Band: AMBER TEARS

Country: Russia

Title: Revelation of Renounced

Label: BadMoodMan Music

Year: 2012

Style: Folk Doom Metal

Review:

First released by Stygian Crypt Productions in 2008 and sold out shortly after, Amber Tears' debut album is now re-released by BadMoodMan with different cover artwork. I can see why this has become a legendary release for the Russian scene, all lyrics are in native language and the music is not bad at all, it's very commercial but still keeping it limited to the Pagan and Doom Metal markets, not widely commercial. Powerful guitar riffs completed by atmospheric keyboards, melancholic guitar leads and a wide variety of vocals, all creating a very heavy atmosphere. I think it's a real treat understanding the lyrics also as the vocals are very comprehensive even if they are screams and growls. Saturnus and Katatonia obviously come to mind while listening to Amber Tears' music, but that doesn't mean we have a copycat here, this is a very good album composed and played by talented musicians so if you missed this the first time try not to miss it now.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: ASHEN EPITAPH

Country: Serbia

Title: Sunshine Above the Grave

Label: Miner Recordings

Year: 2012

Style: Death Metal

Review:

Miner Recordings seems to be a new label from switzerland ran by a Serbian metalhead, and it's very nice he is promoting Serbian metal through this label, that means he's good in his new adoptive country and he is still supportive of his homeland's bands. Respect for that!

Ashen Epitaph present us here a new release, a Double CD release that's actually made of old material, on the first CD there's the 2008 full-length "Somewhere Behind the Nervecell" reviewed by me a year ago, and on the second there's the 2005 EP "From Underground / Föld alól" I have the pleasure of listening for the first time. If you read my 2011 review you'll get my opinion on Ashen Epitaph's debut album, so I'll talk a bit about the 2005 EP here. There are no less than 13 studio recorded tracks here plus 6 live recordings, so a total of 19 tracks, much more even than a full-length. "From the Underground" is an explosive discharge of American '90's type of Death Metal with a good pinch of European style Death Metal, all served with a crystal clear sound, raw and organic but clear and perfect for a nostalgic incursion in what Death Metal used to be 2 decades ago. Although they bring nothing new to the scene, I like this band a lot, and I think their efforts should be welcomed by old-school Death Metallers especially regarding this double CD offensive where yes, you can hear a lot of standard riffs, but the overall result is entertaining and not boring at all. I would love to see this released on tape sometime...

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: -/10

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Band: ASTARIUM

Country: Russia

Title: Ostracism Of Anachoret

Label: Tryby

Year: 2012

Style: Symphonic Black Metal

Review:

This EP was first released by Astarium in 2011 and this year picked up and released on tape by Tryby and CD by Hexenreich Records, both in limited editions I guess. Although it contains only 4 tracks and the first is actually an intro, the total playing time of this tape is 20 minutes. I have recently reviewed Astarium's new album and since I knew the band before I was pleasantly surprised to see/hear that SiN (the man behind this moniker) improved his guitar sound and that applies for this EP too. Although the guitars still have a slight synthetic sound and I'm still not sure if they are real, now they sound more organic. But the highlight of SiN's compositions are of course the atmospheres he manages to create through keyboards, the symphonic element in his music is really good, even professional. The drum machine used for this release is synthetic but not annoying, so I can get over it easily. It would be interesting to understand the concept behind his lyrics also, at least I'm curious who is Anachoret and why was it ostracized. This is a project that has its own identity and you will either hate it or like it, I don't think there's a middle way here.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: BLACK HATE

Country: Mexico

Title: Los Tres Mundos

Label: Dusktone

Year: 2012

Style: Avantgarde Black Metal

Review:

Founded as a one-man-band in 2006, Black hate has been quite active in the scene until now, although in its bio its says it was disbanded for a year between 2009 and 2010. How do you disband a one-man-project? This year Black Hate has grown into a full line-up band consisting of 5 members, but from what I see, at least until now, this is still the one man project of B.G. Ikanunna. Anyway, it was started out as a Depressive Black Metal project and now B.G. says it will move away from this genre and dive into Avantgarde Black Metal. Well, on this second full-length there's a lot of Black Metal, but it doesn't seem to avantgardish in my books, maybe experimental would be a better term for what we get here. I don't really like the rhythm guitar tone, it sounds like a joke really, but it doesn't sound all that disturbing when everything comes together and you get the overall "Los Tres Mundos" picture, it kind of fits, but I'd say there's a lot of room for improvement. the next thing I don't like are the drums: too repetitive and layered with an important lack of imagination so that at times they really become annoying. So what do I like about this album? The guitar work, even the riffs. B.G. has some interesting guitar leads and solos all over the place and they really sound different than what we're used to. Then the vocals are quite good, versatile and expressive to a point I'd say the vocals and guitars alone could have created a better output. Although my words could seem harsh, there is real potential in Black Hate and if I were you I would try out a few tracks, maybe this album is right on your alley. As for me, I would love to hear a semi-acoustic album made by B.G.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 6.5/10

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Band: CLENCHED FIST

Country: Brazil

Title: The Gift of Death

Label: Inferno Records

Year: 2012

Style: Heavy Metal

Review:

Clenched Fist is a Brazilian band founded in 2000 and this is their second full-length to date, first one released in Europe. We're dealing here with an old-school Heavy Metal with Speed Metal influenced here and there. The rhythms are of course fast to very fast, so we get a very energetic release strongly inspired by Manilla Road although I can hear some Manowar, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath influences too, but all in all this is old-school to the bone. If I said Manilla Road you can imagine the vocals are not really commercial stuff so you either love them of hate them, there's no middle way here. The instrumental part is very traditional, headbanger friendly and has some epic, majestic parts all over to spice things up. Even if you don't like it at first audition give it a few more chances, it will slowly grow on you. 

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: DALRIADA

Country: Hungary

Title: Napisten Hava

Label: Nail Records

Year: 2012

Style: Folk Metal

Review:

The new album of Hungarian folkmetalists called „Time of Sun of God” is more, more folish than previous album „Igeret”. Dalriada continues a music ethno- journey through the realms of folk and Hungarian legends, these songs include a lot of authentic, hungarian (in particular csango and Szekle’s) motifs.

Intro and outro are taken from authentic folklore tracks! „Napisten Hava” is just of folkmetal monolith, powerfully, melodic and include beautiful voice of Laura Binder, charakterictic for hungarian folklore singing. Dalriada released this album during the time of Laura’s heavilly pregnant, that is why the band is playing concerts with other singer now. Summary: Really great Central-eastern folkmetal album!

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 9.5/10

Band: DEEP DESOLATION

Country: Poland

Title: Rites of Blasphemy

Label: Dark Zone

Year: 2012

Style: Doom Metal

Review:

Deep Desolation is a new power of Polish and European doommetal. This technical doom which included some industrial and deathmetal influences beyonds the scope of typical doom. Long, depressive songs, a lot of dark climate and a lot of sorrow and dark things in lyrics, one track in Polish – „Mroczny Hymn” („Dark Anthem”) taken from William Blake poetry. I’m not a big fan of doom, but Deep Desolation is, in my opinion, excellent refresf of Polish (and in general too) doom metal scene. Good job!

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 8/10

Band: DORDEDUH

Country: Romania

Title: Dar De Duh

Label: Prophecy Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Atmospheric Black Folk Metal

Review:

Amazing album! Dordeduh released his first full length album and this is a work of monumental! Long, slowly tracks, the best mix of atmospheric black, poetry lyrics, fantastic ethno/folk motifs, poewrfully and nostalgy flow, great balance between growling and quasi choir voices... I’m impressed of this ghost of Carpathian and Hyperboreana climate! „Dar de Duh” is a special kind of machine for time travel, this is one of the top of „open head” metal albums of the year. Great job! 

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 10/10

Band: EMBRACE OF SILENCE

Country: Ukraine

Title: Leaving the Place Forgotten by God

Label: Solitude Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Doom Death Metal

Review:

Embrace Of Silence releases their debut album on Solitude Productions, a normal followup to the band's 2010 EP out on the Russian cult underground label Satanarsa. Now it's time for a bigger push for the band and Solitude can certainly provide this. Embrace Of Silence seems like a band straight from the UK's '90's Doom Death Metal scene, their music reminds me of all bands from the golden UK trio: My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost but mostly of Anathema, and here I mean the second wave of releases from the aforementioned bands. Based on slow to mid-tempo Doom Death Metal structures Embrace Of Silence has all elements that made this genre so popular: fat riffs, oppressive atmospheres, melancholic acoustic parts, growling vocals, and melodic guitar leads. Although not being innovative for the scene this band seems to be a honest one, and their music really manages to be expressive, to capture the listener's attention. I like the fact there's plenty of mid-tempo European Death Metal inhere, mixed with a slight touch of American '90's Death Metal, and the melodic elements are like a cherry on top of a good cake. Recommended for followers of '90's Doom Death Metal.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: ENGULFED

Country: Turkey

Title: Through the Eternal Damnation

Label: Hellthrasher Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Death Metal

Review:

At first I was fascinated by the awesome cover and booklet artwork done by a certain David Gorturd (or Zorturd? or Torturd? Wasn't able to understand it because of the crappy fonts on the back credits list), and of course such an artwork can only make you think of Death Metal, old-school Death Metal to be more precise. Engulfed are debuting with this 4 tracks EP out on Hellthrasher Prod., and I must say this is a really good and promising debut. Old-school brutal and creepy American style Death Metal composed of fast rhythms most of the time, occasional doomy and dark parts just to accentuate the atmospheres, a deep unhuman growling voice, good guitar solos and above all an excellently reproduced rotten atmosphere, you can almost sense the stench of death, and that's the whole point in such a band. Excellent result, a band to keep your eyes on, and this is an EP not to be missed.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: ERYN NON DAE.

Country: France

Title: Meliora

Label: M & O Music

Year: 2012

Style: Progressive Extreme Metal

Review:

French Eryn Non Dae are back with their second full-length release this year, but what's strange is that the band changed labels going from Metal Blade to the young but very ambitious French label M&O Music. I thought Metal Blade only did mammoth 4-5 albums deals with their bands but it seems they are not. back to this new album, END are still exploring and experimenting with any forms and shapes of Extreme Metal and what we get here are 7 tracks totaling an hour of demented, aggressive but at the same time atmospheric and even hypnotic music. Their high level of musicianship made this album a fresh and powerful discharge of hate, a very interesting release that might please the new wave of "Core" fans, but also the post-metal fans. As a difference from their earlier material I'd say the new album sounds much more coherent, much more curdled and mature although the band took its craziness one step higher this time and Metal Blade might have did a mistake in loosing them. Time will tell...

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: ETERNAL HELCARAXE

Country: Ireland

Title: Against All Odds

Label: Abyss Records

Year: 2012

Style: Epic Black Metal

Review:

I was so amazed by this band's debut demo and EP that I can say this is one of the few bands I was eagerly expecing to release a full-length, and luckily Abyss Records picked them up and recently released their debut. To be honest I feared they would loose their track, but that's not the case, "Against All Odds" is on the same Epic Black Metal path, an awesome jurney through times, a romanticized paining of epic battles that makes you feel and imagine both the intensity of a clash between opposite armies and the sweet taste of victory. I am not disapointed at all by what this band has become, I only think they should deserve more attention. And back to the album, the perfect blend of fast rhythmed Black Metal with more mid-paced Epic parts is the real highlight of Eternal Helcaraxe, and I say this is perfect because everything on this material seems and feels natural, the music flows like undisturbed rivers. I'm so proud to have this CD in my collection and I recommend it to all of you into Epic Metal, it's a must! The only thing missing for this band is a powerful image, here they should step up to their music's level...

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 10/10

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Band: FESTER

Country: Norway

Title: A Celebration of Death

Label: Abyss Records

Year: 2012

Style: Black Death Metal

Review:

Abyss Records pushed this record really hard making it a highly expected come-back from one of the first bands of Norwegian Black Death Metal. Fester was formed in the end '80's and was active in the first half of the '90's but broke-up after 2 full-length releases. The band kind of reinvented themselves by releasing a compilation a couple of years ago and now this third album. 10 tracks, 55 minutes of Doomy Blackened Death Metal that should be very well received by die-hard fans, but I honestly don't think the younger generation will appreaciate this as much. the music is very atmospheric, very somber and grim, but it lack both the speed and brutality the nowadays scene craves for, the tracks are a bit too long to keep your attention high although they are pretty complex. Again, for nostalgics this is a great release, it's a good detachment from the nowadays run for hyper-speed and extreme brutality, an album that bets on atmospheres.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: HELL UNITED

Country: Poland

Title: Aura Damage

Label: Hellthrasher Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Black Death Metal

Review:

Although I'm not familiar with their debut album, from what I've read on the net, this second Hell united album has become darker and heavier than its predecessor. I can confirm this is an extremely dark and evil piece of Black Death Metal, maybe not as theatrical as the latest Pandemonium release, but heavy and thick as hell. 9 tracks, a bit more than 35 minutes in playing time, "Aura Damage" is a stormy release of punishing guitar riffs and solos, sickening vocals and unrelenting rhythm section. Although the sound is good enough for such a release, it could have been a bit more powerful as sometimes it feels it's too dry and leaves many blank spaces. This band definitely deserves more attention but I'm curious how the 2 Stillborn members that play in Hell United will manage to separate the two entities without sounding repetitive, Stillborn being a veteran Black Death Metal band also. Anyway, I have to mention the awesome cover artwork that will attract many eyes, that's for sure.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8/10

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Band: HUMANGLED

Country: Italy

Title: Odd Ethics

Label: Abyss Records

Year: 2012

Style: Death Metal

Review:

Followup to their 2010 album "Fractal" and I guess preview of their upcoming album "Odd Ethics" present us 4 tracks totaling 15 minutes of Death Metal, odd Death Metal that is. I find these Italians' Death Metal to be pretty strange and quite original, it doesn't follow any particular path, but it's at the same time brutal, groovy and quite progressive. It is not some groundbreaking discovery that will dominate the world right away, but it's interesting how these guys manage to combine traditional Death Metal riffs with unconventional rhythms ranging from slow to mid-tempo. The album doesn't flow easily, but I see it like raging sea waters. After spinning this disc for a few times I'm still not convinced if I like it or not, but one thing is certain, this is definitely not typical Death Metal. Try it for something new!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: IRON VOID

Country: UK

Title: Spell of Ruin

Label: Doomanoid Records

Year: 2012

Style: Doom Metal

Review:

This Ep was first released by the band in 2010 but since Doomanoid signed them I guess they thought to introduce Iron Void to a wider audience before unleashing their debut album. An such a brilliant idea this was as "Spell of Ruin" is as close to a masterpiece as a debut EP can be, the only problem on it being that it's not a full-length album and by the end of the audition you may find yourselves craving for more. The cover artwork of this EP reminded me of Saint Vitus' awesome "Die Healing" album, and the music is not far from it either. What we get here are 6 tracks (4 from the previous edition and 2 bonus tracks) of excellent Doom Metal: groovy, catchy, honest, organic and natural, nothing seems forced inhere. Most probably this is the band with the biggest potential I've listened to this year. Highly recommended to all Doom Metal fanatics out there! My fave track: "Spell of Ruin".

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 10/10

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Band: KNOED

Country: France

Title: Mere Ravine Entelecheion

Label: Dead Master's Beat

Year: 2008

Style: Drone Ambient Jazz

Review:

Quite an old release from Dead Master's Beat, but since I have received it now for a review I guess it's still available although being limited to only 500 copies. Well, I guess followers of this music are even less than followers of underground Extreme Metal so Dead Master's Beat is certainly not in this for the money. Knoed is an extremely strange project from France (I guess) combining Dark Ambient soundscapes with Electronic, Noise, Drone and even Jazz elements. The overall result is a scarry, claustrophobic dive into intrinsic emotions, an almost cinematic experience complete with disturbing noise elements but also long dead silence parts to recover oneself from the disturbing sounds he previousely experienced. This is not something I'm very used to but it is definitely a unique experience, I wouldn't call it music, I'd call it experimental soundscapes...

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: -/10

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Band: MEDICO PESTE

Country: Poland

Title: Graviora Manent

Label: Time Before Time Records

Year: 2011

Style: Black Metal

Review:

With members of Massemord and Mord'a'Stigmata, Medico Peste seems to be just a new side-project, but it is actually a full line-up band and since releasing this debut demo they have already released their first full-length this year, so things might get serious. On this demo we have 4 tracks lasting for more than 20 minutes. Medico Peste is raw and primitive Black Metal with rhythms ranging from slow to mid-tempo but mostly fast paced. Recordings are rehearsal-like quality, but pretty ok for a demo especially for a demo tape like in the old days. Medico Peste is brutal, vicious and very blasphemic sounding so if you like your Black Metal raw and dirty you might enjoy this band too. I found it ok too, but wasn't able to get into it at all. Liked the sick vocals a lot, though.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7/10

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Band: OSCULUM INFAME

Country: France

Title: Consuming the Metatron

Label: Battlesk' rs Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Black Metal

Review:

One of the oldest French Black Metal bands is back with a new EP after 2 years since their previous EP was released, that means they are pretty slow in writing new material, but I'm sure their fans were eagerly awaiting this new release. Actually when I read about the tracks on this EP I found out 3 of them are from their one and only album, "Dor-Nu-Fauglith", re-recorded versions, 2 of them are from an album from 1999 that was never released, and only 1 track is new and will be featured on their upcoming album. Still a good gift for their fans and a good preview of what's to come. The band sounds great, very mature and in it's prime potential so now it's the time to hit the scene with something new. The tracks on this release are ranging from old-school Black Metal to Black'n'Roll, to doomy, apocalypstic Black Metal, so you have it all although the sound could have been and should have been better. The last track, the 6th on this release, is the new one, and its the most important since it presents the future of Osculum Infame. Hateful, sick, disgusting and obscure, that's how the new Osculum Infame sounds. The rhythms range from slow to mid-tempo and even some fast parts, but the overall atmosphere is awesome, their technical skills allow them to create something unique and intersting, so I am sure the upcoming album will be a total blast, can't wait for it! Get this well packaged EP while you have the time, it's limited to 777 copies, but if you like your Black Metal ugly and mysterious, this is your thing!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: RADOGOST

Country: Poland

Title: The Dark Side of The Forest

Label: selfreleased

Year: 2012

Style: Folk Metal

Review:

This album is a third in Radogost’s history, first in English. All tracks create explosive mix of melodic old school thrash, heavy and folkmetal album with grat folk violin drive! Radogost decided to released the newest album in English because they would like to present old, traditional, Polish – Slavonic legends in the world. Lyrics included a lot of local known and forgotten motifs of legends (e.g. Baba Yaga person), a lot of motifs of slavic-heathen religion (e.g. watra – holy, ritual fire). This is selfreleased album but in professional digipack. Radogost has become one of the most important Polish folkmetal bands after released this album. 

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 8/10   

Band: ROCKING CORPSES

Country: Finland

Title: Rock'n'Rott

Label: Abyss Records

Year: 2012

Style: Death'n'Roll

Review:

You would expect such a band popping out of the USA, but this is actually a Finnish band that combines the happy side of Hard Rock with Death Metal. Labelling them Death'n'Roll is a bit too much as they are not that groovy sounding like Debauchery or Six Feet Under for example, they are really constructing their tracks on 100% Hard Rock structures, the Death Metal elements being just an influence, a spice over this already cooked music. I have serious doubts die-hard Death Metal fans will enjoy this, but if you can stand bands like Guns'n'Roses, Black Sabbath, The Offspring and such, you might enjoy this strange combination, too. There are some songs that really made this combination an entertaining one, but there are others that are simply boring, too. Don't expect a violent, brutal release as the cover artwork is, you'll get an experiment of old-school styles that 20 years ago were amongst the biggest foes: shiny, Stoner influenced hard Rock and Horror themed creepy Death Metal (this shows on vocals only though). As said earlier some tracks are really enjoyable, some are only worth skipping. They have the skills, they can do better next time.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 6.5/10

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Band: SCHATTENSPIEL

Country: Germany

Title: Lichtgestalten

Label: Dead Master's Beat

Year: 2011

Style: Neo Classical Dark Ambient

Review:

Fascinating project this Schattenspiel, a one-man project started in 2008. During the years Schattenspiel released 4 albums and is now preparing for its 5th, and what I have here is the 3rd official full-length. It seems the project was built on EBM grounds but slowly moved away to a point where "Lichtgestalten" is more Neo Classical Ambient than anything else. There are many facets to Schattenspiel: it swings from soft, relaxing music, to menacing, military atmospheres, and from classy neo-classical tunes to cold, dark and electonic parts, but after a couple of auditions I can say the tracks combine well into a solid whole. A mature, complex and interesting album that should satisfy most of the Dark Ambient fans out there. Look at the picture on the cover, most of the time during the audition you'll find yourself alone, wandering beside these trees. My only bad comment would be on the 13th track, the Spanish lyrics sound like crap sung by them in this context, and what's even worse is the fact the track (excepting the vocals) is very, very good. I want more Schattenspiel!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: STORM OF DARKNESS / LUCIFERIAN

Country: Colombia / Colombia

Title: From Underground To The Black Mass...

Label: Mortis Humanae Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Black Metal / Black Metal

Review:

Laurent from Mortis Humanae is taking more and more space in the Underground Black Metal area nowadays. He keeps releasing new stuff and, as obvious in this case, some releases are mediocre but some of them are really good. You have to give him credit for his tenacity and after all support of the UG scene. here we have a split between 2 Colombian bands whose names sound familiar but only because they are pretty default in our scene nowadays. Storm Of Darkness brings nothing new to the scene, it feels like I've already heard these riffs and structures countless times, but their music seems 100% honest and enthousiastic. Fast Black Metal combined with some mid-tempo parts make their Black Metal really enjoyable, and although the recordings sound like rehearsals, they are pretty good and comprehensive. Good technical skills and interesting ideas, these guys are capable of creating some memorable Black Metal hymns in the future. Luciferian plays a faster paced Black Metal music with very good guitar leads, but the sound on their tracks is worse, like recorded during a live gig. Anyway, the guitars are really good, the vocals are perfect, and the rhythm section keeps up a good pace, if you're into underground BM materials you won't be disapointed. I only hope they will have the chance to re-record these tracks in a real studio asap. Mortis Humanae presents this split as a meeting of 2 amazing bands; well, they are not amazing, but they are very good for sure, and both of them deserve better chances and more exposure. Recommended! I'll end this review here and spin this disc at least one more time.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7/10  7.5/10

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Band: STURMTIGER

Country: Denmark

Title: Atomic Hammer

Label: Old Cemetery Records

Year: 2012

Style: Death Black Metal

Review:

I didn't expect such an energy from this band, don't know why. Their name lead me to think of a War Black Metal band, but actually they are a ferocious, devastating, unrelenting Death Black Metal. This is one of the most brutal recordings I've listened to in a long time, and maybe the raw, unpolished, rehearsal-like sound decisively contributes to this impression. "Atomic Hammer" is a really unrelenting, dirty piece of metal and the explosive images on the cover fit perfectly with the music on this release. The good thing is that even though Sturmtiger's music is deeply old-school and primitive, their guitar solos and parts of the guitar riffs are very good and save the compositions from falling into monotony. I was pleasantly surprised by this EP and would recommend it to all of you into old-school Thrash/Black, Black/Death or Thrash/Death, dirty music that is. watch out for Sturmtiger, this band has loads of potential!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: SYMURAN

Country: Ukraine

Title: Syklus av Helheim

Label: Metal Scrap Records

Year: 2012

Style: Pagan Black Death Metal

Review:

New debut on Metal Scrap Records, this time we're dealing here with a Ukrainian duo named Symuran, and this album is the sum of their work from 2008 when the band was founded until 2011. Too bad there are only 6 tracks here and they are pretty stretched, maybe less playing time for each track and a bit more titles on the album would have been a better choice. Anyway, Symuran is a combination of hateful but at the same time melodic Black Death Metal with Pagan Metal influences. The general impression for this debut album is very good although there are some things I don't necessarily like: the guitar solos (seem to be from a complately different movie) and some parts that seem to be too dry. Other than that "Syklus av Helheim" is a very good audition, varied, aggressive, honest and promising. The growling vocals are much better than the screams, but the combination is good and they should work on it more. The drums are actually programmed, but the programs they used are pretty good so you won't feel that annoying synthetic sound they were ricking to have. Once again, this is a good energetic debut album that shows good perspectives, but these guys still need to find their own way in the future.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: TENOCHTITLAN

Country: Russia

Title: Creation of Earth

Label: BadMoodMan Music

Year: 2012

Style: Ethnic Ambient Doom Death Metal

Review:

Such an interesting release this is... I was surprised to find myself captured by Tenochtitlan's music from the first sounds of this album until the very end, to discover such a powerful and attractive combination between Russian language and Aztec / Indian ethnic elements. If nowadays we have a genre called World Music, Tenochtitlan's music could be labelled as Ancient World Music... At its core, their music is Doom Death Metal, but when spiced up with so many elements from different cultures their Doom Death Metal becomes exquisite, and the best part is that as a whole the album sounds curdled and very mature, faultless. I love this album, it's exactly what I was looking for, a music that I haven't heard before, but also a music that will keep my interest high for almost an hour. Besides the Russian written booklet/lyrics I have nothing to object here, I loved every part of it and will continue playing it again and again. A band that I hope will develop this multi-cultural investigation on following albums also.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 10/10

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Band: THERION

Country: Sweden

Title: Les Fleurs Du Mal

Label: End of The Light

Year: 2012 

Style: Symphonic Metal

Review:

25 years old on the stage... Therion released at the end of his completion of the next stage in life album in French, that was little surprised for fans. „Les Fleurs Du Mal” included a lot of motifs taken from a lot of music genres – opera, symphonic metal, rock, postrock, neofolk, urban folk and, constantly – French chanson. Album is very calm, „commercial rock”, a little too much musical chaos... However, the consistent, French climate is a buckle fastening this „Flowers of Evil”. Paradoxically, the most interesting parts of this album are urban folkmetal motifs – that is really great (most part of my scoring of this album). I understand Therion’s way of life bur I am not convinced to French motifs. After listening to this CD I conclude that it's one of the worst Therion’s albums. Maybe this is good idea, that the musicians will continue his career in other project. 

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 7/10

Band: VOID PARADIGM

Country: France

Title: Void Paradigm

Label: Totalrust Music

Year: 2012

Style: Experimental Black Metal

Review:

Here's a new name from the French Black Metal scene, a trio that chose to combine the new wave of experimental Black Metal with complex, weird and disturbing atmospheres. This is their debut album containing only 6 tracks but lasting for more than 50 minutes, so it's one of those albums you'll either hate or love as you don't have many tracks to pick from, to assign one as your fave. The guys as instrumentists are very good and although they didn't create a masterpiece here, their debut album shows an impressive thirst for experimenting on new territories. As presented by their label, this is a truly hypnotic piece of Metal, but the risk is to fell into a lethargic state during it's audition, and forget about the music, dive into your own thoughts. This happened to me too, and I don't think this is what Void Paradigm intended at first. As highlight of this band, I would name the vocals that are all over the place and give the final shape and form to their tracks, but this doesn't mean the drums and guitars and drums are not interesting, not at all. For fans of new, experimental melodic but still aggressive Black Metal.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7/10

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Band: ZREC

Country: Czech Republic 

Title: Pameti

Label: Murderous Production

Year: 2012

Style: Folk Metal

Review:

All 4 years we have to wait on the new Zrec album, but that wasn’t waste time! New album brings some fresh, new, melodic folk/blackmetal sounds taken from pagan Moravian culture and tradition. Stylized elements of traditional folk songs added to tracks and mountain folk music are great supplements! Tracks in general ncludes a lot of Czech’s (Moravian) folk motifs, a lot of powerfully kicking ass sounds and some Carpathian and Beskid Mountains melancholies... In my opinion this genre sholud be calleg mountain folkmetal. I am really impressed of Zrec’s musical progress made since 2008!

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 9/10

Band: Various Artists

Country: Poland

Title: Summer Beatdown

Label: Takt24.pl

Year: 2011?

Style: Various

Review:

A Polish compilation released by this webzine and online shop called takt24.pl, a good idea to promote both the labels' activities and the online shop. 17 tracks (although the cover numbers go till 18, number 9 was skipped), a lot of diversity in genres, and here's what I think of them:

Terrordome - fast as hell Thrash Metal with poor production; sounds mature but didn't really capture my interest

Seroentia - I think this is the Polish version of Korn; with some influences from other genres (even Death Metal), not so catchy but quite interesting

Dead Goats - fast Swedish Death Metal (Stokholm style) with two vocalists; very well executed but feels like something's missing, some more memorable elements (the leads at min.3 are excellent and should be exploited more)

Whorehouse - fat sounding Thrash Metal, I like this band a lot, they have the potential of reaching high peaks in this genre (on the old-school part of it)

Ketha - definitely original sounding Experimental / Progressive Death Metal but really hard to get into, well, I think that's the whole point; overall very good stuff 

calm Hatchery - traditional Death Metal a la Morbid Angel; good composition and catchy guitar solos

Iblis - fast, demented Avantgarde Metal; loved it and I think they have even more potential, can't wait to review their debut album (soon)

Dira Mortis - low-tuned Death Metal; quite groovy but at the same time dark and oppresive, but not memorable

Ronnie Ripper's Private War - entertaining Rock'n'Roll combined with Heavy Metal, project of Gehennah's bass player; fun for a shitload of beers

Epitome - legends of the Polish Death/Grind scene; excellent track, dirty and brutal as hell

Crossroads - old-school Thrash Metal; reminded me of Exodus, but next time they nedd a better production

Tenebris - I think I remember this band from the '90's, but they used to be Death Metal, now they play some sort of Progressive Metal but the production on this track is a bit disapointing

Formosus - Melodic Black Death Metal; good track - good vocals and quite diverse composition, not memorable but the potential is there

Lacrima - Gothic Metal; energetic and manly, excellent track, if this would have been released in the '90's Lacrima would have been elsewhere now...

Fortress - fast paced traditional Thrash Metal; good composition, great vocals and 100% '80's American Thrash Metal scene influenced, loved it 

Belzebong - instrumentsl Stoner Doom Metal; heavy as a bulldozer, grovvy as the Amsterdam Red Lights District, awesome riffs, I need to get my hands on their album, I'm stocked!

Alternative 4 - what are these guys doing on this compilation? I thought it was a Polish only release but they proved me wrong; no need for an introduction, you all know them.

Excellent compilation, I have deeply enjoyed it. 

 

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: -/10

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