_ SYNARCHY
'Tear Up The World'
TUTL

Returning with their highly-anticipated second album is Faroese Melodic Thrash belters Synarchy, their second album 'Tear Up The World' unleashes more torrential downpours of sensational riffs, unassailable drumming and valiant vocals, powerful enough to make any Viking run away scared. Coming from a small Metal scene, Synarchy are due to be the next big Faroese Metal export after Tyr and essentially are laying down the way for fellow countrymen to follow in their footsteps. With 'Tear Up The World' at the hands of the masses, there is no stopping now for the quintet of Tórshavn, as they 'Tear Up The World' and fly the flag for the Faroese Metal scene; without a doubt Faroese Metal album of the year.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

THE APOCRYPHAL ORDER
'The Apocryphal Order'
TUTL

Smashing through the inlets and cliffs of the Faroe Islands is the new-born band The Apocryphal Order with their debut self-titled EP, with its no nonsense slaughtering sound of rapid drumming, bone-crushing riffs and unearthly vocals, this quartet from Tórshavn unleash pure hell in four tracks, with a delicate balance of Death Metal growls with the music itself bearing the forefront for the Thrash Metal half. Unlike your generic Death / Thrash signature sound, this Faroese lot score each note to perfection and use the timing extremely well, sounding like a cross of Unleashed and modern Scandinavian Thrash Metal, The Apocryphal Order is taking the next step to becoming the darkest force in the Faroe Islands.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

_ KRV
'Ograma'
NORTHERN HORDE / ZERO BUDGET PRODS

'Ograma' is Krv's fourth and ultimately last album, in its post-humours state it includes the 5 track EP 'U Kamenom Grobu', this is a fitting way to end the Bosnian Black Metal band's eight year life. Soothingly dark and raw, the 10 track album (and 5 track EP) offer a disturbing yet intricate way of performing Black Metal in your native tongue, essentially this band give a rather ethical approach to their music, regretfully they are no longer active but will be revered to as an underground band in the Bosnian Metal scene.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

_BEHOLD THY END & OUR FALLEN
'Behold Thy End & Our Fallen'

Two New Zealand Death Metal / Deathcore underground maniacs come crashing together to unleash a split of murderous proportions, with Behold Thy End cooking up a ferocious assault of blasphemous Death Metal in its sickest and most vile form whilst Our Fallen deliver a face-smacking slaughter of gritty Deathcore. Whilst Our Fallen sadly is on hiatus, Behold Thy End seems to still be active, just. None the less this split is one enough to explode any party into overdrive and make the fireworks seem more like petty popping candy. Without a doubt this is the heaviest release from the New Zealand Metal scene this year and one full of potential for both bands, just don’t count on any compromise.

[8] + [9] RHYS STEVENSON

_ HEAVEN THE AXE
'Sex, Chugs & Rock 'N' Roll'

Sexiness’, sleek and extremely riot grrrl, this is Australia's bad boys and girl band Heaven The Axe who utilise an erotic style of Hard Rock / Heavy Metal, this comes with their eccentric debut album 'Sex, Chugs & Rock 'N' Roll', full of the AC/DC rock spirit and Iron Maiden music composure, none the less don’t be fooled by the hot-chick-in-a-band cliché, Phoebe Pinnock means business with her devilish vocals and heavenly attitude, all of which backed by four exceptionally talented musicians gives Heaven The Axe the motive to take the world by storm. Australian rock and roll will never be the same again, without a doubt Australian Metal album of the year 2011.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

EVENSTORM
'The Return Of The Storm'

This is perhaps one of Germany's most hidden metal gems, Evenstorm return with their fast-paced Heavy Metal tune in the form of their third album 'The Return Of The Storm', this cooks up a fruity balance of German Heavy Metal and brutal speed, all making this effort the funkiest the German Metal scene has to offer, even playing a song about Formula 1 on the song 'Speed Ecstasy'. This is one of those albums that you would drive along to, roof down and along route 66. Evenstorm are a classic band who deserves space on anyone's iTunes - True Heavy Metal.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

KARYBDIS
'War For Land'

London quintet Karybdis decimate any resistance with a full-on ear-rape in the form of their debut EP 'War For Land', this characterizes an insane mix of Melodic Death Metal and essentially Thrashcore to the sound. The music is mid-paced, heavy and brutal and the vocals are quick, snappy and exciting, all in all this is a great first attempt. Mixing a great array of breakdowns, riffs and sensational lyrics, the bad boys are set to shred the underground in half, definitely a band to watch out for, they will soon join the British Metal revolution with Malefice, The Dead Lay Waiting, Dyscarnate and Sylosis amongst others, the storm has only just begun.

[9.5] RHYS STEVENSON

NOEIN
'The Initial Tale'
LES ARTS BOURRINS

If Noein were a footballer, they would be Zinedine Zidane - quick, agile and an excellent striker of sensational music. The French female-fronted Industrial Death Metal quintet whips together a furious rally of tornado-force drumming, riffing and growling. One would also dub it 'cyber metal' for the ambiance caused by the clashing of instrument sounds, leaving it with a cyber feel. With their debut EP 'The Initial Tale' released last year, the two females and 3 males that make the line-up are heading the right way for recognition and with this effort, they rightly deserve it. Fear Factory now has an enemy, the war has just begun, let the battle commence.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

CORR MHONA
'Corrguineacht'

Captivating the old forgone language of Irish Gaelic is Pagan Doom band Corr Mhona from Ireland, unleashing their EP back in 2009 it passes on a unique sense of it being totally different from your average Irish Metal release, regardless of the language change. There lies within this EP an influence of the Celtic Metal vein, not so much Doom Metal; being mid-paced. Still this is a band from Cork with a lot of passion about their heritage and is willing to share it in the best conveyed message. Regardless if you don’t like doom or pagan metal, Corr Mhona is a band welcomed in anyone's music taste, just to hear the Irish Gaelic language spoken is beautiful.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON