Band: ANTHRAX

Country: USA

Title: Worship Music

Label: Megaforce Records

Year: 2011

Style: Speed Thrash Groove Metal

Review:

Joey Belladonna back to Anthrax in 2010 but Anthrax didn’t back to old Anthrax’s style... New album is... strange. Anthrax was never a typical thrash band and they always go your way and there were others than the rest, but this album is... strange. Some tracks has a old, good Anthrax climate – at the beginning of album. Later is more complicated – more flow, balldads motifs, more broken rhytms, more doom elements and... nu-metal motifs, I know that they are American band, but they would be able to forgive about NU-town sounds... Better is idea to put on this album two instrumental hymnes as a pause breaks. The last piece is a return to the old/older Anthrax. Summary: Slight disappointment.

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 7/10

Band: ARIYA

Country: Russia

Title: Fenix

Label: Soyuz

Year: 2011

Style: Heavy Metal

Review:

Legendary Russian heavy metal band Ariya is back with the new vocalist, Mikhail Zhitnyakov. This guy has a very good, clear and „full” voice, typical for russian heavy metal bands. Material is a melodic heavy metal with slavic soul, typical for Russia. „Typical” is not means „bad”. „Fenix” is is nothing revelatory but this album is a „pure core” of russian heavy metal. Ariya playing is nothing new in this better than Iron Maiden. Ariya refined to perfection is what has long been known and played in the Russian heavy metal scene. Just ten tracks, included some ballads motifs (but without tipical „rock ballad”). „Fenix” is  album without surprise, anything new combinations – but by this situation, paradoxally, „Fenix” is really grat album.

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 8/10

Band: ASHEN EPITAPH

Country: Serbia

Title: Somewhere Behind the Nervecell

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2008

Style: Death Metal

Review:

These guys from Serbia are in for some old-school type of Death Metal, unlike what we're used to get lately from Serbia, meaning very technical stuff. Ashen Epitaph keeps theis music pretty simple, but at the same time what's interesting about them is their apatite for mixing in all sorts of melodic guitar elements. If released 20 years ago this would have been a top seller album, that's for sure. Everything, from the composition to the sound is old-school, old-school of European Death Metal. I know this has no value for the nowadays listeners of this genre, but I speak for myself when I say this is a hell of a good band, one of those bands that are not in for making the most brutal, technical or the fastest metal but who's interested more in the sinister, creepy feeling side of it. What can I say, I'm now a fan of Ashen Epitaph.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9.5/10

Contact:

Band: ASHEN EPITAPH

Country: Serbia

Title: Promo 2010

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2010

Style: Death Metal

Review:

In regards to their previous release, the "Somewhere Behind the Nervecell" full-length, Ashen Epitaph have made some changes, not drastic, but still present. The music became groovier, more melodic, faster and more technical oriented, meaning exactly the things I said in my previous review they are not after... and I was wrong it seems. The sound is not the best one around so I can made my mind clearly if I like it better or less than their album, but as a preliminary conclusion I can say I don't like it better. I understand they became more experienced as musicians during these 2 years, but if they'll try the technical path, well that's such an overcrowded and hard road that I don't think they'll be able to achieve much more. Don't get me wrong, the music is still old-school but they seem too eager to enter "the nowadays ranks"... The vocals though remained unchanged, the guy has some killer tonalities.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7/10

Contact:

Band: AURVANDIL

Country: France

Title: Yearning

Label: Eisenwald Tonschmiede

Year: 2011

Style: Black Metal

Review:

Interesting ways to find out about the Norse Mythology that bands like Aurvandil give us…The French have unleashed such devastating brutality and evil among the underground, I couldn’t resist reviewing another French sickness and Black Metal band!  What we have here is 10 tracks totaling 1 hour and 4 minutes in length of complete mythological stance.  Hell, the name of the band even tells a story about how Thor carried the giant (Aurvandil) through the icy rivers of Elivagar.  The giant’s toe had frozen and was placed in the night sky to portray a star, at least that is the story I was given, I could be wrong so please don’t be offended.  Norse Black Metal is not in my understanding of knowledge, but I am learning quick that this band has the sadness, atmosphere, and evil to put out a great Black Metal Release like Yearning.  Pretending to know and understand something like Norse Black Metal is something I cannot do, but I can say that this release is worth the time and effort by both the band and fans of this genre.  Aurvandil will keep the fans happy, or in complete sadness with Yearning.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: AXECUTER

