Band: MOLOCH
Country: Ukraine
Title: Abstrakter Wald
Label: Metallic Media
Year: 2012
Style: Ambient
Review:
Tenth Moloch album to date! And not the latest...in the meantime Sergiy, the man behind Moloch, released its 11th full-length but that's no wonder after you take a look at his discography featuring almost 100 titles. This album is a complete keys/synths Ambient one, without any trace of Black Metal, and I mention this because it's tricky everytime you come across such a project, you never know what genre a certain release is, and as an example Moloch has Black Metal releases, Ambient releases and Ambient Black Metal releases... Unfortunately I was bored by this album, it has little diversity, little complexity, too much repetition and not enough parts to stand out, if any; it's a good music for meditation I guess, so if you're searching for something of the likes, go grab it, but I guess this time I had no mood for meditation...
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 6/10
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Band: NAKKA
Country: Russia
Title: Human Factory
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2013
Style: Death Metal
Review:
Here we have a band celebrating their 10 years anniversary by releasing their debut album... well, sometimes that's how things are, not all bands get to release an album every year. The Russian quartet plays a groove infused Death Metal with impressive Female vocals I wasn't even aware of only after checking their line-up; except for some screams I was positive this is a male vocalist, so horns up for the lady. Overall the band reminded me of their fellow countrymen Grenouer, we're dealing with the same type of Death Metal with Hardcore influences but without being thrown up in the Metalcore/Deathcore category, not at all, Nakka sounds pretty old-school. The sound quality is crystal-clear but a bit dry at times when you feel something's missing. Definitely an interesting album , heavy and entertaining, but not an album that will blow you away.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10
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Band: OBSIDIAN TONGUE
Country: USA
Title: A Nest of Ravens In the Throat of Time
Label: Hypnotic Dirge Records
Year: 2013
Style: Atmospheric Black Metal
Review:
Not sure why, but I thought these guys were from Europe, or at least their music made me think they are European. Anyway, this is their second opus, a 6 tracks effort totaling a bit more than 50 minutes of melodic, atmospheric, even emotionat at times Black Metal with some Doom Death influences here and there (UK tradition). The record sounds heavy, it has enough depth to involve you and capture your attention, it benefits from a decent sound with nothing negative to stand out, so all in all we're dealing with a professional, mature release. The vocals are mostly hoarse devilish screams, supported at times by grunts and even clean vocals, the guitars are the highlights of this band blending melodic leads with nice cadenced riffs and heavy, slow and dusty but at the same time somehow modern sounding Doomy riffs from time to time, and to top this a precise rhythm section that drifts the listener from calm to energetic states of mind. Nice work, really, listened to it all day Today.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
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Band: OCEAN CHIEF
Country: Sweden
Title: Sten
Label: I Hate Records
Year: 2013
Style: Stoner Sludge Doom Metal
Review:
4th full-length album from this band that have already built a name for themselves in the Doom Metal scene, Sten is made of only 4 tracks totaling more than 70 minutes of heavy, repetitive, oppressive Sludge Doom Metal. As highlights of this band I would mention the comprehensive screamed vocals, the low tunned, oppressive bass lines and the nice guitar leads, but except for that the album is pretty simple, with multiple dull moments when you feel the urge of hitting the Next button. I would only recommend this album to the die-hard fans of this genre, the rest stay away.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 6/10
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Band: PERCIVAL SCHUTTENBACH
Country: Poland
Title: Svantevit
Label: Fonografika
Year: 2013
Style: Folk Metal
Review:
That was loooooong time to wait, but „Svantevit” is ready! „Svantevit” is one of the most important god in western slavonic mythology and all album is sacrificed him. All lyrics are about ancient times, war against christianity in middle ages, some lyrics about contemporary slavonic-paganism. Music is a big tribute to old school metal from 80th and 90th. A lot of „Svantevit”’s riff are similar to King Diamond, old Metallica, old Slayer and old Megadeth. This album is a good expreriment how to play pagan folkmetal without trv-black’s puffed and pathos and based on traditional metal sounds. We had to wait a lot of time to this CD because Percival’s had a lot of side project in the same time, but it was worth the wait. Mikolaj, leader of PS, invited to record the album some interesting guests, eg: Masha Scream from Arkona, Aro from Perunvit, musicians from old school polish band Quo Vadis, old percival’s members (from Rivendell band too) and some folk musicians from polish bands like RUTA. I heard this stuff live too, is just perfect! Album was released in old slavonic celebration day – Harvest (autumn solstice 21.09.2013).
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 9/10
Band: ROTTEN LIVER
Country: France
Title: Purification by Debauchery
Label: Mortis Humanae Productions
Year: 2013
Style: Black Metal
Review:
From the band's name and the EP's cover artwork I thought this would be a Death Metal band, but instead we're dealing here with a (mostly) Black'n'Roll act and their debut made of 4 tracks lasting a bit more than 20 minutes. They are pretty talented when it comes to composition, the tracks are catchy, interesting and not monotonous ranging from old-school sounding Black Metal to Thrashy Black Metal to the jolly Black'n'Roll and even Technical Black Metal. It's not everyday you get to listen to a release that takes you through so many genres, and these guys do it well, skillfully and intelligently. The sound could have been better, but nonetheless this one is good enough to get a taste of things to come. Keep an eye on this band.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7.5/10
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Band: SHE PAST AWAY
Country: Turkey
Title: Belirdi Gece
Label: Fabrika Records
Year: 2012, re-edition 2013
Style: Coldvawe Dark Electro
Review:
This debut album is just a back to the 80th! Two turkish guys recorded really great stuff taken from Joy Division, Clan of Xymox, Fields of The Nephilim, Frontline Essembly, old The Cure and some darkelectro elements. All lyrics was sang in turkish and this language fits beautifully to dark, cold and melancholy sounds taken from dirty cities and towns from British Islands... Very interesting stuff for „back to the past” too.
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 8.5/10
Band: SICK
Country: USA
Title: Cannibalistic Torment
Label: Permeated Records
Year: 2012
Style: Brutal Death Metal
Review:
Wow, there are only a handful of bands named Sick in the World nowadays so finding details on the Los Angeles based Sick wasn't as difficult as I first thought. The band was formed in 2005 and after 2 demos (from 2007 and 2011) it was about time for an official release, and even though this one is only an EP, it lasts for more than 35 minutes, so more than the majority of Brutal Death full-lengths nowadays. There are 5 new tracks featured and 4 demo tracks, so we get a real treat, and even if the demo recordings have a low-quality sound, you'll enjoy them nonetheless, especially after the first 5 tracks that are absolutely demented: guttural, gurgling vocals, razor-sharp guitar riffs, and a rhythm section that mixes perfectly the groovy, slam parts with the old-school, brutal and fast ones supported by a heavier than a bulldozer sound. Fans of Devourment will go nuts about this band, most probably. I love it, definitely a band to keep under the radar!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
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Band: STATION DYSTHYMIA
Country: Russia
Title: Overhead, Without Any Fuss, the Stars Were Going Out
Label: Solitude Productions
Year: 2013
Style: Funeral Doom Metal
Review:
Weird music, depressive, impersonal, distant, static, basically all you can imagine when you think the end of the World, a desolate atmosphere you can barely take. Station Dysthymia presents here their second album, a 4 tracks effort totaling more than 70 minutes of post-apocalyptic, desperate, selenar-like atmospheres or in musical terms Funeral Doom Metal. The first track has no less than 34 minutes and it's a real incursion in this after-World image. Much more complex compositions than I would have expected, very emotional and involving, this second album from Station Dysthymia is a great release for this genre, if you're into Funeral Doom this is a must, and if you're not, this is a good chance to get to know it.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
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Band: TENSION PROPHECY
Country: Iran
Title: World of Phobia
Label: Infinite Regress Records
Year: 2013
Style: Technical Brutal Death Metal
Review:
World of Phobia is this band's second full-length album and is made of 8 different phobias (+an intro): Antropophobia, Tyrannophobia, Homophobia, Eremophobia, Panophobia, Hypnophobia, Phonophobia and Algophobia. Just thoughts I should mentions the track titles since to me it seemed the Iranian band came up with a good idea. The intro made me think I would get to listen to a Folk-influenced Death Metal band, it's an intro full of ethinic elements, arabic sounds, very nice stuff, but unfortunately the band is "only" dealing with the regular side of Technical and Brutal Death Metal. They are very talented musicians, creating some of the most psyched out musical elements I've heard this year, but after the audition I felt that the mastering wasn't exactly what such a material needed, and also the compositions could have avoided some of the dissonant, very dry parts. Even though I said what I said about this material I can also assure you this is not your typical band, they have a lot to say and their potential is absolutely obvious, so if you like your Brutal Death Metal with colours of Progressive and Technical Death the Iranian Tension Prophecy should be a band to at least check out, they can become one of the leading names in this field in the near future.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10
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Band: THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
Country: USA
Title: Everblack
Label: Metal Blade Records
Year: 2013
Style: Melodic Death Metal
Review:
The Black Dahlia Murder is a well known Melodic Death Metal band with touches of Black Metal and Hardcore influence in all of the tracks throughout this album. Since 2001 this band has released some pretty ruthless records and "Everblack" is no acception. A technical and clean production coupled with the harsh vocal style of riffs with groove and speed that will cut your fucking head off. This is not Deathcore, this is Death Metal in a technical style. There are ten tracks totaling 44 minutes of speed driven metal that has twists and turns on tracks like "In Hell is Where She Waits for Me" and "Control". As I mentioned earlier, Black Metal vocals, Death Metal riffs with mixed inside of influential Melodic Death Metal mayhem, The Black Dahlia Murder does not disappoint. For those of us unfamiliar with the "Black Dahlia Murder" this is a case from 1947 in which a woman by the name of Liz Short, an aspiring actress, was found cut in half on the street. (Atleast that is what I was told). For old school thrashers and death metal heads this release will take you down the extreme path but with technical edge and speed laden groove. A modern production brings this to the level of professional mainstream listening and The Black Dahlia Murder will probably be kicking ass for long time after "Everblack" has come to the world of metal!
Reviewed by Lex Luther
Rating: 8/10
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Band: TRITTON
Country: Mexico
Title: Face of Madness
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2012
Style: Heavy Power Metal
Review:
debut album from these 5 Mexicam metallers, 4 guys and a girl, the vocalist. Face of Madness is made of 8 tracks into traditional Heavy Power Metal with nice, long and melodic guitar leads, sharp guitar riffs, good rhythm section and a weird way of singing from the female vocalist, I don't know yet if I like or hate it and I've spinned this disc for more than 4-5 times. Anyway, the instrumental part is good and has some catchy parts, too, but still it needs much more originality to break through the nowadays scene. It's an enjoyable release for fans of semi-technical and melodic Heavy Metal.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 7/10
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Band: UNGRACE
Country: Ukraine
Title: Feed the Demons
Label: Metal Scrap Records
Year: 2013
Style: Industrial Death Metal
Review:
Am interesting approach on Death Metal coming from Ukraine; Ungrace are mixing energetic Death Metal rhythms with lots of Hardcore a la Madball, Industrial Metal and a sprinkle of modern Deathcore. The result is quite fresh and entertaining so this might be something to chew if you're not that much into traditional stuff. After a debut album out in 2010, this is Ungrace's second effort and it proves the band is a tight monolith, with absolute potential both in technical skills and compositional talent, and although I'm not the biggest fan of nowadays metal I can say I was delighted by what the guys managed to create on this album, one that should get the band's name really out there, so don't miss it even if by only giving it a listen on the net.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 9/10
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Band: VALDUR
Country: USA
Title: Berserrker
Label: Selfreleased
Year: 2009
Style: Black Metal
Review:
Here's an old single from Valdur released in CDR format by the band. It features only this one track, Berserrker, a good, fast paced track with dark atmospheres and a somehow epic feeling surrounding it. The drums are really worth listening as the guy gives his best and with his help the band manages to create a calculated chaos, a storm of hateful emotions. Nice one.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8.5/10
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Band: WATAIN
Country: Sweden
Title: The Wild Hunt
Label: Century Media Records
Year: 2013
Style: Black Metal
Review:
„The Wild Hunt” is signed as blackmetal stuff, but this is very progressive black’s (and very good) attack of my ear! Dark Luciferianism in lyrics – but some pagan pieces too, looong intro „Night Visions”, perfectly and intelligently proportions between pure fury wilderness and technical riffs and melodies – that’s new Watain’s album! Some depressive sounds, some kickin’ ass motifs, some other surprises - discovered in the next listenings... Swedish steel and„technical thought riffs”in blackmetal solid mark for open heads.
Reviewed by Vilcin
Rating: 9/10
Band: YATTAI
Country: France
Title: 50 Love Hymns for Grindheads Discography CD
Label: Obskure Sombre / Inhuman Homicide / Teriak
Year: 2013
Style: Grindcore Powerviolence
Review:
Sick release! This is a compilation of all Yattai's split, demo, compilation tracks plus 8 previously unreleased tracks, this must be a real treat for their fans. As you can imagine this is ultra-fast, extremely violent, raging music that will rip you head off. I like the fact that they have added plenty of grooves here and there, and I also love the old-school Grindcore guitar riffs, don't know why but I've always liked that guitar sound, it always makes me think of zombie movies. Well, what else can I say, for the ones of you already into Yattai, don't miss this discography CD, and for the ones of you who haven't discovered this band but are into fast, punishing Grindcore, you might like them a lot!
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: 8/10
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