FUROR GALLICO Furor Gallico Massacre Records Official Website

There's one style of music a band with such a moniker can play and this is no other than pagan metal. FUROR GALLICO from Italy with their self titled debut are here with much ambition showing us how capable they are to reign the scene and place themselves among the biggest and most important names of the pagan metal music. Their sound might not be groundbreaking, after all pagan metal doesn't have much space for innovations, but it surely is addictive and intoxicating! First of all the guys have managed to balance perfectly their melodies with the traditional pagan touches and with the more aggressive aspect of their music, thus creating some great up tempo and uplifting songs. Their melodies are sweet and beautiful, their riffs are catchy and some black/death touches spice up the end result even more. "Furor Gallico" is a fine sample of how well metal can be combined and mixed with traditional music and how perfectly metal instruments match with traditional ones like the tin and low whistles, the celtic harp, the violin and the bouzouki, which by the way is a traditional Greek instrument. One last thing I'd like to note is the diversity of the vocals which are all great and serve ideally the songs, from the smashing clean vocals to the black metal screams and the more guttural death metal growls the vocal performance is as great as the rest of the music is. If you like pagan metal, then this is a release you just shouldn't miss for any reason! I'm impressed! Keep an eye on them, they are set to achieve many great things in the future, so give them the chance!

Christine  Parastatidou

SOUL SACRIFICE Carpe Mortem Independent Official Website

Almost six years after their debut album, "Stranded Hate", this Turkish powerful quartet is making its comeback with its sophomore work, "Carpe Mortem", continuing to deliver music that belongs to the wider genre of death metal. SOUL SACRIFICE like to spice their music up and don't like to deliver music that's too easily pigeonholed and one dimensional, thus they infuse it with a great deal of elements that come from a wide range of influences. Like I mentioned in the beginning death metal is the foundation upon which everything is built, but upon it they construct their own musical blend that carries flavours from their country of origin and marries metal with oriental music. However, I have to say that the oriental moments have been reduced quite a lot here, but still whenever they make their appearance, they boost up the compositions. What the band did with this album is that they followed a more modern Swedish death metal path, which means that "Carpe Mortem" sounds close to contemporary IN FLAMES and SOILWORK with much less, however, electronic elements and samples. Still the general approach of the release is more modern and fashionable and with less traditional anatolian tunes. "Carpe Mortem", in short, is a very good and flawless technically album, but personally I'd enjoy it even more if they insisted more on the oriental aspect of their music. It'd be even more unique!

Christine  Parastatidou

ZOMBIE INC A Dreadful Decease Massacre Records Official Website

ZOMBIE INC may be appearing for the first time in the metal scene, but the band members behind this group are veterans with much experience and really know what they are doing. Some of the bands the musicians participate in or used to be a part of are IN SLUMBER, COLLAPSE7, BELPHEGOR, FLESHCRAWL, DEBAUCHERY, THE CASCADES, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE, HOLLENTHON and PUNGENT STENCH. As you can see the list is huge and all the bands listed are really well known in the worldwide extreme metal scene and since extreme metal is what these guys are good at, this is exactly the direction they've chosen to follow with their new musical endeavour as well. "A Dreadful Decease" is a typical example of European death metal with only a few dispersed American death metal references in it, which means that it has a bit of everything thrown in... it is aggressive and brutal of course, but it also has lots of melodic lines, tons of technical parts and some really cool and elaborate guitar solos. The rhythm section is solid, extremely heavy and its tempos vary from mid to up paced, while the vocals are hoarse and raspy death metal growls, without, however, ever turning too guttural. All this makes the album a treat for the die hard death metallers, but on the other hand I feel I should note that it's a typical, ordinary release without anything new or fresh to offer us. "A Dreadful Decease" is a good album if you want to listen to standard stuff you are familiar with, but if you are looking for something different or innovative, then you'll have to look elsewhere.

Christine  Parastatidou

GRIEF OF EMERALD The Devils Deep Non Serviam Records Official Website

It's been almost nine years since we last heard from this Swedish extreme combo and most people thought they had called it quits... Yet here they are with their latest seven track release, showing us that they are back in track, doing what they like the most and this is nothing else than play well crafted blackened death metal. GRIEF OF EMERALD is a band that ever since its formation has been influenced by and had a similar sound to DIMMU BORGIR and MORBID ANGEL and this is how their music on "The Devils Deep" sounds like, making it a quality symphonic black/death metal work with nice melodies, tempo shifts, a solid pounding rhythm section and some cool brutal riffs. Add to all this a cold grim atmosphere and raspy blackened vocals and you have an interesting and well balanced album. However, there's a big drawback in this release and this is the fact that out of the seven tracks appearing here, only four are new, whereas the other three are re-recorded songs taken from their previous albums ("Famine" and "Revival" are from their "Nightspawn" debut and "Holy Book, Holy Shit" is from "Malformed Seed") and the differences between the originals and the new versions are insignificant. I guess the band did this because they either wanted to remind their old fans of their past or they wanted to attract new audience while at the same time offering them a taste of the band's whole career or even both... I really don't know what the case is, but I think they should have included more new songs. Their music might not be original, but it's definitely catchy, cool and qualitative and it's a shame they haven't offered as more.

Christine  Parastatidou

CRAFT Void Carnal Records Official Website

"Void" is the fourth release for this black metal duo from Sweden and it comes nearly six years after "Fuck the Universe", moving in much the same direction. There are lots of styles within the black metal genre as in every metal style, so here too there are bands with a more old fashioned sound, others with a modern approach, groups that deliver primitive music and others that infuse it with melodies or symphonic parts. CRAFT is a case of a band that follows the more traditional, let's say, paths, which means that their black metal is pure and raw, with simple repetitive structures, distorted guitars, demonic growls and tempos varying from mid to more up paced ones. All this means that things are typical here, albeit rather boring, one dimensional and unispired. There isn't much going on in the music department and the end result sounded more nervless to me rather than hateful or nihilistic. CRAFT follow the old school DARKTHRONE, CARPATHIAN FOREST school, but for me they are not doing it successfully enough...

Christine  Parastatidou

OBSIDIAN KINGDOM 3:11 EP Independent Official Website

There are many bands out there who claim to play experimental, pioneering or innovative music, but the truth is that few are those who manage to carry the weight of such a statement and pull it off. OBSIDIAN KINGDOM from Spain is a band that do what they preach and they do it in a really cool and addictive way! Their black metal is fresh, it has the band's personal stamp and it's filled with experimentations and progressive tunes and themes. Moreover, they enrich it with quite a few death metal touches, something that enhances even more the brutality and intensity of the compositions, while the tempos vary from slower to more up paced and have plenty of interchanges and cuts that underline more intensely the progressive and experimental character of the songs. Except for all this, the EP's sound is really good and the production clear and with the necessary volume, so the only thing I'd like to tell the band is that they have to give us more songs... three are not enough! We want more!

Christine  Parastatidou

XPIRAL Grave New World EP Independent Official Website

I presented the debut album of this band entitled “Poison Eyes” back in 2005 and they left me with good impressions. The style of the band is a mixture of power mainly with some progressive metal touches. They also use keyboards, an instrument that is not my favourite in heavy metal music, but here it works just fine. The key elements that characterize the sound of this band, in my opinion, are the skillful playing of all the musicians that participate here along with a good sense of melody. Actually it is impressive the fact of how the band keeps a good balance between the melodic and heavier lines in its music. This EP is the most mature work of the band. X – PIRAL from Greece all these year have worked hard and this is obvious from the quality of this release which has nothing to envy from the releases of other well known bands from abroad. I think that the friends of power metal music and especially the ones who love bands like EVERGREY (early days) and SYMPHONY X will love this release and band as well. Such works increase the level and status of the Greek metal scene. So support them…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

BONE DANCE - DIVIDER - PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND Three Way Split Throatruiner Records Official Website

There are usually two bands appearing on split releases, but in this case they are three and they may deliver different interpretations of hardcore music, but they all have a common denominator in their sound and this is the violence, the aggressiveness and the in your face attitude all these six songs have. First in line appear BONE DANCE who hail from Idaho, USA and participate here with the tracks "Conniver" and "West", which are both fine examples of total annihilation and roughness. Their music is chaotic with tempos varying from fast to mid paced, the latter of which is what gives their sound a sludge character as well. Next in line are DIVIDER from New York, USA who participate here with their songs "Gaia" and "Halios Geron". The Greek track titles shouldn't surprise you since behind the microphone we find Chris Tzompanakis who's known in the underground circles for his work with SKYCAMEFALLING back in the early 2000. Now DIVIDER deliver raw and yet modern hardcore with some punk touches thrown in and some really cool and addictive riffs, too. Their music is dynamic and uptempo, it's brutal and yet you'll be able to listen to some melodies within the songs. And now it's time to talk about the last band appearing on this split release who are PLEBEIAN GRANDSTAND from Toulouse, France whose hardcore is heavily distorted, down tuned and totally chaotic. I could describe their two songs, "Woe Is Me" and "Woe Is You", as a sonic assault and the debris and devastation that is created in the aftermath... This is exactly what comes to my mind while listening to their tracks. In fact their music is so chaotic, hateful and distorted that it often reaches and crosses the black metal boundaries. This three way split release will be available on 12" vinyl on September, so if you are hardcore maniacs keep your eyes open, remember its release date and go grab a copy!

Christine  Parastatidou

GORT Sixth Day's Cancer Oath Records Official Website

This one isn't a new release as such, since it was originally released in 2008, but it's never too late to discover and come across interesting new bands and sounds. The Italian metal scene is mainly renowned for its melodic, heavy, neoclassical and power metal bands, but what many people don't know is that it has a vivid and really strong extreme underground scene, too. GORT are here to prove this with the raw Norwegian influenced black metal that they're offering us through this highly intense and aggressive album! "Sixth Day's Cancer" has all those qualities that have made the primitive black metal so famous worldwide. Its tempos are ultra fast with countless blastbeats, the vocals sound like demonic shrieks, the guitars are distorted and really sharp and the atmosphere this release gives off is of utter mayhem and misanthropy! If you like raw black metal then you just have to check this killer album out!

Christine  Parastatidou

MARCHE FUNEBRE To Drown Shiver Records Official Website

Debut full length album that comes a couple of years after their EP, "Norizon", is what this quintet from Belgium is here offering us, but please don't rush into conclusions thinking you may already know the kind of music they choose to play. It definitely is doom, there's no question about it, only it has nothing to do with the funeral doom metal that their moniker might make you think. When I first read the band's name I thought it was a clear cut case of funeral doom, which can be fine I guess, but it's not so much my cup of tea. So, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I played the CD and found out that MARCHE FUNEBRE is an excellent doom/death metal act that has managed to find a really good mixture between these two elements and give their music a personal touch. Now, the doom metal elements are definitely the ones prevailing here and the death metal touches that mainly appear in the rhythm section and the brutal deep growls are dispersed within the songs to enhance their intensity and variety. Except for these two metal genres, however, the guys have also added to their sound some more classic oriented metal riffs and surround it all with a really intense epic atmosphere. The atmosphere along with some of the clean solemnt sounding vocals brought to my mind the mighty DOOMSWORD, but what "To Drown" has mainly reminded me of are CANDLEMASS, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and MY DYING BRIDE. MARCHE FUNEBRE is a very talented band that has managed to put forth a really great doom/death metal album. I'm impressed!

Christine  Parastatidou

GORATH Apokalypsis (Unveiling the Age that is not to Come) Twilight Vertrieb Records Official Website

First of all let me start this presentation by telling you that there are two bands with the same moniker and they both play black metal. However, we deal here with GORATH from Belgium who are, it seems, an experienced band having over 15 years of history on their shoulders and having already released four full length albums prior to "Apokalypsis (Unveiling the Age that is not to Come)". Now, their latest release moves in the same path they've chosen to follow since the beginning of their career and this is black metal with a progressive twist to it. So, their compositions have some intricate parts and elaborate riffs and solos, but this doesn't mean that the band doesn't respect the main black metal principles and so their music also has a frozen atmosphere, tons of blastbeats and quite plenty of old school riffs. The tempos are mainly ultra fast, but you'll also listen to many mid paced passages as well. The vocals are more old school oriented which means that they are hoarse and raspy and don't use the shrieking, high pitched growls that much. So, all this should lead to the conclusion that this is a good album and yet it failed to touch me or impress me at all. I found it too flat and nerveless, despite the fact that it's packed with fast moments. I don't know if I should better call it tired or unispired, but this is exactly what it made me think it is...

Christine  Parastatidou

ARCTIC FLAME Guardian at the Gate Pure Steel Records Official Website

This is the third full – length release from the U.S. metal band. I personally like this group and I already have their previous two releases. I especially enjoy their debut album! I like the way they mix their IRON MAIDEN influences with their U.S. metal origin while also having a European metal feeling in their sound. So, for “Guardian at the Gate” I expected to listen to another interesting and well crafted heavy metal album... things, though, weren’t as good as their previous releases. The band once again seems to have good ideas when it comes to the melodies and although you expect by listening to the catchy melody in the start of almost every song that this will take you off, somehow the songs remain dull and give you the sense that the band could do a better job. To make it simple, ARCTIC FLAME seems to lack in directness. They did their songs more complicated than they really needed to. Also, the voice of Michael Clayton Moore (singer of the band) sounds a bit monochromatic and dull and doesn’t give the theatrical touch that the songs need in order to become more interesting. There are a few exceptions on this album like the song “The Creeper” (this one has a JUDAS PRIEST touch) and the mid – tempo almost doom 10 minute song entitled “The Eternal”. I expected more from ARCTIC FLAME though…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

R.U.S.T. Forged in the Fire of Metal Independent Official Website

These R.U.S.T. are from Cyprus and have nothing to do with the Greek metal band back from the 80’s except for having the same sounding name. OK! They also play traditional heavy metal, but you can distinguish them. Anyway, let’s talk about music. Every musical genre in order to be defined has some standards, some clichés as we like to say that help you recognize them. The bad thing with clichés, though, is that if you have too many of them, then your sound lacks in personality and here is the problem with “Forged in the Fire of Metal”. The guys sound so common with many other traditional metal bands out there and their ideas have already been used so many times and I'm sorry to say in a more innovative way than R.U.S.T do on their debut album. This release might impress someone that begins to listen to heavy metal, but I find it hard to bring enthusiasm to people that listen to heavy metal music for many years like me. I am sad to say that their release didn’t impress me, and that there is not a specific song or melody that will made me think “oh, that’s good”. The guys need to work more and craft their personal sound or put more imagination in their compositions. Enthusiasm is not enough, if you want to attract the attention of the metal audience.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DEATH Human Relapse Records Official Website

I don't think DEATH is a band that needs any references... In fact anyone who's into the death metal sound knows them and respects their vast contribution to the extreme metal scene. They are one of the pioneers, one of the first death metal bands, who were originally founded in 1983 as MANTAS and changed their name to DEATH a year later. DEATH have released countless demos and seven full length albums with the last one being "The Sound of Perseverance" in 1998, before disbanding due to the fact that Chuck wanted to pursue a career with his other then newly formed band, CONTROL DENIED and dying of brain stem cancer a few years later in 2001. Ever since then his albums are being re-released by Relapse Records with lots of bonus material. The new addition to this series of re-releases is DEATH'S fourth studio album, "Human", originally released in 1991. I don't think I need to say anything about this state of the art record that has showed that even extreme music can be complex and deliver intricate patterns, elaborate solos and frankly being technical and even progressive. "Human" is a work that every death metal fan should have in his/her collection and this product in particular is even more appealing because it's a deluxe double CD reissue also containing the basic instrumental studio versions of the songs with no vocals and the "Human" demo versions of the songs. Cool stuff!!

Christine  Parastatidou

DR. LIVING DEAD Dr. Living Dead High Roller Records Official Website

The first think that moved my interest on this band, is their name. It reminded me of horror b – movie titles that were produced back in the 80’s and most of them now have a cult status. I believe that this is exactly what they want to achieve through their sound also. DR. LIVING DEAD from Sweden play 80’s influenced thrash metal with a few hardcore elements as it was played back in that decade. I have to say that their main influence is SLAYER, but you can also find touches from bands like ANTHRAX and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES with some bits of traditional metal (such an example is the song entitled “My Brain Is for Sale”). The whole SLAYER feeling is also underlined by the way the vocalist of the band with the nickname Dr. Ape likes to sing who reminds me a lot of Tom Araya (at least most of the times). This thrash metal band from Sweden sounds old fashioned and a bit cheesy some might say, but the truth is that their compositions – the biggest part of them - sound quite fresh and I think that they will satisfy the thrash metal maniacs who thirst for more 80’s oriented thrash metal. This release might not be the thrash metal album that gave me the goosebumps, but it is a sincere release that I have listened to more than pleasantly. Actually, there are a few songs that I will love to listen to again…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DYING FETUS History Repeats... Relapse Records Official Website

If you are into brutal death metal and grindcore, then you just have to know this band from the U.S. They've been around since 1991 and with their sound and six full length albums they've managed to help form and shape this metal genre. Now a couple of years since their last full length album titled "Descend into Depravity" they decided to put forth this EP which contains six covers and a short track of their own in the middle called "Rohypnol" clocking in approximately 44 seconds. The songs they've chosen to cover all come from the brutal death and grind scene and more particularly they are the following: Fade Into Obscurity originally by DEHUMANIZED, Unchallenged Hate by NAPALM DEATH, Gorehog by BROKEN HOPE, Unleashed Upon Mankind by BOLT THROWER, Twisted Truth by PESTILENCE and Born in a Casket by CANNIBAL CORPSE. The total duration of this EP is a little over 22 minutes and it's a real treat for both the fans of DYING FETUS and those who like the aforementioned bands and brutal death/grind in general!

$ILVERDOLLAR Morte Massacre Records Official Website

Second album from the Swedish band and they move on the path of heavy/power metal. Actually their compositions are deep rooted into the 80’s sound, but they have a solid and clear modern production that makes the whole listening heavy and yet melodic. “Morte” might not bring something new to the heavy metal sound; something that doesn’t bother me a lot, since most of the times innovations ruin heavy metal music. The advantages of the band, however, are many and cover fully the originality problem (by saying that they are not original I don’t mean that the guys rip – off the big names of the metal scene, but their influences are quite obvious). First of all they all are talented musicians and their playing is skillful enough to give to the songs the extra blend they need in order to become more interesting. Also the singer of the band has a warm voice with which he can sing a variety of songs moving from hard rock to heavy – power metal paths. The key element, however, is that the band mixes its influences in an imaginative way and the result is more than amusing. The only songs that didn’t say much to me on this album are the first two. After these, the album takes off. This is unusual since most bands prefer to put their best songs in the beginning. So, if you like traditional heavy metal and you don’t have a problem with a modern production, this is a release that you have to check out…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

BAHRRECHT Nuit de Neige Ketzer Records Official Website

The French seem to have quite a vivid and strong underground extreme metal scene which is once again manifested through the debut release of BAHRRECHT. The band was formed in 2001, but since all the band members have been involved with other groups, they had decided to put BAHRRECHT on ice up until the moment they thought they'd find the right inspiration and time to realize their dreams. It seems that the day has come and the four guys who form the band have managed to unleash upon the masses a fine example of primitive old school black metal that's raw and has no place for keyboards or any other mellow stuff. The atmosphere is epic and frozen and the tempos are ultra fast with tons of blastbeats, making the songs sound even more extreme. The vocals sound like demonic shrieks and the guitars have a ferocious and scraping sound. I'd also like to note here that BAHRRECHT know very well what they're doing in terms of production and song writing, since they seem to know the way of making intense and aggressive black metal in the old school Norwegian vein. "Nuit de Neige" is blasphemous, it's profane and it's an attack to the senses. If you are into frozen, monolithic black metal you just have to give it a try.

Christine  Parastatidou

UNDER EDEN The Science of Self-Defeat Sleaszy Rider Records Official Website

"The Silence of Self-Defeat" is the second album of these American death metallers that comes approximately 6 years after their debut “The Savage Circle”, showcasing top notch compositions that are both intense and addictive. UNDER EDEN have managed to perfectly fuse death metal with blackened thrash and thus create a blend of their own, a sound that bears their stamp and sets them apart from the majority of death metal bands out there. Their songs have the necessary extremity that's also enhanced by the great vocals of the band's singer, but they also have a melodic side that comes forth through their beautiful guitar riffs and solos. The rhythm section is a true state of the art with the drumming being truly stunning and the tempos varying from mid paced to ultra fast with the latter of course dominating over the compositions. "The Science of Self-Defeat" is a fine example of death/thrash metal and I urge the fans of this sound to check it out, because such gems shouldn't remain hidden!

Christine  Parastatidou

THROUGH ART Kamaswami Sleaszy Rider Records Official Website

If you believe that the contemporary metal scene can't produce fresh stuff anymore then I urge you to give THROUGH ART from Serbia a try, because with their blend of various metal elements they've sure managed to put forth something that bears their seal and has a recognizable sound. "Kamaswami", their debut full length work, is an amalgam of many great elements in metal music so it balances between its more extreme and its more melodic side. The album can, for the most part, be classified as modern death metal that has influences from the melodic death metal scene, while it also carries touches from brutal death metal. Add to this a thrash approach, groovy sounds and plenty of heavy and power metal themes and you get a glimpse of THROUGH ART's music. There are two kinds of vocals here, the brutal, guttural death metal ones that enhance the extremity of the songs and the clean heavy/prog sounding ones that underline the melodies. Besides all this, I feel I should note that the band members are true craftsmen creating a solid rhythm section on the one hand and offering some elaborate and intricate solos and riffs on the other. "Kamaswami" is a real treat and addresses to a wide spectrum of metal fans!

Christine  Parastatidou

EVENSTORM The Return of the Storm Independent Official Website

EVENSTORM you might think that is a new band from Germany. The truth is that the story of the group starts back in 1985. Since then till now they have managed to release their debut album “…Attacks the Town” back in 1991 and a compilation CD entitled “Metal Anthology” in 2006. And now after so many years they have decided to release their second album entitled “The Return of the Storm”. The second album, despite the fact that is released after so many years from their debut work, you'll find out when you listen to it that it sounds as the natural continuation of their first effort. The only explanation that I can give of how EVENSTORM managed to keep their sound is that they truly love heavy metal and don’t try to make some bucks out of it. So, the guys simply play the kind of music that they love to listen to. As for how they sound? Well, this is one of the little times that I love to say that EVENSTORM are the typical German heavy metal band, which means that musically they are first cousins of bands like ACCEPT and 80’s GRAVE DIGGER and if you add some spins of IRON MAIDEN and RUNNING WILD, then here you are… In the 10 compositions that are included in this album you will also listen to the compositions “Position 69” and the “Message” which were included in their debut release as well. So, it is Teutonic heavy metal, nothing less, nothing more, but for this kind of music it's what my soul desires. If yours too, then check them out…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DISARMONIA MUNDI Mind Tricks Coroner Records Official Website

Can there be a band outside Sweden that can deliver tight, addictive and in many cases better melodic death metal than the creators of the scene? The answer to this question is positive and if you start wondering which this band may be, then you just need to read this band's moniker. DISARMONIA MUNDI is the name and modern melodic death metal at its finest is their game! Now, don't you think that these two Italians and the Swede that comprise this band are newcomers or inexperienced since the band has been around since 1999 and have already released five full length works including this one. Their approach, like I mentioned earlier, is straightforward and clear... they are fans of the modern melodic death metal sound of the Gothenburg scene and this is exactly what they deliver. In fact "Mind Tricks" sounds as the natural descendant of SOILWORK's "Natural Born Chaos" and "Figure Number Five", it just sounds more pissed off and a bit more extreme and wild. SOILWORK may be the best band to compare DISARMONIA MUNDI with, however, you'll also find in their sound resemblances to late IN FLAMES and DARK TRANQUILLITY. I know that "Mind Tricks" isn't anything groundbreaking or innovative, but it's so vibrant, vivid and addictive, I just can't stop listening to it! This is perhaps the best melodic death metal release I've heard in a while so if you dig this sound, then there's only one thing you can do... get your hands on a copy! You won't regret it!

Christine  Parastatidou

ARACHNES A New Day Lion Music Official Website

ARACHNES might not be my cup of tea as a band, but I have listened to some of their releases and I find them quite an interesting band. They belong to the European influenced power metal scene and they do quite a good job on that kind of music. “A New Day”, though, is a bit different from what I had listened to from this band. The thing here is that the band strongly flirts with progressive metal. The truth is that the musicians of ARACHNES can easily play any kind of metal they want and they do a quite good job here technically speaking. The sad thing is that the ideas that they bring here have been listened to many times already from other bands that play progressive power metal. So the result might not be bad or poor, but it is too typical for this kind of genre. I don’t think that ARACHNES need to display their skills, since their power metal is quite skillful and interesting. There are a few exceptions that reminded me of the power metal past of the band and show what kind of genre these guys are good at and these are the songs: “Magic World” and the instrumental “Parallel Worlds”. This is a release that can be recommended only to the fans of the band.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

HUNTED Welcome the Dead Massacre Records Official Website

It is really hard to write a review for this album. The sure thing is that it needs a lot of listenings to fully understand it. There are so many changes in rhythms and melodies that you can categorize them as progressive. At least the way their compositions are structured. On the other hand their riffs and melodies are based on the traditional metal and power/thrash metal sound. To all these you have to add a great singer whose voice is based on the Rob Halford and Tim “Reaper” Owens school (mostly to the second one), although the guy has his personal way of singing. Personally talking, I would like them to have a less complicated structure in their compositions; to be more straightforward and to the point. The fact is that their complicated structures give to their sound depth and make the whole listening more lyrical. Anyway, the truth is that this is a well worked release that deserves your attention, especially if you are into progressive power/thrash metal. A good debut from a band that has the talent and I think the ability to move the people that like their metal complicated but above all they want it to be metal. 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

SHOW YOUR FACE Unleash Orkestral Promenade Records Official Website

If there are still people out there who question the ability of the Greek metal bands to release killer albums, then I urge them to look for "Unleash" and give it a try. Most probably they'll reconsider since this is high class extreme metal and I use the wide term of extreme metal simply because pigeonholing the music of SHOW YOUR FACE is next to impossible. What I can say for sure is that for the most part they balance and walk between death and thrash metal and they seem to value a lot the works of SEPULTURA and SOULFLY on the one hand and THE HAUNTED and the wider melodic death metal scene of Sweden on the other. Add to the aforementioned plenty of elements from thrashcore and deathlcore and you have the blend from which their debut album, "Unleash", is made. The tempos are mainly fast to ultra fast with the exception of the last song which is a ballad and they give off such intensity and ferocity that they'll simply sweep you off your feet and make you bang mercilessly. The vocals sound really pissed off and enhance the brutality of the album, but this isn't just it since "Unleash" has many technical and groovy parts as well. The production is also very good with the necessary volume and power and I should also add that the mastering was handled by the famous R. D. Liapakis. Enjoy!

Christine  Parastatidou

LEVIATHAN Beyond the Gates of Imagination Pt. 1 Bret Hard Records Official Website

Death metal has many branches and thus it's a genre that can offer us variety and original bands with a special, identifiable sound. LEVIATHAN, although newcomers, are such a band and with their second official release, that comes approximately a year after their debut EP, "From the Desolate Inside", they are here to make their presence known to the worldwide metal fans and show us how fine the craft of death metal can be. "Beyond the Gates of Imagination Pt. 1" is a fine example of well played and perfectly executed progressive technical melodic death metal and this means you're gonna find a great deal of elements within the songs. You'll find the harshness and extremity of death metal perfectly mixed with progressive patterns and rhythm changes and enriched with elaborate solos, intricate neoclassical tunes and some nice keyboard parts that enhance the atmosphere of the songs. The whole product, whose tempos vary from mid to fast, is supported by a concrete rhythm section and a passionate vocalist making it a real treat for those of you who like extreme music, but also enjoy technical playing.

Christine  Parastatidou

IPERYT No State of Grace Independent Official Website

IPERYT is an extreme metal band based in Poland and they are here to deliver their own blend of industrial death/black metal, after almost five years with their sophomore work, "No State of Grace". The whole album is filled with great, devastating, bombastic apocalyptic black metal songs with hyper sonic speed. IPERYT put a lot of passion to their music and they enhance it with tonnes of energy. The guitar riffs really put you down and hammer your head without mercy, technically they are great and although they use drum machine, they do it in a great way so it sounds very nice and brutal. The atmosphere of the album is a total war call for the destruction of humanity. True black metal with a lot of balls, really uncompromising stuff! If you love great speed and war metal this is your choice... Excellent!

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

CRANE Refuge Thunderblast Records Official Website

CRANE is a newcoming band from Germany that consists of some musicians who have been active and involved in the hard rock scene for many years now being members of quite a few bands. "Refuge", however, is their debut work with their new band CRANE showcasing melodic hard rock that has an old school scent, bringing to mind lots of 80s hard rock acts. Mix that with plenty of AOR elements that make the end result even more mellow and you have a very clear image of this album's sound. I can't say I'm a big fan of hard rock music, but there are some bands and albums I enjoy listening to/ However, I can't say I enjoyed this album with the exception of a couple of songs that had more nerve and a rocking attitude. The rest of the songs were too cheesy, mellow and common for me to like, which means that "Refuge" applies only to the fans of melodic hard rock and AOR music, so if you don't belong to this category don't even try checking it out.

Christine  Parastatidou

PREDATOR Born In Blood God Of Thunder Records / Twilight-Vertrieb Records / Music Video Distributors Official Website

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine told me that he had managed to find a very rare CD of a guitarist who really knew how to deliver some highly addictive metal tunes. The CD was entitled “Sonic Brutality” and the guitarist was Damien Lee Thorr (note: damn I'm still at the look out for this album). After that, Mr. Thorr decided to leave the solo career aside and formed the band PREDATOR. “Born In Blood” is the second release of the band and here he continues to play the kind of music he used to play as a solo artist, but things are moving on more professional standards nowadays. First of all the things that you can point out regarding PREDATOR is their musical style which you can distinctly recognize. I like the way they mix their traditional and speed/thrash metal influences with neoclassical parts. If you can imagine a cross between IRON MAIDEN, RITCHIE BLACKMORE and good old METALLICA, then you have a hint of how PREDATOR sound. It's also great that although Mr. Thorr is an exceptional guitarist, he uses his skills in order to serve the compositions and make them more interesting and not the other way around like some virtuosos do. Towards achieving all this he has as helpers the other members of the band that are very good on their instruments. Also I like the voice of Nestor Aguirre a lot, whose way of singing reminds me of Bruce Dickinson. Another interesting thing about PREDATOR are the lyrics which differ from your typical swords and dragons power metal lyrical themes and actually deal with serious political matters and are a true food for thought. All in all PREDATOR belong to the elite of the U.S. power metal scene and their new release is inspired and above all has variety. Finally, the CD package of the new album is extremely beautiful since it is made to look like a book. 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

NEROARGENTO Three Hours of Sun Coroner Records Official Website

NEROARGENTO is an Italian one man band created by Alessio who does the vocals and also plays all the instruments, so "Three Hours of Sun" is his sole musical vision and creativity. Now, his new album is one of the greatest bullshit I've ever heard... electro trance with pretty pop male vocals has nothing to do with metal. The only connection it has with metal music are some heavy guitars in some parts... Totally bullshit and I advise you not to even think of listening to it, unless you are gay and love trance... Totally disgusting stuff!

ACLLA Landscape Revolution Metalodic Records Official Website

The Brazilian metal scene is one of the most interesting of South America. It has given birth to too many well known bands, but also its underground scene has bands that play heavy metal with such passion and quality that make you wonder how these bands haven’t become known yet. ACCLA is a band that the fans of melodic heavy/power metal have to check out. The guys have a talent to create melodies and the way to combine them in a creative way and that results in the creation of compositions that are a pleasure to listen to and will keep your interest from the start till the end. OK! You might find some compositions that lack in comparison to some others, but what I want to say is that if you are a fan of melodic heavy metal, then in this release you will definitely find more than a couple songs that you will love to listen to again and again. The skills of the musicians who are part of the band are on a very good level and the orchestrations of the songs have the complexity that is needed in order to make the listening process of this release more interesting. I am sure that ACLLA is a band that will not pass unnoticed from the metal fans around the world. Try to find them, because this could be the beginning of a great career…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

SYLVAIN ROUVIERE’S KAKTUS PROJECT Superstition Metalodic Records Official Website

We are used to say when we talk about a metal opera release that this is an ambitious project. My experience taught me that eight out of ten times a metal opera project is a boring release and you will be lucky if you can listen to one or two good songs. SYLVAIN ROUVIERE’S KAKTUS PROJECT is a pleasant exception to the rule of what we call metal opera. The first positive thing that I have noticed about this album is that the band builds its songs upon solid hard rock and heavy metal foundations. So, you can listen to a variety of songs raging from DEEP PURPLE/RAINBOW influences to more traditional metal and power metal forms. If, for some reason, AVANTASIA come to your mind, then I can say that you have an image of how this album sounds, but these guys are more traditional oriented and they don’t have any pop elements in comparison to the late AVANTASIA releases. “Superstition” is a well worked album that has variety, creates emotions to the listener and above all it will offer you a good time listening to it. In this release many well known names from the metal scene are participating and do a great job, but believe me... if the compositions were not so good, then the participation of the guest musicians couldn’t offer much to this album, except for a good promotion. To quench your thirst I will tell you some of the names that participate here. So here we are: Mats Leven (THERION, AT-VANCE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), Amanda Somerville (AVANTASIA), Mike Dimeo (MASTERPLAN, RIOT, THE LIZARDS, Henning Basse (METALIUM, SONS OF SEASON ), Oliver Hartmann (AT VANCE, HARTMANN, AVANTASIA), Célia Duval (GRP) and many, many more…. A good release that the people of power metal and hard rock have to check out…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DEADEND IN VENICE See You on the Ground Casket Music Official Website

DEADEND IN VENICE is a newcoming quintet from Germany delivering their debut album that moves on the well known path of melodic death metal, a genre that's really famous these past few years. So, in order to stand out in an oversaturated scene you need to be extra passionate and have something fresh or new to offer to the fans. DEADEND IN VENICE have, thus, decided to mix the harshness of death metal with the melodies and aetherial atmosphere of operatic female vocals, so we can say that the end result is quite original and recognisable since it unites in a beautiful way melodic death metal that has a direct influence from the scene of Gothenburg with enchanting female vocals that give it a more symphonic character. I can't say, however, that either of those two elements is original or is something we haven't heard before, but at least combined together they work well and can satisfy listeners who like melodic death metal, but also look for something new or different to enrich it. "See You on the Ground" actually has some pretty cool songs on it, so give it a try, you might like it!

Christine  Parastatidou

TOBY HITCHCOCK Mercury's Down Frontiers Records Official Website

Toby Hitchcock is well known from his collaboration with Jim Peterik in PRIDE OF LIONS. They have released three brilliant studio albums of melodic rock bliss. In the past year, Toby found some time to prepare his first solo release. All the songs in this release were written and produced by none other than Eric Martensson (ECLIPSE, W.E.T). The result sounds like the perfect mix of ECLIPSE, W.E.T and PRIDE OF LIONS. There is no point in discussing about Toby’s performance on the album: the man is gifted with a wonderful voice and it shows. Eric Martensson has delivered some fine tunes again. It is so difficult to pick a favourite. They are all awesome! The result is one of the top albums for 2011. I can’t recommend this CD high enough. Just don’t miss out on this gem!

Kostas Rigas

NOCTUM The Fiddler High Roller Records Official Website

NOCTUM is quite a misleading moniker for the music these Swedes have chosen to play, because I think it makes you expect to listen to something extreme from a band carrying such a name. Well, "The Fiddler" has absolutely nothing to do with extremity or brutal sounds. In fact it's classic hard rock imbued in the '70s style with a few doom touches. Everything about this three track LP is retro and has an old school approach... the sound, the compositions, the vocals... everything sounds as if it was recorded forty years ago and travelled forward in time to land to the present and surround us with its classic rock tunes. The two songs available here, "The Fiddler" and "The Serpent Bride" are typical fine examples of NOCTUM's music for those of you who are already acquainted with the band, so there's nothing the band's fans and those into the '70s that won't like. Except for these two tracks, this mini LP that's limited to 500 copies only, also has a very good cover version of PENTRAGRAM's "Lazy Lady", making "The Fiddler" even more of a treat! Those who are into this sound, should really check this release out!

Christine  Parastatidou

THE ORDER OF CHAOS Burn These Dreams Killer Metal Records Official Website

Chaos is the correct word. As for order I didn’t find any on this album... It is really sad to see that all these new metal bands that pop up and try to mix traditional with more modern metal touches, fail most of the times. It is logical, though, since you can’t put so many things into one composition. THE ORDER OF CHAOS gave me the sense of a confused band that still don’t know what exactly they want to play and in an opportunistic manner they add a little bit of everything in their compositions. The sad thing is that the guys have good ideas, but they are thrown in in such a confusing way that I had the sense that one composition is a collection of many ideas that are not so well bonded together. The band is talented, there is no doubt about it, but this is not enough if you want to achieve a recognizable status in the contemporary heavy metal scene. I will pass for now, and I will wait to listen to, in their future releases, a better combination between their traditional and modern metal elements…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

EXIT TO EDEN From the Other Side Transwaved Records Official Website

SISTERS OF MERCY have to be for the gothic metal genre what IRON MAIDEN are for traditional heavy metal. Few are the bands who play gothic rock/metal that I have listened to that didn’t have some references to this great gothic rock band. EXIT TO EDEN from Austria are no exception to that rule. Their sound and the whole way they sing is definitely influenced by SISTER OF MERCY, but they have also the inspiration to throw in their sound some punk rock touches that bring to mind bands like SEX PISTOLS. All these might sound interesting, especially if you belong to the kind of listener that constantly searches for new sounds. However there is a big but here… EXIT TO EDEN have imagination BUT their songs are a little bit dull and tend from a point on to become monotonous. I have tried to listen to the album a couple of times, but I never managed to keep my attention to the music from the start till the end. I think that they need to make their compositions a little bit more energetic. Personally I was not impressed by the effort of EXIT TO EDEN and I don’t think that a fan of gothic rock/metal will find here something that will convince him/her to purchase this release.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

PEQUOD Forgotten Thunderblast Records Official Website

It is obvious that the mix between thrash, melodic death and hardcore has become very popular lately in the heavy metal scene. I have no problem with that. On the contrary I like the bands that try to mix different kinds of styles. However if mixing, skillful playing and a good production were all that the music needed, then we would have a lot of masterpieces out. The basic things that make an album interesting are the imagination and the creativity of the composer. Two elements that make albums sound interesting, even if they are not so original. PEQUOD seem to lack in that... Their thrashcore sounds too similar with other bands out there and if you listen to them on radio, for example, without knowing who they are it will be hard to remember them or recognise them. Their sound is too common with only two exceptions. The songs entitled “My Redemption” and “Drown”. In these two compositions the band shows that it has the talent to create something that might not be innovative for the genre, but it will make them noticeable. If they try to add some more melodic lines to their sound then they will definitelly catch my interest in their future releases. As I always say to such kind of releases: “Try to listen to them, before you decide where you will spend your money…”

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

HEAD:STONED I Am All Major Label Industries Official Website

Portugal is not one of the European countries that you come across too often in the map of heavy metal music. However, from time to time we listen to some interesting bands from this country. Especially, if you are into the 80’s sound, then you will find quite a few good bands from over there (we have already presented them in our site). HEAD:STONED are coming from Portugal and by any chance don’t let the death metal like cover of the album mislead you. The guys play power/thrash metal which is close to bands like ICED EARTH mainly, but you can also find some more modern groovy touches that will remind you of NEVERMORE. The ICED EARTH influence I mentioned above is so intense also because of the voice of Vitor Franco, the singer of the band, who reminds me of Mat Barlow. “I Am All” is the debut release of the band and I think that it's a good way to introduce themselves. They might not bring something that can be characterized as groundbreaking with their sound, but the compositions included here are well crafted, have interesting orchestrations and if you like U.S. influenced power/thrash metal, then you will have the pleasure to find here some songs that you'll enjoy listening to again and again. 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DEATH MENTALITY Welcome in the Killing Sphere Transwaved Records Official Website

It is good to see or is it more proper to say to listen to new bands that still play the traditional way. DEATH MENTALITY from Austria, in their debut release, play melodic death metal, as Sweden has got us used to releasing, with a few thrash metal references. OK, some modern touches cannot be avoided in our days, but in general I think that DEATH MENTALITY are closer to bands like early IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY and maybe AT GATES. The band emphasizes on melodies and upon them builds a sound wall that makes the compositions sound both melodic and aggressive. The element that impressed me in this release and made me distinguish it from so many other albums that come out in our days is that the band has a good sense of melody and keeps a good balance between the melodic and the harsh parts. They might not be the most original band that you have listened to in this genre, but I believe that you will enjoy listening to their songs, since they have melodies and riffs that somehow manage to be memorable; at least the biggest part of them. So, if you are into melodic death metal, then give these guys a try…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

STORMHUNTER Crime and Punishment Emanes Metal Records Official Website

I love the traditional heavy metal scene of Germany. Actually from my early start in heavy metal music, the German metal bands were some of my favourites and still are even to this day. I am also an avid fan of RUNNING WILD, and STORMHUNTER, with their second release, continue to offer me the kind of Teutonic metal that my heart desires; melodic, fast and with memorable sing along choruses. STORMHUNTER carry in their sound the legacy of bands like RUNNING WILD (mainly), HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY and IRON MAIDEN. They are the kind of band that is made up of fans that enjoy playing tunes that remind us of and pay tribute to the bands that we love to listen to as fans. So, I don’t want to listen to any complaints about any lack of originality. I think that STORMHUNTER are pretty much clear to what they want to do with their music and this is to play traditional metal in the way that was and still is played in Germany. If you have that in your mind, then you will not resist listening to this album again and again. I actually have listened to "Crime and Punishment" too many times and I can guarantee you that there are tunes here that you will enjoy to listen to for a long time… 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis