P.S. Global Metal Apocalypse does not support or encourage the NSBM movement, nor do we condone it, we purely look at it as a Black Metal genre and focus purely on the music itself.  FEUERNACHT 'Kamps Macht Frei' ONE PEOPLE ONE STRUGGLE The debut from the Austrian NSBM machine known as Feuernacht does not go without any compromise, singing entirely in their native German language, the band drag out from the darkness the most gruesome and evil types of Black Metal, the National Socialist kind. Whilst most will hate on the album, the music deals justice in that it delivers a cleverly structured slice of classic Black Metal. Fast-drumming on top of raw vocals that are so raw, it makes blood-red meat look pathetic. With a morbid, cold and damp atmosphere being drawn into the affray, this release could be the peak of the movement and as such, without any argument, a release worthy on anyone's shelves. Grim, black and practically old-school, 'Kamps Macht Frei' is the signature tune of Feuernacht. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  MOSHPIT 'We Carry The Heart' ONE PEOPLE ONE STRUGGLE Let's face it, the 2012 offering by German Metalcore mob Moshpit is poised to smack the hell out of the cloned Metalcore bands that scatter the earth's surface these days. Their 2012 album 'We Carry The Heart' is a perfect example of how Metalcore 'should' be done. Brutal breakdowns, neck-slashing riffs and gut-rotting vocals accelerate the monstrosity that is Moshpit. Signed to OPOS Records, Moshpit are one hell of a promising band and are sure to smash their way through the German Metal scene like a dozen horses charging into battle, this, is, the, sh*t! [8] RHYS STEVENSON  WARSENAL '2012 Demo' Give the lads due and praise, well after all Canada's Speed / Thrash Metal crackpots Warsenal make their debut on the scene with their 2012 demo. Regretfully quality is near appalling, but there again it makes you turn the volume up past 13, and then you'll find that this release has close links to the likes of Slayer and Anthrax. For the trio from the French-speaking region of Quebec, this could be the first step to bring back the old glorified sounds of 80's Speed and Trash Metal. Fast percussive beats, shredding riffs and slick vocals, Warsenal maybe become the war arsenal. [5] RHYS STEVENSON  NIGHTCREEPERS 'Alpha' Gallantly wielding their swords, strapping together their barrels and priming their arrows, is French Pagan Folk Metallers Nightcreepers with their majestic sophomore album 'Alpha'. This sextet create an upbeat yet traditional sound with the usage of keyboards and a finely-tuned accordion to mix the classic French music sound with the harsh brutality of the Metal music infrastructure. It is not often that you come across bands similar to that of Arkona, Primordial or Cruachan; minus the Celtic Metal influence, or so one thinks. However, Nightcreepers are sure to storm the European lands, turn heads and most importantly sport that upcoming, needed label signing (and one could see them on a label like Nuclear Blast someday). [9] RHYS STEVENSON  RISE OF AVERNUS 'Rise Of Avernus The debut EP by Australian quintet Rise Of Avernus does not go without it's drawbacks, it's too short. The EP kicks off the melodramatic and dark atmosphere through the delinquent sounds of the keyboard and the raw riffs of the guitar intertwining with the deep and depressive vocals, all of which bring together a real dank release. For the Progressive Gothic Doomsters, this is a great attempt on the first hurdle and it would seem that they have much more to offer in the next few releases. With clear-cut influences from Opeth, Paradise Lost and Candlemass, this is one EP to please any Doom Metal fan. [7] RHYS STEVENSON Add Comment  RABENWOLF 'Aus alten Zeiten' German Pagan Metal octet Rabenwolf make their long awaited debut album speak for itself, 'Aus alten Zeiten' (For Old Times) is entirely in their native language and as such complements the traditional German folk music sound to the bone. Whilst not as brutal as Russian band Arkona, Rabenwolf exert a force that seems to illuminate the forests of Bavaria with a sense of beer-fests and grand banquets, all of which simmer in their music as an apt mode of conveying old by-gone times. Rabenwolf are set to become Germany's next biggest export, but also possibly one of those bands that Nuclear Blast may keep an eye on. [10] RHYS STEVENSON  DEVARIEM 'Peace Was Never An Option' Arising from the grounds of Lubeck is latest Teutonic Thrashers Devariem with their feisty and fury-loaded debut EP 'Peace Was Never An Option', collectively delivering a fluid flow of blastbeats and heart-stabbing vocals to cause anyone a hyperactive heart attack. Whilst conventionally not the newest version of Holy Moses, Devariem however bring the same brain-punching sound experienced by the latter, none the less the riffs and beats on this release are certified to leave listeners with more than a headache and more than whiplash, as far as Devariem are concerned 'Peace Was Never An Option'. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  EXCOMMUNICATED 'Skeleton Key' UW RECORDS Unholy Black / Death Metal quartet Excommunicated arise from the altar with their blistering paced debut album 'Skeleton Key', musically sounding along the lines of Behemoth with the anti-Christianity level of Gorgoroth, this mind-blowing album carries a death warrant on it's audio waves in the form of ravenous riffs, bear-mauling blastbeats and venomous vocals, all in all coming together as a sacrilegious blast of 'Dark Religious Metal' - of which is best way to describe the band, a major threat to the existence of the Christian faith and the ruling presence of the Vatican City, without a doubt the perfect soundtrack to Dan Brown's novel 'The Da Vinci Code', just don't expect any repentance from these four cardinals of Louisiana. [9] RHYS STEVENSON  KILLGASM 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance' UW RECORDS American Black Metal / Pornogrinders Killgasm shed blood and sexual innuendo's in the most Satanic form yet with their catastrophic debut album 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance', featuring a fast and spit-in-your-face attitude in each song, the trio from California sum up the soundtrack for a real Hardcore porn movie. So much for BDSM being erotic and sex being dirty, these bad boys emit a sound that curses any sound made from the bondage of a big woman so to speak, powering drums into speeding and riffing into overdrive, this is perhaps one of the darkest releases from California, a certain 'Bloodbath Of Satanic Vengeance' has been created. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SLIME IN THE CURRENT 'Pissed On Resurrectine' UW RECORDS Cold and heartless sums up this Black Metal trio from Louisiana, diving into the darkest depths of war and anti-Christianity and emerging under the title of Slime In The Current. For a Black Metal album that was the band's debut and unleashed in 2009, Pissed On Resurrectine' sits in the raw vein, due to the evident guitar distortion and inaudible vocals conveying what sounds like words but at most times are misleading. This is not one of the best releases that has graced metal's darkest genre, but certainly not the worst either. In total respect the band combines an atmospheric discharge rather than speed and heaviness, so essentially 'Pissed On Resurrectine' can be dubbed 'Raw Ambient Black Metal'. [6] RHYS STEVENSON GMN - Vol22 - Shadowthrone / Funebre / Assur, Godspell, Bloodland, Sammsara, Devoid Of Fate10/07/2011  SHADOWTHRONE / FUNEBRE / ASSUR 'Forever On The Dark Side' NEVERHEARD Somewhat of a revelation with three Hungarian bands on one CD split, Black Metal band Shadowthrone, Black Metal one-man project Funebre and one-man Pagan Metal project Assur come together to unleash a spine-tingling selection of raw Black Metal in it's most evil form, enough to churn your stomach from the vocalist's stifling array of shrieks and screams. With Shadowthrone it's a slow percussive choice but whilst the guitars add ambiance, there feels to be something missing. As for Funebre it is similar but on a general basis the production is there, the musical composition is creepy and yet the atmosphere is the same, whilst with Assur, it is a rather disappointing musical production, simply put because the music seems to have little drive for perfection. All in all a decent split, just the odd disappointment here and there, but certainly a true underground Black Metal recording. [7] + [8] + [6.5]  GODSPELL 'No Noise Can Mute Us Now' Words escape on this one, whilst the vocals do Death Metal some justice, the music itself from the guitars and drums is dire, seriously without being crude the Swiss boys Godspell might as well spend more time on making watches, sure there is worse but this is a disappointing release, this being their debut EP 'No Noise Can Mute Us Now' which was released last year , none the less a fair attempt at the beginning, the only way is to improve, whether the production of this EP was to blame remains a question, but for now it remains to be seen if this is a good release or not. [4] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODLAND 'Buried Alive' German Death Metal new boys Bloodland caused chaotic eruptions with their incandescent debut demo 'Buried Alive' released last year. Riffs and blastbeats intertwine with each other whilst the vocals are a bit hard to understand, but that adds to the brutality of the growling, essentially a demo for those who prefer Death Metal to be raw, under-recorded and unclean, overall a decent attempt but no real criticism is needed, only that to say it is not a perfect release either, however a sound warning must be issued. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SAMMSARA '...With Damage' Emerging with their debut full-length album is French Atmospheric Gothic Metal newcomers Sammsara, elaborating a darkened sense of being immersed in shadows with the majestic sound of French Metal, Sammsara certify a promise to take the listener to a never before heard place, one full of mystery, questions and blackness. Whilst the females take the beauty of the Gothic Metal to new levels, the deep male vocals add a little downside to it, but the music itself patches that up, '...With Damage' is one of those releases that soothes the soul and is not to be shunned upon. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DEVOID OF FATE 'Monolith' The oncoming storm that many may wither at, this is the new breed of Melodic Death Metal, Finnish Metallers Devoid The Fate return with their sixth demo release 'Monolith', with a controversial introductory speech track on the song 'The Storm' to savor anyone who dares agree with it. Musically the drums are tight and riffs progressive, but whilst the overall beat is more melodic than Death Metal style it is classified as one demo that ought to be in anyone's collection, a real solid concrete mix of grit, heavy brutality and unjust composition levels, a classic a heart waiting to be released to the masses. [9] RHYS STEVENSON | 2013
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