X
|
X
|
Would you like to be informed of the latest hot names emerging from the extreme metal scene of Belgium? Then the best thing that comes to mind is to get your hands on this compilation, which has already reached its tenth release, making it, I think, the longest lasting metal compilation out there. The guys at deathmetal.be surely know what they're doing and we're lucky because there's an abundance of killer extreme metal bands in Belgium, so we are given the chance to savour and come across some really fine up and coming bands. This time "Face Your Underground 10" consists of 18 bands that come from a wide spectrum of extreme music and so we find here death metal, black metal, grindcore, metalcore, hardcore bands as well as crossover groups that mix some or even all the aforementioned genres... Other times the result is something innovative with a personal hue, other times it's pretty typical, but there's always a common denominator and this is simply the fact that all the songs here are really interesting and catchy. The 18 bands that appear here are EMETH, DARKER IT GETS, MARCHE FUNEBRE, CRAAR, LIGHTBULB INFERNO, YCON, PESTIFER, AGE OF TORMENT, SATYRUS, GAE BOLGA, I INSIDE, SKEPTICAL MOOD, LOSS OF SANITY, LEMURIA, COLCOTHAR, GORE FORCE 5, STEELHOUSE ROCKETS and BURNING FALLUS. So, if you want to check out a really strong underground scene and you want to be impressed, listen to all the bands appearing on "Face Your Underground 10"! Christine Parastatidou |
XORIGIN is a duo that consists of Scandinavians Johannes Stole (vocals-keys) and Daniel Palmqvist (guitars). They were formed back in 1999 in Los Angeles under the name ORANGE CRUSH while they were studying at the Musicians Institute. When they returned back home they worked with several projects. Singer Johannes is a session singer in Norway and he has recorded an album with the progressive rock band P:O:B while Daniel has released an instrumental solo album and plays guitar for the band THE MURDER OF MY SWEET. Now they had to work together again for this album. The CD kicks off with the skandi melodic rock “Can’t Keep Running”. A nice fast paced song that makes you think that the whole album will follow this route. But this is where I was wrong... The rest of the album is classic example of great AOR. There is some amazing musicianship here with the beautiful voice of Johannes and the great guitar work of Daniel. Some of the songs are really awesome like the FM meets the vocal harmonies of Joe Lynn Turner “What Love Is All About”. There are also some gems here like the “Crying for You”, “Too Late”, “This Is It”, “Said and Done”, and a couple of nice ballads. I can’t say that this album is a big surprise for me because the past years Scandinavia keeps the flag of melodic rock/AOR high and most of the albums from Sweden, Finland and Norway are really superb. It's summer… grab a CD of XORIGIN, get your portable CD player and run to your nearest beach!
|
If you watched the ANVIL documentary, then you know the adventures and the misfortunes this band faced throughout their existence. A band that had all the elements to become one of the huge groups of heavy metal, but they simply never did. The good thing is that all this bad luck didn’t make them quit, but on the contrary it have forged them in fire and because of that, we enjoy now their latest effort entitled “Juggernaut of Justice”, which is a great release for heavy metal music by all means. The first impression that you get by listening to this album is that it could easily be the successor of the first three masterpieces that the band released back in the 80’s (I mean “Hard ‘n’ Heavy”, “Metal on Metal” and “Forged in Fire”). The band has a freshness and an energy that are obvious almost in all the compositions that are included in this album. They make you believe that somehow they managed to find the youth elixir and rejuvenated themselves. To put it simple “Juggernaut of Justice” is an album that carries all these elements that made us love and still worship 80’s heavy metal. An album that is heavy, dirty and above all great for headbanging. If you like ANVIL or you are into traditional heavy metal, then this album must be on your priority list.
|
Do you know the band STRANA OFFICINA? A band that plays traditional metal and was formed back in the 80’s? If you don’t, then you have to check them out. CAPPANERA, now, is the personal project of two musicians with the same name that are also members of STRANA OFFICINA. Actually this release might be new, but it includes songs and melodies that have been composed by the guitarist Fabio Cappanera before he died (R.I.P. in 1993). The other members of the band decided to finish them and release them in order to honour the memory of the guitarist. As the title of the album indicates, this album has nothing to do with heavy metal music. Actually it includes songs that can be described as radio friendly rock/blues compositions. Also it is worth to be noticed that the band uses the Italian language; an element that makes the album sound more exotic. Personally, I am not a big fan of this sound, but I have to be objective and say that they have done a very good work and people who like this kind of music (radio friendly blues/rock) then they will find here some good songs to listen to. Check them out…
|
Lately we witness a rejuvenation of the traditional metal forms, since almost every day we see bands popping out trying to copy the glory of the 80’s metal or give it through their own perspective. I think that it is good for heavy metal music not to forget its roots, because those are what made it sound the way it does and I really like a lot the fact that new musicians, and some of them young in age, search and have a deep knowledge of how metal should sound. DEVASTATION from Belgium is such a new band and although they started under a different name as a traditional metal band, they soon have realized that thrash metal fits them best. So, on “Leather Jack Maniac”, which is their debut album, you will listen to uncompromised thrash metal that has nothing to do with any trends or modern shit. The whole album is baptized in the 80’s and I think that the guys have been strongly influenced by KREATOR; something that they don’t hide. On the other hand they don’t simply copy the aforementioned thrash metal giants. Actually they have some very good ideas and I like the fact that they add some traditional metal touches to their sound; an element that gives them variety. They might not be original or innovative, but they really know how to play thrash metal with balls and soul…
|
Oh I love to listen to retro black/thrash metal bands! I like the bands who don’t give a fuck if they sound original or not and they just want to play the kind of music they love to listen to as metal fans. I can imagine the guys of TOXIC HOLOCAUST listening, for hours, to bands like VENOM (this band must be their icons), CELTIC FROST, KREATOR and SODOM. Although they are from the U.S.A. their sound is European oriented and you can only find some fragments of U.S. thrash metal that brings to mind the early METALLICA and SLAYER. Also the lyrics talk about Satanism, destruction and other themes like the ones that thrash metal bands love to sing about. “Conjure Command” is made by people who love the 80’s dirty thrash metal sound and also applies to such listeners. Personally, I liked the album and I can recommend it to people who think that old fashioned metal never went out of fashion. Actually, TOXIC HOLOCAUST is a living proof of that. Play it as loud as you can and make your religious neighbours run away…
|
HOKUM from Germany strike back about three years after the release of their debut album, "Pi", with their sophomore effort, "The Creation of Pain", delivering a mixture of extreme metal that's labelled as death/thrash metal, but it's also enriched with a plethora of music styles and genres. HOKUM, like I said, are listed as a death/thrash metal band and this might have been true for their debut, but I can't say it's very close to the truth when it comes to their latest release which showcases a death metal band that's intensely flirting with hardcore and metalcore. So, they have death metal's brutal riffs, but they also have the mellow melodic moments of metalcore and the aggressive screams of hardcore. Nowadays I'd describe them as a hardcore/metalcore band with plenty of PANTERA elements and some riffs and brutal vocals to remind us of the band's death metal past. Some of the songs also have other elements as well like progressive tempo changes, doom metal passages or blues and rock 'n' roll themes and although they were all impressive, they somehow failed to touch me. I found "The Creation of Pain" a very typical release from a band that unfortunately has a lot of potential, talent and a great technical level, but it failed to excite me or make me want to listen to it again...
|
We might not know much about the Colombian heavy metal scene, but lately they have surprised me positively with the quality of the bands and the metal that this country releases. After listening to the great speed/heavy metallers REVENGE from Colombia, the time has come to listen to THUNDERBLAST. The guys might not have a good relationship with originality, but they have some other advantages that make their new release a pleasure to listen to. After all when we talk about traditional metal, who cares if the band sounds original or not. The things you need in order to play heavy metal are passion, soul and inspiration. THUNDERBLAST, on their new album, seem to have all these and deliver 12 heavy/speed metal compositions that balance between the European and the U.S. metal scene. To all this you have to add the very good voice of Felipe Machado Franco who reminded me of Bruce Dickinson in the way he sings. If I have to point out a weak point for this release this would be the fact that the guys can add more variety to their sound and also give more space to the melodic lead themes in their songs. Anyway, the truth is that most of us who like traditional heavy metal we will find on “Invaders from Another World”, songs that we will like to listen to more than once. Also I liked the fact that the band uses sci–fi lyrics. I believe they fit to their sound perfectly. Check them out…
|
The rock and metal scene is oversaturated, it's packed with bands from every possible genre and approach and there's such an abundance of products out there that even the most manic music lovers find it impossible to follow everything that goes on. However, even in this era, there are bands that stand out, bands that manage to form and shape a characteristic sound that sets them apart and compels you to check out. One such band is 81DB, a modern group that yet manage to infuse in their sound classic and traditional elements. I had really liked their debut album, "Evaluation", and still do, but I think that their sophomore work, "Impressions", is many steps ahead and it's in fact a state of the art when referring to modern metal music. The compositions are tight and filled with a plethora of catchy riffs, enchanting melodic lines and addictive tunes, combining it all in an ideal and really smooth way. I could even call this a progressive release and I'm using the term in its real, true meaning, because "Impressions" is a kaleidoscope of, sometimes even, contradicting elements and it contains lots of tempo changes and odd time signatures. It combines metal's heavy riffs and melodies with progressive's crazy tempos and it enriches the end result with alternative rock melodies and traditional Greek and oriental sounds played with the bouzouki. 81DB is comprised by some true craftsmen who offer us here some great performances and is topped by an incredible singer, whose rich voice and many vocal styles, enrich the end result, making it sound even more interesting, diverse and addictive. "Impressions" is a stunning work and I don't think I need to say anything more...
|
The debut album of this quality extreme metal band from my hometown, Thessaloniki, Greece is finally out and I can't stress out enough how much I was anticipating it. You see ever since I listened to their single work, "Adou Katavasis", and saw how bonded and great the band is when they play live, I became a fan and was looking forward to their debut full length work, which hasn't disappointed me at all! On the contrary it made me realize once again what a great and cool band EREVOS are and how much they deserve the attention of the worldwide press and extreme metal fans. "Descensus ad Inferos" was mixed and mastered by Dan Swano so subsequently it has a killer sound that's dynamic, but it also gives the necessary space for all the instruments to be heard. Music-wise now, EREVOS are a melodic black/death metal band, with black metal being more prominent and prevailing for the most part and they also enrich their compositions with some symphonic and majestic black metal elements that are mainly delivered by the keyboards which create the ideal dark atmosphere that surrounds all the tracks. "Descensus ad Inferos" is one of the finest examples of symphonic black/death metal with a sharp guitar work that's accompanied by some beautiful blackened melodies, a solid, fast for the most part, rhythm section and dual black metal screams and death metal growls. Give it a chance and I'm sure you won't regret it!
|
NIGHT RANGER celebrates its 30th anniversary by releasing a new album. What about this new album? Does it really fulfill our expectations? I would have to say that it left me with mixed feelings. The songs are very good and there is one song that really takes me back to the “Man in Motion” era: “End of the Day” is just a fantastic tune. The production is clear and crisp and the musicianship is excellent, as expected. My only objection is that I would have liked more tunes like “End of the Day”. Nevertheless, this is an utterly enjoyable record. Thumbs up!
|
DEICIDE doesn't necessarily need an introduction, but I'll cover briefly on what their former name was and what happened to their lineup. They were originally formed as AMON before Glen created the name DEICIDE, which means to kill a God or Deity. When the Hoffman brothers left the band, that's when I lost sole interest with them. After playing around with other band members, they came and went. Their current lineup features Glen Benton on vocals, Ralph Santolla on guitars, Jack Owen on rhythm guitar and Steve Asheim on drums. The music on this album isn't entirely innovative or captivating. It features riffs that are mainly tremolo picked guitar bits that don't really stick to you. They really have gotten worse and worse over the years. Nothing can top their 1992 release entitled "Legion." The compositions here are mediocre and they don't really offer much besides Glen's boring vocals and music that's neither intriguing to listen to or give quarter to just isn't there. The distorted guitars lag in ingenuity and integrity which was what the band used to have to offer on their former releases. Songs just start out with heavy guitars, but there isn't anything interesting about them. The drums fit well with the music, though the music itself just doesn't feel like the old DEICIDE I used to love and praise because of it's ingenuity. They used to intrigue me much more so then than they do now. This album is about 35 minutes long with 11 tracks that don't last too long. Ralph's guitar leads are the highlight of this release and that's about it. Tempos very and the intensity is high. This however isn't persuasive enough to cause you to be enthused with it's originality. There is no originality to it. Glen's nonsensical lyrics that deal with anti-Christianity and Satanism which are mindless. I think that it's a better thing that you can't really understand what he's saying when he's grunting the vocal outputs. The chorus parts are easier to make out of, but on a whole, you need that lyric sheet to see what he is saying. He really doesn't think much about his lyrical concepts nor does he persuade the listener to like his voice. It's solely boring and monotonous, which isn't the case on the first two DEICIDE releases. Don't do what I did and invest in this album because there really isn't anything interesting about it. The songwriting lags way behind, the vocals are such to where they can put you to sleep and the guitar riffs are way below their potential. None of the songs are very likeable or original sounding. DEICIDE should just call it quits because each album they put out gets worse and worse. It's a shame what a talented band they used to be turned into one hell of a boredom to listen to. The album title should read "To Hell with DEICIDE."
|
What a lovely and positive name this band has! Don't you think? Well you can't be called EXHUMED and have many music options... there's only one way a band with such a name can follow and this is no other than death metal. The U.S. extreme metallers are veterans of the scene, they exist since 1990 and have put forth a great deal of releases these past twenty years. However, "All Guts, No Glory" is only their fifth full length work, since it seems that these guys are more comfortable with and prefer split releases. Anyway enough with the trivia and let's move on to the release itself which is a fine example of well played and passionate brutal death metal delivered by a perfectly bonded band. EXHUMED's sound clearly belongs to the American brutal death metal scene and it's infused and enriched with a great deal of grindcore elements. The songs are brutal, aggressive with tons of blastbeats and dual vocals with ones being guttural growls and the other ones being more high pitched thrash/black metal screams. I really liked the vocals and I think they make the songs sound even more interesting, intense and brutal. The rhythm section is naturally heavy and concrete and is mainly ultra fast, however, some mid paced passages also make their appearance. The lead guitars aren't so prominent in this metal genre, but nevertheless EXHUMED give them some space, so you'll have the chance to enjoy some lead parts and even some solos in the songs. "All Guts, No Glory" is a good choice for those who are looking for a good brutal death/grind release!
|
I can understand why the bands in our days use down tuned guitars in the heavy metal scene. This trick gives to their sound an extra volume, but also makes them lose in melody, in my opinion. Anyway, I am not against such tricks, if they serve the compositions and make them sound more interesting. However, I find it hard when they are used by bands that claim to play melodic metal. STONELAKE, with their new album, play melodic metal with down tuned guitars which up to some point try to sound like BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. They also have moments on the album that brought to my mind WHITESNAKE. I have to admit that although they have a modern production, they manage through some clever refrains and melodies in the songs' bridges to give a melodic touch to their songs, but since many bands have tried the trick I mentioned above (“the down tuned guitars” for the ones who forget easily), the songs from a point on sound similar. I think that STONELAKE are talented musicians, but make the mistake to create a solid and voluminous rhythm section and with it they give little space to the lead melodies and guitars to be listened to. It is really sad, because they really show, in some compositions here, for example in the song “Liar” that they can deliver some good melodic compositions. They could have been something interesting, but they fell in the trap of sounding too common (with a few exceptions) and close to so many other bands that release albums these days…
|
This is the debut release of a band that was formed back in 2009 by musicians like the singer Brian O’Connor, (ex- lead vocalist of the U.S. metal group VICIOUS RUMORS) and guitarist Fabian Schwarz (of the German rock band THE NEW BLACK). The guys back then wanted to form a band that would mix power and thrash metal and I think that they have achieved that quite well. Their debut album has a dynamic and solid production that gives an extra volume and makes their music sound even more aggressive. Besides that, the most important thing is that the band has the skills and the ideas to compose songs that will keep the listeners' interest and probably will make them listen to it more than a couple of times (since in our days with all these MP3s I find it bizarre if some people manage to listen to a song more than once). I think that this release has the potential to appeal to fans of bands like ICED EARTH, COMMUNIC and ANNIHILATOR. The only thing that I have to note is that the band in its upcoming releases has to work a bit more in the melodies in order to give to its sound more variety. Anyway, for me CONSFEARACY have passed the test with a good mark and because of that I have to recommend them to you…
|
I saw AIRRACE for the first time at Firefest 2009. I was blown away by their appearance thus I bought their reissued album "Shaft of Light", a classic Brittish AOR gem. Two years later their new album comes to the record shop shelves (after 27 years from their 1st!). I had a hidden hope that the album would be good. Their performance at the Firefest was so great that I thought that if they are in such a good shape they could make a very nice album. But after listening to “Back to the Start” I was left with my mouth open! It’s a prime example of how to make a top class AOR album! Great guitar work courtesy of Mr Laurie Mansworth, amazing singing by Mr Keith Murrell (voted No 20 at Classic Rock best AOR voices) and of course huge hooks. The album ignites with "Keep on Going" a killer AOR heaven that introduces us to AIRRACE 2011! "Call Me Anytime" is one of the best AOR songs I have heard in a long time and "What Do You Want from Me", "Two of a Kind", "When Baby" and "So Long" are all aces in an almost flawless album. For me this is one of the best albums I have heard during 2011. To tell the truth this one and the new Robin Beck album are the 2 greatest albums for this year. A must buy for all AOR lovers.
|
I have written up to now tons of words in order to describe the releases that I have to present. Sometimes I repeat myself and don't feel so happy about it and other times I am completely satisfied with how my reviews turn out. After all I have my style and a certain vocabulary through which I try to put the sound into words. The same rule applies to music and heavy metal in particular. SPELLCASTER have their skills, which are more than good, their musical knowledge and of course their influences and with these tools they try to create songs. As in texts also in music a big part of how interesting or boring something that you create is, depends on the inspiration. In my opinion these guys have it and also have a convincing passion to play traditional heavy metal from the heart. So, on “Under the Spell” they manage to achieve their goals pretty well. Some of the songs here were also included on the bands E.P. (like “Chainsaw Champion”, “Locked On” and “Spellcaster”), but they have also added 5 new ones, which move on the heavy/speed metal genre. To be exact the band plays hellish heavy metal music full of speed and from time to time they add some thrash metal touches, but all these are underlined by good and memorable melodies. All in all “Under the Spell” is a very good release of traditional metal that will offer to the listener a quality time of traditional metal. If you are into traditional metal, no second thoughts here, just buy the album!!!
|
If I had to define VOODOO HIGHWAY's sound, I would say that it's influenced by the early DEEP PURPLE, but with a more American and brighter sound. The album is made for an easy listening, especially if you are into the '70s solid rock scene and it's based on simple riffs and melodies with maggiore bluesy modes and scales all around. Occasionally and obviously the guitarist is heavily influenced by Ritchie Blackmore. There are some exotic touches here and there along with the keyboardist who's also influenced by John Lord's organ type of sound. Generally it's a fine achievement, but it's just following the steps of some megatherium bands like DEEP PURPLE, so it's really hard to impress anyone even if there are some minor changes in the band's sound altering them a bit from the typical approach of Blackmore and his company.
|
James Byrd is a great guitarist!!! For those who don't know him Byrd was the guitarist of FIFTH ANGEL in their first homonymous album. After his departure he followed a solo carrer releasing 7 albums. This release contains 7 songs from the first solo work of James Byrd, "Atlantis Rising" (1990) and 7 songs that were composed during that period but remained unreleased until today. The titles of the unreleased tracks are "Chasing the Shadows", "I Don't Believe in Love", "On my Mind", "Waiting in the Shadows", "Stranger in the Night", "Gotta Find You" and "Requiem Atlantis". The other songs are known and familiar to us for about 20 years now so I don't need to comment anything about them. The unreleased tracks are a bit more commercial than the rest of the work of James Byrd, but they are really good songs. The guitar work is excellent. "Chasing the Shadows" is really a great song that I can't stop listening. "Gotta Find You" and "Requiem Atlantis" (instrumental) are two really good songs while "Waiting in the Shadows" is the weakest song of the album. For the fans of melodic metal this is a must buy, but the rest of you should try to listen to it first!
|
Doom metal is a difficult metal genre. It isn't easy for bands that play slow to maintain the interest of the listeners. SOLITUDE AETURNUS is one of the best bands in this genre. They are an epic doom metal band from Arlinghton, Texas that was created back in 1987. They have released 6 albums and this is a compilation of some old songs. This CD contains their "...Justice for All" demo, which was released back in 1988, plus some rehearsals and a live recording from the '80s. Some of the songs that are here, found their way to some SOLITUDE AETURNUS official releases. Some other songs didn't... Here you can listen to the songs that have been released in a rawer and quicker version than the one you have heard. They are definitely better!! The guitar work of John Perez is great and the voice of Robert Lowe is also a plus even though I prefer him in the first official releases of SOLITUDE AETURNUS. Overall SOLITUDE AETURNUS is a really great band and personally one of my favourite so I can't be so objective. For the fans of this doom metal band from Texas this is an essential choice.
|
CHILDREN OF DOOM is a band from France that was created out of sheer love for doom metal music and crunchy, heavy sounds. Thus the three guys who comprise this band decided to blend their influences together and come up with their personal interpretation of their most beloved genres and music styles. So, "Doom, Be Doomed or Fuck off", their latest release, contains six tracks that move on the general style of doomed rock 'n' roll with a rusty and crunchy sound that also draws influences from blues and punk rock music, elements that make the album reminiscent of the '70s music, but at the same time also make it sound fresh and raw. The compositions are catchy with memorable hooks and riffs and actually there were quite a few times that CHILDREN OF DOOM brought to my mind DANZIG's first three works... perhaps it's their singer who made me think of them since there were moments when his way of interpreting the songs was really close to that of Glen Danzig's. Things are simple... If you like the '70s doom metal sound and you also dig punk, blues and rock 'n' roll music, then you'll be doomed or else... well the album's title says it all, I think!
|
MANILLA ROAD is one of the most known epic metal bands. They also are one of my favourite ones so I can't be so objective. They were formed in the late '70s in Kansas and this is their new album (they have also released a compilation of demo tracks named "Mark of the Beast" - really great stuff!). This band has its own style and usually you either hate them or love them. The vocals of the leader of the band, Mark Shelton, are pretty weird, but I really like them and they are one of the trademarks of the band's sound! This is their 15th album, three years after their last one, "Voyager", and six years after the "Gates of Fire", an album that I really liked! "Playground of the Damned" will be released on vinyl format by High Roller Records, a company that has offered us really great stuff, always on vinyl. The band's new album is good, but maybe it lacks a bit in power. The songs that I liked more were "Jackhammer", "Into the Maelstorm", "Abattoir de la Mort" and "Grindhouse" which is maybe the best track of the album. "Grindhouse" brought to my mind the good old days of MANILLA ROAD. Overall, this is a good album which is a must buy for the fans of heavy/epic metal. MANILLA ROAD managed to release two good albums the last few years ("Gates of Fire" and "Playground of the Damned").
|
Does the name DESPERATION DEATH mean anything to you? If not, don't worry because CHAINED AND DESPERATE will! We're still talking about the same extreme metal band from Greece which was formed in 1990 and only recently decided to change their name. I'm sure this time the guys will finally have the chance to set things right and make their music known worldwide. Their sophomore album is a state of the art, a bright example of how melodic black metal should sound and should be played, since it contains the quintessence of both the harsh and melodic aspects of black metal enriched with some doom touches here and there. Their black metal is surrounded by a great epic atmosphere, it's sharp and intense, but it's also filled with mesmerizing and enchanting melodies. The riffs are great, the rhythm section solid and the vocals enhance the variety of the compositions since they are dual with other times the black metal growls prevailing and other times the amazing clean ones! All in all, "Divine Authority Abolishment" is an incredible album that will be released in two versions, with the first pressing being strictly limited to 333 numbered copies housed inside a unique digipack. Give these guys a chance! They surely deserve it!
|
This is the new album of this historical Greek metal band that was
founded twenty years ago in Athens, the capital city of Greece. The band
has
released so far two demos in 1992 and in 1993 and three full length albums.
Their albums were "The Sign of Rage" in 1996, "Stay Heavy" in 1999 and
"Night... Mares" in 2005. So after 6 years of absence they return
with their fourth album "Wreck the Eternal Tyranny". The style of the band
is classic heavy/power metal! Their new album has a fresh sound approach
while the band seems to be in a really good mood!! I really enjoyed this
new album. I think it an overall good release with a good guitar work and
vocals. The songs that I liked the most were "Mental Pestilence", "Conqueror
of Souls" and "Oedipus Rex". The songs "Modern Tyranny", "No Cimono 'Rcen",
and "Years of Perfection" not only are great, but they have some beautiful
solos in them, too!! I saw a couple of months ago the band performing live
their songs from their
|
Everything around this band reeks of the past... the album's cover artwork, the band's moniker and of course, above all, their sound! ACEPHALIX are from the U.S.A. and belong to the extreme metal scene delivering a sound that balances between death metal and the crust sound. I said balances, but I have to be fair and say that their sophomore work, "Interminable Nights", is mainly founded and rooted in the death metal scene and it's enriched with crust and punk references and touches. Actually their sound is pretty straightforward old school death metal in the vein of GRAVE with heavy down tuned riffs, a concrete rhythm section that varies from very fast to mid paced and brutal hoarse vocals. All in all, "Interminable Night" is a good release especially for those who are into the old school death metal sound, however, the drawback I found is that the songs sound too similar to one another which means that I'd like the album more if the band showed some more elements of variety in their compositions.
|
Before I start I have to confess that I do not like U2. Actually I do not like them at all. To tell you the truth and nothing but the truth they are one of my worst bands ever. The new album of the veteran Swedish Christian trio JERUSALEM reminds me of U2. To tell the truth it’s the first time I listen to this band even though they exist since 1975! This is their first studio album the past 16 years and it features 13 new songs in the U2 vein, but with Christian lyrics. The album gets some plus points because it’s well performed and it sounds fresh, but on the other side most of the songs are too long for this kind of music and this is kind of tiring. Anyway this is not my kind of music and it’s natural for me not to enjoy the album. But the friends of U2's music may find something interesting here.
|
The youngsters from Germany may have, naturally, been growing older, but this doesn't mean that they've changed their ways, style or taste. They continue to deliver with "Carnival Cadavre" brutal death metal like they used to with their debut album, "Death Prevails" and their sophomore, "Burn after Reaping", only now their compositions seem a lot more mature and focused. Brutal death metal is typical and as clear a term as it gets, so you can all understand the music direction of this album. However, like I said HACKNEYED have evolved and matured through the years which led to the displaying of more varied ideas that quite often even have a progressive edge and are definitely technical. The guys are obviously craftsmen since they deliver some really elaborate solos and tunes that stick to your mind as well as many rhythm and tempo changes. For the most part the tempos are fast with plenty of blast beats, but some slow and mid paced tempos also make their appearance in some songs. The production is another plus that helps elevate the songs even more with its crystal clear and dynamic sound, so if you are into technical brutal death metal I'll say no more! "Carnival Cadavre" is here for you!
|
