 RABENWOLF 'Aus alten Zeiten' German Pagan Metal octet Rabenwolf make their long awaited debut album speak for itself, 'Aus alten Zeiten' (For Old Times) is entirely in their native language and as such complements the traditional German folk music sound to the bone. Whilst not as brutal as Russian band Arkona, Rabenwolf exert a force that seems to illuminate the forests of Bavaria with a sense of beer-fests and grand banquets, all of which simmer in their music as an apt mode of conveying old by-gone times. Rabenwolf are set to become Germany's next biggest export, but also possibly one of those bands that Nuclear Blast may keep an eye on. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  DEVARIEM 'Peace Was Never An Option' Arising from the grounds of Lubeck is latest Teutonic Thrashers Devariem with their feisty and fury-loaded debut EP 'Peace Was Never An Option', collectively delivering a fluid flow of blastbeats and heart-stabbing vocals to cause anyone a hyperactive heart attack. Whilst conventionally not the newest version of Holy Moses, Devariem however bring the same brain-punching sound experienced by the latter, none the less the riffs and beats on this release are certified to leave listeners with more than a headache and more than whiplash, as far as Devariem are concerned 'Peace Was Never An Option'. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  EXCOMMUNICATED 'Skeleton Key' UW RECORDS Unholy Black / Death Metal quartet Excommunicated arise from the altar with their blistering paced debut album 'Skeleton Key', musically sounding along the lines of Behemoth with the anti-Christianity level of Gorgoroth, this mind-blowing album carries a death warrant on it's audio waves in the form of ravenous riffs, bear-mauling blastbeats and venomous vocals, all in all coming together as a sacrilegious blast of 'Dark Religious Metal' - of which is best way to describe the band, a major threat to the existence of the Christian faith and the ruling presence of the Vatican City, without a doubt the perfect soundtrack to Dan Brown's novel 'The Da Vinci Code', just don't expect any repentance from these four cardinals of Louisiana. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  KILLGASM 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance' UW RECORDS American Black Metal / Pornogrinders Killgasm shed blood and sexual innuendo's in the most Satanic form yet with their catastrophic debut album 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance', featuring a fast and spit-in-your-face attitude in each song, the trio from California sum up the soundtrack for a real Hardcore porn movie. So much for BDSM being erotic and sex being dirty, these bad boys emit a sound that curses any sound made from the bondage of a big woman so to speak, powering drums into speeding and riffing into overdrive, this is perhaps one of the darkest releases from California, a certain 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance' has been created. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SLIME IN THE CURRENT 'Pissed On Resurrectine' UW RECORDS Cold and heartless sums up this Black Metal trio from Louisiana, diving into the darkest depths of war and anti-Christianity and emerging under the title of Slime In The Current. For a Black Metal album that was the band's debut and unleashed in 2009, Pissed On Resurrectine' sits in the raw vein, due to the evident guitar distortion and inaudible vocals conveying what sounds like words but at most times are misleading. This is not one of the best releases that has graced metal's darkest genre, but certainly not the worst either. In total respect the band combines an atmospheric discharge rather than speed and heaviness, so essentially 'Pissed On Resurrectine' can be dubbed 'Raw Ambient Black Metal'. [6] RHYS STEVENSON 1 Comment GMN-Vol7 - Ana Kefr, Who Dies In Siberian Slush, Severed Heaven, Tukkanuotta / Goresoerd, Deathbound06/06/2011  ANA KEFR 'The Burial Tree (II)' MUSE SICK Californian Death Proggers Ana Kefr emerge once again to deliver a religious, political and philosophical tinged album, this time in the morphed form of 'The Burial Tree (II)', whilst not sounding like Gojira, it has some element of bizarreness with it, while although the individual compositions have a neatly crafted structure, the whole album itself is little to be desired, but not to be shunned as a failure. The growling is deep as oceans go, but the rest of it seems to lack any completeness with it. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON  WHO DIES IN SIBERIAN SLUSH 'Вitterness Of The Years That Are Lost' SOLITUDE PRODS. Depressing springs to mind with Russian Melodeath Doomsters Who Dies In Siberian Slush (WDISS), slow and melancholy are somewhat two words to describe it, but it is not one to be knocked what with a grizzly growler on the frontline and a bombardment of sorrowful riffs and funeral-like drumming. Intuitively elaborating the darkness of a funeral with the bitterness of the Russian winter, WDISS are one of a kind, just be warned of the depressive aftermath. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SEVERED HEAVEN 'Incessant Darkness' Formerly known as the Melodic Gothic Metal quintet Blood Sundae, the five females from Leeds and Manchester reformed under a darker and more extreme sound, the sound of a Severed Heaven. Immaculate musical compositions covered by some of the grittiest vocals produced by a female metal vocalist, this is the feminine Hecate Enthroned with some melodies still influencing this band. Ravenous riffs and sick blastbeats come together with two-tone vocals to deliver perhaps the darkest debut by any band in the English Metal music history. 'Incessant Darkness' with its slow-to-mid-paced musicals send clear messages to the listener, don't judge the band. This is the sort of music that would work well with horror films, or even essentially ghost night trips, but overall if you think the winter nights are dark, then face Severed Heaven as they bring far more darker times, 'Incessant Darkness' is just the beginning, watch this band at all costs. [9] RHYS STEVENSON   TUKKANUOTTA / GORESOERD 'TUKKANUOTTA / GORESOERD 2010 split' Two nations, similar in language and culture, two bands, similar in genre, one split album. Finnish Death Metallers Tukkanuotta joins in force with Estonian Deathgrinders Goresoerd to deliver a double-edge whammy of Baltic Metal. The first half sees the fury of the Finns deliver an outstanding blow of crisp and clean Death Metal with Finnish vocal attributes; the second half sees the elegance of the Estonians whip up a frenzy-like blast of Death Metal and Grindcore merged into one with essential native-tongue vocals. One release for Death Metal fans and fans of Finnish and Estonian Metal. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  DEATHBOUND 'Non Compos Mentis' DYNAMIC ARTS Death Metal / Grindcore veterans Deathbound return with their fourth enrichment of bloody and gut-eroding music in the form of 'Non Compos Mentis', whilst not as brutal as their 'Doomsday Comfort' album, it still warrants a level of violence and hearing-aid destroying power. Quick, snappy and mind-boggling compositions are all that's exasperated on this release and in scintillating style at the same time, 'Non Compos Mentis' is a statement by Deathbound, we are not finished this brutalization. [7] RHYS STEVENSON  RAUNCHY 'Confusion Bay' NUCLEAR BLAST Heading back in time we come across one of Denmark's most loved Melodic Death/Metalcore/Industrial Metal bands ever Raunchy, their 2004 full-length release 'Confusion Bay' collects a myriad of influences and somewhat pins the band under the 'Modern/Hybrid Metal' genre umbrella terms. Full-on sensational riffs, harmonious melodies and extreme brutality land their second album in the Danish Metal hall of fame. Limited to 2000 copies, this CD is a must have for any Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore or Industrial Metal fan. Raunchy take you on a journey unlike any other to their dreamland of the 'Confusion Bay'. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  GOD DETHRONED 'Passiondale' METAL BLADE The grandeur of Dutch Blackened Death Metal is God Dethroned, the next wave of unholy destruction comes with their 2009 concept album 'Passiondale'. Recreating the horrors experienced within World War 1 the Dutch quartet devours the atmosphere with a solid performance of cataclysmic musical compositions and exhilarating vocal differentiations. For the boys from Beilen, this is perhaps more than an extreme version of a history lesson but more so one of their best productions ever. Eclipsing their final year in existence, this album is by far one for any metal fan's collection, a true testament to military history. We know it as Passiondale, history knows it as Passchendaele. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  FETAL DECAY 'You Have No Choice' SFC Words are mere discriminatory for this half-decent attempt by Russia's Fetal Decay, the Brutal Deathsters conjure up a gut-rotting performance of flesh-stinking songs with a seasoned side deliverance. 'You Have No Choice' is their 2011 release and is a solid example of 50/50 results, for the good section the drums and guitars deliver prosperity, but the vocals are dire and soulless, maybe Fetal Decay want to sound out that 'You Have No Choice' but to like this album, dream on. [5] RHYS STEVENSON  NEMESIS 'Forever In Metal' A hidden gem in the Channel Islands is Guernsey's Power Metallers Nemesis, with a chaotic array of adventurous compositions and traditional Channel Island vocals. Their 2011 full-length crashes on the shore of mainland England with a flurry of power, brutality and luscious sound from this quartet. For many the idea of metal being in the Channel islands may daunt, but as Nemesis have correctly proven, the Channel Islands will always be 'Forever In Metal'. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  ILLUMINANDI 'In Via' MOCNERAMIE Arising from the Polish woodlands is Gothic Metal septet Illuminandi with their debut full-length release 'In Via', aligning both the Polish and English languages with the darkness of the Polish countryside, the Christianity themed band rejuvenate the Gothic appearance of churches and ignite the banishment of demons. For their long-awaited debut-album is a certain reminder of pure prosperity, a signal that the Polish Gothic Metal vein is delivering beauty and darkness. [8] RHYS STEVENSON | 2013
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