THE WAY OF PURITY
'Biteback'
WORM HOLE DEATH

Storming the underground in a ballistic style is extremely promising Norwegian Melodic Death Metalcore crew The Way Of Purity of whom return with their cavalier-style attitude of an EP entitled 'Biteback'. Excruciating three tracks of mind-blowing sonatas hard enough to blow holes in any sound-proof room, the 2011 EP is short-listed as Global Metal Network’s EP of the year. For the quintet from Sandnes, this is the sound that will ultimately be assigned to them, a signature turn of sweaty-ballsy Metalcore with Melodic Death Metal flowing freely. Emerging as one of Norway's most promising talents, they are sure to 'Biteback' on the brutal history with neighbors Sweden; the sonic audio storm has just begun.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

HARPIA DEIIS
'Collapse'

Female-fronted renaissance connoisseurs Harpia Deiis make their name known with their breathtaking debut album 'Collapse', crisp vocals encased by a brutally enticing smack-down of hard-hitting Metal with a covering of Austrian excellency. Harpia Deiis are one of those bands that sounds totally unique, with soul-crushing masculine growls and heart-soothing feminine soprano-style vocals, all placed on a foundation of raging riffs and brain-bruising drumming, the quintet are something of a gem, something that is - they are Austria's next big band and one to watch at that.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

FAKE IDYLL
'Therapist'
UNUNDEUX

Without physical presence in terms of a photo, the inconvenient German Death / Grind band Fake Idyll could be simply classed as sickening porno-grind with titles like 'therapist[getsallthegirls]', essentially it may as well fall under 'comedy metal'; comedy that is the vocals are ranging from good to diabolical to near suicidal. However their is a subtle level of tongue-in-cheek of which adds to individuality of this band, but what can be said is that their debut album 'Therapist' is one that has a pick and mix of genres, not essentially in the right order but passable as a decent release, just dont count on the second coming being an improvement.

[4] RHYS STEVENSON

GOLLIWOG
'Plague Allegiance'
CHAINSAW

Slovenian Hardcore Punk / Thrash merchants Golliwog unleash pure political banter on their latest album 'Plague Allegiance'; the topic being less controversial than the band name. As far as the music goes its all balls and brutality with the middle-finger clearly infused in the attitude of this band. From start to finish, the female-fronted quartet exhibit a get up and riot mentality, whilst driving a bullet of sonic audio blasting through the speakers at an alarming rate of knots. Golliwog maybe be the most racial of band names, but on the inside the band is four Slovenians with one motive, punk it out.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DESPITE MY DEEPEST FEAR
'Dimensions'

Firing all of the trains on the underground into complete overdrive is Londoners Despite My Deepest Fear with their latest full-length album 'Dimensions', of which is set out to clearly define the absolute meaning of Metalcore. Mass murdering riffs are ingeniously enveloped by the craziest and harshest vocals found in the capital as well as the most sickening breakdowns ever experienced in the 21st century. Immersing the listener with melodic vocals and down-right brutal blastbeats, the quintet are certain to make a colossal impact on the British Metal scene, why these five lads are still unsigned is a valid question. Select tracks to indulge in include: 'reborn' (with a sensational riff introduction), 'melophobia' (for the truly sick breakdown) and 'dimensions' for the most irately bizarre introduction in Metalcore history. 'Dimensions' is one hell of a mind-crushing album and is sure to gain Despite My Deepest Fear some extreme notice and sensational reviews; Londoncore has just been born.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

MODUS DELICTI
'Nobody'
COMATOSE

Promising Italian Brutal Death Grindsters Modus Delicti unleash a torrent of hell with their debut album 'Nobody' with a slice of extreme vocals and drums to compliment the near-gone guitars. Whilst the album itself offers a piece of bizarre music, the overall product is a mass combination of noisy vocals and furious musical compositions which together rival the very essence of musical creativity. 'Nobody' although nothing new is one of those albums that is still good however.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

ANTROPOFAGUS / PUTRIDITY / PRION / INFECTED FLESH / MASS INFECTION
'Split Torso Trauma'
COMATOSE

Combining all forms of flesh from sickening Spain, icky Italy, aortic Argentina and gory Greece is some of the Brutal Death Metal underground storm-troopers, although it has a variety of bands on song, the general sound is there, so more so like a 5-band split compilation rather than a split, essentially a split for which caters for all various extreme tastes of Death Metal in its entirety. Full on mind-blowing sonic beats of pure drumming, outrageous riffs and vicious vocals, this is practically all that can be said about this release.

[8 - across the board]

FACE OF OBLIVION
'The Embers Of Man'
COMATOSE

Apocalyptic American Death Metal mob Face Of Oblivion unleash insanity and brutality in all demoralizing forms to cause unsightly chaos on all levels of extremity. With their debut full-length album 'The Embers Of Man' the motion of sickening vocals and down-tuned guitars electrify the barely noticed drumming compositions exerted by this quintet, overall this album is a mystifying array of mindless torture, cursing mass murdering and fearless anguish, 'The Embers Of Man' is seemingly apt to be dubbed the goriest album of 2011.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

I CHAOS
'The Human Repellent'
RITF

Dutch Brutal Death Metal newcomers I Chaos quickly become a powerful force striving in the underground with their ear-shattering debut album 'The Human Repellent', whisking together a heavy punch of bone-crushing drumming and flesh-ripping riffs amongst gut-gurgling vocals, I Chaos is to become the next extreme act from the land of windmills and flowers, make no mistake this quartet mean violent business and should be taken with a pinch of precise warning, this music is not for soft metal listeners, I Chaos is 'The Human Repellent'.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

ABINCHOVA
'Versteckte Pfade'

Valiantly galloping over the Swiss Alps and around the beautiful Matterhorn is Swiss Melodic Death / Folk Metal septet Abinchova, whilst not as heavy or folk-orientated as fellow countrymen Eluveitie, Abinchova instead implement their native sound via the lovely sound of violins and so devise their own sound. Sort of traditional folk meets the modern sound of metal in this twisted debut album named 'Versteckte Pfade' (roughly translated as hidden path), but with this in their arsenal, Abinchova are a band just waiting to explode into the wider Metal scene.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ANA KEFR
'The Burial Tree (II)'
MUSE SICK

Californian Death Proggers Ana Kefr emerge once again to deliver a religious, political and philosophical tinged album, this time in the morphed form of 'The Burial Tree (II)', whilst not sounding like Gojira, it has some element of bizarreness with it, while although the individual compositions have a neatly crafted structure, the whole album itself is little to be desired, but not to be shunned as a failure. The growling is deep as oceans go, but the rest of it seems to lack any completeness with it.

[5.5] RHYS STEVENSON

WHO DIES IN SIBERIAN SLUSH
'Вitterness Of The Years That Are Lost'
SOLITUDE PRODS.

Depressing springs to mind with Russian Melodeath Doomsters Who Dies In Siberian Slush (WDISS), slow and melancholy are somewhat two words to describe it, but it is not one to be knocked what with a grizzly growler on the frontline and a bombardment of sorrowful riffs and funeral-like drumming. Intuitively elaborating the darkness of a funeral with the bitterness of the Russian winter, WDISS are one of a kind, just be warned of the depressive aftermath.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SEVERED HEAVEN
'Incessant Darkness'

Formerly known as the Melodic Gothic Metal quintet Blood Sundae, the five females from Leeds and Manchester reformed under a darker and more extreme sound, the sound of a Severed Heaven. Immaculate musical compositions covered by some of the grittiest vocals produced by a female metal vocalist, this is the feminine Hecate Enthroned with some melodies still influencing this band. Ravenous riffs and sick blastbeats come together with two-tone vocals to deliver perhaps the darkest debut by any band in the English Metal music history. 'Incessant Darkness' with its slow-to-mid-paced musicals send clear messages to the listener, don't judge the band. This is the sort of music that would work well with horror films, or even essentially ghost night trips, but overall if you think the winter nights are dark, then face Severed Heaven as they bring far more darker times, 'Incessant Darkness' is just the beginning, watch this band at all costs.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

TUKKANUOTTA / GORESOERD
'TUKKANUOTTA / GORESOERD 2010 split'

Two nations, similar in language and culture, two bands, similar in genre, one split album. Finnish Death Metallers Tukkanuotta joins in force with Estonian Deathgrinders Goresoerd to deliver a double-edge whammy of Baltic Metal. The first half sees the fury of the Finns deliver an outstanding blow of crisp and clean Death Metal with Finnish vocal attributes; the second half sees the elegance of the Estonians whip up a frenzy-like blast of Death Metal and Grindcore merged into one with essential native-tongue vocals. One release for Death Metal fans and fans of Finnish and Estonian Metal.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DEATHBOUND
'Non Compos Mentis'
DYNAMIC ARTS

Death Metal / Grindcore veterans Deathbound return with their fourth enrichment of bloody and gut-eroding music in the form of 'Non Compos Mentis', whilst not as brutal as their 'Doomsday Comfort' album, it still warrants a level of violence and hearing-aid destroying power. Quick, snappy and mind-boggling compositions are all that's exasperated on this release and in scintillating style at the same time, 'Non Compos Mentis' is a statement by Deathbound, we are not finished this brutalization.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

SACRED MOTHER TONGUE
'The Ruin Of Man'
TRASCEND

This Northampton crew slithered themselves through the underground chambers to unleash the filth of Metalcore and ever-rotting flesh of Melodic Death Metal, to formulate their 2009 debut full-length release 'The Ruin Of Man'. Rebellious riffs encased a skin of articulate blastbeats and dual-tone vocals, this quartet are another living proof of the sexy and erotic result of combining these two genres together, for Sacred Mother Tongue 'The Ruin Of Man' has not yet begun, for the poseurs however it has.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

EXILIA
'Stop Playing God'
GUN

Back in 2004, Exilia upgraded their level of musical composition with their meaningful single 'Stop Playing God', highlighting the dangers and problems of being too big about things, but in Exilia's case it's more of a rebellious track and with that the spirit of Masha (vocalist) is extended beyond all extremity, a solid release by Italy's favourite Nu Metal group. Bring on the noise, for Exilia will bring their own buzz.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DESDEMONIA
'Existence'

Hailing from the land of Luxembourg in Western Europe is Death Metal novices Desdemonia, with their third full-length 'Existence' aligning the terrors and darkness found within such an extreme type of music. Whilst the recording itself is a bit high-pitched, lowering the clarity of the music produced, the riffs exhilarate the drumming into complete coalition state. For the quartet this is a worthy piece of material, but not one that will change much in the Luxembourg Metal scene. For fans of Unleashed, Mass Hypnosis and Beneath.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

A DARK PLACE
'Suffering'
DEZLANIC

On the other end of the Death Metal scale, this is perhaps the rawest form of Death Metal, whilst the recording itself is slightly poor, the vocals are not-audibly clear and so relies on the music to add back-up. For the Melbourne quartet this is not perhaps the best of possible debut's but certainly is not the worst, for percussive levels it exceeds expectations but indefinitely is one album for the fans of The Berzerker in their early days. Some would say A Dark Place need to see the wizard of oz, but that would be an awful pun, one that would leave people in A Dark Place 'Suffering'.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

GUTTED
'Mankind Carries The Seeds Of Hell'
SOULFLESH COLLECTOR

Blasting their way through the chasms of hell is Hungarian Death grinders Gutted with their sensational blitz of riff-infused blastbeats and gut-rotting vocals, all in sync with their third brutal assault 'Mankind Carries The Seeds Of Hell'. It comes with a warning, not for the faint of heart, for this record is by far one of Hungary's heaviest to date, served up on a plate of gormandizing flesh and sumptuous cannibalism-in-destroying-hearing kind of fantasy, all for the greater good. Without a doubt this album is in the top ten of Hungary's best Metal albums in 2010.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

CONRAD
'Oseaan Kroniek'

Unknown to the general Metal world, Kadeem Ward aka by his Folk Metal project Conrad, released his second demo last year to the masses. Hailing from Barbados, the one-man project takes the traditions of Barbadian folklore and the widespread lust of Folk Metal. Whilst the vocals and music is not crisp clear, that in fact adds to its unique being. A true sign that the Caribbean Metal scene is ever growing and that it is promising. Conrad is flying the flag for the Barbadian Metal scene. Forget steel drum bands and realize, Heavy Metal has now a new region.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

EXILIA
'Naked'
MYPLACE

Italian Nu Metal group Exilia went acoustic for their 2010 EP 'Naked', featuring an array of their heavy metal material being toned down into acoustic songs whilst retaining the Exilia song. Whilst not grunge-laden, this EP is not unlike their song 'your rain', whereby it features soft musical compositions and a more relaxed feel about the music. Certainly a rarity amongst many metal bands, but this is what Exilia is, a rarity, a unique sound, 'Naked' they may be soft and acoustic, but overall hard, heavy, glamorous and totally cool.

DEATHBOUND
'We Deserve Much More'
DYNAMIC ARTS

With a fistful of Finnish fury, the trio from Tampere and Oulu eradicated all hearing with their 2007 full-length album, whilst straddled between the Brutal Death Metal and Death/Grindcore combo, they exact their genre tagging with a blazing array of beats, riffs and short, snappy songs. Unlike most conventional Grindcore bands, Deathbound differentiate their songs sounds and so keep their albums balanced, and 2007's 'We Deserve Much More' was no anomaly. Fire up the machines, cause' Deathbound will take anyone for a ride.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

GORESOERD
'Tüdruk Ja Surm'
NAILBOARD

Estonian quintet Goresoerd excavated another disembowelment of epic proportion with their 2010 full-length offering 'Tüdruk Ja Surm', collecting a sensational array of deathgrind in their native Estonian language whilst captivating a cold and eerie atmosphere, one only rivalled by the Baltic winter. Goresoerd are not unlike Finland's Deathbound, only less heavy and not singing in English. Maybe Estonia's best deathgrind band, but one to watch out for.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

MONUMENTAL TORMENT
'Element Of Chaos'
SFC

So much for insane music, Russia's Monumental Torment went overboard with their debut album 'Element Of Chaos', with a mesmerizing result of cerebral asphyxiation in ten tracks, the Technical Brutal Death Metal duo elaborate the brutality foreseen by Russia's greatest and devour any opposing problems, leaving an album as heavy as excrement left by a communion of bears. It does exactly what it says on the album, it delivers the 'Element Of Chaos' in the most extreme method of monumental torment.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON