_ RAVENLAND
'And A Crow Brings Me Back'
FREE MIND / RAVENHEART

As dark and mysterious as the forests of the South American continent, the 2009 debut album release by Brazilian Gothic Metal quintet (now sextet) Ravenland. 'And A Crow Brings Me Back' utilises much of the Bauhaus / Poisonblack sound, but whilst their lies no real feminine feel to the release, the male vocals dominate as well as accentuate the supporting music into complete overdrive, this is perhaps a cliché when referring to the politeness of the Brazilians of which is deemed better than most Europeans, but whilst the music conveys a shadowy message, the overall release is one of question and somewhat confounding.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

ONLY FATE REMAINS
'Breathe'
RAVENHEART

This is the storm that the Netherlands has long been waiting for, a force to be reckoned with and one to knock the Dutch Metal scene into full throttle, this of course is the Gothic Metal quintet Only Fate Remains and their absolutely outstanding and beautifully crafted debut album 'Breathe'. With clear background symphonies and vocals in the style of Within Temptation, it seems to be that this Amsterdam five-piece have what it takes to dethrone Within Temptation cleanly. It has darkness, it has timed notes, it has erotic-covered atmosphere and a sense of being rooted in the rock sense with the Clan Of Xymox, none the less 'Breathe' is definitely Dutch Metal album of the year.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

WEEPING SILENCE
'Theatre Of Life'
RAVENHEART

2011 marks the return of Malta's most loved Gothic Doom Metal band Weeping Silence, who unleash their sophomore album 'Theatre Of Life' to the masses and in sensational style, with heavenly vocals guiding the band to the perfect tune, the keyboard notes add a more darker Gothic feel to the music, whilst the drums and guitars follow lead, but in all seriousness, it would seem the Doom Metal is not really present, that ironically is a good thing, for the style of music Weeping Silence demonstrate on 'Theatre Of Life', it would be awful to marry it up with any more Doom Metal, but as it is, this is definitely Maltese Metal album of the year.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SILENT OPERA
'Immortal Beauty'
RAVENHEART

As beautiful as the sopranos of ancient Rome and as majestic as long-gone Pavarotti, the Italian Symphonic Metal outfit Silent Opera make their notes count with their dramatic and theatrical debut album 'Immortal Beauty', featuring operatic vocals powerful enough to challenge Therion to a duel, but yet the vocals are so heavenly, the listener is easily captivated by the soft, soothing sounds of the music and vocals. The outfits depicted in the album release signify the elegancy of the Italian renaissance and at that the music delivers the final touches. Symphonies flow like a cascading waterfall and the stage provides the perfect dramatic setting, Silent Opera is due to take Europe by storm.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

FALLEN FATE
'The Virus Has Spread'

With clear influences of Lamb Of God and Thrash-neck speed influence of Slayer, English Thrash crackpots Fallen Fate explode onto the scene with their insanely blitzing debut album 'The Virus Has Spread'. Fast, brutal and sensationally bombastic, the quartet from County Durham bring out the mentally challenging and pummelling sound of Thrash riffs in quick succession whilst whipping in solo's found in such Lamb Of God tracks i.e. 'walk with me in hell', the guitar intro is similar to that of Fallen Fate's 'Origin of Sin' solo. With breakdowns also in the wing, this is potentially the new style to craze the underground into complete overdrive, hail the Thrashcore; this is because 'The Virus Has Spread'.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

THE BROWNING
'Burn This World'
EARACHE

Considered one of the next big bands to embrace to storm of colliding electronic music and metal together, The Browning install their hard drive force of complex Extreme / Hybrid Metal or Technical Electro-Deathcore, but essentially a sickening mix of Deathcore, Trance Music, EBM, Technical Metal and Cyber Metal. The fact being their debut album 'Burn This World' is one that cannot be genre-pinned, simply because of its multi-sound offering and it's tasty repertoire of brain-bashing breakdowns, energetic electronic EBM and all round sonic blasting. The Browning may be compared to bands like Design The Skyline, but even so both bands are leading a metal revolution, The Browning just taking it one step further, make or break for this band and genre is set to stay, love it or hate it, the perfect poker hand has been dealt, its time to 'Burn This World'.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

KOZAKS OF METALLISHTAN
'Kozaks Of Metallishtan'

Once in a while you get a band that breaks all guidelines, rules and totally wrecks conformity, this time it falls grace to the Finnish Metal scene, or so to speak the land of Metallishtan of which is located in modern day Russia. The trio of musical leaders bring a totally new idea to the Metal music world and as such bring out a totally unique sound. 'Kozaks Of Metallishtan' is the band's self-titled debut release and has a collection of Russian-tinged Soviet propaganda and digs at Sweden in the purest and comical form. None the less, the Metallishtani's will be immersed by the revolution and with this music, it spells the rebirth of the once forgotten nation. Kozaks Of Metallishtan is for fans of Rammstein and System of a Down, but for the band itself, Kozaks Of Metallishtan is a one of a kind, one band that will drive forward and bring a whole new level of Metal to the masses.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

WINTERCOLD
'Lost Wolf'
SATANICA

Swedish one-man project Wintercold returns with another assault of Gothic-tinged Doom Metal, this time the full-length release in question is 'Lost Wolf', amassing a rather eclectic and sometimes shoddy mix of excellent and downright disappointing tracks. Some of the major highlights include 'Psychopath' with its quick beat and somewhat funky approach to the musical style. Nonetheless this is another fine example of the Swedish musical magician Satanic Tony; his project Wintercold is rumbling around the underground and with this latest release, things can only get darker, more intricate and most importantly heavier.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

HELLARISE
'Human Disgrace'

All female Brazilian Death / Thrash group Hellarise shed light in 2010 with their debut demo 'Human Disgrace', dragging up a fast blazing arrangement of songs fuelled by Amazonian wood and tribal heritage, this band mix a bit of Sepultura with feisty feminine creativity. For this debut effort from Brazil's underground, this is a good attempt at making brutal music. None the less, Hellarise could have gone better on production but with that in mind, the overall product is more than a general death / thrashes release, this is a demo with enough guts on it to over-throw any Ronaldinho or Pele.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

HAMEREX
'Rites Of Passage'

Yorkshire boys Hamerex waiver their next assault of classic Heavy metal with their latest release 'Rites Of Passage', with a cascade of riffs and drumming to entice the most frantic of mosh-pits, Hamerex are igniting the old traditions and bringing them to the masses as a trophy of the evolution of Metal music. 'Rites Of Passage' brings a whole new stance on the meaning of original and traditional, this is by far one of the most impressive rejuvenations of old style metal to be unleashed, a sheer class of absolute proportions. For fans of Iron Maiden, Kaine, Van Halen.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

BLODWEN
'Black Symphony'
RED RIVET

Indonesian Symphonic / Neo-Classical Power Metal quintet come out of the darkness with their debut album 'Black Symphony' released last year, crossing between Amberian Dawn and Nightwish, this is one of Indonesia's hidden treasures, with heavenly vocals equating the beautiful sound of a waterfall and music to complement the vocals in extraordinary style, Blodwen are a band to watch out for, bringing the best of Modern style Metal with the eccentric Oriental culture.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

MY FORGOTTEN GOD
'My Forgotten God'
SATANARSA

Ukrainian Gothic Doomsters My Forgotten God caused a depressive stir-up amongst the Ukrainian Metal scene with their 2009 self-titled demo, essentially because it is more so better as an instrumental than a music album, simply put the vocals arent the greatest but they arent naff, overall the general composition of this album is well earned and essentially it is a good album to have for those Doom Metal fans.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DREAD
'Cerebral Mutilation'

Italian Gorecore (Death Metal/Metalcore) quartet Dread sound off the zombies and guns with their debut full-length album 'Cerebral Mutilation' released last year, mixing the deep vocals found in Goregrind bands with Metalcore to savour any hearing going around, this is one of those albums that when hits the CD drive, clicks into iTunes without no problems, with a bitch-load of riffs and erotic breakdowns, this is Italian Metal at its best and heaviest.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

MY LAMENT
'Broken Leaf'
SOLITUDE PRODS.

Belgian Doom / Death Metal newbies released their debut album way back in 2009 and with it came a warning of depression riding this album, they do however make both genre's work together in tune and at the same time come to a just conclusion that is one of Belgium's darkest albums, one full of mystery, ever-changing atmospheres and eccentricity, the album 'Broken Leaf' is all about sitting back and relaxing to some Doom Metal with the Death Metal on the side, a work of excellence.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

NIERTY
'Acolytes Of The Descent'
MISANTROF ANTIRECORDS

Hailing from the mountains of Wales is Nierty who have travelled through the winding valleys to deliver their third onslaught of Black/Death Metal in the form of their latest album 'Acolytes Of The Descent' released last year along with two other albums before this one in the same year, armed with a sinister display of riffs and extreme vocals, both supplemented with harsh drumming, Nierty is the beacon of Wales for exhibiting the darkest music from the land of the dragons, five years and they do not look likely to give up any minute.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON