WHITE WIZZARD Flying Tigers Earache Records Official Website

It seems that WHITE WIZZARD with each official release they release on market they have the tradition to change singer. This time the vocals on “Flying Tigers” are done by Michael Gremio (ex – CELLADOR). I think at this point the band has finally found the singer that fits better to their sound. Michael Gremio's voice has variety and it is warm. Actually his voice gave a U.S. metal touch to the N.W.O.B.H.M. oriented sound of WHITE WIZZARD. The way he sings in some songs brought to my mind LIZZY BORDEN. Now music-wise the album balances between good compositions like “Fight to the Death”, “West L.A. Nights”, “Night Stalker” (this one has a RIOT touch) and “Fall of Atlantis” and a lot of indifferent or mediocre ones like their “Demons and Diamonds” which is an over 9 minutes song that I found a bit boring and repeating. Moreover as the album proceeds to its ending it becomes less interesting, although it starts quite enthusiastically. I have to admit that this release is an album where the band tries to introduce some new elements to its sound and there are times here when they succeed to embody these new elements and others when they fail. They have the talent, though, and I am sure that in their future releases they will manage to make a better use of the new elements they have introduced here.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

GRONHOLM Silent out Loud Lion Music Records Official Website

Mr. Gronholm is a guitarist and this here is his personal project. In his second release entitled “Silent out Loud” he tries to combines many musical styles. Having as a basis his 70’s hard rock influences, he enriches his sound with many heavy metal, blues and progressive metal touches. Also there are a lot of grooves on this album and the keyboards whenever used remind me of bands like URIAH HEEP and DEEP PURPLE. “Silent out Loud” is an album that balances between its melodies and heavier parts, an album that tries to combine the modern with the traditional sound. All these seem very interesting, but personally I didn’t find something in this release that would motivate me to listen to it again in the future. Yes it is well produced, performed and executed, but the compositions don’t have that something extra that will stay in my mind. To make it simple and not play with words, “Silent out Loud” is a typical modern hard rock/heavy metal release that is played by skillful musicians, but all these are not enough to make a release interesting for me in order to buy it. So, try to listen to some samples and make your decision because for me this release is too typical for my taste….

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

CADAVEROUS CONDITION Burn Brightly Alone Starry Records Official Website

"Burn Brightly Alone" is one of the best and most interesting albums I've heard in a long time and CADAVEROUS CONDITION from Austria is an amazing band that stands out from the masses having managed to form a very original sound of its own. You just need to listen to this band's music once and then you'll be able to tell them apart, because ever since their formation in 1990 and through their seven full length albums they've managed to show their talent and channel it through innovative ways of expression. "Burn Brightly Alone" is an album that has managed to incorporate in its sound many different elements and put forth an outcome that will create to you a wide variety of emotions from aggressiveness to melancholy and bitterness. The foundation of the band's music is death metal with deep guttural vocals, but they infuse it with a great deal of sweet melancholy melodies and doom touches. The rhythm section is solid and heavy and the tempos are mid paced for the most part, without though some faster moments missing. The guitars other times deliver extreme riffs and other times the acoustic guitars weave some enchanting melodies that stick to your mind. The lyrics have a poetic nature and deal with topics such as love, death and depression, while the production is clear and heavy. These are pretty much the main ingredients that comprise CADAVEROUS CONDITION's sound and yet you won't exactly know what this band is capable of creating unless you actually listen to this album. Impressive!

Christine  Parastatidou

PRO-PAIN 20 Years of Hardcore AFM Records Official Website

The mighty PRO-PAIN strike once again with one hell of a brilliant compilation album! In this release you'll find included, among other, four new fuckin' great tracks in which the band kicks some serious ass. Apart from the usual brutality of this band's music, I really liked how the lead guitar was "filling in" with great licks on top of the rhythm section. I also liked the beginning of the solo in "Hands in the Jar" that reminded me of the main tune of the movie "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". Cool stuff! After that there come four re-recorded tracks from their previous releases, a cover and fourteen more songs played live in the Czech Republic. All in all I think that this is the greatest way for someone to meet with the band and their music, because it contains a little bit of everything and that little bit is in fact a best of compilation. The bottom line is that if you are into the "core movement" you'll check it out anyway! Hell yeah!!!

Dimitris  Pantsiopoulos

AXEL RUDI PELL The Ballads IV SPV Records Official Website

This new release by the great AXEL RUDI PELL contains thirteen power ballads that are perfect for strong emotions or even for a cool down at the end of the day! The whole CD is a compilation of Axel's older anthems now transformed into ballads along with cover songs from artists such as Ronnie James Dio, KISS, Phil Collins, etc. also transformed into ballads, although "In the Air Tonight" is actually stronger than the original. "The Ballads IV" close with an instrumental song from Axel's older stuff played slightly differently and right after "The Curse of the Damned". All in all, Axel and his buddies show us that they have great diversity along with their undoubted musical talent and have managed to deliver once again a great record that will please all the melodic metal lovers. Enjoy!

Dimitris  Pantsiopoulos

SACRATUS ...Paradise for Two Darknagar Records Official Website

Second album for the Russian doomsters SACRATUS and this one was released in 2010, a year after their debut album. Their label sent me a copy of this recently recently and this is why I'mbecause of that I'm presenting it now. The good thing is that a couple of days back I had the chance to listen to their debut album, so I can say that the band has improved a lot. They surely have kept their doom/death metal sound, but here they have managed to channel their passion for the music in a more mature way. SACRATUS are not the debutants any more, here they have earned experience from their first release and have managed to compose songs that have better orchestrations while also the sound of the production has improved. All these help the band to display their talent and musical ideas in a better way and much more thoroughly. The atmosphere of melancholy and sadness still exists here as on their previous album and it will bring to your mind bands like MY DYING BRIDE and early ANATHEMA. On this album the band has also added 3 new versions of songs that existed on their debut album and these are: “Madness”, “Fallen Angel” and “The Last Hope” and they sound very good and prove how much the band has evolved. The guys might not bring something new to the table of atmospheric doom metal (I don’t think that this is their intention), but they do a pretty good job. The fans of this sound have to check them out… 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

ATRA HORA Lost in the Depths Darknagar Records Official Website

ATRA HORA is one more up and coming band from Russia who released their debut album about a year ago delivering their own mixture of death with black metal. There are moments in their songs when death metal prevails over the other elements of the band's sound, but most of the times it's black metal that reigns supreme and it's this genre which works as a foundation for ATRA HORA's music. Add to these an epic feeling that surrounds most of the songs, the blackened, heavy atmosphere that's so necessary for the creation of the right approach and of course the beautiful melodies that accompany and contradict the extreme and aggressive character of their music. These are pretty much all the elements that comprise ATRA HORA's music and frankly, I think, it's everything we look for in such a release. So, I guess if you are like me and find the term melodic death/black metal to your liking, then you'll enjoy "Lost in the Depths", too.

Christine  Parastatidou

LOST CONCEPTION Paroxysm of Despair Darknagar Records Official Website

Metal music has diversity and variety, this is why it embodies so many genres that quite often are controversial or are totally different and sometimes even incompatible. However, there are bands like LOST CONCEPTION from Russia, who manage to mix different metal genres and yet create a smooth and homogeneous end result that flows and has the potential to unite under its banner a wide variety of metal fans. Their debut, "Paroxysm of Despair", showcases in the best possibly way this very ability of the band, which is to perfectly marry progressive with death metal. The compositions are technical, tight and balance ideally between the melodies and rhythm changes of progressive and the brutality and aggressiveness of death metal. The solos are exquisite and very intricate, the vocals are guttural and the rhythm section is versatile and concrete. If you like technical music, progressive structures and brutal riffs, then "Paroxysm of Despair" will astound you!

Christine  Parastatidou

INNER MISSING The Age of Silence Darknagar Records Official Website

INNER MISSING is a Russian five piece act that was formed in 2008. In the beginning it started as a studio project consisting of only two members and back then, they were known as ODIUM. Later on after releasing a demo and receiving positive reviews, they've decided to take things more seriously, form a band with a complete line-up and in order to signify this evolution, they changed their name to INNER MISSING. A couple of years later, in 2010, they released their debut full length work, "The Age of Silence", which is the album I'm presenting to you now and since then they've also released their sophomore album, "Escapism". Their music belongs to the doom/death metal genre and it's so heavy and dark that it quite often reaches the funeral doom boundaries. Since it's doom, obviously the tempos are creeping slow to mid paced, however the rhythm section sometimes takes up speed and the drums deliver a quite faster pace compared to the one played by the guitars. The vocals are deep death metal growls for the most part, while quite often some recitations also make their apperance and make the end result sound more sombre. The guitars are heavy and down tuned, but still you'll get the chance to listen to some dark melodies, solos and catchy riffs. So, "The Age of Silence" shows a talented, multi-faceted band that will definitely appeal to the fans of heavy doom/death metal!

Christine  Parastatidou

NEVERDIE The Source of Black Water Darknagar Records Official Website

Three years after their debut "Forgotten World" the Russian quintet strikes back with their sophomore work that moves on a gothic doom/death metal direction as seen through the band members' influences and inspiration. The band manages to balance, in a really beautiful way, the melodic aspect of their music that's mainly expressed through their gothic approach, the acoustic guitar parts, the solos and the ethereal female vocals and their aggressive doom/death metal side that's expressed through their aggressive riffs, heavy rhythms (be them fast or mid paced) and the death metal growls, which, too, are delivered by the band's frontwoman. Add to the aforementioned some progressive rhythms, changes and tunes and you have, I think, a pretty clear idea of the sound of NEVERDIE. "The Source of Black Water" is an album that can please the most demanding of you, those who like variety and each band's personal seal in their songs.

Christine  Parastatidou

SACRATUS The Doomed to Loneliness Endless Desperation/ Darknagar Records Official Website

The title of the album explains pretty much the kind of music that SACRATUS play. This is the debut work of the atmospheric doom/death metal band from Russia and as a debut it shows the influences that the band has. It is well known that everyone builds his/her personal sound through the years. So, the things that we ask for from a debut album are to listen to some good compositions and to see how talented the band is. SACRATUS have some very good ideas and actually I have enjoyed a couple of their songs a lot, even though doom/death metal doesn't come first in my metal preference. Songs like “Interlace” and the oriental tuned “Surb Hokhi” are a pleasure to listen to. Besides that the band manages to create an atmosphere of sadness and melancholy and that is also very positive since this is the main purpose of doom metal music. The thing that they have to work more on is the length of their compositions, since I don’t think that most of them need to have duration that reaches 10 minutes. Anyway, SACRATUS based on the music that bands like MY DYING BRIDE, early ANATHEMA and PARADISE LOST have crafted, give us a debut album that has good ideas, interesting compositions and above all prove the love of the band for this sound. I believe that the fans of doom/death metal will find the release to their liking.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

THRONE OF KATARSIS Ved Graven Candlelight Records Official Website

If you are already aware of this band, then you know what to expect from them since their third album continues in the same true Norwegian black metal vein as their previous albums did. If you stumble upon this band for the first time, then even for you things can be crystal clear and straight forward, because THRONE OF KATARSIS are one more band who pay their respects to DARKTHRONE and BURZUM. "Ved Graven" is an album which the fans of pure, old school Norwegian death metal will find most appealing, especially if they like long duration songs and worship the aforementioned bands. The thing that slightly sets THRONE OF KATARSIS apart from the majority of primitive black metal bands is that their compositions aren't one dimensional speed-wise, which means that the majority of the tracks are mid paced with dark, heavy, distorted riffs and a doomed, epic atmosphere. However, this doesn't mean that you won't have the chance to listen to up paced parts or blast beats, but these are only there to enhance the extremity of the songs and underline their somberness. So, everything boils down to whether you love monolithic primitive black metal or you like it to be more diverse or melodic. Still I need to note here that even if you belong to the first category you should give this album a listen before deciding, because there are countless of bands out there playing in a similar way. Personally, I liked some parts of the songs, but the end result as a whole sounded rather monotonous and one dimensional to me. I got tired towards the end, so personally I'll pass. 

Christine  Parastatidou

ALL I COULD BLEED Burying the Past Darknagar Records Official Website

To be sincere, melodic death metal never was my cup of tea and especially in these past few years when most of the bands of this genre all they do is mix their death metal with a lot of scream and emocore. ALL I COULD BLEED from Russia with their debut album offer us something different in the oversaturated sound of melodic death metal. The band having melodic death metal as the foundation of its sound blends it with other musical styles. You can listen to thrash, black, power and even folk metal melodies (just listen to the song “Under the Moon” and you will understand what I mean). Also the use of the keyboards is very essential to their music since it helps them to create a dramatic or even theatric atmosphere that is underlined by the dialogue between the harsh female and the clean male vocals in many parts. “Burying the Past” is a very good debut of a young, as I can see from the photos, band and I think that those of you who like your melodic death metal atmospheric and variable, will enjoy this release. A good first effort!

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

OUTLOUD Love Catastrophe AOR Heaven Records Official Website

At last, the new OUTLOUD album is out. And what an album it is! When I first listened to the first single “Waiting for your Love” I knew that the guys would deliver the goods. Their first album was very nice but after a good start with killer songs like "We Run", "Tonight", "This Broken Heart", it was losing in quality. Anyway it was a promising debut. Two years later their new opus is released by AOR Heaven Records. The CD begins with record scratches and the cheesy lines “All right lassies, I wanna see some asses shakin’” and “We Came to Rock” storms out. A fast paced rocker which fits perfectly as an opener! “Falling Rain” comes next and we may have the best song of the album. Great hooks and the voice of Chandler Mogel (ex TALON) is astonishing. I have to say that this is one of the best 2011 songs. “Live Again” is another fast rocker in the vain of TALISMAN and PINK CREAM 69 with a very nice chorus and solo. “Waiting for your Love” begins with Chandler singing a capella the chorus. It's another awesome composition that reminds me of a WINTER ROSE song (the band that James LaBrie was singing before joining forces with DREAM THEATER), the “I'll Never Fall in Love Again”. Anyway the song is a killer and it’s the first single and video clip of this album. The keyborad driven “The Night That Never Ends” comes next and gives us another amazing song with a chorus that sticks to your mind and heart. “Someday” is a great ballad, something that misses from most of new melodic rock releases. This one is a masterpiece and I have to say that Chandler surpassed himself with a beautiful performance. “Underground” and “Isolation” are the more hard edged songs of the album with heavy riffs with some nice melodies in the chorus. The album closes with two more fantastic songs. “Clean Hands” is a great piece of melodic rock with huge hooks. The other one is “Love Catastrophe” a great rocker with a memorable chorus. The performaces on the second OUTLOUD album are great and I have to admit that the metal feeling in some songs of the first album is gone. For me this one is one of the top albums of 2011. Check out the videoclip of “Waiting for your Love” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HzQS5iZTq4

Chris  Kappas

SINNER One Bullet Left AFM Records Official Website

Mat Sinner is a well respected figure in the heavy metal scene. A musician that earned his reputation and our respect based on his quality works that he has offered us through his personal band SINNER, PRIMAL FEAR and the other bands or projects that he has participated in through the years. Unfortunately, though, even the big and talented names of our scene can’t continuously offer us great works. “One Bullet Left”, the latest album of SINNER, might be a step above from the previous one, but yet it has a lot of "miles" to cover if it wants to remind us of the great times of the band in the 80’s and the 90’s. Actually on “One Bullet Left” as the previous release the band gives more attention to its hard rock origins than its heavy metal and that’s fine with me since this is their decision, but as a listener I have to admit that I prefer most the heavy metal version of the band. The songs that are included here without being bad, they don't have the power, the melody or the inspiration that is needed to take your head off. There are good relaxing compositions, well performed and produced, but they are quite typical for this kind of music. I listened to the album pleasantly, but I can’t say that it has the songs that will make me listen to it again soon (there are much better SINNER releases that I can to listen to in my opinion). So, “One Bullet Left” might not disappoint the fans of the band, but it won’t make them also jump from enthusiasm. As for you that you haven’t listen to the band, it's better to start with another great release of theirs. Trust me you won’t miss if you do take the time to find the 80’s and the late 90’s releases of the band…

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

WORK OF ART In Progress Frontiers Records Official Website

This is WORK OF ART’s second album. Their debut was not just one of the top albums of 2008, it was one of the best albums of the past decade! The debut’s success put a lot of pressure in the band, pressure that they hadn’t dealt with before. I am glad that they were able to transform this kind of pressure into creativity because “In Progress” follows exactly the steps of their debut. They offer us twelve new masterpieces. What can I say about the songs and the melodies? The musicianship? Or even the production? Not much really! They are astonishing! Many people say that the second album is the most difficult one to make. Well, I can tell you that WORK OF ART has made it look so easy! This is truly another work of art…

Kostas  Rigas

TRANSNIGHT The Dark Half Pure Underground Records Official Website

Here is something that we don’t listen to often you might say, especially from Germany, the country that TRANSNIGHT come from. And you will be quite right. The backbone of the band’s music is power and thrash metal, but I have to admit that it's more U.S. oriented. If I had to judge only by their sound, it would hardly cross my mind the fact that they are from Germany. Their compositions also have a progressive – technical structure and their singer Dave has a voice and a way of singing that will bring to your mind Mark Shelton of MANILLA ROAD. All these sound extremely interesting and create many promises. Well, it might be so, but for me the whole package sounds a bit dull and uninspired. Actually, besides the voice of the singer, there is not something that made me think "Wow! I have here something that I will love to listen to again". At least I have to admit that the band tries to create a personal sound and they are quite skillful as musicians, but personally I can’t say that I was moved by the music they play. After all with the reviews we give our point of you, the final decision always belongs to the ones who will spend their money on each release…

Nick “Verkaim” Parastatidis

GRIFFAR Monastery Non Serviam Records Official Website

It's a real shame having to watch talented bands struggle for years and years in order to make their breakthrough and manage to release their full length album, while at the same time you see some horrible bands get overpromoted and make it big. I think it's about high time for the French GRIFFAR to establish their name in the extreme metal circuit as one of the finest blackened death metal bands out there. Their debut full length "Monastery" came fourteen years after the band's formation which means that they had the time to evolve their sound and form and shape it exactly like they wanted. GRIFFAR may make their appearance in the metal scene for the first time, but they consist of some real veterans of the black mainly and death metal music having participated in bands like LOUDBLAST, CODE, DRAKHIAN, ENTHRONED, FORNICATION, SETH and TAAKE, just to name a few. So we can say that they really know what they're doing and they take you by storm with their highly addictive songs! Their sound is a mixture of high-class death and black metal with the latter prevailing in the compositions while the guys also have an amazing sense of melody, which means that they have an extraordinary talent to perfectly balance the extremity and brutality of their songs with enchanting melodic lines and mesmerizing dark atmospheres. And it's not just that! The musicians in GRIFFAR are very skillful and technically able to deliver intricate themes and patterns, so as true craftsmen that they are, they infuse their tracks with elaborate tunes and stunning guitar riffs, something that enhances the variety and powerful character of their music. I truly believe that this is one of the best and intense atmospheric blackened death metal albums I've listened to in a long time, so I highly recommend it to you all, especially if you are big fans of DISSECTION and NAGLFAR. Give these guys a chance and they'll blow your heads off!

Christine  Parastatidou

MESSENGER See You in Hell Massacre Records Official Website

This might be the debut release of the band for Massacre Records, but in their career which started back in 1990 this is their fourth one. I personally had the chance to purchase the previous album of the band entitled “Under the Sign” and I have to say that they aren't your typical traditional/true metal band. Yes, they do sing about dragons, barbarians and aliens, but their sound is not something that you listen to too often. Yes, you can recognize their inspiration that comes from bands like MANOWAR, RUNNING WILD, JUDAS PRIEST, WARLORD, VIRGIN STEELE, IRON MAIDEN and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN (and some more), but they have crafted their influences so well that I can actually say that they have created their own identity. “See You in Hell” now their new release continues the music legacy of their previous release and actually is an album that grows in you more and more every time you listen to it. OK! There are a few filler songs like the one entitled “Alien Autopsy”, but most of their tracks will satisfy you even if you are amongst the most demanding metal fans in the world. Also one other positive thing about this band is that most of the songs are mid tempo and they manage to create an epic feeling. A good release for all of us who still feel mesmerized by the sound of 80’s heavy metal. Check them out…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

MAJESTY Own the Crown Massacre Records Official Website

I have been following this band from its self released debut album entitled “Keep It True”. I liked the simplicity and original feeling their music had. The guys played the kind of heavy metal that they like to listen to in their stereos. MAJESTY was a band made by metal fans and was addressed to people who love heavy metal. In 2008 they decided to put an end to the band and create METALFORCE. A move that I never understood since METALFORCE did not differ much from the sound of MAJESTY. The good news is that after 3 years the band decided to continue as MAJESTY and to celebrate that they will release this compilation entitled “Own the Crown” (it will hit the stores on September the 2nd). Most of the times compilations are a way for the labels to rip – off the fans of a band, but that’s not the case here. “Own the Crown” is a double – CD release that will be sold for the price of one CD and it contains music that exceeds two hours. This release consists of some of the best songs that the band has released, but also includes many unreleased tracks and new versions of old songs and above all (this is very important for people that have the discography of the band) it contains their first demo that was released back in 1998 as a demo tape if I am not mistaken. Well, I am a fan of the music of MAJESTY and I like the way they play their heavy metal the same way since the first day I listened to them. So, I will definitely purchase this release and I will recommend it to you, if you need to listen to some straight forward heavy metal that is played with soul… 

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

UNHERZ Herzschlag Massacre Records Official Website

This is the second release for the hard rock – heavy metal band from Germany that chooses to use lyrics in its native tongue. Personally, I don’t know any German, so when someone doesn’t understand what you sing about, at least he/she expects to have interesting ideas that will make him/her to listen to your album from the beginning till the end. UNHERZ's music is well performed and produced, but personally I find it too typical for the hard rock and heavy metal standards. It is the kind of release that I can listen to as a background while doing something else at the same time, but it doesn’t have the melodies or the ideas that will manage to grab my attention. Now, if you know the German language you might find it more interesting… To complete the presentation of this album and to do justice to the band, I have to admit that the guys try to make their sound more variable by adding some punk rock and blues elements in their songs. As I like to say for such kind of releases, try to take a taste of it before you reach any decision…

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

ATTICK DEMONS Atlantis Pure Steel Records Official Website

It is really very positive to see quality metal bands rise up from countries that don’t belong to the main “cradles” of our favourite music. ATTICK DEMONS are from Portugal and I'm sure you will find it hard to believe it. Their sound is definitely British and when you listen to the singer of the band, Mr. Artur Almeida, you will find it hard to believe that he is not the mighty Bruce Dickinson hiding behind a fake name. Yes, my friends ATTICK DEMONS love IRON MAIDEN in every way possible and that is obvious in their sound. They are not, though, simple copycats that try to steal a bit of IRON MAIDEN's glory. No my friends, because the band has eleven years of experience and “Atlantis” is a mature metal album. A release that doesn’t hide its influences, but at the same time offers them under the personal aspect of the musicians that form ATTICK DEMONS. Actually the album is so well done that not only you won't be annoyed by the similarities with IRON MAIDEN, but you might think that this album has nothing to envy from the latest releases of the British metal gods. Also have in mind that in the song “Atlantis” Mr. Ross The Boss participates as a guest in the guitars and Mr. Paul Di Anno in the vocals. Anyway, “Atlantis” is a very good heavy metal album with some power metal touches and you will surely find more than plenty of songs that you will love to listen to again and again. Personally the song that impressed me the most (not that the rest songs are less good) is the one entitled “Meeting the Queen” because I liked the way that the voice of Artur Almeida is mixed with the female vocals and combined they create a lyrical atmosphere.

Nick  "Verkaim"  Parastatidis

DIMMU BORGIR Abrahadabra Nuclear Blast Records Official Website

There's such a thing as atmospheric black metal, but an overkill of effects and synthesizers doesn't make an album very much frugal. As we will demonstrate on this release, I'd have to in short summation say that "Abrahadabra" doesn't hit home with me in any respect. Even with Galder on guitars doesn't enhance the music with his lack of efforts, or I should say lack of.
The music is filled with a conglomeration of synthesizers/effects that drown out the guitars and the vocals which are despicable. The songs that contained the guitar were weak and not noteworthy in any respect. When I say weak, I mean not chunky or catchy. The intro to the album features effects that are evil sounding, but as a whole, quite annoying and unnecessary.
There's a fine line between using effects to create an atmosphere that's evil, but atmosphere that enhances the music. On this album, there's way much overuse of effects to the point to where it's disgusting. Galder doesn't really offer much on here in terms of innovation or interesting riffs. His lead playing is quite putrid and the rhythms are sub-par.
On pretty much every song, you have the guitar (which isn't loud enough), synthesizers in the background, drums that are fueled with double bass, but not much blast beating, and vocals that are less then worthy of any type of praise. Every song features nothing that's striking or grasping. No riffs that really are intriguing to me, just total bland guitar. It's difficult to hear Galder's riffs because of all of the effects going on in the background.
The vocals are annoying and Shagrath doesn't have much passion or vigor with his efforts. This includes the backup voice as well. It bored the heck out of me. None of the music here meshes well with the throat. All of the vocal outputs are not demonstrative or captivating. They are not by any means quality or worthy of any type of praise.
The mixing wasn't very good - the synthesizers and effects as I've mentioned were overpowering and the guitar wasn't loud enough to hear the riffs. The vocals are muddled to the extent to where there's too much clean and not enough hoarse throat that's loud enough to hear. Way too much focus on atmospheric conglomeration without much focus on the main musical aspirations.
I've heard some pretty bad black metal lately and this release is one of them as well. I urge you to stick with "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" and "In Sorte Diaboli." This release had way too much effects and not enough focus on the guitar riffs or any type of music that is noteworthy by any respect. This is the worst DIMMU BORGIR album that I've heard. It's not grasping or innovative by any respect. Don't make a mistake like I did and invest in this release.

Ryan  "Death 8699"  Fanucchi

SORROW'S PATH The Rough Path of Nihilism Rock It Up Records Official Website

There are many ways we can "measure" the devotion, passion and determination of a band, but the most accurate and certain one is to see how it copes during hardships and how easily its members give up when they are faced with obstacles. SORROW'S PATH from Greece is one of the brightest examples of bands that have been through many difficult times and situations ever since they were formed, situations that quite often seemed insurmoutable, but nevertheless every time they found the strength and love for their music to carry on. I'm not going to go through what the band was up against all these years since a search on the Internet can reveal everything to you in great detail. The most important thing in this story is that a band that was formed in 1993 has managed to release its debut full length work after approximately seventeen years!! Really impressive and commentable, but this isn't the only thing that's worth to be mentioned regarding SORROW'S PATH since once we are over with the information what really counts is the music itself... and their music is extremely beautiful! The guys have managed all these years to build a special sound and create music that carries their personal seal and makes them easily recognisable. They surely have some CANDLEMASS and SOLITUDE AETURNUS influences, but even these are filtered through their personal perspective and taste and transformed into something quite different. "The Rough Path of Nihilism" is great doom metal, which is the main ingredient in SORROW'S PATH's music, but it's also infused with a great deal of power metal and progressive elements thus creating something very appealing and unique. The compositions are interesting, well crafted and delivered with a good production and flawlessly by some very talented musicians, so all I need to say here to end this presentation is that if you are fans of doom or power metal, then "The Rough Path of Nihilism" is an album you must definitely check out!

Christine  Parastatidou

BLOOD STAIN CHILD Epsilon Coroner Records Official Website

For me BLOOD STAIN CHILD is a very intersting group! They play atmospheric, sometimes very fast black metal with a lot of electro beat elements. The dangerous thing in this kind of experiments is to become ridiculous or over the top... Fortunately this talented band from Japan perfectly avoid this trap. The beats give a lot of energy to their stuff and they are combined nicely with the heavy guitars. The vocals have their pure black metal part and the female ones don't follow classical music paths or operatic ways of singing... They are just female vocals sounding very nice. The production is really professional and a lot of money has been invested on it. On "Epsilon", which is, as you can understand from its title, their fifth album, there are two songs that stand out and can be very easily played in a club!! They are very rhythmical. So, if you are open minded you should definitely listen to them!

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

CRIMINAL Akelarre Massacre Records Official Website

CRIMINAL are a very experienced band having started back in 1991 and I'm sure they are one of the oldest metal bands in Chile. Lately they've relocated, but this hasn't affected their sound or direction... they continue to deliver a fine mixture of thrash metal with melodic death metal and they enrich this amalgam with some modern touches that make the end result sound more tight and heavy. The compositions that appear on their seventh studio album reveal a band that not only consists of some great musicians, but also a band whose members know how to write addictive, brutal songs! CRIMINAL manage to marry, in their music, the extremity and ferocity of death/thrash metal with their technical expertise and good sense of melody. The rhythm section is stable, the drums are stunning and there are also some really cool and intricate guitar solos that spice the songs up even more. As for the vocals they sound really on edge and mainly have a thrash character without, though, some death metal growls missing. All in all, "Akelarre" is one of the finest examples of technical catchy death/thrash metal I can think of!

Christine  Parastatidou

WINTERUS In Carbon Mysticism Lifeforce Records Official Website

Here we have to do with traditional black metal in the vain of DISSECTION. WINTERUS from the U.S. offer us with their debut album cold riffs that will tear your soul apart and put the temperature of your room very low. The melodies always keep your interest in high levels and they have a genuine character. The keyboards support the melodies in an atmospheric way and the vocals are just pure black without any female ones. The basic problem on this album is the production. Many times the drums cover everything, while other times the guitars do the same. The group should try harder to have better results in the stage of mixture... The black metal fans should give them a try...

George  "Death Dealer - Echoes From Erebus"  Kefalas

SOBER TRUTH Outta Hell Bret Hard Records Official Website

Who says newcoming bands can't have a personal sound or sparks of originality? SOBER TRUTH from Germany are here to prove the people who claim such things wrong with their latest release titled "Outta Hell" which shows the diversity in the band's musical approach and their need to experiment with a variety of sounds which they incorporate in their compositions in a really smooth and homogeneous way. Now, before I move on and provide a more detailed presentation of their music, I should note here that this is a special edition re-release of the original independent work the band put forth in 2010. The songs are pretty much the same with the exception of the last three that have been changed and replaced by four new ones. Now let's get back to the music and let me tell you that the foundation of their sound is groove and thrash metal, both the old school and the more modern branches, but upon these they build and expand their sound with classic heavy, atmospheric, melodic death metal influences and everything in between! This is something that makes SOBER TRUTH stand out since it's obvious that they don't do anything on purpose, but only because they love and enjoy this kind of music. All in all "Outta Hell" is a really good piece of work with a good production, ideal for the open minded thrashers who like some twists in their music. I enjoyed the whole album from beginning to the end, because each song had something new and different to offer me and I'm sure once you listen to it, you'll agree with me!

Christine  Parastatidou

KITTIE I've Failed You Massacre Records Official Website

The all female band KITTIE are back with their sixth album in their career and the follow up to 2009's "In the Black". These two albums have a few similarities with the first being the fact that the line up is the same... and why change it since it seems to be working so well? The second and most important one is that the musical direction is pretty much the same, with "I've Failed You" being the natural continuation and only being a bit darker and more groovy oriented. KITTIE are filed under the nu-metal category and although I can understand why, I'm not sure this is the correct term to describe their music, simply because it contains lots of different elements and influences from a variety of metal genres. The main ingredients you can find here are modern metal with disorted vocals and down tuned guitars, melodic death metal touches and quite plenty of thrash metal references. These apply to the extreme profile of their music, however, there's also another one that's mellow and uses clean ballad-like vocals, acoustic guitars and loads of melodies. Personally I don't care much about this mellow aspect of their music. I think their songs work better in their extreme nature and I think this should be the band's entire focus. I think they should go full on extreme groovy death/thrash metal, because they know how to deliver chunky thunderous music with angry riffs and a concrete rhythm section. Here I'd also like to comment on and congratulate the band's lead guitarist who did an amazing work and delivered some really cool and elaborate solos without ever showing off or tiring the listener. "I've Failed You" is a great modern melodic death/thrash metal work and it'd be even more impressive if it hadn't the too mellow alternative sounding parts. These women play ballsy music and they should deliver the goods without cheesy intermissions!

Christine  Parastatidou