Country: Brazil

Title: Bangers Prevail

Label: Inferno Records

Year: 2011

Style: Heavy Thrash Metal

Review:

From the far lands of Bulgaria come an old school Thrash Metal band who go by Axecuter. Axecuter play a style of very early, old school Thrash Metal.  When I say very early, I mean from the days of Venom, Metallica’s Kill’ Em All early days. They say to be influences by Sepultura, Kreator, Sodom, and Venom.  In their music one can also hear the Exodus/Anthrax influence from the garage days of the 80’s! So, Axecuter have been going through line up changes a lot, but hopefully this doesn’t screw up any future chances for Thrash offerings because Banger’s Prevail shows a lot of promise for these guys. Listening to Axecuter reminds me of when I was illegally buying beer for my friends when I was 16, getting ready to head to a party, and then jamming the rest of the night with my beer and hell of a good stash of weed! Old School fans of Axecuter should like what they hear, and hopefully Axecuter will solidify and release a future thrash metal offering of gold!  If you want to hear the old school stuff from Axecuter then check out their earlier demo recordings like "Trace of Torment” and "Cryptic Death”. These early tracks show a definite influence from early Testament, or even Metallica!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 7/10

Contact:

Band: BRENN

Country: France

Title: Garmen

Label: Frozen Wing Records

Year: 2008

Style: Raw Epic Black Metal

Review:

Brenn operates in a good pagan black metal! all the elements expected appear, for my part very good discovery!

Musical work on this demo is undeniable, both in the spirited research, in harmonic inspiration!

For the first piece, to the last, we are all aboard for celtisant world! Good medieval keys traverse this demo!

Go buy this opus! to follow!

Reviewed by Alrinack

Contact:

Band: CASKET

Country: Finland

Title: Generation Kill

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2010

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

Casket kicks major ass with their style of metal, this demo I have is just plain fucking brutal and fast.  Thrash metal is also apparent as an influence with Casket.  This two track demo gives the listener a good idea of what Casket is about.  The talent and technical side really shows, and I think that the music along with the sickening vocals are mixed well together.  Finland is a major hub of brutality and Casket makes their way atop the ladder.  "Soldier of Fortune” starts off grinding and fast, but then also brings that thrash metal element during the song, but the other track "Generation Kill” starts off with a thrash metal type catchy riff and then pounces your skull.  Casket is awesome and I think they will really crawl out of the underground with the next couple of releases! 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: CASTRENSIS

Country: Denmark

Title: Brutal Discipline

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Brutal Death Metal

Review:

Castrensis is an extremely brutal, but technical death metal band.  A mix of sick, guttural vocals and blasting beats keep Castrensis all out sick.  This demo is a nice taste of what this band is capable of.  Castrensis puts out five tracks that keep the flow of brutality going throughout the demo, but not without the catchy riffs and slamming speed.  Now Castrensis is in a world full of death metal bands putting out some terrible material and also some awesome records as well.  Castrensis is definitely on the good side of things, hopefully we will be able to get more from these guys.  There are many different influences in this demo.  Definitely old school Suffocation or Cannibal Corpse from their early days with Chris Barnes.  Castrensis will do well in the underground and with their next release I hope we get some more of this awesome brutality from them!!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: COUNTERIGNITION

Country: Serbia

Title: Spit or Swallow

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Metal

Review:

Remember the good old days of brutal Thrash Metal, when bands started adding an almost touch of brutality with the speed and moshing with Thrash Metal.  Counterignition has that old school thrash feel and mixes the technical riffs with the catchy old school metal on Spit or Swallow.  The whole album gives no break from the skull crushing metal except for the almost industrial style of music on tracks like "Border”.  The band know how to keep the release interesting and full of heavy groove metal attacks.  I like this release a lot and hope Counterignition keeps it coming.  This is a far cry better than the demo they released in 2008, and that wasn’t a bad demo at all!  Counterignition deserves to see the light of day in the underground.  Tracks like "Border”, "Life Sentenced”, and "World of Lies” really show the influence from an era when Pantera and others were kicking ass in the Thrash Metal  scene.  For fans of early style Thrash Metal that goes beyond the typical mosh riffs of the day.  Counterignition kick some ass on this release!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: CRUSTACEAN

Country: Holland

Title: Greed, Tyranny and Sodomy

Label: Xtreem Music

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

Crustacean is a 4-piece thrash band from The Netherlands.  Crustacean knows how to incorporate different styles within their music very well.  Power Metal, Exodus style vocals, and old school riffs that are catchy and fast.  I liked this release and look forward to more in the future.  This is total old school thrash right here and it never gets boring.  Hardcore elements are throughout the tracks as well.  Crustacean is well worth the money spent for any thrash fan of old and new!  Tracks like the title track, "Attention Terrorist”, and "Spawn of Lies” are great places to start to get the story on these guys!  So thrash metal is here to stay and Crustacean definitely has a hell of a talent for making things sound fast and good.

reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: CRYPT OF THE ZOMBILORD

Country: Sweden

Title: Crypt of the Zombilord

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Grindcore

Review:

The debut demo of this Swedish trio presents us 8 tracks totaling 15 minutes of crusty sounding Grindcore, the old-school way. Simple, to the bone, fast and not fancy at all, that's how I would describe this band's music, but I really like their honest, organic approach, and again, speaking for myself, this is the grindcore I like, these guys demonstrate you can still create stuff even in the old-school Grind, without using the electronic easy means of nowadays, and here I'm talking mostly about the guitar riffs which sometimes have a heavy Southern Rock influence, not something I've heard before that's for sure. The concept behind this band is on my taste as well, meaning zombies (haha, you would never guessed it from their name, right?), and the zombie flicks intros they use are not long-ass boring to ruin the music listening mood. What can I say in the end, just imagine Napalm Death, Obituary and Repulsion eaten by a zombie and puked on this release and you'll get what it's all about. You'll hear more about this band, I'm absolutely sure!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

Contact:

Band: DEADEND IN VENICE

Country: Germany

Title: See You on the Ground

Label: casket Music

Year: 2011

Style: Melodic Death Metal 

Review:

A melodic death metal offering mixed with the evilness of guttural grunts and the beauty of a female voice as well.  Technical influence is all this release and very well.  Deadend in Venice gives us nine tracks totaling over 32 minutes of metal.  They did a great job with the elements of style in their music, and I was impressed with how well the female vocalist fit into the music.  I thought this would be another depressing band trying to follow the ways of other female fronted bands, but that is not the case with this release.  Tracks like "The Monkey in my Closet”, and "Tomorrow Never Comes” shows what type of talent this band has.  Anybody into the melodic and technical style of death metal should pick this release up.  Deadend in Venice has a bright future ahead of them if they keep bringing the underground this style of metal.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: DEATH INSTINCTS

Country: Russia

Title: Madness 33

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2007

Style: Death Metal

Review:

As I had no info on this band I started checking the net and so landed on their Metal Archives page. It seems this is their debut album, but on there it is listed as a double CD. What I have here is a simple CD with no mention of a second one linked with it, so I don't know what's the story.

Anyway, Death Instincts is a 2 persons band made of Azazel and Ereth, and they are trying an old-school Brutal Death Metal, but unfortunately there's nothing brutal about their drum machine both on composition and sound, it's just anoying, very unprofessional. On the guitar part it actually becomes more interesting and Azazel adds some clichee but varied riffs, and what I get from this CD is the guy wants and tries to make his music as complex as possible. Sorry, I wasn't able to enjoy this CD at all, it sounds nothing more than Death Metal improvisation recorded in their livingroom.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 5/10

Contact:

Band: DE MAGIA VETERUM

Country: Holland

Title: The Divine Antithesis

Label: Transcendental Creations

Year: 2011

Style: Avantgarde Black Metal

Review:

De Magia Veterum is an addition to the Avant-Garde style of Black Metal.  Melodic symphonic sorrow at it’s strongest.  A one-man army, this man knows his bi-polar sections that is for sure!  The tracks are each placed in parts.  Now I am not going to get into the whole huge review thing with De Magia Veterum.  Short and simple, what we have here is a darkened specter of a man’s mind who places his thoughts and nightmares into his music.  (A guess of mine, maybe I am wrong.)  This mind has shown such a genuis prowess to depress the Black Metal community.  I DO NOT consider this a noise record like others have, I consider this pretty damn good music with an atmosphere of evil.  I might not be the only one either!  As mentioned above, there are 7 parts, certain tracks like "Part 1 - Transfiguration” and "Flaming Sword” are cool examples of the style you will get into when this hits your cd player, or I-Pod.  Interesting metal here, hardcore fans will eat it up, and others will definitely start to figure out that there are still some sub-genres of metal that will never be understood.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 6/10

Contact:

Band: DENIAL FIEND

Country: USA

Title: Horror Holocaust

Label: Ibex Moon Records

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

A screaming, brutal, and crushing release is what Denial Fiend has sprung onto the underground.  Denial Fiend hold back absolutely nothing with Horror Holocaust.  Macabre seems to be an element of influence for Denial Fiend as well as the early, old school thrash metal style.  They put it all together and well, catchy and technical, but still sick and brutal to keep any death metal fan happy.  The different influences are in the record, but they do not copy anybody.  Denial Fiend manage to keep things interesting throughout Horror Holocaust.  Tracks like "Flesh Coffin”, "Horror Holocaust”, and "Stuck Pig/Bleeding Out”.  All of the tracks are well put together with a good production, but nothing takes away from their sickening brand of metal.  Autopsy, Carcass, and early thrash metal fans will certainly enjoy Denial Fiend’s Horror Holocaust.  There are plenty of tracks to get into, eight tracks to be exact with almost a half hour playing time.  Denial Fiend are going strong and sick!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: ECHTRA

Country: USA

Title: Paragate

Label: Temple of Torturous

Year: 2011

Style: Folk Atmospheric Black Metal

Review:

From Washington comes a very drone, and very dark Atmospheric Black metal band Echtra.  Echtra has a very cool way of making their music sound so…Ambient at times.  The flow of darkness just goes through you like rain falling from the sky!  I loved this when I heard it, something new for me considering I spend all of my time in the pits of brutality and sickness.  Echtra released two tracks on this release.  "Paragate I” and "Paragate II” .  Each track is over twenty minutes in length, 23 minutes for the first track and 22 minutes and 59 seconds for the second track.  I am reminded a little bit of a band named Katatonia when I listen to this release.  Katatonia had such a hypnotizing effect like Echtra does.  This whole album contains illusions of the mind, a release of feelings and emotion from somebody with a passion for the "other side” of the human thought process.  I think this is great and perfect the hardcore fans of Atmospheric Metal, or even Ambient.  A dreamy sound and dark mood keeps this interesting for me.  I think this will take anybody to another level depending on the state of mind they are in while hearing this album.  45 minutes of pure hypnotic mindset.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 9/10

Contact:

Band: ENTRENCHED

Country: USA

Title: Preemptive Strike

Label: Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

Entrenched let off with a sledgehammer to the head when I started to play this release!  Preemptive Strike is a brutal death metal offering, and I was reminded a little bit of Bolt Thrower with the concept of war.  With war comes the reality of brutality in life, and in metal.  While not anything extraordinary, Entrenched do play their brand of death metal very well.  Entrenched is a definite wartime band and destruction seems to be their theme, so fans of war and deadly toxins should check out Entrenched and the full length release, Preemptive Strike.  The tracks that really stood out for me were, "Bred to Kill”, "Frenzied Amputation”, and "Tooth and Nail”.  Fans of wartime brutality and crushing blast beats will eat this one up.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 7/10

Contact:

Band: FACES OF BAYON

Country: USA

Title: Heart of the Fire

Label: Ragnarok Records

Year: 2011

Style: Doom Metal

Review:

From brutality to doom comes members of Engorged and Scattered Remnants, both prodigy’s of the underground grinding death metal revolution, Faces of Bayon take the doom metal  approach to the world.  Depressing and sad is where this goes, along with a nightmarish effect from the feeling of the music coming from this band.  Faces of Bayon take the doom aspect very seriously and take with them the souls of anybody who happens to hear this effort.  Heart of the Fire sets a pace of darkened evil with an influence coming from old Paradise Lost and Cathedral from the start of the doom metal genre.  I can even feel the remnants of Autopsy from "Mental Funeral” as an influence on the vocal or sound side.  Maybe I am wrong, but Faces of Bayon really take the stairwell down South to hell with this!  I love the doom metal genre for being able to take the human mind into an eternal ride through hell within the mind.  Atmospheric Doom at its best right here from members of the death/grind scene at one time.  Tracks like "Ethereality” will take you for a ride through depressive doom and sorrowful thoughts.  For fans of doom and suicide that is for sure!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: GATES OF DAWN

Country: Germany

Title: Lucid Dreaming

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Progressive Gothic Metal

Review:

Gates of Dawn have a style of progressive metal on their latest opus Lucid Dreaming.  Thrash Metal elements are apparent throughout the record.  Lucid Dreaming throws down 15 tracks for a total playing time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Plenty of  time to check out the tracks that show what Gates of Dawn are made of.  Tracks like "Wake up Dream child” and "For you the 3rd Denial” is another cool track off this record.  Offering a talented Gothic/Progressive approach with heavier influences incorporated into the music.  Gates of Dawn is an interesting listen for their style and should make for a pretty cool band to get into.  Gates of Dawn is for the progressive and melodic fans of the genre.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 7/10

Contact:

Band: GOREAPHOBIA

Country: USA

Title: Apocalyptic Necromancy

Label: Dark Descent Records

Year: 2011

Style: Black Death Metal

Review:

Black Metal and Death Metal crushed together to make Apocalyptic Necromancy come to life, and it worked well.  Despite the new age of Black Metal styles Goreaphobia keeps things relatively simple, but also technical at the same time.  I guess I would consider Goreaphobia more Black Metal than anything else, but the way they incorporate the other styles from different genres is what makes this record worth listening to, a lot!  I am not the biggest fan of Black Metal, but this band has reached me with their music.  I heard thrash metal influences, like on the track "Igigi Reactor”.  So fans of modern Black Metal mixed with other elements of death and thrash metal genres will enjoy Goreaphobia’s newest release Apocalyptic Necromancy. 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: IMPALED OFFERING

Country: USA

Title: Regurgitate Christianity

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Black Death Grind

Review:

Impaled offering pull no punches with this demo that is for sure.  A demo chuck full of grinding Death Metal and mixed with Black Metal.  Evil vocal attack plus old school style make Impaled offering.  This demo consists of 5 tracks totaling 18 minutes in length.  It is pretty damn good for a demo must say.   Nothing but consistent brutality from beginning to end and this will make fans of brutality very happy.  No fancy intros, no melodic parts, and no ballads here, just plain brutality.  Impaled Offering is stated to have been formed in 2010 with this demo being the only release, and on a record label (Pathologically Explicit Recordings).  Not too shabby for a band that started not even 2 years ago!  "Contortion” and "Gut Grind” are two ruthless tracks that I liked a lot, but the whole demo jams sickness!  Impaled Offering will satisfy all fans of purely sick death/black metal sound!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: INSIDEAD

Country: Greece

Title: Chaos Elecdead

Label: Massacre Records

Year: 2011

Style: Heavy Thrash Metal

Review:

1997 brought upon the underground a fresh Heavy/Thrash Metal band Insidead.  Their opus Chaos Elecdead brings forth a brutal thrash element mixed with technical and even a hardcore presence.  Insidead will be loved by fans of Hatebreed and Five Finger Death Punch in that they sound out their style with authority and balls!  Definite old school metal runs through the veins as well.  With tracks like "Chaos Elecdead”, "In My World”, and "Have No Fear” fans will have plenty of metal to bash their skulls with!  Insidead is well worth the time and money to get into, and hopefully will soon come to Chicago and jam some metal here!  9 tracks totaling over 36 minutes of metal so go and check these guys out!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: MORHOLT

Country: France

Title: L’esprit de la foret

Label: Frozen Wing Records

Year: 2007

Style: Pagan Black Ambient Metal

Review:

MORHOLT into this opus, offers to us six songs of particular pagan black metal...The sound is really underground, epic with good elements.. The first general comment concerns the production of this album, which serves just the concept mentioned, in fact, the sound is not as balanced as one would expect, .. the battery is too much in the background, while the voices are much too far forward .. the guitars are too confusing for my tastes with keyboards, it feels like a bit too .. The compositions themselves are interresting, good riffs that give a really epic atmosphere, while providing the key atmosphere, and aerial ... The song titles make me want to dig, work Morholt. My only regret in listening to "Lesprit of the forest" is actually the weakness of production .. this weakness is found regularly in underground creations, and I think in terms of pagan black metal, its general must be properly heard, to praise and highlight the work done by musicians.

Reviewed by Alrinack

Contact:

Band: NADIMAC

Country: Serbia

Title: Po Kratkom Postupku

Label: AreaDeath Productions

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Metal

Review:

Serbia is a country that I am a bit familiar with; There are people that I know of who are Serbian, and besides being crazy they sure do know their metal.  Lots of everything including Nadimac, a Serbian Thrash Metal/Crossover band who are like to have fun playing their style of metal.  There are 14 tracks totaling 35 minutes of metal, plenty of thrash to go around.  Unlike some other Thrash bands in the helm Nadimac is a band that has an obvious sense of humor, I only found this out after I tried translating the lyrics I had!  I’ll let you find that out on your own!  Anyway, the songs are fast and catchy, and there are parts of this record that give me the feeling I had when Murphy’s Law and similar bands would jam on my cd player.  Nadimac screams and yells their way to the end with a hardcore/crossover element added to the old school thrash metal sound.  Nadimac is well worth the buck in your pocket.  Check out theses tracks "Samo Kec”, and "Bekstvo od slobode.”

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: ONKEL TOM

Country: Germany

Title: Nunc Est Bibendum

Label: Drakkar Entertainment

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Metal

Review:

The newest album of Sodom leader’s project Onkel Tom looks like as a compilation. A lot of track without rhyme or reason... It is about drinking, as always at Onkel Tom’ albums but missing in this „the claw”. Tom remembered about that „Onkel Tom” is not a „Sodom” at a half of this album – only from thrack no 7 „Wie Das Glas In Meiner Hand”  to the end of album this is typical, normal, old, good Onkel Tom. It was may be better to release EP ? Tho old school hymnes for Lemmy and Bon Scott are great and these are the best tracks on this album... Summary I’m little disgusted, I like folklore/drinking metal but Tom Angelripper  clearly is getting old... However respect for old school part of this album!

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 7.5/10

Band: SARGON

Country: Panama

Title: In Contempt

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

From the underground, Sargon delivers a brand of vicious death metal with a definite hardcore edge.  In Contempt releases that hatred and anger in a Hatebreed sort of way!  A technical offering with elements coming from old school thrash metal as well as anything else.  Sargon doesn’t surprise as far as talent goes because part of Malevolent Creation and Solstice members make up half the band and this alone is a good reason why Sargon is so interesting to listen to.  Sargon delivers first rate metal with catchy riffs and speedy parts, not to mention the raspy vocals and brutal attack.  Fans of Hatebreed and old school thrash metal will enjoy this offering.  Sargon gives their all and did well, with tracks like "In Contempt” and "Drowning in Sorrow”, these guys will do well in the underground!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact:

Band: SILCHARDE

Country: France

Title: Cacolepsie

Label: Frozen Wing Records

Year: 2009

Style: Shammanik Occult Ambient

Review:

SILCHARDE, through these five pieces, takes us to the confines of our internal abymes.. Despite a very low sound, this ambient heavy, weighing, manages to transport us to the ultimate nightmare vision! This album is to listen and repeat, decision is not immediately... Ambient lovers will be conquered, the pieces and very slow pace, it imagines, wished performing, and the appeal in the dark! I like the atmosphere that emerges from this album, unhealthy, hypnotic! I highly recommend!

Reviewed by Alrinack

Contact:

www.myspace.com/cloaqueofsilcharde 

Band: SLYTRACT

Country: Hungary

Title: Existing Unreal

Label: Noisehead Records

Year: 2011

Style: Thrash Death Metal

Review:

The Hungarians Slytract are a death metal band formed in 2005 and after an Ep. self released and an album in 2008 ( Explanation: Unknown) , they have reached another step with this product " Existing Unreal”  on Noiseheadrecords.  At first impact  I have seen that they have left the thrash way of their last album and they have  become more death but with a lot of melodic parts ( Something that I always emphasize). The modern production fits the album perfectly and makes it great to listen to . The sound is aggressive and everyone plays very well with good technique. The growl is deep and cavernous and fixes perfectly with the music ( there is even clean voice in some songs) , and the drummer does a great job finding the right rhythms. I have appreciated  the atmosphere that they want to give,  and the variety of the songs that  do not make you bored. To sum up this is a very good band that knows what it’s doing and I suggest to look at some videos on the net, (especially the one of the drum player) that explain to you how they have worked and recorded this album. In short a varied album that needs your attention and I am already a fan!

Reviewed by Rob Gore

Rating: 8.5/10

Contact:

Band: SMOHALLA / IMMEMORIAL

Country: France

Title: Noyade Celeste

Label: Frozen Wing Records

Year: 2009

Style: Ethereal Post Black Metal / Drone Dark Ambient

Review:

These two formations, with their respective titles, illustrate the drone ambient scene... I personally have a preference for SMOHALLA, who despite arrangements synthetic and very close to electro, retains the place of other instruments, which are developed property in value throughout the piece! Production is very good, very well audible, I finally found this very surprising piece! and very pleasant! The title of IMMEMORIAL, is I would say, more classical, not so much of surprise to listen, but it remains a good title drone! I therefore recommend this split-cd! short but effective!

Reviewed by Alrinack

Contact:

www.myspace.com/smohalla 

www.myspace.com/immemorial 

Band: THE BEAST OF THE APOCALYPSE

Country: Holland

Title: Henosis

Label: Transcendental Creations

Year: 2011

Style: Black Metal

Review:

In 2007 an atmospheric Black Metal band was created and since then The Beast of the Apocalypse has been rising in the underground.  Evil, primitive, and raw comes to mind when I hear the release Henosis from this band.  Most of what the band is talking about is about Apocrypha and similar aspects, but we won’t get into that right now.  The offering delivers 7 tracks giving fans a bit over 38 minutes of Black Metal.  The production is a noisy experience, but with  a concept of ritual lyrics that are quite interesting.  Early style influence from Black Metal bands like Beherit is definitely in the style on this record.  The underground might be unfamiliar with The Beast of the Apocalypse, but maybe after placing this in their players they could change their mind.  The message of primitive and raw is throughout the album, and fans of old school Black metal will like this.  This is a very interesting record with its message of the occult and lack of empathy for the world! 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 7/10

Contact:

Band: UNDEAD CREEP

Country: Italy

Title: The Ever-Burning Torch

Label: Dark Descent Records

Year: 2011

Style: Death Metal

Review:

Undead Creep unload with the old school death metal, I mean old school brother!  Autopsy, Entombed, Dismember, and Nihilist type stuff.  Very impressive and nostalgic as far as I’m concerned.  Undead Creep deliver the brutality just the way bands did back in the early 90’s when Swedish Death Metal took the helm.  15 tracks of pure crushing early death totaling over 52 minutes in length.  Plenty of tracks and time to jam to this bad boy.  Undead Creep will certainly make their way to the top of the death metal helm if they keep unleashing this good shit like The Ever Burning Torch.  I love the influence of Entombed in their music, it is their (Undead Creep) own way of playing of course, but hearing the influence is awesome!  Undead Creep keep it old school and keep it killer with this release.  Tracks to get into are easy "Immolation for Reincarnation”, "Eradicated Memories”, and "Forbidden Cult”  The rest is up to you as the listener!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 9/10

Contact:

Band: VISCERAL DISGORGE

Country: USA

Title: Ingesting Putridity

Label: Amputated Vein Records

Year: 2011

Style: Brutal Death Metal

Review:

Sick, Sick, and more sick!  Visceral Disgorge is what I call "Technical Sickness” all the way.  Not just some thrown together brutality either, we are talking being influenced old school and possibly from the Swedish Death Metal era as well.  Visceral Disgorge aren’t a porno grind band or anything that extreme.  What is here is a band with the capabilities of bringing back that old school feeling mixed with slamming brutality and catchy riffs with groove.  I really like this release and hopefully so will the underground!  As I mentioned before, V.D. sounds to me like a band with influence coming from bands like Entombed or Dismember.  Production is chunky and gives off the Swedish feel as the aforementioned bands.  There are 9 tracks totaling 44 minutes of death metal.  Perfect for the old school junkie like myself, do not let the band’s ruthless moniker fool you, these guys jam it technically proficient and to the extreme in the death metal way!  Fans of old school metal will love this shit!  Tracks such as "Force Fed Shredded Genitalia”, "Ball Gagged and Gutted”, and "Maggot Infested Fuckhole” give the definite sounds of sociopath sickness with technical perfection.  Awesome!

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 9/10

Contact:

Band: VULTURE INDUSTRIES

Country: Norway

Title: The Malefactor's Bloody Register

Label: Dark Essence Records

Year: 2010

Style: Avantgarde Black Metal

Review:

Vulture Industries is a cool name for a band, and this band plays a progressive style of Black Metal.  You can hear the raw and primitive sound throughout, even with the semi-polished production.  Atmospheric in ways, but evil in other ways.  Talk about the story of the mentally disturbed!  Vulture Industries is a fresh sound in the land of genres and metal these days.  The Dystopia Journals displays influence from many different areas like Melodic Death Metal riffs, progressive sounds, and lots of the symphonic stuff as well.  Mixed metal is what I call it, but it does the job and the message becomes pretty clear by the end of the 44 minute release.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

Contact: