KREMATED
'Total Warfare'

You want a blitz? Look at world war two documentaries, however if you want a blitz-storm then get a load of historical Thrash Metal produced by London masters of grit, the quartet known as Kremated. Returning from the pits of the south bank, Kremated thrust forward their latest offering 'Total Warfare' in epic fashion, through a myriad of tempo-changing tracks and outrageous riffs, both together powerful enough to make an AK-47 look like a spent lump of corrugated metal. Moral is if you think the old styles of metal are dead, if you feel that the 'core' genres are the best style of metal ever, you would be mistaken, 'Total Warfare' delivers thrashed-up music along with Hardcore brutality and slick Crustpunk atmosphere, just make sure you turn the speakers up past 13 or else.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

Kannabinõid
'Kannabinõid'

Considering most of the Eastern European Metal scenes deal with mainly Doom and Black Metal, when the Stoner Doom Metal quartet Kannabinõid emerge with their self-titled debut EP, it is looked open as the turning point for the Estonian extreme metal scene, full of melancholic, darkening and disturbing atmosphere, played on by the elegance of the Estonian language and the slow, thick sound of the guitar strings being plucked in a sorrowful way that leaves a bitter and cold emotion in the ears of whomsoever comes across this cleverly produced work of art, so much so irrespective of the language difficulties, here the music does the inevitable talking.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DARK HORIZON
'Diabolic Agreement'

Two words: very disappointing. This is the best way without being crude upon summing up the debut album by Dark Horizon, their album 'Diabolic Agreement' delivers great music in the style of Melodic Black / Death Metal and at a precise tone too, but the vocals somehow seem to have gotten lost somewhere or at least practically are hard to understand, if there is anything else positive to take from this release is that it would pose well as an instrumental, but if the band are to exceed expectations and deliver a sound that critics and labels will pay more attention to, then the vocals need to keep a gear, there is great potential, just not as evident as it should be.

[4.5] RHYS STEVENSON

MYRA
'The Venom It Drips'
EUROPEAN LABEL

Falling back four years to the spark of Myra's career and you'll find their debut album 'The Venom It Drips', much is different here to their later album 'Godspeed', but the band still employs that phenomenal sound they coalesce, putting together lashes of Melodic Death Metal with Metalcore and Thrash Metal, the German quintet are a force waiting to take Europe by storm. With each song there is an explosion of technically crafted metal music and an atmosphere that would make any Bundesliga match sound and feel like a kindergarten, the album is that powerful. From the lush sounds of 'Doomed from the outset' which features female vocals to the delicate instrumental 'The Venom Part I', Myra prove that they are the new face of German Metal.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

GHOST TRAIL
'Orkestergrav'

It is a truthful fact that Norwegians are very good at producing grim Black Metal and Ghost Trail are no exception, putting together the cold and grave sounds of their True Norwegian Black Metal heritage with the progressive elements found in bands like Ihsahn, Enslaved and Emporer, the Norwegian trio deliver a promising start to their career and are sure to continue to create even darker music. As for their demo 'Orkestergrav', it is sure to please fans of the Progressive Black Metal style, with it's slow and long elements and formidable shrieking, it is a sound of death.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

CRIMSON SHADOWS
'Glory On The Battlefield'

From time to time Canada delivers a band that whilst unsigned, deserves international attention and proves themselves to be the next big act, this time that falls upon Ontario quintet Crimson Shadows as they smash the sound barrier with their emphatic debut album 'Glory On The Battlefield', mixing together the guttural vibrant sounds of Melodic Death Metal with the heavenly and majestic elements of Power Metal to deliver what could be perceived as Canadian Album of the year. 'Glory On The Battlefield' takes the listener on a forty-six minute journey through the fields of Canada to places as high as the Rockies and as low as the mountain bears riding bareback through the cities, to put it short, expect this band to go far as they prepare for 'Glory On The Battlefield'. Fans of 3 Inches of Blood, Blackguard and Unleash The Archers will love this album to bits.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

WEEPING SILENCE
'For The Unsung'
RAVENHEART MUSIC

Malta's most prolific Metal band Weeping Silence return for a third time to deliver their sensational sound of Gothic-infused Doom Metal in emphatic fashion, the septet deliver another opus in what can be perceived as their greatest work to date. Mixing delicate female vocals with the harshness of the brutal male vocals spurted out here and together wrapped in music so atmospherically dynamic, it shook the very foundations of this small European island nation. For a Gothic Doom Metal band, they know how to make the balance just right so it doesn't place the listener in suicidal despair, instead what the Maltese septet have done is bring to the table another slice of fruity cake, one that any metal fan would savor and especially is delivered in honor 'For The Unsung' heroes that defended Malta during WW2, that is how strong this album and indeed this band are.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

FIRES OF TARTARUS
'Fires Of Tartarus'

Berkshire of late seems to be producing metal bands by the truckload and all sound out of this world, so when the new kids on the block Fires Of Tartarus released their debut s/t EP this year, the expectations were running high, by god did we not see this coming. Slamming, face-smashing Death Metal is unleashed to pummel the streets into total disrepair, wielding together killer riffs and earthquake-like drumming precision amongst sickening vocals and an atmosphere to make any hardnut become equated to a ballerina, 'Fires Of Tartarus' smacks out five tracks of insane music and yet leaves the listener begging for more, 'Fires Of Tartarus' is for fans of literally pure cold-blooded Death Metal. If this lot don't get signed in the next two or three years, I'll eat my speakers.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

XENOSIS
'Haunted Skies'

Whilst conventionally unconvincing as a perfect debut album, Xenosis' 'Haunted Skies' meets the expectations of what they claim to play, Progressive Death Metal. However for the American quintet the obvious lack of little timing here and there leaves some songs without any meaning or reason for purpose other than that to drag the entire album out of it's overall perception. Tracks like 'The Contactee' deliver what one was expecting, as for the first two tracks, skip them. However the real fudge-packer that will entice everyone is 'The Willows of the Brook surround us' with it's technically productive riffs and brutalizing drumming and vocal capabilities, overall the album has gems here and there, but there are a few areas to clean up on for number two.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

BAAL ZE UB
'...From The Cave Of The Forgotten'

Enter Baal Ze Ub with their debut full-length album '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' and the new sound in the German Metal scene. Mixing traditional Blackened Thrash Metal with the darkness and grim atmosphere of war that plagued Europe for years, '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' delivers fast and furious brutality in a barrage of blastbeats, death-defying riffs and insane shrieking vocals. Without dubbing them 'Black War Metal' would be a little of an understatement, there is evident parts of the album that relate to war and the air raid siren at the start is the first part of this extreme release. Emerging out of the darkness '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' comes a quintet with enough cold bitterness to freeze your nipples off.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

RAGE INVEST
'Where The Sacred Ends'

With an album cover that somehow is reminiscent of the great fire of London in 1666, except that Rage Invest are in fact Swedish. The music in question is an onslaught of Melodic Death Metal (no surprise here) and the seemingly low spread of Thrash Metal in the national scene, so when bringing the two sounds together to produce their successful debut album 'Where The Sacred Ends', what can be said is that the band has potential, the vocals are a little sketchy here and there no real guttural feeling more like the Hardcore style vocals, but there again the correlation with the band name suits the preconceived idea of the vocals as befitting. Fuelled by hate as the core topic, Rage Invest are ready to flip the middle finger and assault Europe, be careful the new kids on the block are set to make waves.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DEATHMARCHED
'Open Fire!'

Finally Finnish old school Death Metal has made an appearance, about time the classics got revived, so when hearing the premier demo by Seinäjoki quartet Deathmarched, there is definitely Hail Of Bullets and Napalm Death influences coming in, the latter really applying to the music and the first influence clear as day when looking at the demo title - 'Open Fire!' This is the sort of band that may get attention from Finnish record labels; it's authentic, original and utmost classic. 'Open Fire!' acts as a well-deserved breather from all of the modern metal that seems to flush out the roots of the genre and so with Deathmarched firmly set on reviving the original style of Death Metal, nothing will stand in their way.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

PAINLESS DEATH / LOST IN THE DELUSION CALLED 'LIFE'
'Longest Path To The End'
PARKBENCH

Mexican and Australian Black Metal join forces in this international split release, not only that but both are solo projects from both genders. Kicking off this collaboration called 'Longest Path To The End' is Australia's Lost In The Delusion Called "Life" which is the fourth release, first split and only (so-far) release of 2012. Much cannot be said for this project only that it is disturbing, ambient and very, very dark. Taking the ambient settings of the venomous tarantula and transforming it into audio poison to leave the listener self-murdered in their own frantic escape, it is that bizarre. Moving onto the second half of the split, the last project to move into focus is Mexico's Painless Death, which is the third split released and second release of 2012. Delivering a sorrowful and soul-destroying ambient sound of murderous depressive Black Metal to savour the emo kid from being butchered by self-vanity, in other words this is not for the weak. Darkness intrudes the realm of the listener and warps them into a place full of cold bitterness, even as this is written I'm feeling queasy. Playing in the style of Be Persecuted, this is Mexico's darkest hour and perhaps the listener's final hour.

[6] + [7] RHYS STEVENSON

CHAOSWOLF / ASTAROT
'Verwerfung / In the Abyss...'
PARKBENCH

Bringing together two Mexican projects on this split is a unique form of cultural expression, intriguingly both actually perform Black metal and this is significant, some splits don't have a continual genre-theme going on, but with the 'Verwerfung / In the Abyss...' split coming out of the darkness and performed in the stated order, this is a true masterpiece of Mexican Black Metal, the most grim variant of the spicy enchilada, one bite and your immediately hooked onto it's delicious sounds and aromatic atmosphere, if only the pepper was just as raw. Chaoswolf and Astarot together will definitely appeal to those who love their Black metal in the old school style, not just because there is no fancy blastbeats as such (well only for Chaoswolf, but for Astarot it's simply basic, just how it should be), but more so because of the atmosphere and level of raw influence drafted into what can be dubbed as possibly Mexican Metal release of the year.

[7] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

HOLY MARY'S BLOWJOB / SATANIC FOREST
'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum'

You may as well call the 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' split between Brazil's Satanic Forest and Mexico's Holy Mary's Blowjob simply 'Satanic Latin American Black Metal', because thats what it is. Forged in the darkness of two highly religious countries, 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' starts off with a Raw Black Metal track that can be summed as saying 'mercy cannot be used here', truly punishing music in it's most evil form, yet when Holy Mary's Blowjob move into the driving seat it totally blacks out the senses, litrally. Anti-christianity and Satanism pursue on this cleverly done release and as such leaves the listener totally speechless as to what and why a Roman Catholic Brazilian suddenly switches allegiance and allies with the devil, 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' is one hell of a disturbing release.

[7] + [7] RHYS STEVENSON

GRAVEN ASPECT
'Eksyneiden Unia'

A little disappointing is Graven Aspect's debut EP 'Eksyneiden Unia', besides the great feeling of hearing the Finnish language, which actually is not disappointing but rather pleasing, the only disappointment is the lack of songs, you know the Melodic Black Metal however suits the band well because overall the EP is a credible release, fully of melancholic melodies and brutal drumming - if anyone has any knowledge of Finnish singing bands, the best to compare this to is nearly Verjnuarmu, but for Graven Aspect this is the start of something unique, their own style and is sure to captivate many Black Metal fans alike.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

Опричь / Чур / Piarevaracien
'Триединство'
CASUS BELLI MUSICA

Possibly the greatest international Folk Metal split album collaboration ever made, featuring two bands from Russia and one from Belarus, 'Триединство' is the ultimate Pagan Metal party soundtrack. Starting off with Russian Pagan Metal sextet Опричь (Oprich) and the festivities soon come into full swing, full of Russian lyrics to add the originality to the music whilst the music itself delves into the delightful sounds of traditional Russian music, unearthing the flute to add that true Pagan feel and setting up for the next band to follow suit, for Опричь this is their boldest selection of music to date and is sure to steer them onto greater achievements.

Moving onto the second band and what we have here is what seems to be a one-man project, or so it would seem but information lacks so there cannot be an informed decision, none the less the overall production that this artist releases is something of the extraordinary kind, they sing in their own native language of Belarusian and play a unique style of Black Pagan Metal, but the strange thing is that there is hardly anything to suggest it has Black Metal influence or something similar, in fact it may as well be a toned down Arkona minus the Russian ethnicity and the obvious Black Metal sounds, even so it cannot be denied that Piarevaracien's contribution is a rewarding one.

Finally finishing off with the Russian Pagan Metal band Чур (Chur), the split is finally looking to be a truly momentous time in the Eastern European Metal scenes, perhaps there should be a compilation of metal bands from the CIS countries, but going back to the split release, Чур deliver a more upbeat version of Pagan Metal than Опричь delivered in the first stage of the release, sure the band sing in Russian but they have a more valiant sound, the sound that battles would be linked with, folklore imagined and the entire release spellbound by 3 talented acts. Чур wraps up the release in fantastic style and prove once again why they should be recognised as one of Russia's greats.

[8] + [7] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON
_

ASCENDED DEAD
'Ascended Dead (Demo I)'

You cannot help but to think that the debut demo by Californian Death Metallers Ascended Dead was intended for raw publication only, even though released on a tape and at large deliver so-low produced music that it would take the 2020 version of the Dolby Digital System to even register the output at level 2 on the dial. Sure the release is not a total silent production, but as for its overall perception there is much more to be done before the band embark on trying to deliver their music to the masses. After all this is a sound that's meant to be depressive, occult-loaded and darkening, instead it may as well be dubbed 'bizarre'

[3] RHYS STEVENSON

MARTYRD
'The Mortal Coil'

As bright as that classic New York sunrise, Thrash maniacs Martyrd make their welcomed return to deliver 'The Mortal Coil', a futile collection of modernised Thrash Metal tracks, designed to outwit the preconceived ideas the artwork delivers. Capturing influential essences from the likes of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Testament and Metallica, Martyrd are setting themselves up to become the next band to emerge from the metropolis of American Thrash Metal. With their infectious riffs shredding through the human senses like a pack of wolves on their midnight hunt and the drums providing a solid base whilst the vocals power the album forward into a sense of total destruction, the next stop is going to be an interesting one, 'The Mortal Coil' could very well be the album that see's them get a record deal.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

WANTED INC.
'Demons We Created'

Teutonic Thrash Metal quartet make their second album sound sweet, they forget to put the cherry on the cake, that said 'Demons We Created' qualifies as a break-neck release. From start to finish, the five-piece blast holes in the silence around with the echoing sounds of the guitars, riffing up like a chainsaw about to desecrate the Bavarian forests whilst the vocals and drums deliver a sound only a V12 could equate to. This is an album full of everything, full of angst, breakdowns, quirky riffs and pure German engineering; sure it's nothing on the scale of Holy Moses, but it will please fans of Evile, Blood Tsunami and Testament. As for Wanted Inc. they could be the band Germany has been waiting for, a breath of fresh air.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

BLACK HAMMER
'Darker Days Will Come'
FORGOTTEN WISDOM PRODS.

2012 sees the premier EP release of French one-man project Black Hammer, 'Darker Days Will Come' explodes and ignites with the infinite dark sound of classic Blackened Thrash Metal produced by the musical magician known as The Iron Messiah. The music itself is raw and gruesome, just the way its meant to be, the vocals however are raspy and chilling, thus bringing into the affray an abysmal outburst of blackened horror, so evil it would make the French revolution look like a tea party. 'Darker Days Will Come' is designed for fans of Dissimulation, Aura Noir and Toxic Holocaust, even so 'Darker Days Will Come' and that's a fact.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DEUS IGNOTUS
'Christmation'
FORGOTTEN WISDOM PRODS.

Well apparently it seems that due to the financial situation in Greece that the metal scene is getting darker, as seen by the recent release by Black Metal duo Deus Ignotus, their debut album 'Christmation' has what Black Metal already is, fast drumming, sensational blastbeats and evil vocals, so there is really nothing new here at all, still it cannot be knocked as not a good release, it is brimming with technical playing at every minute and is sure to please many amongst the Black Metal subgenre, as for the band this is the beginning of something epic, something more epic than Mayhem.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ANWYNN
'Forbidden Songs'
M & O MUSIC

Now this is the sort of band to uplift the Belgian Metal scene, mixing together a myriad of metal styles to construct what we perceive as 'Angelic Heavy Metal', their debut album 'Forbidden Songs' takes pinches from Death Metal, Melodic and Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal and Gothic Metal, so there is something for everyone, but don't let the soft genres fool you, the Death Metal vocals are as brutal as a warm pint of Leffe. 'Forbidden Songs' delivers an onslaught of majestic music, brilliantly executed vocals and delinquent melodies, this is the album to set this lot off on a storm across Europe, the time has come, Anwynn are set to take the Belgian Metal scene to new heights. 'Forbidden Songs' is an album which fans of Izegrim, Arcane Grail and Diabulus In Musica will like.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

ACYL
'Algebra'
M & O Music

Mixing traditional Algerian and North African / Arabian sounds with the Progressive Metal sounds of the French metal scene is dual-nationality quartet Acyl with their genius debut album 'Algebra'. Authentic in every way, 'Algebra' provides listeners with a taste for original Arabian sounds and brings the atmosphere of being in the sands to life. With a percussive beat giving a dance feel and the vocals delivering that harsh and ambient feel to the music, all in all resulting in a release that has enough originality in it to be called innovative. 'Algebra' is a release that will please fans of Myrath, Orphaned Land and Anagesia.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

FENRIR
'Echoes Of The Wolf'

From time to time you can be assured of specialist metal bands to arise from the depths of the abyss, so when Fenrir appear on the radar with their debut album 'Echoes Of The Wolf', you get the instantaneous pre-conceived idea its going to be a Folk Metal album, quite the contrary, in fact to be specific with the violin driving the melodies, the vocals providing heavenly choruses and the basic foundation of a metal band providing a solid backbone to the band, this is clearly the best Celtic Metal band France has ever produced. Laden with joy, adventures and sensational musicianship, the sextet from Nancy conduct a formula that any ancient druid would be baffled by, dragging the listener into the ancient times of Gaul and enriching their senses with what can be claimed as French Metal album of the year.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

NAHUM
'The Gates Are Open'

It has to be said that Nahum's debut album 'The Gates Are Open' lacks any real vibrancy, sure the Melodic Death Metal / Thrash Metal combo plays well, but the overall feeling is that the vocals don't change level and so thus leave it with a set method of performance, however the music does offer some unique sound shifts especially on 'Equal', but for the Czech quartet the album in question is not a be all end all, for it does have mind-blowing drumming and heart-breaking riffs, so there are at times good and bad points, but the overall reception is a fairly positive one. It has sounds for every sort of metal fan, 'The Gates Are Open' and Nahum is 'nearly' ready to slaughter Europe.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

NATTERGAL
'Singular Disasters'

Even the most raw and atmospheric Black Metal bands have something extraordinary to offer and Nattergal is no exception, smothering the genre with cold, depressive and doom-laden feelings is just one difference, the fact being the project is performed by one female musician from Mexico is another, in fact her debut album 'Singular Disasters' has far more ambience on it than a session with the hippies. 'Singular Disasters' brings together a host of different styles of Black metal, moulds them together and delivers what one could perceive as one of the most rawest albums released to date, even so with the album designed for fans of evidently Raw Depressive Black Metal, it is one of a kind and should never be disregarded as a commoner.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

MURDEROUS INSTINCT
'Manifestation Of Evil'

Those uncanny Scotsmen, producing metal music to piss off the English because we tend to fail at Brutal Death Metal, well when you take into account Aberdeenshire's Murderous Instinct, you get the nostalgic feeling of the many battles between the nations, Culloden for example. But you tend to realise, hang on, this album has got more than angry musicians on it, this is a damn good masterpiece. So when the Scottish quartet shed out their debut album 'Manifestation Of Evil', the production is acceptable, but the music is godly and so without any doubt whatsoever, what we have here is an album that fans of Excrementory Grindfuckers, Cerebral Bore and The Atrocity Exhibit will love, now where's my cooking haggis.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

SHEBREW
'Provenance'

So apart from the fact the band's logo is similar to that of the iconic Star Wars logo, Brummie trio Shebrew come galloping out of the gates with their debut EP 'Provenance', putting together a juicy meal of Stoner Doom Metal to captivate the listener into a false sense of security, why? Well it's hardly Doom Metal at all, it's that sort of music you play when smoking weed at a campfire and hang out with the hippies, and it's mellow and delightful, if that's the best way to put it. But taking into account that this is a damn good starting point for the band, they may well get some major attention, or at least they deserve to, simply inspirational.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DEPRAVED PLAGUE
'Systemic'

Well hospitals in Cambridgeshire must be overwhelmed with people suffering neck pains and other broken bones, the cause of the accidents can be blamed onto the infectious album release by Cambridge Death Metal mob Depraved Plague. This year the quartet unleash total chaos with their debut album 'Systemic', a futile sound of old school Cannibal Corpse and modern style techniques combined together to smash every skull who stands in their way, in fact scrap calling it Death Metal, the term 'Radioactive Metal' would befit them to the very cells from which they are made of, it's lethal, it's metal and it's 100% dangerous, Deprave Plague are on course to rival the world's biggest Death Metal titans, game on.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

APPARITION
'For Vengeance... And For Love'
METAL COMPASS

Making their welcomed return is Staffordshire's Apparition with their sophomore album 'For Vengeance... And For Love' and their unique style of soul-soothing Gothic Metal. Two years have passed since their 2010 compilation and the wait has been worth it, delivering beautiful female vocals with an atmospheric backdrop, this is a album that creates a feeling of relaxation, a sort of stress-release entertainment, but however the listener perceives it, this is a band that deserves credit and recognition as bringing a new style of Gothic Metal to the forefront, sure they are not on the same par as bands similar to them like Within Temptation and Delain, no, in fact they are one whole level above them.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

PRAYERS OF SANITY
'Confrontations'

Simply put the best ever Thrash Metal band Portugal has ever seen, enter Prayers Of Sanity and their awaited return with their second offering entitled 'Confrontations'. The second album delivers break-neck Thrash Metal in the style of Slayer-cross-Holy Moses and so what you get is forty minutes worth of total brain-f*cking material. Pummelling drums ride the waves as the guitars provide tricky and technically demanding riffs and the vocals blast out at a thousand M.P.H., all in all this together provides the algorithm for what can be see as Portuguese Metal album of the year. Think you know Thrash? Think it's just how fast you can go? Until you know this band you know nothing of the kind.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

IN THE SILENCE
'A Fair Dream Gone Mad'

If you're a fan of emotional and somewhat a little depressive music then you should not turn a blind eye to 'A Fair Dream Gone Mad', true its ideally Atmospheric Prog Metal, but even so the melancholy is enough to turn any priest demonic. 'A Fair Dream Gone Mad' is the debut album by Californian quartet In The Silence and it features eight tracks equating to forty-six minutes of ambience, rock and general misery. The composition is good granted but the overall release is a little bleak, its one of those albums that sits in the corner of the cupboard, gathering dust and yet fails to lose its lustre, although the irony is that it's meant to be dark, perhaps it is what it's stated as, 'A Fair Dream Gone Mad'.

[5.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DISARM GOLIATH
'Born To Rule'

Instantly the whole Iron Maiden sound hits you like a raging bull high on illicit drugs, but when you dissect a band like Disarm Goliath, they do have some influences coming in from Judas Priest, Black Sabbath and Metallica (especially the solo's) and intriguingly they tend to have that Brummie sound; the home of metal. So when their sophomore album 'Born To Rule' comes out to rock the countryside, what it does instead is captures the essence of Heavy Metal gone-by and adds some modern features; we'll leave the listener to detect them. None the less, 'Born To Rule' is an album for the fans of Classic Metal and also bands like Kobra & The Lotus, Kaine, Merciless Fail and Rage.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

PLANET RAIN
'Antichthon'

Of course anyone would be mistaken to dub every Swedish Melodic Death Metal band the same, in truth it's just not the case, every one of them has something unique to offer, especially bands like Planet Rain who make their long-awaited debut album 'Antichthon' take flight in spectacular form. Delivering a fist punching wall of sound in the heaviest obliteration to date, this is the sound to smack the clone bands into line. 'Antichthon' hosts a brutal onslaught of outrageous riffs, emotional vocals and classic drumming; this is just the beginning of something magical.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

KOSMOS
'From Innocence To Pervesity'

French Black Metal has always been a hit and miss area and from time to time bands or projects emerge that wipe the floor with the rest of the scene, unfortunately its projects like Kosmos who loiter on the fence. The debut album 'From Innocence To Pervesity' delivers sensational musical compositions via insane drumming, raw riffs and a dark grim atmosphere, but what lets it down is the vocals, sure there is meant to be vocals, but it just sounds like static on the microphone. Overall the album is fairly well done, but the vocals need more work to be done rather than making pretty designs using corpse paint.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

SPIRITS WAY
'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved'

Polish Death Metal quartet Spirits Way take no time out to release their next opus as a year after their 2011 debut EP, they release their debut album 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved'. Kicking off with technical metal simmering in the background and Death Metal delivering the goods in extreme form, this is a solid prime example of how Death Metal should be conducted. 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved' features seven tracks of nitty-gritty music and twenty-one minutes worth of complete annihilation of the hearing senses. It would be really odd if no record label snaps this lot up, brimming with potential and attitude, 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved' may as well be Polish Metal album of the year.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

BURNING SHADOWS
'Gather, Darkness!'

The question is 'Why on earth aren't these guys signed'? Listeners would most probably agree when checking out Burning Shadows and their sophomore album 'Gather, Darkness!', lashing together majestic Power Metal vocals with the traditional sounds of Heavy Metal to create a folklorish album. Mixing their intricate music with the lyrical topics of mythology, war and Tolkien themes, no wonder the overall product sounds like a thousand horses galloping; it's fast-paced, full of unexpected twists and turns and ultimately truly American. For the Maryland quartet this is a step forward and is sure to get attention across the globe.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

HELLSPAWN
'The Great Red Dragon'
Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho

Hellspawn return to shed out their sophomore album 'The Great Red Dragon', the Polish quartet clearly have influence from titans Behemoth as there are very identical riffs between the two, even so 'The Great Red Dragon' is a well-produced slab of no-bullsh*t Death Metal. It is fast, brutal and a skull-smashing piece of musicianship. From the first second to the last riff, 'The Great Red Dragon' wipes the floor with their previous releases and is sure to garner much attention across Europe. With the drums blazing and the guitars shedding out notes like as if he has the runs, Hellspawn have done it again and brought their signature sound to the table for a second round.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

IBLIS
'Menthell'
D.T.M PRODS

Strange things happen and sometimes they cannot be explained, such a chase is the debut album by Iblis from Poland, their album 'Menthell' covers much of the old school Black 'N' Roll that they seemed to play, but in fact most of the album dives into the Avant-Garde Metal pool and plucks out some of the most bizarre sounds ever imaginable. Playing in the style of bands like December Wolves, Aarni and Sunn O))), the quartet produce a unique sound that is hard to compare with any other bands. Weaving the Avant-Garde influences with their style of Post-Black Metal, Iblis are a one of a kind.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

PANDEMONIUM
'Misanthropy'
PAGAN

Number four has dropped and strangely enough it's a nothing, the drums pummel away as it says in the script, but with no build-up or anti-climax, this failed to break the box office, enough of the film language, this is music, or so it should be. For Poland's Pandemonium, it couldn't get any bizarre, for starters the album tends to lack presence, yet the music is fine, the atmosphere is dull, yet the feeling is there. 'Misanthropy' in question is indeed a question mark over the band's excellent record of decent albums, but this is one they should quickly forget, from such a long-running band and a well known one at that, much was more to be expected than has been delivered.

[5] RHYS STEVENSON

WARHEAD
'The End Is Here'

Sometimes you just think that recording studios can go from absolute perfection to backyard trash, sadly the album in question got beaten up in the backyard. 'The End Is Here' by American Thrashers Warhead is their debut album, yet to listen to it, you need speakers at maximum, it is that bad. The music itself is well done, a straight-edge production in the vein of Thrash Metal and clearly shows signs that they stuck to it and did not deviate, but for the level of the sound that is produced at a normal level, well you would need a huge speaker system to make it sound ok, sad to say but 'The End Is Here' for Warhead.

[2.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SVENTOYAR (Свентояр)
'Our Strength'
BLACK DEATH PROD.

Those Eastern Europeans, lavish and deep in their beloved folk music and beliefs, so when Sventoyar (Свентояр) come back to release their sophomore album 'Our Strength', it cannot be helped but to notice this is a band singing about Slavonic Paganism, folklore and nationalism, but don't dub them as a Nazi band, this is not the case. The Ukrainian quintet come together to produce a beautiful display of traditional folk music with the harsh sounds of Metal music to create something extraordinary. Singing in their native Ukrainian language, you get that truly glorious feel of being taken into the ancient history of their lands and with 'Our Strength' now firmly set in stone, Sventoyar are taking Ukrainian Metal to greater heights.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON
_

YOSSI SASSI
'Melting Clocks'
VERYCORDS

Most of the albums coming from the Middle East tend to have that exotic feel about them, 'Melting Clocks' is no different, the total instrumental album by Orphaned Land's Yossi Sassi delivers the best sounds of traditional Hebrew and Israeli music with the solid backbone of rock music. Composed in such a way that even at Yom Kippur, this would be a perfect soundtrack to the colourful festival. Garnered by the authentic Oriental sounds of the native homeland of Christianity, Yossi Sassi delivers a masterpiece classic to the world in a thousand colours and with his 'Melting Clocks' album now firmly set in the music world; this is just the start of something rather epic.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DARK AMBITION
'Gallows Of Empire'
ROCK SPACE KOREA

On the other side of the globe in South Korea, comes a return for the sextet Dark Ambition and their sophomore album 'Gallows Of Empire'. The Seoul-based band deliver another round of their unique Melodic Black / Folk / Death Metal sound combo and their historical legends as lyrics once more, such a fine album this is and especially since it's the bands tenth anniversary. Mixing heavenly keyboard notes with the harsh brutality executed by the drums, vocals and guitars, altogether come as one to produce one of the finest dark albums South Korea has ever seen. 'Gallows Of Empire' is in fact for fans of Cradle Of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Ancient Rites and general Extreme Dark Metal.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

PURSUIT OF POWER
'Across The World'

You can get the sense of forward thrust on Pursuit Of Power's debut album 'Across The World', ideally a great soundtrack for those going on tornado chasing, with it's tasty melodic riffs and harmonious musical backdrops, 'Across The World' is a one of a kind. Spawned from the brains of Martin McCann and his friend Steve Mullican Jr., the musical epic delivers a breathtaking elegant production of solid music, epic atmosphere and heavenly vocals, all of which can be drawn in comparison to bands like Sonata Arctica and Iron Maiden. If 'Across The World' is anything to go by, Pursuit Of Power could may well be bringing a new sound to the table, with bouncy riffs, speedy drumming and pedal to the metal no-nonsense.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

BEYOND EXISTENCE
'Rising Tide'

Words escape on this one, the production is dire and the drums are hardly heard, even the subtle guitar riffing gets less acknowledgement than a farmer on holiday leave. The fact being the quality is poor is an understatement; sure that generally can't be helped but the lack of musical presence is not really acceptable, even if it is the debut EP by Beyond Existence from The Netherlands. However, it is not entirely a flat fail, the only reprisal is that the keyboards give a delicate introduction, but the overall reaction to this release is not one of positivity, much has to be changed and fast or Beyond Existence could be faced with their own 'Rising Tide'.

[3] RHYS STEVENSON

ANGIST
'Circle of Suffering'

2011 saw another Icelandic Death Metal release, it seems that the country has a fascination with bringing out Death Metal releases, yet usually they are of tough quality, and Angist's 'Circle of Suffering' is no exception, bringing to the battlefront the old school style in the form of Bloodbath and Death to name a few. Fluid drumming, gut-rotten vocals and tricky riffs combine and mesh together to excrete a sound so petrifying, it made Eyjafjallajökull erupt in fear. Featuring two females and two males, the quartet from Reykjavík bring a revival to the old guard and freshen up the Icelandic Metal scene. 'Circle of Suffering' is a good sign of more to come, the tremors can be heard, you have been warned.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

J.T. RIPPER
'Death Is Among Us'

German Speed Thrashers J.T. Ripper (Jack The Ripper) make a solid start to their career with their old school 80's style demo 'Death Is Among Us'. Playing uniquely in the style of early Slayer and Sepultura, the quartet makes no mess about it and progress with no hesitating whatsoever. Raw and rough recordings are how it should be and this band do not fail to impress with this release from which would seem apt to dub as possibly the revival of German 80's Thrash Metal. Taking a pinch of no-nonsense and dipping it in the cauldron of history, J.T. Rippers take the grizzly times of their historical moniker and moulds it onto modern times.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

SLIPPERY
'First Blow'

Take into account bands like Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, Deep Purple and more in the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal vein and then add the Brazilian attitude to it and you end up with the quintet Slippery with their rocking debut album 'First Blow', their first album in their eight year career. With classic vocals in the Bruce Dickinson style and the guitars and drums coming together in the original Hard Rock style, this is a band who knows how to play clean edge metal without the need to be tricky, complex or so congested that they need a breather every five seconds. 'First Blow' is for those fans of classic NWOBHM and original Hard Rock music magic.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

THRIVEN
'Bag Of Scumbags'

Brazilian Metal is always known to be a fast and flexible sound when it comes to producing Heavy Metal, so when the quintet Thriven deliver their first album 'Bag Of Scumbags', the mountains shook and the pace of life in Sao Paulo went out of sync. Mixing Groove tunes with the smackdown force of Metalcore, the five-piece deliver a unique twist on Lamb of God from which is a clear influence. From the sensational and epic breakdown on 'A la Calabresi' to the spine-snapping speed track known as 'Fudge'. This is an album with enough potential to blow holes in speakers worldwide, this is the real deal, this is the 'Bag Of Scumbags' and it's going to haunt you, you have been warned.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

CROSS UP YOURS
'Holy Shit'

The voice of hate, the hatred against all religions is among us and it comes in various forms, so when Greg Bukinus delivers his first EP from the Black / Death Metal project Cross Up Yours, you get the sense this is one pissed off person. 'Holy Shit' delivers the raw vocals experienced in the darkest forms of Black Metal whilst enraging the human senses with the insanely fast drumming. Distinctly taking influences from bands like Carpathian Forest and Darkthrone, Cross Up Yours does more than deliver the evil goods, it says fuck to everyone and everything whilst morally and musically saluting the big fat middle finger, moral is: "when you put the Cross Up Yours, you get 'Holy Shit".

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SUNLIGHT REALITY
'Through The Rings Of Darkness'

Russia's Melodic Death Metal newcomers Sunlight Reality unleash their debut album 'Through The Rings Of Darkness' with a sound that sounds so common amongst other bands, the drumming is a little bland and ideally it's more of a Death Metal album as the melodies are just not there. The riffs are too consistent and lack any fluidity and the vocals are more shrieking than growling, so whether the band are in the wrong genre ideology or they weren't on their best form during the recording phase, remains a mystery, but it's not all there to be condoned, in fact the best descent thing about the album is that its fast, but even then it sounds a bit too fast, ah well

MOUNTAIN GRAVE
'Ruins' & 'Rage & Ruin'

Black / Death Metal from the USA at times can be dire, dull and boring, however it can be rewarding and so when bands like Mountain Grave come around, they swing the pendulum the other way, now taking into account that their 2010 demo is a raw sounding release and that this is between two albums, the overall production is not it's best. The drums deliver a solid sound and the raw buzzing of the guitars install a unique atmosphere but the vocals are hardly heard if not result in simple shrieks. Given due it has a dark and disturbing atmosphere it lacks in the musical presence section and as a result leaves the demo on a knife-edge.

2011 was a little better but had a trippy sound to it, instead of full-on double bass drumming and harsh vocals demolishing the sound around, it desecrates the release itself. The release in question is the band's second album 'Rage & Ruin', give due the riffs are more rampant than its predecessor and the drums are far more lively, but the vocals need a little oomph in the intonation. Overall it is a decent enough, crafted release but there are some minor areas that need dressing, if anything the album is for fans of old Black / Death Metal and not so much the behemoth style that dominates this genre these days.

[4] + [6] RHYS STEVENSON

TO THE MARROW
'For Your Blinded Minds'

Smashing through the barriers of sound is newbies To The Marrow, the German Progressive Deathrashers make their immediate debut with their first ever album 'For Your Blinded Minds'. Featuring a multitude for sick breakdowns, feisty riffs, gut-wrenching drumming and juicy vocals, 'For Your Blinded Minds' is more than an album, it's a god damn assault course. Taking influence from bands like HateSphere and The Black Dahlia Murder, the quartet immerse the listener in some of the heaviest metal Germany has to offer this year, an instantaneous classic is born here and is sure to propel To The Marrow into the international metal scene limelight, if you thought you seen Extreme Metal, think again, you haven't seen nothing yet!

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

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

NECROVATION
'Necrovation'
AGONIA

So Necrovation return to deliver their second offering of Swedish Death Metal, but what is is really, it certainly does not constitute anything of the sort; in fact it may as well be Thrashy Death Metal watered down, with no real melody sinking into the percussion and it resembling more Black Metal in its drum form, Necrovation have made a lot of errors on their sophomore album, you know if one was to turn attention to sheep herding and replace the sheep dog with a mastiff, would that be blasphemous? Most certainly, so with that in mind, Necrovation will need to go back to square one, at least the artwork is good.

[3.5] RHYS STEVENSON

RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER
'Ghostmaker'
CANDLELIGHT

Humour does seem to seep into the world of metal music from time to time and so when the third album by American Grind Thrashers Rumpelstiltskin Grinder drops, one could not sit and laugh together, laugh at how ridiculously clever the album is. This is a band with enough brutality in their vocals that they made the US congress wet themselves at the sound of Grindcore, there again who wouldn't soil their pants at the sound of a sonic blastbeat or rapid riff or venomous vocal production? Enough is enough; someday Rumpelstiltskin Grinder will get tired of this and change sound, that being they will get heavier, as for now this is some delightful music.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DEADLY REMAINS
'Severing Humanity'
DEEPSEND

Brutal Death Metal is all about the nitty-gritty and if you lack in it you're going to end up with four musicians playing full on Hardcore Pop music, the sort Justin Bieber does when on crack. However getting it right and you end up with beastly music, such is a band as Deadly Remains who return to deliver that much-needed punch in the face with their second effort 'Severing Humanity'. Drums blazing, guitars on overdrive and the vocals, well worse than anal pig sex, (we did say beastly). The Californian quartet immerse the listener in similarities of Prositute Disfigurement and Beneath The Massacre, so no fun or games here, just 100% gorefest.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

INFERNAL EXECRATOR
'Mastema Hedonistic Terroritual 666'
EVIL DEAD PRODS.

From the Far East battlefront comes the 2012 compilation release by the Singaporean Black / Death Metal tribe Infernal Execrator. Full of nasty surprises and gruesome music, the trio deliver thirteen tracks of thunderous drumming, riffing and vomitous vocals, all of which demolish any traces of goodness found within their native lands. 'Mastema Hedonistic Terroritual 666' provides the listener with truly raw guitars, frightening composures and sensational darkness. If at first you find that this is just one of those bands who just thrash and riff away at a thousand miles per hour, think again. Much like their fellow country compatriots Impiety, Infernal Execrator takes no prisoners and delivers justice in the number of 666.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SHAPED BY FATE
'I Fear The World Has Changed'
SIEGE OF ARMADA

Welsh Hardcore Metallers Shaped By Fate make their comeback to release their sophomore album 'I Fear The World Has Changed', kicking into full throttle, the South Wales crew demolish past sounds and implement a new choice of direction, one with full of the nitty-gritty, sweat and demonic fret of which is enough to make listeners wet themselves. Coming from the fabled 'core' scene of South Wales is no easy task, but for the quintet before you, this is only level 1, there are far more levels to complete, and as the band will find, everything is in fact, Shaped By Fate.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DISHARMONIC
'The Creature - Artificial Ignorance'
HECATOMBE

Defying the odds of the Spanish economy crashing was plain and simple for Andalusia's Disharmonic, who of which unleashed brutal hell in 2011 with their face-smashing debut release 'The Creature - Artificial Ignorance'. Featuring drumming so fast and brutal, it's only physical resemblance is being kicked in the cojones, painfully sharp and so razor-sharp, it could cause a headache. But that's what makes Disharmonic and 'The Creature - Artificial Ignorance' so good, demoralising the norms and putting their own twist on the fathomed Death Metal genre. With Bao delivering the scariest of female vocals, this is a Spanish Inquisition metal-style.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

SPREADING DREAD
'...Sanatorium...'

2012 see's a new band on the block in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. This band comes in the form of Power Thrashers Spreading Dread and in-tow their debut album '...Sanatorium...' which delivers a majestic riff-a-thon in sensational style. With blistering-paced drums in the backline, venomous vocals splitting the chasm in two and a frenzy of galloping riffs on the frontline, '...Sanatorium...' is crafted for fans of Sabaton, Metallica and basically any band that uses either Thrash Metal or Power Metal. Rest assured, this is a promising band.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

THE SIEGE
'The Siege - A Musical Epic'
STP

Austrian Prog Metal/Rock maestro Florian Hartl takes listeners on a mystical, majestic and awe-inspiring adventure with his project The Siege. Firmly affixed on the subject of the Battle of Vienna in 1683, this is a solid production of which draws comparisons between Dream Theatre and Sonata Arctica, with a fortified display of emphatic solo's, classic vocals and an array of percussion to keep the listener on their toes, The Siege is taking Austrian Prog Metal/Rock to new levels of extremity and in doing so, collectively spews out nothing but 100% excellence.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

EL SCHLONG
'Time/Place'

So it comes down to this, a calamitous clashing of various metal genres that interestingly and surprisingly seem to work, without actually finding any way to genre-tag El Schlong's 2011 release 'Time/Place'. Effectively it's got melancholy, panache and out-right bizarrity. If anything it may as well qualify as Extreme Progressive Metal, the progression is there but the vocals are effectively Thrash Metal, whereas the riffs epitomise the classic sound of Black Metal or Doom Metal, one of which resembles a scary side to this release,, and so on that note this album as many questions, but one answer, which is that it's unique.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

CURSED BY THE FALLEN
'When The Sun Turns Red'

Once in a while you come across a band that crosses two subgenres together and matches them with perfection, such is the band Cursed By The Fallen, the Austrian four-piece criss-cross Melodic Death Metal with the pummelling of Metalcore to devise an explosive sound of insane proportions. In the same musical veins as The Dead Lay Waiting and Sacred Mother Tongue, this Austrian quartet are by far very promising and are sure to end up with a record label, European-wide recognition and a fistful of greater sounds. 'When The Sun Turns Red' is in fact their debut EP.... what a corker, brutal enough to cause unexpected avalanches in the Alps.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

THEUDHO
'When Ice Crowns The Earth'
AURORA AUSTRALIS RECORDS

In the band's 10th anniversary year, the fourth album from Theudho is released. 'When Ice Crowns The Earth' see's Belgian Pagan Black Metal take full flight and deliver an evil and eerie Norse sound. Within this record is the sounds of an almighty battle, fought on the plains of East Flanders with swords high and axes low, riffing out a majestic production and composing the marching tune to the tune of a darkened atmosphere. Taking a pinch of influence from bands such as Arkona, Ancient Rites and Rabenwolf, Theudho will remain as an underground Belgian legend, even 'When Ice Crowns The Earth'.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

HARVESTA
'Harvesta'
TERRORZONE RECORDS

Hailing from Austria, comes a storm that was undetectable by satellites, well, it's actually a blizzard called Harvesta, who snow the listener in with an avalanche of hailstorm-like-Heavy Thrash Metal. The self-titled debut album by the quartet is quite simply sensational, with clear influences from bands like The Morning After, Metallica and Iron Maiden all mixed into one musical cooking pot, the outcome is a buffet of speed, heaviness and 100% face-melting riffs. With each song a health warning should be issued, because before long listener's will get hooked, guaranteed. Want some advice? Buy this album, 'cause this is going straight to the Emmy's.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

STRANGE FACTS IN THE SCALPEL CASE
'Unearthed'

Not conventionally like the over-produced Death Metal bands of today, well the debut EP from Belgian Death Metal merchants Strange Facts In a Scalpel Case go back to the original sounds of Death Metal. Immersed in a raw at'mosh'phere and darkened bleak production, the raw death metal sound is inevitably revitalising. The West Flanders duo coalesce to deliver a gloomy stance on music and with this EP in their roster, it can only get darker. Whilst not fast like Unleashed or thick like Morbid Angel, SFITSC is not like Napalm Death. 'Unearthed' is for those fans of 80's Death Metal and not for the modern day metal fan who thinks 'core music' is godly.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

LELAHELL
'Al Inithar'

The debut EP 'Al Inithar' from Algerian Death Metallers Lelahell comes without mercy, strapping together the vocalist of Litham and two talented musicians from Black Metal band Barbaros, this is the moment the Algerian Metal scene has been waiting for, the total onslaught of true North African Metal. Singing in both Arabic and English, the trio from Algiers summon up from the desert the darkest and most gruesome ever presented in this part of the world, a collection of six tracks spewing out guttural vocals so rotten, your body starts to decompose. The riffs and drum patterns only add more anguish and so fans of bands like Suffocation, Unleashed and Death/grind may find this to their liking. Lelahell has spoken, the torch is lit, Lelahell are flying the flag for Algeria.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON