WORKSHOP
'Khooni Murga'
DEMONSTEALER

Who would have thought that the art of comedy could mix with the harsh brutality of Heavy Metal, well back in 2008 a disturbance was born and caused a result in 2009. Workshop, the Indian Heavy Metal quartet who specialise in humour, comedy and parody, conjured up their debut album back in 2009, fronted by Sahil Makhija (vocalist of India's most famous band Demonic Resurrection), the Mumbai boys deliver a tongue-in-cheek twist on the classic side of the Heavy Metal infrastructure, by singing in both English and the local variation of Hindi, mixing classic sounds and hilarious punch lines, it is no wonder why Workshop are a band in a class of their own.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

BLACK TRIP
'Heart Of The Dream'

Now neither Thrash Metal nor Melodic Death Metal is meant to be sloppy and so when Black Trip comes back with their third EP, hands just cover the face. Whilst it clear has a bit of both the vocals aren't clear and the musical composition is basic standard with no fluidity or deviation at all thus leaving it on a knife edge. For Mexico's Black Trip, their 2012 EP 'Heart of the Dream' resembles nothing but a simple sound with added solo's, even which are a tad all over the place, let's face it if it were to be a football team, the goalie would be sent off and a 30-0 deficit imaginable, sure it's not a complete failure but neither is it anything groundbreaking, effectively what this means is that the 'Heart of the Dream' has been shattered.

[5] RHYS STEVENSON

SLAY THE SHEPHERD / RAPID DOMINANCE
'Rise Of The Antagonist' / 'Premonition'

Two releases, nearly the same band. So when Slay The Shepherd made their only release 'Rise of the Antagonist' back in 2011, little did they know they were to change to become Rapid Dominance. However 'Rise of the Antagonist' delivers a tricky combination of aggressive riffs and gritty vocals but the sound obviously was not good for the band hence the change, but overall the release 'Rise Of The Antagonist' is a good attempt, but the change-over can also mean that they did not like their current position and so with that in mind shifted to a newer direction.

Shifting to 2012 and the new boys Rapid Dominance do not fail with their debut EP 'Premonition', mixing the sounds of Lamb of God and a myriad of metal sub-genres; namely Progressive Metal with Death / Thrash Metal. It's fast flowing, powerfully brutal and insanely intricate, lashed with technical riffs and vocals so disturbing it made any autopsy automatically become a comedy. This is a band with a load of fury and wizardry stored up their sleeves, more than the predecessors had and it is this band that will lead the Danish Metal scene to newer levels.

[5] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

RAGER
'Image Of Fear'

From time to time release come out so poor you have to double the level your speakers are just to barely hear them, such a band is Rager from Weston-Super-Mare of whom have released their second EP and ultimately play it in the Slayer style, slamming rhythms, guitar-wire flaming riffs and blazing vocals, there should be a restraining order on this lot for going too fast on the instruments. Overall the release is a fairly decent effort but the clarity that's lacking leaves the release totally open to any criticism or praise, it's just that it isn't a powerful start.

[5.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SHOT AT DAWN
'White Trash Metal Brigade'

Norway generally has a reputation for spewing out bands in the Thrash and Black Metal sub-genres, but even that does not equate the force of Shot At Dawn. Lashing furious breakdowns with intricate melodies and mesmerising technical attributes, 'White Trash Metal Brigade' is their pivotal album. The ten-legged Melodic Death Metal / Deathcore machine combine elements from bands like BMTH, Suicide Silence, Bleeding Through and the adequate Deathcore breakdown; this is the sort of album and band to garner label attention across the Americas and Europe whilst carving the two genres in half. Threading a sound together that sounds so unique it makes Deathcore seem infant to the incredible tune devised by this Oslo lot, for fast brutal and grizzly music look no further, join the 'White Trash Metal Brigade' and watch your enemies as they are Shot At Dawn.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

WILL WALLNER  / VIVIEN VAIN
'Will Wallner / Vivien Vain'

