Carcass - Surgical Steel

Cult of Erinyes / Zifir - Split

Dead Church / Suffering Mind - Split

Dead Deities - Valley Of The Giants

Diabolikal Holokaust - Diabolikal Holokaust

Dischordia - Project 19

Drug Honkey - Ghost in the Fire

Enmachined - Thrash Assault

Evoke Thy Lords - Drunken Tales

Festerguts - Heritage of Putrescent

Fleshgod Apocalypse - Labirynth

Replica - The Bright Side of Death

Rum - Birbant

Scent of Death - Of Martyrs's Agony and Hate

Sorcery - Legacy of Blood

The Deathisodes - Inside the Universe of Horror

Throne Of Heresy - Realms of Desecration

Trallery - Catalepsy

Tsyrulnia - Fire and Ice

Valdur - Blast Beast

Band: ABSTRACT SPIRIT

Country: Russia

Title: Theomorphic Defectiveness

Label: Solitude Productions

Year: 2013

Style: Funeral Doom Metal

Review:

The third stab from this apocalyptic Russian band, "Theomorphic Defectiveness" is an hour long jurney through torments and laments, despair and loss of any hope. It's amazing what these 4 Russians managed to deliver on the new album, I guarantee you'll feel the weight of the World on your sholders after a simple audition; yes, it that heavy! The vocals are actually cryptic, inhuman, low growls used like an instrument of torture here, most of the guitar riffs are slow and repetitive but also not boring, alternating with killer mid-tempo to fast Death Metal riffs, and the drums are even slower but oh so heavy. The keyboards build the whole mystic atmosphere around Abstract Spirit's music, and the guitar leads are making this atmosphere even heavier. One of the most tormenting and inspired Funeral Doom Metal albums I've heard in a while; beware, gat it only if you're used to this type of music, otherwise stay away, it will ruin your spirit for a whole week!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: ATER ERA

Country: Slovenia

Title: Beneath Inanimate Grime

Label: Pestilence Records

Year: 2013

Style: Black Metal

Review:

It's not often bands from Slovenia get on my review list so I was quite curious about what this trio has to offer. The band was founded in 2006 and this is their second full-length, released 2 years after their quite well received debut "In Autumn's Solitary Decline". The CD is features 7 tracks but it lasts for almost an hour of mid-tempo to fast paced Black Metal with multiple variations and a lot of interesting ideas creating an overall mystic, psychedelic and quite mesmerizing atmosphere. What's great about this is they only use traditional instruments (bass, guitar and drumms) to create their music and they perfectly succeed in delivering a dark, horrifying music without the use of keyboards or other special effects. Black Metal fans should get ahold of this album, it won't disapoint.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10

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Band: BRENVOLIZNEPR / WITCHBREW

Country: Italy / Italy

Title: Animal sacrifice / Pouring ancient evil

Label: Baphomet in Steel

Year: 2011

Style: Punk Black Metal / Black Thrash Metal

Review:

Opening this split is an Italian duo I can't even write its name without double-checking it afterwards, but how about pronouncing it? Oh well, nevermind. Musicwise, if you can poss over the horrible, lo-fi rehearsal type of sound, they are mixing Punk with Black Metal or better said heavy influences from Venom, Motorhead and underground Punk, so we get simple and repetitive riffs, guitar solos loosing pace and simple drums and screams all over. After a while it becomes addictive but only because of those simple riffs that eventually get stuck to your head, and the fast rhythms. I have no idea if this is a mockery or if they are actually serious about it... Witchbrew are a duo and this is their first official release; one of the guys is also involved in Brenvoliznepr, Zorndyke and Ars Goetia and I think he owns the label Baphomet in Steel too. Their part is better: the sound is still rehearsal-like but fatter, the compositions are simple again but they are more brutal, and the demented vocals work better in this case, so yes, if I was about to pick from the two bands I'd go for Witchbrew anytime, even the band's name is much better, haha. Get ahold of this only if you're into deep, lo-fi sound underground, otherwise its not your cup of tea.  

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 4/10   6/10

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Band: CARCASS

Country: UK

Title: Surgical Steel

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2013

Style: Death Metal Death'n'Roll

Review:

This album is just... little weird. I hear that is Carcass of course, but  „Surgical Steel” is, in my opinion, very, very unequal album. Some really great tracks with interesting motifs and some old school sounds, interwoven by scrap’s pieces... However technical drive is very good, riffs, solos, drums kickin’ ass very specifically. But something is missing... In summary: I was expecting after the crew something better. That's how. Ah, good death’n’roll quasi-ballad on the end, unfortunately with core/NU pieces. As a bonus? Maybe.

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 6.5/10

Band: CORPSEFLESH

Country: Australia

Title: Tattooed by a Blowtorch

Label: Ungodly Ruins Productions

Year: 2013

Style: Brutal Death Metal

Review:

When you hear Brutal Death Metal nowadays you immediately think of ultra-fast, as intricate as possible, hard-to-follow rhythms, but for my delight Corpsefles, although following the typical patterns of this genre, are a combination of old-school Brutal Death with the new form of this genre, and what a successful combination it is... Besides the ultra-fast blast beats, Corpseflesh are adding catchy guitar riffs with a bit of groove here and there, a great growling vocal, and even some slow, heavy as shit rhythms. Honestly I don't like the drums' sound, especially the snare drum, but that won't make me say this is a weak album. On the contrary, I have enjoyed every bit of it and I can say Corpseflesh is one of the Brutal Death bands I like the most this year, just imagine a combination of Gorgasm, Dying Fetus and even Deicide, sick, sick, sick.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: CULT OF ERINYES / ZIFIR

Country: Belgium / Turkey

Title: Cult of Erinyes / Zifir

Label: Tanquam Aegri Somnia

Year: 2012

Style: Black Metal / Black Metal

Review:

Opening this split is a revelation of the new European wave of Black Metal, Cult of Erinyes. The band was founded in 2009 from the ashes of a Metalcore band turned Black Death later on and expired in 2009, Psalm. I guess they decided to change the band name also while turning onto a more mystical, demonic side of Metal, Black Metal. The band released its debut album on Les Acteurs de L'Ombre in 2011 and then this split CD on Tanquam Aegri Somnia, but short after that they signed with Code666 and released the second full-length, so I guess they'll soon become a World-known name. Musicwise, on this split, Cult of Erinyes delivers 3 tracks of dark, intensive, horrifying Black Metal, well-curdled, expressive and quite technical to a point there's not much you can argue about. Besides sounding like a devastating hurricane on their fast parts, Cult Of Erinyes are also minacing and terrifying, a full treat. 

Zifir are from Turkey and their side is as dark and misanthropic as possible, their music ranges from slow, heavy rhythms to faster ones but the atmosphere is very thick, like a suffocating fog, don't know how to explain it better but I'm impressed by what they managed to create with traditional instruments only (bass, guitar, drums). This is a band you'll either hate or love, and I'm sure they'll find a suitable label to release their upcoming materials, just like CoE did.

A split recommended to the ones of you in search for putrid, doomy, dark Black Metal.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 8.5/10   8/10

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Band: DEAD CHURCH / SUFFERING MIND

Country: Poland / Poland

Title: Dead Church / Suffering Mind

Label: 7 Degrees Records

Year: 2013

Style: Grindcore

Review:

Dead Church and Suffering Mind have released a split cd, each band containing one song a piece on this little split.  From tha start it is a blasting cap of Grindcore horror in a vein of old Carcass/Napalm Death/Righteous Pigs stature.  Quite a mix, but totally crushing on the brain!  Dead Church delivers the first track in a wopping time of 56 seconds in length!  Not much in difference when Suffering Mind begins their track entitled "War Street/Wall Street".  A total length of 54 seconds for Suffering Mind!  Two equally brutal, grinding, and crushing grindcore tracks that take a person back to the early 90's when Grindcore was young in the metal world.  Unfortunately for metal fans of this genre Dead Church and Suffering mind leave a lot to be desired with two tracks that aren't even a fucking minute long in length!  Two crushing bands like this give me a lot of nostalgia when it comes to metal from the early days and I would have loved to hear a full length effort from both bands, but what the hell, two small tracks are fine until something else happens with these guys! 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

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Band: DEAD DEITIES

Country: Australia

Title: Valley Of The Giants

Label: Selfreleased

Year: 2012

Style: Modern Metal

Review:

Dead Church and Suffering Mind have released a split cd, each band containing one song a piece on this little split.  From tha start it is a blasting cap of Grindcore horror in a vein of old Carcass/Napalm Death/Righteous Pigs stature.  Quite a mix, but totally crushing on the brain!  Dead Church delivers the first track in a wopping time of 56 seconds in length!  Not much in difference when Suffering Mind begins their track entitled "War Street/Wall Street".  A total length of 54 seconds for Suffering Mind!  Two equally brutal, grinding, and crushing grindcore tracks that take a person back to the early 90's when Grindcore was young in the metal world.  Unfortunately for metal fans of this genre Dead Church and Suffering mind leave a lot to be desired with two tracks that aren't even a fucking minute long in length!  Two crushing bands like this give me a lot of nostalgia when it comes to metal from the early days and I would have loved to hear a full length effort from both bands, but what the hell, two small tracks are fine until something else happens with these guys! 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 8/10

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Band: DEMOGORGON

Country: Poland

Title: Where Is He...?

Label: G.U.C.

Year: 2013

Style: Death Metal

Review:

There were and still are countless Demogorgon bands around the world, don't know how they can all exist and release stuff at the same time, I'd be extremely frustrated to be in such a position. Anyway, this is the Polish Death Metal band Demogorgon, founded in 1995, at the moment a trio. This is their second full-length album, a Polish response to Deicide, meaning a Death Metal based on quite simple riffs, mid-tempo to fast rhythms, catchy compositions, dual vocal type (screams/growls) and blasphemic attitude. Unfortunately on some tracks the riffs are too simplistic leaving space to boredom; the sound is raw and organic, but in this case it emphasizes those dry, uninspired parts. Except for that, the fast parts are really brutal and enjoyable, the vocals are very good, and their technical skills as instrumentists demonstrate they can do better. If you're into Deicide you might like this album too, or at least parts of it.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 6.5/10

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Band: DIABOLIKAL HOLOKAUST

Country: Mexico

Title: Diabolikal Holokaust

Label: Infinito Envenenado Records

Year: 2013

Style: Black Thrash Metal

Review:

Nice CD cover from what seems like recycled paper, that type of paper that seems 100 years old, horns up for this idea. Now getting to the music, the Mexico based Diabolikal Holokaust featured 9 tracks on this debut album totaling 35 minutes of fast, raw, and devastating Thrash Black Metal. Ultra-fast drumming, insane guitar riffs, and a horrifying combination of Thrashy screams with low tunned Death Metal growls, a true nightmare indeed, a nightmare I'm sure fans of raw Thrash Black will appreciate. The composition and execution are not the best possible but the band impresses through their hateful attitude and ferocity; get this album only if you like your Metal raw, satanic and bloody.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7.5/10

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Band: DISCHORDIA

Country: USA

Title: Project 19

Label: Rogue Records America

Year: 2013

Style: Technical Death Metal

Review:

Dischordia is a relatively new metal band from Oklahoma, US.  Starting in 2010 Dischordia have released a previous ep before delivering the new offering "Project 19".  "Project 19" is a technical death metal effort with a brewing production that has some damn good potential.  A cross of Deathcore/Thrash/Death Metal with technical preference, Dischordia delivers 9 new tracks of good metal.  "Project 19" has a progressive influence throughout the album and tracks like "The Enemy" and "When she saw Him" show that the band has new sound style with technical proficiency.  All of the influence in the musis seems to flow with a natural passion and feeling without the certain "trying to hard" kind of thing that newer bands end up having in their first full length offerings.  New school sound mixed with old school brutal influence is what takes "Project 19" to the top list of metal bands today, atleast that's my opinion.  Dischordia, if I didn't know any better, would have me thinking they are a veteran band in the metal scene!  With a genre full of bands that are good and horrible Dischordia and their new release keep them on an A list of bands!  "Project 19" is well tuned effort by a hell of a band with wonderful future potential.

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 9/10

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Band: DRUG HONKEY

Country: USA

Title: Ghost in the Fire

Label: Transcending Obscurity

Year: 2012

Style: Experimental Death Doom Metal

Review:

Drug Honkey is a bit of a different taste in metal than what I am used to, but sometimes that is okay!  Experimental Doom/Death since around 1999.  This is the fourth full length offering from the band and I must say gloomy is an understatement.  From the start of the first track, "Order of the Solar Temple", the gloomy environment that comes about is just what it seems, fucking very doom and gloom.  The low and harsh vocals add to the mystique of Drug Honkey's music.  There are remnants of early doom metal like Cathedral from theur "Forest of Equilibrium" days and even times when I thought Paradise Lost could have been a small influence from their 1989 release "Lost Paradise".  There is almost a Gothic feel to the doom that churns from "Ghost in the Fire".  Tracks like "Order of the Solar Temple" and "Ghost in the Fire" are very "apocalyptic" feeling when played, and the gloomy metal doesn't stop there.  There is a brand of the experimental metal that flows throughout the ten total tracks, 51 minutes of music.  A person has to have an acquired taste for the type pf metal Drug Honkey delivers on "Ghost in the Fire", but fans of pure Death/Doom Metal will certainly enjoy the darkness hailing from this offering.  There are also two instrumentals on this release, "In Black Robe" which delivers a most darkened and very drawn seeming track that somebody would probably listen to in a heroin induced bad trip!  Pretty awesome stuff.  Another instrumental is "Twitcher" which happens to be a cover track of the band Scorn.  Godflesh and Scorn are the closest experimental type metal I can think of besides other obscure bands that come close to what Drug Honkey is doing these days.  If you like your music completey Deathly and doomy with a suicidal approach mixed with the apocalyptic experimental production then check out Drug honkey!  These guys will take you down a path that most people couldn't handle if they were in a night terror that wakes up in three seconds, only this path would be almost an hour of terror! 

Reviewed by Lex Luther

Rating: 7/10

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Band: ENMACHINED

Country: Bangladesh

Title: Thrash Assault

Label: Salute Records

Year: 2013

Style: Thrash Metal

Review:

Wow, I certainly didn't expect such a kick-ass music from this band especially because this is their debut demo. Salute Records picked a real winner this time! Unfortunately the sound is not the best possible (you feel like listening to a radio show recorded with your tape recorder...weird), but the band can deliver awesome music, an old-school type of Heavy Thrash Metal complete with long, intricate guitar solos, catchy guitar riffs and a very good vocal part, combination of Udo and Araya, sick! Too bad there are only 3 tracks listed on this demo, but at least they made a very good first impression, now it's time for a full-length, ASAP guys! If you're into old-school Thrash Metal make sure you don't overlook this Bangladesh band!

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: EVOKE THY LORDS

Country: Russia

Title: Drunken Tales

Label: Solitude Productions

Year: 2013

Style: Stoner Doom Death Metal

Review:

Second album from these Russians and my first encounter with their music. At first, during the debut track the band seems to follow quite ordinary Doom Death patterns: heavy sound, low tuned bass lines, lazy, dusty drumming, and repetitive, groovy guitars all supported by an uncomprehensive raspy vocal, but then the flute gets in the way and it all becomes quite spacey and stoner, I can't count how many times I felt into a meditative, lethargic state during the audition, probably that's their intention, too, but except for the flute lines it lacks of originality and it failed in keeping my attention high along the way. Maybe fans of Stoner Doom will appreciated this much better than I did, after all there's nothing wrong with the sound, with the execution or with the compositions, it just went by me somehow.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 7/10

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Band: FESTERGUTS

Country: Russia

Title: Heritage of Putrescent

Label: Goremageddon Prod. / More Hate Prod.

Year: 2013

Style: Death Metal

Review:

I can't believe this is Festerguts' debut album, I know the band from the tons of "Bloodsoaked" EP flyers I used to receive in the '90's, I thought by now they should have had at least a couple of albums under belt. Nonetheless I'm sure this is a well respected band in the Russian underground and having 2 labels releasing this debut album is no surprise. The band celebrates 2 decades of activity with this album, a fine way to crown so many years in Metal, too bad the album is only a bit more than 30 minutes in length. Anyway, Festerguts deliver an interesting approach on Death Metal, old-school, brutal, dark and fast but with loads of keyboards added, not melodic, cheesy keyboards, but rather dark and cryptic, to enhance the overall atmosphere. The vocals are excellent, guttural, powerful and scarry, the riffs are pretty traditional, technical, supported by short, phycho US style solos, the drums and bass lines are top-notch and the overall atmosphere, is enriched by the creepy keyboards and occasional female vocals. Don't worry, this is not a mellow type Death Metal even if it has keys and female vox, it's straight to your face '90's type Brutal Death the US type. Great band.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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Band: FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE

Country: Italy

Title: Labirynth

Label: Nuclear Blast

Year: 2013

Style: Symphonic Death Metal

Review:

„Labirynth” is a similar situation as Carcass’ „Surgical Steel” – good album but something is missing. After „Agony” album I’m waiting for next absolutey kicking ass stuff. „Labirynth” includes included opera/symphonic motifs indeed, but looking after all this is closer Therion than Fleshgood Apocalypse... A lot and a lot of piano motifs, pathetic symphonic sounds, some growl, some guitars, but proportions are shaken. Besides, when I listen to and switching these pieces is hard to distinguish from one to another. This is one track, divided by 11 pieces, like a cake. Good cake, I like cake, but too much cake is not good for health, heh... I am little disappointed in this album.

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 7/10

Band: GORGUTS

Country: Canada

Title: Colored Sands

Label: Season of Mist

Year: 2013

Style: Avantgarde Death Metal

Review:

„Colored Sands” is very, very, very weird stuff... Collision of steamroller collision with a cosmic abyss, heavy hangovers with schizophrenic echoes or sth like this – but in a positive sense of these comparisons. At the beginning od listening this album I got wall of sound but as the asteroid belt as well, next the pace slowed but weight was remained unchanged. „Colored Sands” include in the brain as a screw into soft wood, but but at some point, followed by fatigue... This stuff is really curious album, but it takes time and othe skill of listening. Small piece of film music (5th track) is really good glass of cold water on the desert, because next track makes brain burns completely... To the end of album. Destruction and catharsis completely, from time to time is good to make periodically „reset” by listening of this album.

Reviewed by Vilcin

Rating: 8/10

Band: GRACE DISGRACED

Country: Russia

Title: Enthrallment Traced

Label: More Hate Productions

Year: 2012

Style: Technical Death Metal

Review:

First time I hear about this Russian Death Metal band although they were formed back in 2004, so they'll soon celebrate their first decade of activity. This is their debut album, a 7 tracks opus I have enjoyed so much that its 44 minutes seemed more like 15... If you're into the good old Death sound you might enjoy Grace Disgraced too. I'm not saying they are a complete copycat, but it's impossible not to think about the legendary Death while listening to this full-length. The guitar work is very complex and from my point of view has no weak points, I could follow its lines over and over again; the rhythm section is tight as hell although to tell you the truth my attention was attracted more by the guitar lines than the bass or drums and that's a good thing after all, it means there's nothing wrong with this section either. The vocals are perfect, and you should know the band is lead by a chick (and bioy she's a beauty, too), but her way of spewing grunts and growls, disgusted and proud, aggressive and well-thought, gave me the shivers. What can I say more, Grace Disgraced was a very nice surprise, I hope to hear more from them soon.

Reviewed by Adrian

Rating: 9/10

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