 LYCANTHIA 'Oligarchy' Full of melodramatic music and outrageous darkness is what is best to describe Lycanthia's sophomore album 'Oligarchy' as, but the only downside is that there is really too much going on, for example the harsh male vocals on top of the female high vocals doesn't sound good, and maybe alternating the vocals would. The music itself is fairly good for a Doom-laden Metal album but still the guitars lack any real presence, ironically giving it an even more raw presentation, even though the drums and the keyboards steal the show. However no matter what the negative parts of the album are, the good points are that it is very dark, gothic and beyond extreme, something which lacks in some bands these days. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ILLUMINATA 'A World So Cold' NAPALM RECORDS Making their return with their second album is Austrian Melodic Power / Gothic group Illuminata, the three male and three female ensemble bring to the masses 'A World So Cold' released in 2011. This sees the sextet signed to Napalm Records and also brings their delightful and majestic sounds to the table once more, epic symphonies, luscious vocals and powerful music come together to take the listener on a magical journey through the wispy clouds and wintry mountains of the Austrian alps as Illuminata lead the way and deliver an absolute epic in the tune of Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil, but what is missing is the one and only fact, this album is too short, it is that good. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE NINE TREASURES '十丈铜嘴 Arvan Ald Guulin Hunshoor' MORT PRODUCTIONS Simply put, this could be Chinese Metal album of the year, because '十丈铜嘴 Arvan Ald Guulin Hunshoor' not only has lyrics sung in Mongolian, features Chinese Folk music mixed with Heavy Metal or because it's the debut album by The Nine Treasures, but because the absolute originality is parallel. Hailing from Inner Mongolia, The Nine Treasures weave together a myriad of musical instruments to effectively deliver a piece of music that makes most Oriental Metal bands obsolete and what makes The Nine Treasures so special is that they've only been around two years, released their debut and are signed to a major Chinese label, in fact they've only started, next stop Loud Park? [10] RHYS STEVENSON  TERMINAL LOST (天幕落) '卷贰 凤凰山' MORT PRODUCTIONS Darkness falls over Shanghai as Terminal Lost return with their second slab of evil Melodic Black Metal in the form of '卷贰 凤凰山', the quintet bring the darker side of the Chinese Metal scene to the masses and blasts wide open the doors for black wolves to charge forward at the speed of the drums, whilst ravens swoop down as the riffs drop and the Oriental sounds deliver a soul-soothing and soul-crushing dual blow, this is an album full of many influences to keep any listener occupied and so it will be interesting to see where Terminal Lost go on from here, whether to more Oriental sounds, darker atmospheres or harder music. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SIGH 'Infidel Art / Hail Horror Hail' MORT PRODUCTIONS So way, way back in 1995, Sigh the Black Metal / Avant Garde Metal lords of Japan, released their sophomore album as a follow up to 1993's 'Scorn Defeat', 'Infidel Art' sees more melancholy develop from the band who at this point were a trio. Mixing the darkness of the Japanese history with the bleak and cold atmosphere found in traditional Black Metal, this album delivers a cross between extreme music and the oriental sounds of Japan, now one felt that the film The Grudge was eerie enough, but when an album like this comes out of the dark to haunt your hearing, it would seem wrong to put it as a stereotypical black metal album, for here is a band who undoubtedly changed the course of Japanese Metal forever. Moving onto 1997 and Sigh turn up a notch by bringing in darker imagery and a far more cold, bitter and evil atmosphere into their third release 'Hail Horror Hail', which in turn reveals itself to be a rather sensational and unnerving album. Full of the Avant Garde Metal style in the music parts and Black Metal vocals cover the rest of the album with the bleak and eerie atmosphere warranted by the album from the first song to the very last song, Sigh take the listener on a journey of mystery, myth and total legendary proportions with this release and as they now at present have nine albums in their 23 year career, Sigh are now Japanese Metal legends. Add Comment  FROSTY EVE '垂死的梦境 (Dying Dreamland)' MORT PRODUCTIONS 2007 saw a new force rise in the depths of Beijing, China. That force was instantly named the Frosty Eve and took with it six musicians to create a truly sensational take on Melodic Death Metal. The debut EP '垂死的梦境 (Dying Dreamland)' features the sextet sing in their native Chinese but provide music similar to that of Wintersun. Harmoniously delivering cold and bitter winds from the keyboard and rough, gritty punches from the drums and guitars, it was only meant to be topped off by some of the harshest vocals ever heard in metal music history. No doubt about it, Frosty Eve are one heck of a damn good Melodic Death Metal band and are sure to lead the Chinese Metal scene onto further achievements. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FEARLESS 'Lord Of Twilight' MORT PRODUCTIONS Smashing their way onto the scene is Chinese Melodic Death Metal outfit Fearless and their debut EP 'Lord Of Twilight' which uniquely incorporates traditional Chinese sounds with the rough sound of Metal to create something Oriental and something distinct. The quartet hailing from Shanghai deliver a mixed blend of Chinese oriental sounds on the keyboard with the Melodic Death Metal sound from which bands like Dark Salvation and Sight Of Emptiness can be compared too, but even so the fact remains that this is the new breed of metal bands and are set to take the underground by storm, even if it is only in the Far East, great things will happen. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DAGON POWER '大红袍' MORT PRODUCTIONS Chinese Metalcore is something that not many people would think about and so when Dagon Power emerge on the block with sounds like Asking Alexandria and Bleeding Through, the next step which indeed is the slaughter, could not be dreamt of. Pummelling drumming mixed with outrageous riffing and some gruesome vocals altogether mix to make a face-smacker of an album. If you thought you knew Metalcore, think again, this band will take you and smash your brain ten times harder than a Glaswegian kiss (headbutt). For Dagon Power, the prospect of global recognition has just begun. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  NARAKAM 'Burning At Moment' MORT PRODUCTIONS Narakam is China's first ever Death Metal band, forming in 1993, however forward to 2008 and there is a period of which was seen as a dark time for China, well that is you're referring to Narakam and their second album 'Burning At Moment' which see's the quintet deliver a concrete smacking of Oriental Death Metal. Featuring eight tracks of ballistic drumming, riffing and gut-rotting vocals. With influences easily drawn from bands such as Hail of Bullets, Unleashed and Tang Dynasty (most for the oriental sounds / vocal chanting), Narakam are easily proving that they have what it takes to drive extreme metal to the cliff, over the edge and provide a fast, sharp and painful drop, it will be interesting to see what they sound like now. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SCREAMING SAVIOR '宙海 / Infinity' MORT PRODUCTIONS It is not often that you come across an album that could be pointed as genre-defining, so when China's Screaming Savior emerge once again to deliver their second round of Oriental Gothic Black Metal, it is hardly surprising that comparisons can be drawn from ChthoniC, Theatres Des Vampires and Shade Empire, by mixing harmonious sounds with traditional Chinese sounds and the vocals experienced on Shade Empire's 'Zero Nexus' album. This altogether gives Screaming Savior something to jeer about, or at least reprieve the sense that they are altering the course of Extreme Metal for the good, and with '宙海 / Infinity' being their latest works, much more is yet to come from this sextet. [8] RHYS STEVENSON GMA - Vol77 - Emporer (Tribute), Kraanium, Gone Til Winter, Not Above Evil, Butcher Babies24/05/2012  VARIOUS ARTISTS 'In Honour of Icon E - A Tribute To Emporer' CANDLELIGHT In a similar form of a guard of honour, sixteen bands have come together from many nations to salute Norwegian Black Metal lords Emporer in emphatic style. With the most notable bands being the likes of Helheim, Taake, Horna, Necrodeath and Svartlav, this is a goblet-raised toast to one of the finest Norwegian Black Metal bands ever to walk the earth. From the darkened abyss to the most Satanic corners of the heathen mountains, this is sure to be a well-spoken of release and is sure to captivate many Metal fans alike let alone the Black Metal die-hards. This as far as one is concerned, sees this as probably the Black Metal album of the year, sure it's handicapped due to the compilation backdrop, but regardless it is a fitting release and has its place on the history of metal firmly stuck. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KRAANIUM 'Post Mortal Coital Fixation' COMATOSE Gross and sickening come to mind with Norway's Kraanium and their gore-fest 'Post Mortal Coital Fixation', which is theit third vomiting to date. Oozing with song titles so disturbing and twisted they dwarf all of the Saw films entirely. After all this is their third release and a perfectly crafted one too, unlike most Brutal Death bands (who grunt more than growl), Kraanium seem to conjure up a winning stratagem and unleash a face-melter, so powerful enough it may need to come with a warning for imminent underwear-shittng. Easily an album anyone should own, 'Post Mortal Coital Fixation' is definitely for fans of Fitcage, Deathbound and Cattle Decapitation. [7] RHYS STEVENSON  GONE TIL WINTER 'The First Season' Harmonious and superbly melodic is a statement summing up Gone Til Winter's 2011 release 'The First Season'. Hailing from Manchester, the quintet of three males and two females usher in a new sense of Melodic Metal with Power Metal influences, similar to that of Tainted Grace and not unlike Evanescence, this is perhaps the breath of fresh air needed to clear the storms of the Midlands. Heavenly vocals gifting a creditable production of which from start to finish displays sensational riffs, magical melodies and ultimately delivers the total package in eight tracks. From start to finish this is a rollercoaster album and yet still young and fresh, they could go far. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  NOT ABOVE EVIL 'The Transcendental Signified' There must be a trait with most Manchester bands that it's all about the darkened side of Metal music, as Not Above Evil certainly cast a shadow over the metropolitan city with their murderous combination of Melodic Black Metal and Death Metal style drumming. Similar to Hecate Enthroned, Not Above Evil are not really Christian Metal as the band name somewhat suggests, but if they were, sins would be plenty. Forging a striking sound with enough power to blow holes in any studio, this Mancunian quartet are ill-fated to make waves with the extraordinate sound of massacre all-round, with their 2011 release 'The Transcendental Signified', resistance is well and truly futile. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BUTCHER BABIES 'Butcher Babies' Hollywood is known for its drama, its glamour and laid-back atmosphere, but when five American musicians unleash a torrent of bloody hell upon the Los Angeles Metal scene, even the SWAT department shit bricks. This is Butcher Babies, comprising of two girls and three guys and a thousand ton weight in the form some of the sickest Heavy Thrash Metal on todays radar. With vocals provided by Heidi and Carla, from which give this four track release enough balls to make any wrestler look pansy, Butcher Babies are on course not to murder younglings, but to rob you of your hearing, you have been warned, be prepared for this titanic storm. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  THREAT SIGNAL 'Under Reprisal' NUCLEAR BLAST 2006 saw promising Canadian quintet Threat Signal unleashes the belter that gave them the propulsion into Metal history. Furious and insane Melodic Death Metal with various influences here and there give the boys from Ontario the extremity developed by fellow countrymen Strapping Young Lad. Whilst not sounding anything remotely similar to the European style of Melodic Death Metal, Threat Signal instead offers their own twist on the popular genre. With drumming as fast as a tornado tearing up the back-streets of Hamilton, vocals as brutally soul-smashing as a blizzard and guitars as sharp as a bayonet, Threat Signal are leading the Canadian Metal scene to newer levels. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  TALANAS 'Reason & Abstract' EULOGY MEDIA A softer breath of fresh air is felt on the premier debut EP by London quintet Talanas, mixing the blazing speed of Progressive Metal with the heaviness of Death Metal, this is perhaps the respite the common Deathcore trait needs, simply back to basics. With 20 minutes worth of prime solid Metal to consolidate and dissect, this may just yet be the key that the UK Metal scene has been waiting for, a complete answer to the compelling French band Gojira and without any doubt what-so-ever, the face of modern metal reborn under a new pseudonym; the storm itself has only just begun. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  EVILE 'Five Serpent's Teeth' EARACHE Yorkshire Thrash Metal maniacs Evile shed terror with their 2011 album 'Five Serpent's Teeth', playing at break-neck speed this is how Thrash Metal is meant to sound. Their third album shows more promise than ever before and provides the sound of modern British Metal at its prime. If Huddersfield FC vs. Leeds was gnarly enough, Evile would certainly provide the soundtrack to the epic clash, for the future of British Thrash Metal, Evile is surely leading the way, sensationally fast drumming providing a steady platform for some of the most irate riffs heard for yonks, Evile are set to smash the barrier into next Tuesday. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  SILENCE BEFORE 'What A Fine Day For Violence' These bands just seem to come out of the woodwork, one would assume that the formula for the merging together of Metallic Hardcore was disputable enough, but when Metalcore comes into the realm it is bands like Silence Before who lead the attack, with their debut EP released in 2011, the only step forward for this Slovenian quintet is European massacre. With clear influences taken from bands like Asking Alexandria, Whitechapel and Bleeding Through, there lies no reason to why Silence Before has not got the power nor the capabilities to take Europe by storm and with this effort, it would seem rather shocking that they don't end up signed in the next year or so, this will be an EP that's hard to follow up. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SMARGROTH 'Empyreal Circle' Shadows move in from the east in response to the acrimonious empowerment of Black Metal monstrosity that is Smargroth, the Slovenian quintet make their second effort seem more so enthusiastic and sounding similar to that of Dimmu Borgir, but whilst there are not many symphonies on 'Empyreal Circle', the latter does crop up on the odd note. One would assume that Smargroth are simply another Black Metal band, regardless of the magic and fantasy-cross-warrior world that has seemed to develop, hark the new genre of 'Magic Metal' has been set in stone, but for now Smargroth are on a mission and is sure to please many Black Metal fans alike. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  FORGOTTEN HORROR 'The Serpent Creation' WOODCUT Its something about the Finnish that makes them and Black Metal seem to go well, even if Thrash Metal is thrown into the affray, so when Kuopio-based trio Forgotten Horror make their anticipated debut album, the result is a glorious thirty-five minute jaunt of Black-infused Thrash Metal. From start to finish, the band serve up some of the most explicit musical creations to date, such that this is a promising start to the Finnish band's career, armed with a fist of fury and battalion armour, this is one record to savour and for those die-hards, one to recommend as a Finnish prodigy. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  BLUDGER 'The Death of The Trend' What only can be described as Progressive Deathcore, Bludger s**t out their latest EP 'The Death of The Trend' with extreme diarrhoea, taking clear influences from Meshuggah, Pantera and Ion Dissonance, the quintet who are based in Leeds excrete a solid slamming of Deathcore with the fluidity of Progressive Metal. Battering the listener with four tracks of concrete musicianship that could only be broken down by an atomic bomb, not even Sheffield noiseboys Bring Me The Horizon could muster this, it would send Oli Sykes running with his tail between his legs, it would seem Bludger are causing 'The Death of The Trend' that seems to be 'scenecore'. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  URINE TEMPLE / VERMIN / HEXE / SABBAGOR 'Urine Temple / Vermin / Hexe / Sabbagor' SKINNED ALIVE So when more or less the same two musicians for four different projects makes a split, it is somewhat of a novelty, usually its multiple people, but the South African musicians D-Hond and Vermox wield together instruments and sounds to produce this remarkable 4-way split, even if Black Metal is the primary genre, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal and Death Metal all make an appearance so there is a wide variety to choose from, the split release itself topples out at nearly one hour and twenty minutes so for those looking for new music, listeners are spoilt for choice. Definitely a South African gem in terms of its characteristics. [7] + [7] + [6.5] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PIEL DE SERPIENTE 'Inevitable' PURE STEEL Melodic Heavy Metal quintet Piel De Serpiente waste no time and effort in releasing their third majestic album, the five-piece from Valencia in Spain unleash the bulls in the paddocks for this one, mixing their romantic native language of Spanish with the delightful melodies found in bands like Dream Evil and Katana, fast and melodic songs are present on this release and that is guaranteed to captivate the listener. Whilst the male Spanish vocals aren't as dynamic as the females, senor Lufti Salah Al-Kharbutli does not fail to disappoint and even more so drummer Emma López proves that female drummers are just as good. It was 'Inevitable' that Piel De Serpiente were to make a justified return. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  FIREBRAND SUPER ROCK 'Firebrand Super Rock' RISING Scottish lads Firebrand Super Rock raise up the tempo with their debut album 'Firebrand Super Rock', it features the style of Iron Maiden and School of Rock style vocals and music, with an awesome array of riffs to covertly backdrop the sensational vocals on this album, the quartet from Edinburgh unleash a flood of extraordinary songs of which are certain to rock out many listeners to death. Unleashed via the brilliant Rising Records (The Dead Lay Waiting, Confined Within, etc.), Firebrand Super Rock are exactly what their band name says and are sure to set alight the UK when they make their first major tour. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  MERCILESS FAIL 'Forged In Black' Unleashing the army of battle horses into armageddon is simply the finest Heavy Thrash Metal band England has seen in years, Merciless Fail unleash a corker with their debut album 'Forged In Black', with frontman Stoz delivering face-punching vocals in furious style, the music itself is a lot clearer and even so a lot more energetic than their previous EP's. With breakdowns included in the assault, this is clearly the band Essex has been waiting for to take the nation by storm, tight riffs encased with choppy bass-lines adding untolled aggression and with complex drum patterns anchoring the godly vocals and music produced by the Southend quintet, nothing is going to stop them from unleashing mass destruction, this is just the beginning. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  AVENGE THEE & NAIME 'Open Carpet' SWARM Kent experimentalists Avenge Thee & Name released their 2010 album 'Open Carpet' with utmost confounding bizarrity, only that because the release has no real specific sound to it, it seems to be all over the place and in a bad way too. There is nothing really striking about the release, it sounds completely monotonous and bland, the vocals are of no set tone and are with the music a 'anything-will-do' recording, without sounding crude or harshly sound, but this is not even worthy of being called an album, rather a completely estranged demo. [2] RHYS STEVENSON  THE FURIOUS HORDE 'Assemblage' Darkness covers the eastern county of Essex with the latest release by Symphonic Gothic Black Metal quintet The Furious Horde, their release 'Assemblage' is a compilation release containing tracks from their debut album 'World Aghast' and second EP 'Instigation' plus with the new song 'Cold & Grey'. This piece of work combines the Symphonic Black Metal sounds of Dimmu Borgir and Twilight Ophera with the Gothic Metal envisage of Ghost, Cradle of Filth, Deathstars and Motionless In White mixed together, none the less 'Assemblage' brings a whole new sound to the Essex Metal scene, one of darkness and extreme emotion, but also meaningful brutality and sensational sounds. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  NETHERBIRD 'Shadows & Snow' SCARECROW MUSIC GROUP Swedish Symphonic Melodic Black Metal quintet Netherbird unleashed their fourth EP back in August this year and with it shed light in a blizzardous storm of darkened sounds and true Swedish Black Metal. Whilst conventionally sounding a little lame on the drums, the level of raw atmosphere expressed on this release is exceptional in that it engulfs the listener with the might of the wintry forests and evil expressions that are vocalised. What makes this different from your bog standard Black Metal releases is that they cleverly weave different atmospheres into the songs to give a dynamic feel, such as depression to anxiety to happiness. [6] RHYS STEVENSON  FALGAR 'Crepusculum' LATINUS PRODS. 2011 sees the second EP release by Falgar, the Puerto Rican one-man Black Metal project returns with another feastful of raw sounds and angry vocals, setting in just under half an hour, this is well worth the time to indulge in, with freaky repitious riffs being used and blasphemous shrieking implemented as the forefront noise, Falgar is no longer shying away from being noted as perhaps the best Metal band from Puerto Rico. As raw as sushi, 'Crepusculum' is for the fans of bands such as Carpathian Forest and Satanic Warmaster, as for Falgar, this is only just the beginning as the Puerto Rican flag keeps flying. [8] RHYS STEVENSON GMN - Vol57 - Synarchy, The Apocryphal Order, Krv, Behold Thy End / Our Fallen, Heaven The Axe21/12/2011  SYNARCHY 'Tear Up The World' TUTL Returning with their highly-anticipated second album is Faroese Melodic Thrash belters Synarchy, their second album 'Tear Up The World' unleashes more torrential downpours of sensational riffs, unassailable drumming and valiant vocals, powerful enough to make any Viking run away scared. Coming from a small Metal scene, Synarchy are due to be the next big Faroese Metal export after Tyr and essentially are laying down the way for fellow countrymen to follow in their footsteps. With 'Tear Up The World' at the hands of the masses, there is no stopping now for the quintet of Tórshavn, as they 'Tear Up The World' and fly the flag for the Faroese Metal scene; without a doubt Faroese Metal album of the year. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE APOCRYPHAL ORDER 'The Apocryphal Order' TUTL Smashing through the inlets and cliffs of the Faroe Islands is the new-born band The Apocryphal Order with their debut self-titled EP, with its no nonsense slaughtering sound of rapid drumming, bone-crushing riffs and unearthly vocals, this quartet from Tórshavn unleash pure hell in four tracks, with a delicate balance of Death Metal growls with the music itself bearing the forefront for the Thrash Metal half. Unlike your generic Death / Thrash signature sound, this Faroese lot score each note to perfection and use the timing extremely well, sounding like a cross of Unleashed and modern Scandinavian Thrash Metal, The Apocryphal Order is taking the next step to becoming the darkest force in the Faroe Islands. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KRV 'Ograma' NORTHERN HORDE / ZERO BUDGET PRODS 'Ograma' is Krv's fourth and ultimately last album, in its post-humours state it includes the 5 track EP 'U Kamenom Grobu', this is a fitting way to end the Bosnian Black Metal band's eight year life. Soothingly dark and raw, the 10 track album (and 5 track EP) offer a disturbing yet intricate way of performing Black Metal in your native tongue, essentially this band give a rather ethical approach to their music, regretfully they are no longer active but will be revered to as an underground band in the Bosnian Metal scene. [6] RHYS STEVENSON  BEHOLD THY END & OUR FALLEN 'Behold Thy End & Our Fallen' Two New Zealand Death Metal / Deathcore underground maniacs come crashing together to unleash a split of murderous proportions, with Behold Thy End cooking up a ferocious assault of blasphemous Death Metal in its sickest and most vile form whilst Our Fallen deliver a face-smacking slaughter of gritty Deathcore. Whilst Our Fallen sadly is on hiatus, Behold Thy End seems to still be active, just. None the less this split is one enough to explode any party into overdrive and make the fireworks seem more like petty popping candy. Without a doubt this is the heaviest release from the New Zealand Metal scene this year and one full of potential for both bands, just don’t count on any compromise. [8] + [9] RHYS STEVENSON  HEAVEN THE AXE 'Sex, Chugs & Rock 'N' Roll' Sexiness’, sleek and extremely riot grrrl, this is Australia's bad boys and girl band Heaven The Axe who utilise an erotic style of Hard Rock / Heavy Metal, this comes with their eccentric debut album 'Sex, Chugs & Rock 'N' Roll', full of the AC/DC rock spirit and Iron Maiden music composure, none the less don’t be fooled by the hot-chick-in-a-band cliché, Phoebe Pinnock means business with her devilish vocals and heavenly attitude, all of which backed by four exceptionally talented musicians gives Heaven The Axe the motive to take the world by storm. Australian rock and roll will never be the same again, without a doubt Australian Metal album of the year 2011. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  WITCHING HOUR 'Past Midnight...' UNDERCOVER Summoning the evil spirits and unruly unrest in Blackened Thrash style is Germany's Witching Hour with their sophomore full length album 'Past Midnight...', clearly taking into account the Teutonic style of Thrash and quick, raspy Black Metal, the quartet from Rehlingen have a Toxic Holocaust influence in their music and as such develops a funky style of Metal essentially. 'Past Midnight...' is an album loaded with AK47's and armed with speaker-to-ear missiles, blasting the speakers beyond volume 11 and shifting the music into overdrive, Witching Hour is your perfect complement to any Halloween party, you have been warned. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  IRRLYCHT 'Schatten Des Gewitters' UNDERCOVER Relentless is one word to describe Germany's latest Black Metal baby Irrlycht, this comes with their first ever major words in form of their debut album 'Schatten Des Gewitters'. With songs as long as a ruler and as heavy as a gold bar, Irrlycht burn and torture any speaker to death. Whilst the lyrics are conventionally in German, this does not deter the band from unleashing blazing hell in a hard-hitting assault of blistering drumming, skull-shattering shrieks and gut-rotting riffs. Irrlycht are certainly devouring the underground like no tomorrow and as such will be rightfully positioned as one of the darkest bands in the German Black Metal scene. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BLIZZARD 'Rock 'N' Roll Overkill' UNDERCOVER German Speed Thrashers Blizzard totally increase and accelerate the rock 'n' roll feel with their biker soundtrack-of-an-album that being their third full length release 'Rock 'N' Roll Overkill'. Bringing the best of Judas Priest-esque Speed Metal with the formidable Teutonic style of Thrash Metal. Fast, groovy and sensationally erotic, Blizzard bring on the table a full rack of ribs and douse it with the juiciness of BBQ sauce, in this instance the drums ride strong as the ribs, the vocals reside in the Kölsch and the guitars act as the BBQ sauce, all in all it has to be said that 'Rock 'N' Roll Overkill' is one tasty release. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FUNERARIUM 'Nocthule' UNDERCOVER Back in 2008 a cold and darkened storm hung over the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, this was to be the striking of the match for Black Metal duo Funerarium, for their sophomore album 'Nocthule' took form and unleashed a scary-enough release of which is dark enough to shroud even the blackest of shadowy nights. Funerarium are setting the absolute example of how underground Black Metal should be performed and in doing so create the darkest blasting of music from the small European country. 'Nocthule' is an album for the fans of kvlt Black Metal and true underground BM. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FUNERARY BELL 'The Coven' UNDERCOVER Arising from the caves of the frost-bittern lands of Finland is Black Metal trio Funerary Bell, bringing with them the sounds of the grave and their premier release 'The Coven'. Whilst not conventionally fast or noisy, Funerary Bell opts for a more atmosphere-charged release and so unleash a slow, mid-paced array of seemingly occult Black Metal. Hailing from Järvenpää, home to a burgeoning underground scene, Funerary Bell make their feelings heard and make Finnish Black Metal stand up for it's self-righteous beliefs, the ice-laden beast of the woods has spoken, welcome to 'The Coven'. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LOCAL I 'Ecorces' SALUTE Dark and despairingly disturbing springs to mind when hearing Local I's third sensational opus 'Ecorces', delivering a full-on blast of Black Metal-cross-Death Metal production of which ignites the furious frenzy developed by the Russian duo. 'Ecorces' deploys a raw-tinged sound to the music whilst essentially capturing a slight slant on ambiance in that it devours any clear-cut sound and envelopes it with a sound that rivals only the screams made by burning witches. Local I are one truly remarkable underground Russian band of who will continue purging the scene with darkened discrepancy and unruly unrest. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  EQUINOX 'A Child Was Born Of The Underworld' SALUTE Back in 2010 the only release by Swedish Black Metal duo Equinox was ever made, in 66 copies essentially, but the key part in all of this is that they formed in 1986 but split in 1987 - perhaps one of Sweden's long forgotten underground Black Metal bands. None the less, the album itself is very raw, heavily distorted guitars make way for a chime-twinkling drum pattern. Whilst conventionally the vocals are shrieked and echoed so to speak, the lyrics cannot be deciphered - all for more making it even darker. 'A Child Was Born Of The Underworld' is a testament to the True Swedish Black Metal scene and a harmonious reminder that Salute Records founder Satanic Tony knows Metal music inside and out. Equinox is one of a kind, a rarity and so whomever hears the band's music has a right gem in their hands. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  ULTRA NOVA 'Into Pain....' SALUTE Wallowing in the sewers of both the USA and Canada is the two-man band Ultra Nova with their slick-stance on raw Black / Death Metal. Whilst the production need be not great, this adds to the raw ambiance of it. 'Into Pain....' is their debut 2011 EP and by far does it engrave a darkened signal of ravishing intent in respect of mass destruction of hearing. Although it cannot be essentially called an EP with two tracks - more so a demo, none the less this is one release that proves a promising sign for the duo.  MORIBOND 'The Wild Ride' SALUTE American / Canadian Doom Metal duo Moribond flick the amp to bring their premier demo 'The Wild Ride' to light, unleashing the thickened sound of sludge-style Doom Metal in a three track attack, Moribond devour the bleakest atmosphere imaginable and erode any corresponding despair surrounding the listener. Whilst the vocals are not truly impressive, being near-inaudible - the music itself offers its own services and alleviates any misconceptions right from the first track. A cult release from a soon-to-be cult band, Moribond are due to turn heads. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  WINTERCOLD 'The Return Of Baal' SALUTE Depressingly sorrowful and mentally disturbing is Wintercold's sophomore album 'The Return Of Baal', the Swedish one-man project pioneered by Salute Record's owner Satanic Tony brings a cold and bitter feel to the atmosphere by introducing a new style of Gothic Doom Metal by making it sound depressing and Pagan-like. Without a doubt this is a well produced album that has hidden qualities all over it, just waiting to take the listener to a different place each time. Wintercold is one project for those who love Pagan and Doom Metal and with this release, there is clearly more to come. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PREMONITION 'The Plague Of Ignorance' SALUTE Back in 2009, Saudi Arabian one-man project Premonition (Arjun Gill is originally Indian) made his debut album 'The Plague Of Ignorance' shed light and effectively raise another flag for the Saudi Arabian Metal scene. The music itself may be dubbed 'extreme metal' as it encompasses Black, Death, Thrash and Metalcore and so 'Blackened Deathrashcore' may as well be a mouthful. With a chock load of pulsating riffs, rifling blast-beats and a rainbow-variety of vocals, this is Premonition at it's best, even though this is just a debut. Guaranteed to set off moshpits in a flash, 'The Plague Of Ignorance' is a clear sign that more is to come, even more so a forecast for heavier material is predicted. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  FALGAR 'Beyond The Fading Stars' SALUTE Backtracking to 2010 and to the latest release of Puerto Rican Black Metal one-man project Falgar is as monumental as realizing history. 'Beyond The Fading Stars' deploys the darkened atonement of Raw Black Metal in its harshest form, whereby the vocals offer a spine-chilling spiritual rape and the music itself carves bleeding wounds in the listener's soul. Released in only 99 copies, this is one album that any Black Metal fan should have in their repertoire, for it carries a really evil and imaginative creation ideology on it, the notion that Black Metal is ever-expanding 'Beyond The Fading Stars', Falgar is flying the flag for the Puerto Rico Metal scene. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DEONA CART DELUNA 'In The Manner Ov Death' SALUTE Malaysian Death / Thrash mob Deona Cart Deluna return with their grand-slamming sound of raw vocals and distorted guitars in the form of their breathtaking 2011 EP 'In The Manner Ov Death'. Rallying a roller-coaster of outrageous riffs and bombastic blastbeats, the quintet from Johore Southern Gateway unleashes absolute god-raving hell on this EP with more than four fruity tracks to indulge in. Only one can imagine the sheer velocity of audio-brutality experienced when seeing these guys live at a gig or festival. Deona Cart Deluna are without a doubt one of the best emerging Malaysian Metal talents around and are clearly deserving of a place at one of Europe's top festivals. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  AMORTYS 'Voz Muerta' SALUTE Hailing from Colombia, Blackened Death Metal quartet Amortys brought a new style of insanity to the table in 2009 with their first demo 'Voz Muerta'. Whilst singing in their native Spanish, the boys from Bogota do not fail to impress to the masses with this releases, the level of raw music on this release is sensational, whilst it's practically easy to mosh to, the vocals are a little understandable and so the music acts as a foundation for this. Easy to say that Amortys are wallowing in the deepest chasms of the Colombian Metal scene, bring on the debut EP. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  NOKTURNAL FOREST 'To Embrace The Nocturnal Hymns' SALUTE 2010 saw call of duty in the Syrian Metal scene with one-man project Nokturnal Forest take up the valiance of playing more Black Metal in the form of his debut EP 'To Embrace The Nocturnal Hymns', whilst the music itself is a lovely raw sound, there is nothing wrong with this release. For a musician from the Middle East to unleash this oriental darkness in such a way is a signal that the metal in that region is far from being labelled as a pushover. Nokturnal Forest is leading a storm of Syrian Metal of which is to engulf the underground, calling it a dark threat and ultimately signalling the dawn of a new era for Black Metal. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON | 2013
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