. I have no fave track inhere because I'm not convinced at all by this demo, maybe I'm convinced only by the fact that the guy on keyboards has the most potential. It's a shame, but this being their first demo they have all the time to get better, to rehearse more, to record in a good studio and so on.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: NOROMI LUCALEN
Country: Russia
Title: A Pitiful Tribute to Satan
Label: Desolation Prod.
Year: 2009
Style: Symphonic Black Metal
Review:
Above all, it is important to note that "A Pitiful Tribute to Satan" is a self-produced demo by Noromi Lucalen, dating from 2007, reprinted by Desolation production in 2009! The duration is 38 minutes. Noromi Lucalen has a symphonic black metal, true to the classics of the genre. Indeed, throughout the 7 titles found atmospheres and moods of this branch of black metal, we are not surprised by the presence of choirs, synthesizer, and of course "riffs cascade"!
Despite the good technique of three musicians and a sound mixing and mastering very correct for self-production, this demo did not happen to me to travel, something I expect from a group of symphonic black metal. I expected to find something original through these titles, but I've only found references highlighted!
"A Pitiful Tribute to Satan" is a very correct demo, but one could say that there are no surprises... except perhaps the cover of Satyricon "Mother North" that is executed so perfect! A success to me!
Bearing in mind that this is a demo, we all have the time to imagine that we can NOROMI LUCALEN book of good things, because what is undeniable is the musical potential of its three members, who have studied their instruments!
I hope to be listening to their next album soon, pleasantly surprised!
Reviewed by Alrinack
Contact:
Band: OBIAT
Country: UK
Title: Eye Tree Pi
Label: Small Stone Records
Year: 2009
Style: Doom Metal
Review:
Obiat's third album with the strange title "Eye Tree Pi" is another eclectic release from a band that has been hard to put a tag on. Even more strange is this album has been put out by Small Stone Records which makes it one of the most unique releases on the label, its so much different compared with other bands from the Small Stone stable. Also the band is unique in the fact they have band members from Poland, Italy and Hungry but are based in London, England. The band has a sound all of their own because while they are primarily in the Doom genre, they also have a post-metal sound that at times sound like System Of A Down. A strange mix but one that seems to work most of the time. The band has a lot of ambiance that reaches into the Yob scheme of things while they also throw in N.W.O.B.H.M, Folk Rock, Progressive Rock and Stoner Rock riffing. The atmosphere they create stems from their ability to do a lot of loud/quiet parts and the first three tracks on the album are the best examples of that. "Poison Thy Honey", "Delights" and "Serpents Rights" are all great tracks and are some of the best tracks on offer here, after that I have mixed feelings about the album. The faults I hear lay in the mixing of genres which at times sound a little confused, they sound best when they are laying down a crunching doom riff but too often they head in other directions which leave me a bit cold. Vocalist Laz Pallagi keeps a clean tone throughout most of the album which gives them a unique edge compared with other singers out there that are either screaming or growling. "NoMad NoMind" shows the band at their best with a head-crushing Doom riff, this track alone is enough to warrant checking out this album. I would rate this album about the same as their other output but I also think this will be the most successful album so far from Obiat. Its a album that gives the listener a bit of everything to check out and they have a style that is pure Obiat and nothing else. One of the most original bands on the scene at the moment but where they fit in within the Stoner/Doom underground remains to be seen. I know one thing, these songs seem to be tailor made for live shows and I can imagine it must be a real sonic experience seeing them playing live. I listened to this CD some 20 times before attempting to review it, it is one of those albums that takes some time to soak in and the blending of genres is a acquired taste. Once you get whats going on however, it becomes a minor favorite.
Reviewed by Adrian
Contact:
Band: OBISPO FORNICADO
Country: Spain
Title: Ha Vuelto Para Quedarse
Label: Hecatomb Records
Year: 2007
Style: Death Metal
Review:
Well, if you check their myspace, there shows at the genres, that there would be also a Christian influence, but that is as the covers, lyrics and either the video just a joke and at the end the opposite. When you then take a look to the influences, then you can be sure, that this has nothing to do with white metal. Marduk, Sex Feet Under are just two of death/black metal gods. And you can hear them, but still this band has an unique style to play death metal. The riffs are fast and chopped. With the growls and the blasting drums it is a fast and aggressive music. Everybody who likes those bands, named above can crap this without fear. But you can just get the full sense of this music, when you are able to understand Spanish, because all lyrics are written in that language. Just one shitty point is here, that the MCD is quite short, just 6 minutes, but they released since that MCD one single and a full length this year. So if you want more, you can have it!
Reviewed by Robert
Contact:
Band: OCULUS INFERNUM
Country: Italy
Title: The Hand of Satan
Label: Self-released
Year: 2009
Style: Old-school Black Metal
Review:
Oculus Infernum is the new band featuring Gonark {Atrocious Depression, R.I.P} on vocals, guitar, drum programming and Lamia {guitars, lyrics} The Hand of Satan starts off with a somber almost peacful sounding intro but the duo quickly change that with the blazing thin, raw guitar riffs and gonarks demonic screams overlap the insanity of the guitars and drums being brought out. The duo do keep some traces and influences of melody within their violent sound as they have some acoustic and more mid-paced guitar patterns. Gonark also changes his vocals around in a few songs using clean vocal chants and screams on a few tracks. This is a defintly good release of old-school black metal with touches of doom, nothing too original but the duo do a great job of creating memorable and intense old-school black metal.
Reviewed by Patrick
Contact:
Band: ORDO TEMPLI ORIENTIS
Country: Belarus
Title : "Dysphory (part one)”
Label: Rigorism Prod. / Cyberborea Records
Year: 2009
Style: Depressive Black Metal / Experimental Post-Rock
With this new opus "Dysphory Part-One", once again, Ordo Templi Orientis show us the extent of their talent! Indeed, they give us here a concrete example of what they call "the ecclectic black metal art". There is no better term, I think, to define their sound! We find in their music, basically a very depressive black metal, but also touches of post-rock, not to mention all these passages to various influences such as the Gothic of the 80s and 90s, and obviously a very big part of ambient, the bottom layer, using transitional link between all these contributions!
Again, listening to this album, my surprise was not so at their own because it is now very recognizable, but rather on their ability to constantly renew itself, without falling, in a translitin imitation of themselves!
The album begins with a mournful sample, which is straight into the mindset of this training! Then under the "hysteria", very good as suicidal black metal is then in the following titles found their originality, with some passages, not unlike a type-o negative great day! The 7 tracks on this album clearly express the theme of the album, namely madness throughout his expression! I strongly recommend "Dysphory-Part One"! It will immerse fans of suicidal black metal in the torments of the soul tormented by despair and melancholy.
Reviewed by Alrinack
Contact:
Band: PARSIFALL
Country: Germany
Title: Hercules Furens
Label: Noisehead Records
Year: 2009
Style: Modern Thrash Death
Review:
It’s an unusual album that reverses your opinion as you listen, but Parsifall’s ‘Hercules Furens’ is just one such. The problem, unfortunately, is that the direction of reversal is not towards the positive. ‘Hercules Furens’ managed to annoy me increasingly the further I listened, and by the time the final track ‘Perelandra’ faded out I just wanted to press delete. Let me explain myself… From the outset it’s clear that Parsifall know what they’re doing and there’s an obvious technical proficiency that promises much, but as one moves through the album the music starts to become a backing track for the vocalist rather than a cohesive whole, becoming progressively more dull as each track unfolds.
Musically, there are very clear influences from the band Disbelief, and maybe for me that is the nub of the problem. While Disbelief manage to wrench emotion from even the most flinty hearted of listeners, Parsifall left me with the feeling of metal by numbers – Disbelief does hardcore, if you will. The ‘hardcore/metal with a social conscience’ crossover is a wonderfully fertile well from which to draw, but to my ear Parsifall sound like an ‘also ran’, with the distinct impression that their message has been pressed into a pre-existing form. ‘Hercules Furens’ feels much more like a product of marketing than desire, and I was left with the distinct and slightly cynical impression of ‘clean dirt’…
‘Hercules Furens’ is not without its charms – track one starts in a very fine way, and the quality of the musicianship (the drummer is as tight as a proverbial, well, drum) throughout is top notch, but by the time you get less than a third of the way through the album - and particularly to the spoken word parts of track 6 - it becomes aparent that the ideas are somewhat on the thin side. These are good musicians, but the overall impression is of a band pushed towards making an album too quickly. A definite case of style over substance.
Reviewed by M.
Contact:
Band: PESTILENT GRAVE
Country: England
Title: Esoteric Blaspheme
Label: Svartgalgh Records
Year: 2009
Style: Raw Black Metal
Review:
If you enjoy your black metal raw, dirty and with no signs of melody or modern influence in their sound you will love Pestilent Grave! England's Pestilent Grave start things off with a harsh scream and raw guitar chords. The band defintly draws it's main influence and sound from the more violent/harsh gods of the early ninety's such as Blasphemy, Beherit.
Production wise think early Dark Throne but Vith {all vocals, instruments} doesn't completly rip-off the above bands sound instead taking them to a newer more raw level with his own dark and blasphemous musical ideas. Fans of raw, dirty straightforward black metal will defintly want to check out Pestilent Grave.
Reviewed by Patrick
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Band: PYRIFLEYETHON / IMPERIAL DARKNESS
Country: Greece / Greece
Title: Havoc's Split Asunder
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Black Metal / Black Metal
Review:
This is a 7" split between two old-school Black Metal acts from Greece. The split comes in nice B/W package with a sheet of paper containing all necessary info and in Pyrifleyethon's case, the lyrics. It's limited to 500 hand-numbered copies.
The first band is Pyrifleyethon, a five pieces old-school raw Black Metal act formed back in 2001. Before this split their Discography contains only other release, a demo from 2003. On this one, they present only 1 track, "Rot Trembling Scaffold" that would be enough only for those that already had a good idea on this band's music, but not for me. Anyway, the tracks starts with pure furry and in a primitive, fast fashion. I guess they have not mastered the track at all because it sounds like recorded once and that's it, placed on the vynil. the guitars sound a bit confusing this way. To be honest I like it because of the vynil sound, it has that special feeling.
The other side of this disc belongs to Imperial Darkness, a trio formed back in 2000, including a member of Pyrifleyethon, the bassist Gilles de Rais who takes care of bass & guitar here. Before this split they have released 2 demos in 2001 and 2008. About their side on Havoc's Split Asunder, I can only say I like it better, it's more varied, more devilish and longer as they present 2 tracks here. Nosoforos, the first one is really, really good old-school fast and dark black metal with catchy guitars lines and vicious, raw vocals that fit in perfectly. Nekyomantia is the second track, a totally different one, here they try to be faster than possible and that's a mistake, the drummer, although blasting like a possessed, is overwhelmed by all this intensity. So I stick with the first track and hope the guys will keep on the same path.
Reviewed by Adrian
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Band: REVELATIONS OF RAIN
Country: Russia
Title: Revelations of Rain
Label: Solitude Productions
Year: 2009
Style: Funeral Doom Death
Review:
Well it seems like in the Funeral Death Doom world you have bands like My Dying Bride Swallow The Sun, Mourning Beloveth and you have a million other bands that sound like those bands. Revelations Of Rain are no exception, it is pretty much every cliche of Doom/Death that is possible to imagine; slow riffs, plodding drums, dry growled vocals, and extended moody melodic ideas expressed largely through keyboards. While I thought their first album "Marble Shades Of Despair" was actually pretty good, this album has left me a bit cold. It maybe one of the most generic, middle of the road Doom Metal albums I have ever heard. There is one track where they seem to break with the formula (Winter Grief), where they pick up the pace a little. At least it sounds a little fresh and interesting, the rest of the album they just plod along and the truth is its just so predictable even for Doom Metal. They do try and create the dark brooding atmosphere but most of the time, the riffs and arrangements are just too pedestrian for words. On "I Left Myself Here" and "Empire Of White Light" there is flashes of brilliance but like too often on the album the songs just go nowhere. Its like watching a movie with some great scenes but a terrible story-line, you might sit through just for the good moments but it takes some patience to sit through the whole thing. They even seem to re-create the same melody lines in some songs or at least real close to the same but there is some good points to be made about the album. The mix is crystal clear and the guitar sounds real heavy, yet the album never feels overproduced. While the songs seem like simple compositions on the surface, dig a little deeper you will hear some cool intricacy especially in the bass playing. This is a bit of a let-down after their first album which I thought showed some real promise and potential, on this album however they seem to be struggling for ideas even though they are obliviously good musicians. Maybe the next album will see a return to form but for now this is a real unremarkable effort.
Reviewed by Ed
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