So the side-project to White Wizzard is born and by jove does it kick off in electrifying style, enter Will Wallner accompanied by the illustrious Vivien Vain delivering the fiery raging vocals. The duo from L.A. California make their 3 year wait for a debut come to a close as they unleash the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal belter 'Will Wallner / Vivien Vain', featuring all the classy elements from bands such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Van Halen and more, this is simply a breathtaking album full of the old classic sounds with a modern emphasis. Harmonious vocals surrounded by some crafty and technical guitar work and backed up by some insane drumming; this is an album with everything chucked in and is sure to get some well-deserved attention.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON
_

BANSHEE
'Mindslave'
SNOWBLIND PRODS.

It only took an eleven year period for Kansas wizards Banshee to re-emerge from the tornado bunker and deliver an album worthy of F5 classification. Their third album in their 27 year existence is a sharp reminder this band is far beyond finished, crafting and curling up their unique sound in the Power Metal sub-genre. The quartet may be clocking on and the modern generation may seem them as has-beens, but this is simply not the case, Banshee are far from finished and with 'Mindslave' bringing the original tones and sounds of classic Power Metal back to the frontline, this is just the beginning of something far more epic than the first landing on the moon.

[7]  RHYS STEVENSON

RIGOR MORTIS
'Grave New World'
BRUTAL SYNDICATE

If not for the horrendous vocals that sound so much like a guy being tortured or castrated, it would be a decent album, even so the sloppy bass sound adds more to the pain the ears are receiving. This is of course the 2011 EP by Japanese Thrash Metallers Rigor Mortis and it, well, is very non-descript. 'Grave New World' sets up a fast and ferocious drumming style and the riffing does well to keep in time, but the bass and the vocals are the major let down and if it is to be that Rigor Mortis are to aim for a debut album, they have got a long way to go, one whole album of this could cause death by dangerous music, there again it's better than Bieber so everyone is in the clear.

[4.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DIABLERIE
'Transition'

Corr good lord, so much energy has surged through the speakers and it is this energy that gets the vibes on their toes, raving and getting down to the groove. Because you can't get enough from Diaberie's second EP 'Transition'. Mixing the funk sound experienced in Industrial Metal and tarnishing it with the synthetic sounds of Electronic Metal and putting into it vocals of the Hardcore guild, this is a truly sensational piece of music and is sure to go down well in the Finnish Metal scene. Showing off clear influences from bands like The Berzerker, Impaled Nazarene, The Amenta and other Extreme Metal bands, Diablerie may become more than just a blip on the radar.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

REMNANTS OF THE FALLEN
'Perpetual Immaturity'

Hailing from South Korea, Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit Remnants Of The Fallen make no mistake in blasting holes through the sound-proof wall with their second EP 'Perpetual Immaturity', in the style of The Black Dahlia Murder and Bleeding Through, the quintet from Seoul emerge as the next breath of fresh air from the Asian continent and are sure to cause a massive storm in the Asian Metal underground. This five-track EP oozes with juicy riffs, mesmerizing blastbeats and deafening vocals, this all combined give the feeling of being smacked in the face by a two ton ball. It's heavy, it's ugly, it's metal and it's here to murder anyone's senses, Remnants Of The Fallen are flying the flag for the South Korean Metal scene.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

DESDEMONA
'Endorphins'
DANSE MACABRE

Now, for a band that shifted from playing Gothic Metal to Electro-Industrial Metal, it hasn't changed the output that is given by Poland's Desdemona. Making their fourth album 'Endorphins' come to life after an eight-year wait from 2004's 'Version 3.0' is a wait worthwhile. 'Endorphins' takes the influences from bands like Pain, Oomph!, Beauti Mortui and Eisenfunk and mashes them together, by creating trance-like beats, harsh vocals and eccentric drumming and riffing, Desdemona have certainly upped their game and proven that the electronic music scene in Poland is not dead. If anyone has got a party coming up, this is the soundtrack of a lifetime, guaranteed.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

REFUSAL
'Grasp'

Not every band sounds great or bad on their first lot of demo's, yet when Refusal step out of the shadows to release 'Grasp', the overall reaction is, well, dead. 2012 saw the band's sixth demo (surely an album should be here somewhere?) 'Grasp' being released and it has proven to be an excellent piece of Death Metal. Sure the drums lack presence here and there and the vocals seem to have overall control over the music, but in a general perspective it is a decent-enough release, just don't count it as a failed attempt. There is some work to be done, some tweaking, but none the less Refusal will come back strong.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

OVERLOAD
'Overload'

What happens when you mix Lamb of God, Black Label Society and Trivium together? You get a chock load of riffs, snazzy breakdowns and ghastly vocals; this pretty much sums up the self-titled debut EP by Overload. Hailing from Poland, the quartet do much more than mash up a handful of sub-genres, they develop their own death-destruction, sure the music has clear influences and some sound a little nicked already, but uniquely there is individualism present on this release. The only downside is the production, but that can't be helped nor can it be remarked on, turn up past 13 and let the speakers drown the listener in a gruesome wave of audio blasting.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

NONAMEN
'Permission'

Metal music can be mixed with any other instrument and musical style and so when Polish quintet Nonamen make their debut with their EP 'Permission', it would seem that they have mixed with neo-classical influences, gothic and progressive influences. From the heavenly vocals of Edyta Szkołut to the atmospheric touches delivered by violinist Agnieszka Reiner, Nonamen exclusively play music that can join alliance with bands like Amberian Dawn, Therion and Apocalyptica, but for the EP itself, this could be a genre-breaking release, ideally 'atmospheric progressive metal', with fiery riffs, powerful drumming and elaborate all round musical performances, Nonamen are set to change the course of the Polish Metal scene.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

AENYGMIST
'Creation Born of Trauma'

As raw as cold meat found in the northern most parts of Canada, Quebec's quintet Aenygmist unleashed an absolute belter in the Melodic Black Metal vein back in 2010 with their debut album 'Creation Born of Trauma'. Best fitting to that of Cradle of Filth, the release cultivates a dark and bleak atmosphere within the blackened corners of the listener's mind, meaning it is one of those releases that takes you away from your senses, this is the sort of output that has been missing from this land and with the beauty residing in this release, Aenygmist could well be the next big Black Metal act from Canada.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

_ CORPSE FAUNA
'Gore Gallery'

Arising from the pits of Essex is Death Metal / Grindcore quintet Corpse Fauna, this five-piece simmer out the gravel from the grit and repeatedly smash the listener into brick walls with their debut demo 'Gore Gallery'. Whilst the production isn’t the most wonderful and at times sounds completely non-existent, the demo is a fair attempt at kick-starting the band's career, of course all bands don’t sound their best on their first demo, but Corpse Fauna are sure to make an impression as time goes on, with the double bass and guitars adding a raw atmosphere to it, the only way is forward, the only way is Essex.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

BULL-RIFF STAMPEDE
'Scatter The Ground'

If not for the ad-hoc riffing and the occasional cymbal thumping, this could be a rather decent Death/Thrash album, instead it just falls short of the full works, yet it holds a rather interesting sound, fast and shrieking, a unique combo found in the Italian Death / Thrash scene, added to the affray is some bombastic English solo's, all of which combine together to produce a decent effort for Bull-Riff Stampede, however the Bristolians need to stop learning how to 'Scatter The Ground' and learn how to stand their ground.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

_ CENSURA
'The Island'
BIELER BROS RECORDS

American Franco-Irish quartet Censura blast themselves into the Irish Metal scene with an apocalyptic boom, mixing an eclectic style of Electronic Power Metal and embodied with Metalcore and Industrial influences, Censura are in the new style of Modern Metal. Their five-track EP 'The Island' from start to finish is a non-stop rollercoaster of mesmerising trance-style beats, furious vocals and some of the most sickening riffs known to man, let alone being drawn to comparisons with Dead By April and Asking Alexandria, Censura are the new face of Irish Metal, watch out, this is just the beginning.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON