BLACK ELEGY 'Pathway' Possibly the best Gothic / Doom Metal band to emerge from Germany in a long, long time. Black Elegy make their anticipated debut with 'Pathway', a 49 minute opus that takes the listener on a spellbinding journey through the bitter cold lands of the German forests and mountains through a delicate balance of harmonic angelic vs. brutally demonic vocals and a slow yet captivating mixture of solid riffs and stomach-churning drumming, not to mention a soothing and calming atmosphere being developed by the individual elements. 'Pathway' is an album many Gothic Metal and Doom Metal fans will love and is sure to push forward Black Elegy into the spotlight as a potential label signing in the year ahead, it may be early days but Black Elegy certainly seem to be going places. Download This: "Saturnine Past" For fans of: Swallow The Sun, Amorphis, Opeth [8] RHYS STEVENSON BEGRIME EXEMIOUS 'Visions Of The Scourge' DARK DESCENT Last year saw the unleashing of horrendous and torrential satanic pain, transmitted through the unholiest of medians, the second album by Canadian warlords Begrime Exemious. Their latest offering 'Visions Of The Scourge' delivers unrelenting black / death metal in the raw form that it should be more often in. Through the use of a low-key production sound it adds sweet distortion to the guitar and drum sounds whilst the vocals offer little resilience in terms of the ugly beauty they produce. Sure 'Visions Of The Scourge' may not appeal to all extreme metal fans, but to those who prefer their music as dirty as a slut mud bath, this is the album for you. In fact without albums like 'Visions Of The Scourge' and bands like Begrime Exemious, true underground metal would not exist. Download This: "The Vault Of Ancient Bone & Poison Saliva" For Fans of: Belphegor, Watain, Destroyer 666 [8] RHYS STEVENSON SILAS 'World Of Colour' You can never be too far short of good music in London, the capital of England is like a corn field with each piece acting as a band, a puzzle in the whole area if you like. Anyway enough small talk, Silas is a classic hard rock and heavy metal that embezzles the very foundation of pure music. Their first mini-album delivers that guitar-driven sound to it's limit whilst adding some rather neat and tidy fusion elements, namely the funk element from which we suspect vats of Jack Daniels might be the culpable culprit. Whatever this band runs on, their latest effort 'World Of Colour' certainly packs a punch, a punch that should get them on to the battlefields of Europe and lighting the various venues across the continent with their atomic explosion of riff-laden rock / metal. Download This: "Negative One" For Fans of: Avenge Thee & Naime, Artisfiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON REMNANTS OF CAMULOS 'Screaming For An Answer' Some bands start off with so much potential and have no clue where to direct it, this time that bleakness falls upon teenage lads Remnants of Camulos of whom delivered their debut EP last year and quite frankly although being well and good in terms of effort and being different, the overall feel and reception is one to be considered. 'Screaming For An Answer' supposedly is meant to be a mash-up of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal and Metalcore, never in the month of sunday's is that correct. Given the vocals are in the Death Metal category and the riffs and drums reside more with Thrash Metal, they may as well be Deathrash or similar. However as for the EP don't expect anything groundbreaking or spectacular, the metal is good but the application needs considerable work on. Download This: "We Are Not Enslaved" For Fans of: Lamb of God, Hatebreed. 'bizarre metal' [6] RHYS STEVENSON ADAPTOR 'Fire In The Hallway' What can one say, Thrash Metal how it should be, well at least partly. Take Adaptor's debut EP 'Fire In The Hallway' released last year and rip it apart, first off the shift in time signatures and pace is far too great to comprehend, how on earth are metal fans meant to headbang to the opening song 'Mind' without tripping over themselves? Fast, slow, fast, slow? Really? More like a stuttering car engine. Ok, give due 'Fire In The Hallway' is a decent enough release, it does mostly what most Thrash Metal bands do best and deliver heart-shredding music, but it is the change in speed that let's it down. Wherever the Dutch quartet go from here it better improve, because judging on this effort, they have a fair bit to do before being considered all for it. Good release though. Download This: 'Fire In The Hallway' For Fans of: Kreator, Holy Moses. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON NEBRUS 'From The Black Ashes' SCHATTENKULT At times it's a rarity to find old school Black Metal and so attention always turns to the abyss of the underground, this time the fire burns bright for misanthropic anti-christian Black Metal duo Nebrus who hail from the sun-soaked region of Tuscany, Italy. Their debut album released last year carries everything expected of an underground Black Metal release and as listeners peruse the songs on 'From The Black Ashes', they will come across at every song a whole plethora of different elements and sounds all coalescing into each song. Guitars are as raw as red meat and the drums as potent as poison, however the vocals do need some work on but for now offer a darkened insight into potentially the next best Black Metal outfit from the Italian lands. Download This: "Chains" For Fans of: Darkthrone, Burzum, Mayhem [8] RHYS STEVENSON MERCILESS TERROR 'Vile Extinction' DEVILS CLAUSE You know how it goes, technology is always renewing itself. The same goes for a band, each release that passes they intend to renew their current sound to improve it, however some fail at this process. Merciless Terror on the other hand were practically born with this process in their system, take their upcoming full length 'Vile Extinction' for example and try surviving the whole 34 minutes of it without either 1. violently headbanging, 2. drinking excessively or 3. wanking. This is due to the album blasting out a futile mix of Death Metal vocals and a Thrash Metal music embodiment that together merge to form a sound that will send shock-waves down the spine of planet metal. Through the composition of fast music that speeds past anything experienced at Wimbledon and the repulsive yet delicious lyrics instated on the album, there is no reason to why Merciless Terror's new album 'Vile Extinction' will not show bands in said genre how it should be done. For Fans of: Old Sepultura, Napalm Death, Slayer, Deicide 'Vile Extinction' is out on 19th August 2013 via Devils Clause Records worldwide [10] RHYS STEVENSON MASQUERADER 'Singular Point' It would certainly seem that Masquerader are ready to follow ChthoniC's footsteps and become an internationally recognised metal band. The five-piece Thrash Metal maniacs unleash furious hell with their second EP 'Singular Point', think classic Slayer and then wield that with an oriental attitude, you got it - colossal meltdown. 'Singular Point' gleams with everything you would expect from an 80's metal inspired band, producing insanely fast riffs without any mercy whatsoever whilst the drums and vocals finish the rest of you off. If this was a meal it would be burger and chips, juicy riffs with enough punch to know you back whilst the chips relate to the atmospheric flavor Masquerader muster on this must have release. Masquerader are flying the flag for Taiwan, now watch the Taiwanese onslaught begin. Download This: "S.A.T.A.N" For Fans of: Slayer, old Sepultura, Venom [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON HELL'S THRASH HORSEMEN 'Demo 2012' Wallowing in the land renowned for a lot of black metal and pagan metal is Hell's Thrash Horsemen, a (you guessed it!) Thrash Metal band from the bitter lands of the Russian Federation. Here we have their latest release, their 2012 demo gives an important sign that they are sure to make waves in Europe in the foreseeable future. Sure the release itself is not exactly anything different but still it serves up nicely as a decent Thrash metal release. Prepare for some classic sounds and fast music as Hell's Thrash Horsemen aim to serve up a feast for your ears that will aim for anyone to come back to enjoy once more. Download This: "Servants Of The People" For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, classic Thrash Metal. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON PUNCH 'N' JUDY
'Crossing Over' It is interesting to see a band cop onto the traditional British puppet show Punch 'N' Judy and call themselves after it, especially when they are from Germany. The five-piece Folk Metal musicians deliver an almost identical sound to that of the said piece of theatrical art. 'Crossing Over' is the band's third album to date and delivers that classic Folk Metal sound with added extras through the elaborate way of using the accordion to develop a country folk or medieval metal sound, which is funny seeing as medieval metal does already exist. But what is captivating about this band and indeed the album is that both defy the rulebook and do things their own way. You can be assured that Punch 'N' Judy will capture attention across the European plains with their unique style of German Folk Metal. Download This: "Nur Der Narr" For Fans of: Schandmaul, Subway To Sally, Eluveitie [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON
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CUERNOS DE CHIVO 'Exterminando A Dios' This could be the band and album that Spain has been waiting for to blast a hole in Europe with, the unrelenting force that Deathcore / Death Metal conquistadors Cuernos De Chivo exert on 'Exterminando A Dios' is enough to make the American mob sound pitiful. Crunching riffs and face-melting vocals will leave you pissing your pants as if you had a hangover after your post-hangover (if you catch my drift). 'Exterminando A Dios' is an essential album for those who love their Death Metal and or Deathcore as gritty as broken up tarmac, essentially an album that speaks a thousand words, but only one one sounds out above the rest, 'extraordinary'. What will the Spanish lot conjure up next is anyone's guess, but it's bound to be brutal. Download This: "La Mano De Dios" For Fans of: Heaven Shall Burn, Buried In Verona, Job For A Cowboy [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON VOXRA 'The Forgotten Hope That None Of Us Have...' Now the question is when will there be a release that features barely any music on it, oh wait. Yes, 'The Forgotten Hope That None Of Us Have...' by Voxra is exactly that. Supposedly it is a one man project that dips into the sounds of dark ambiance, depressive black metal and drone metal. Yeah right, perhaps the studio was shut or something, or the man behind it forgot his notes, because this release isn't even worth entertaining, seriously who would buy a release if no sound or virtually limited sound was on it? You might as well and try to rent air just for amusement. [1] RHYS STEVENSON SEAMOUNT 'Earthmother' Coming from Bavaria one would of thought Seamount's music would be as heavy as the stein's of beer that are delivered at Oktoberfest, but one was wrong. Germany's four piece Heavy Doom lords immerse the atmosphere on a joyous and less depressing sound that you would first expect given their lyrics pertain to paganism as a starting point, but as said they are far from depressing - but they do have that lovely thick bass sound going on. Sure the music on their fourth album 'Earthmother' is nothing new, it still warrants recognition as a decent enough release to garner attention across the continent. A definite must for anyone who loves Black Sabbath. Download This: "Aphrodites Child" For Fans of: Black Sabbath, Huntress [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON ENGRAVED 'Days We Dread' Engraved's 2012 demo is far better than previous releases without doubt, there is a lot more melody expressed in each song and at the same time more brutal vocals, this combined makes the demo much more like epic metal as the seconds tick by. 'Days We Dread' features the melodies exerted by fellow countrymen Scar Symmetry and the vocals of Marionette. But, Engraved play this there way and whilst they are not conventionally known outside of Sweden as such, they ought to be. If their demo 'Days We Dread' is a sign of what their debut album is going to be like, then I for sure will be wanting to hear it, the storm has begun... Download This: "Moments" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Marionette, The Unguided, early Sonic Syndicate [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON ZEPHYRA 'Kämpaglöd' Delivering their second EP is Sweden's furiously heavy Zephyra, their latest offering 'Kämpaglöd' delivers extremely bizarre vocals for their music choice, it is almost as if they had layered Black Metal vocals on a Heavy Metal foundation as the vocals are far from being classic Heavy Metal. 'Kämpaglöd' is one of those releases that is nothing special, yet it has something different to it, that classic irony of it being a common rarity. But what makes it like that is not so much the lesser quality of the recordings but more so the brutality pursued through the vocals and even more so the fact that the vocalist is married to the guitarist, whether this has an impact on the ferocity of the release is another question, but boy does 'Kämpaglöd' pack a solemn punch. Download This: "Route 611" [7] RHYS STEVENSON CHOSEN 'Resolution' What I want to know is why these guys are not signed? What on earth are the record labels thinking! Enter Irish Melodic Death Metal duo Chosen with their debut album 'Resolution', how apt the album title is given the amount of times the band has crossed the Atlantic to and from Canada. 'Resolution' itself conjures up that classic sound you would want to hear from a Melodic Death Metal album, gallant melodies push the musical elements to the limits as the guitars and vocals take charge of what could be Irish Metal album of the year. This is far beyond the megalithic Gothenburg sound that seems to dominate the metal waves, no.. 'Resolution' is in a league of its own and with Chosen now firmly set on terra firma once again, eyes will be turning once again to Ireland. Download This: "Mental Clarity" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON KROWNN 'Hyborian Age' It is clear instantly that Italian Doom trio Krownn know their stuff, their premier demo 'Hyborian Age' which is released in a limited number of 200, features six tracks averaging out at six minutes long each, but never mind that because the music does the talking through thick guitar riffs and a rather bizarre fantasy feel to the music, which is funny since the bog standard doom metal release is meant to deal with depression, impending doom, and the like. There again, if you listen to 'Hyborian Age' closely you can notice a number of influences weaving in and out of the low-sound production. It's a decent enough start and is sure to get this band attention from the major metal music media, but for now they are a Italian gem, waiting to be discovered. Download This: "For The Throne Of Fire" For Fans of: Ghost, Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Candlemass [8] RHYS STEVENSON FORTID 'Pagan Prophecies' SCHWARZDORN Well to say the very least one is a little disappointed by Fortid's fourth album, not only have they depleted in the extreme music sound they are capable of producing, but the songs sound too much a like. 'Pagan Prophecies' is the Icelanders fourth outing and whilst it is the latest album released after their Voluspa trilogy, it is nowhere near as grandeur as their past efforts. But given credit it is a worthy attempt at carrying on their fabled music, 'Pagan Prophecies' is not entirely a slip-up but it is not in the same ball park as previous works that the band has duly done, sure it features a decent onslaught of Black / Viking Metal, but for the band to continue their previous success they will need to work much harder. Download This: "Sun Turns Black" For Fans of: Månegarm, Windir [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON AUTUMN OF AEONS 'Festival Of The Flesh' American four-piece Autumn Of Aeons take no hostages when delivering their latest offering 'Festival Of The Flesh', what can only be described as a delicate mix of gothic imagery, operatic and dramatic rock / metal, think along the lines of Masters of Dark Fire and Bauhaus meeting Therion and Nightwish, you get the idea. 'Festival Of The Flesh' features a plethora of songs that feature booming male and female vocals that take back operatic rock and metal back to its roots. 'Festival Of The Flesh' is sure to capture a lot of peoples attention, it's a shame that 'Festival Of The Flesh' is not an international release because I am sure the German market would love this music! Autumn of Aeons are a band that should be watched closely. Download This: "Midnight Masquerade" For Fans of: Bauhaus, Therion, Type O Negative, Nightwish [8] RHYS STEVENSON GRASSITY
'Genocide' Slamming old school Death Metal coming all the way from Slovakia, Grassity is a force to be reckoned with as the quintet shred bullets in making their premier EP 'Genocide', featuring the classic elements you would find from early bands like Napalm Death and the like, Grassity does all of that and much, much more. 'Genocide' will smash your skull in until you snort your last breath, it is a soul-crushing piece of musical wizardry that will surely get this lot the well deserved attention they need. Four tracks of unrelenting brutality explodes without any remorse and will take you alive, so you better be ready because this lot will put your favorite bands in their place. Download This: "Primitive" For Fans of: Napalm Death, Six Feet Under, Obituary [8] RHYS STEVENSON OMAAF 'Ethnospheric Decay' Well this is rather different, mixing Progressive Metal elements with the sheer brutal force found within the Grindcore music vein, that is is exactly what OMAAF (Of Men and Angel's Flesh) has done on their debut 2012 EP 'Ethnospheric Decay', complex and tight riffs align the rest of the music to follow in scintillating fashion, in the end it's effectively djent grind - maybe a pioneering crossover genre? What 'Ethnospheric Decay' features is a 20 minute mauling of some of the craziest extreme metal you would find from the American plains of Alabama, it's so brutal even the tornadoes would be scared to touch down anywhere near the streets of where this band comes from. Download This: "Architecture" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON ENRAGER 'Will Kill' Emerging from the windswept lands of Catalonia, Spain, is quintet Enrager with their premier EP 'Will Kill' which was released last year and comes as another exciting release from this autonomous province. What you have hear is the general sound of the Heavy Metal infrastructure but of course with Mediterranean influences and this can be heard in the guitar solo's, especially on 'Freedom Winds', sadly the solo seems a little too long but for those who love solo's, then this is one to check out. If you like bands like Iron Maiden then you will be bound to love and enjoy 'Will Kill', songs like Kings Of Road can be likened to '2 Minutes To Midnight' and so therefore this release is a modern example that old school metal is not dying. Download This: "Kings Of Road" [7] RHYS STEVENSON MINORITY SOUND 'The Explorer' METALGATE Czech Electro-Industrial outfit Minority Sound make their welcomed return with their second album 'The Explorer', featuring more of their technically challenging cyber metal and more of their complex rhythms in tow. 'The Explorer' carries forward their signature sound once again influenced by and compared to the likes of Gothminister and Breach The Void; as Minority Sound now seem to have divulged into a more modern metal approach and included harsh vocals that would resonate from bands like Mnemic. It is notably heavier than their previous effort 'Analysis' and as 'The Explorer' sounds off across the European continent, the feeling that this band will explode further afield and become one of the Czech Republic's next greatest exports is vastly becoming a reality. With their synthesizer back drops and carnage-like production, Minority Sound has developed the Majority Sound. Download This: "Binary Child" [8] RHYS STEVENSON TWO NECK NOOSE 'Two Neck Noose' There is a subtle sound of sensational music being emitted from Michigan and it spells death. Two Neck Noose are a Groove / Thrash mob with enough balls to make a Superbowl look like a state fair, seriously this music has enough grit to smash everyone's face in tenfold and that comes from their excruciatingly painful debut self-titled EP, lashing together the groove elements of DevilDriver and Lamb of God with the epochal elevation of mesmerizing Thrash Metal in the brutal kind. This is a band that will make waves in the times ahead and are sure to garner some attention from both sides of the Atlantic with their atomic bomb of insane metal music. Download This: "Cyclical" [9] RHYS STEVENSON O.H. 'Justice' One might need brain surgery after dissecting the debut album by Bulgarian masochistic metallers O.H., their album 'Justice' is a totalitarian blast of fist-punching metal that takes the form of Groove / Death / Thrash Metal, effectively a cocktail for some rather nasty and grueling sounds that would scare anyone to death. Technical at many parts of each song and then that is followed up by segments of tantalizing brutality, somewhat not unlike Slipknot at some points ('psychosocial can be compared to O.H.'s song 'For Life' for example), but on the other hand far from Slipknot, it is one of those albums that has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in and so what you end up with is a furious piece of musicianship that is sure to boost this band's popularity. Download This: "For Life" [8] RHYS STEVENSON AZOEMIA 'Forced To Devour' What is this music, no seriously what is this thing called music? It is practically a Death Metal instrumental, the vocals are an abomination and frankly do not even reach a decent level. The music itself is a brutal cast iron ingot that resembles the solidarity of the production, but the vocals, well you would find Justin Bieber singing much better than this. It is a shame to say but Azoemia's 'Forced To Devour' is one nothing special and two a sheer shock to the Spanish metal scene, if this lot are to get anywhere in future they must work on the vocals, otherwise they will become a disappointment in the international metal scene. Death Metal you're at least meant to hear some of the words, all one can hear is muffled microphone. [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON ANIME TORMENT 'Deathwish' CECEK No doubt this band is sick, Czech Death Metal warriors Anime Torment made their explosive start heard all around as they dropped their debut album 'Deathwish' last year. Full of the magic stuff one would expect of a Death Metal band, this is a sheer force of brutality that cannot be ignored easily. Frenzy drumming is just the start of it as the riffs role off the production line like no tomorrow and the vocals deliver that almighty blast that no atomic bomb could equate to. Simply put, Anime Torment are sure to conquer Europe in the times ahead and with number one firmly under their belt, number two should be as easy as pie for the five-piece. The question is, will this lot finally push the Czech Metal scene even more forward than the older bands? Download This: "Lovers" [8] RHYS STEVENSON SYRUS 'E-Race-D' This is a post-humorous review seeing as Syrus split up this year. 2012 was the last year of releases by the Austrian Thrashers and their last release was their second demo 'E-Race-D', basically it's a generic Thrash metal album with nothing too special about it. it does what it was designed to do and that was create a musical atmosphere for fans to wreak havoc in, but also what 'E-Race-D' does is it offers an insight into the band's short lived history. Perhaps they should have called it 'Erased' instead, for the obvious reasons stated. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON TATIANA'S NIOVI 'Breath Of Light' RAVENHEART MUSIC Making her welcomed return with her band is Greek singer and musical maestro Tatiana Manolidou of whom has dropped the latest release from which contains the band's newest works, entitled 'Breath Of Light' this symphonic melodic journey twists and turns at every corner as the album winds its way through the angelic heavens of Tatiana's vocals and the sensational dramatics experienced from the outburst of delinquent music. Much like Tarja Turunen, Tatiana Manolidou carves through the night with a piercing display of powerful rock / metal ballads and sensational music, given Greece is going through tough economical times, this is a soundtrack that would lighten up anyone's mood, regardless if they like metal or rock music, or not. Download This: "Ring Of Darkness" [8] RHYS STEVENSON EFFLORESCE
'Shades Of Fate' + 'Coma Ghosts' INDEPENDENT / GENERATION PROG Take a step back in time to 2009 and the first release by Bavarian Progressive Metallers Effloresce had taken shape, this is the EP 'Shades Of Fate' and it totals out at 30 minutes with around 10 minutes a song so for those who love their metal to take them on a lengthy adventurous journey, this instantly is one for you. You know if you had to make a long car or train journey this EP may as well cover most of it, simply not only due to the length of the songs but more so the fact you have the urge to replay them, they are that good. Sumptuous female vocals take the EP to greater heights whilst the music itself provides a solid background for the listener to enjoy. Overall a solid start to the band's career and the next release, which coincidentally was released last year is their debut album entitled 'Coma Ghosts'. 'Coma Ghosts' is in essence a doubled version of the 'Shades Of Fate' EP whereby there are now six songs and on average just below 10 minutes each, so again another essential to listen to on long journeys. What makes this album more impressive than the EP is the greater assertiveness in their music, for example the vocals are more sharper, the music is more direct with a greater sense of ebb and flo and overall the entire release is an emphatic journey through the complex minds of these German musicians, sure the band have now found their signature style, the only downside is that some fans may be a little put off by the song lengths, however for those that wait the time waiting is well worth it, simply put if this band does not get major international attention within the next year or so I will eat my speakers. Download These: "Sear" + "Crib" [7] + [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON ZARIA 'Sij Obzorja' Folk Metal towards Central and Eastern Europe generally takes on the form of being influenced by Slavic culture and sounds and Zaria are no exception, taking on their national cultural sound and lashing it to Folk Metal gives the debut EP 'Sij Obzorja' (Translates as "Glow Of The Horizon") its authentic and emotional attachment to the identity of the Slovene nationality. Sure the sextet Zaria from Medvode take no issues when producing this magnificent work of musical art, oddly enough the EP be somewhat likened to their fellow countrymen Aperion, although the latter is more Symphonic Metal. But for Zaria and 'Sij Obzorja' this is a huge step to gaining recognition outside of Slovenia and with the majestic elements one hears from this EP, that some how relates to music found in the Shire scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, shall power the band on towards greater things in the future. Download This: "Njun Svet" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON FRAILTY 'Melpomene' ARX PRODS. It was four years since the debut album by Frailty and now the Latvian Death Metal / Doom Metal sextet make their welcomed return once again with their latest album 'Melpomene', kicking off with some harsh bitter vocals that set the tone for the rest of the band to follow by and in doing so they create a darkened bleak atmosphere that would send chills down anyone's spine. 'Melpomene' keeps the listener occupied with the average song length being around the 7 minute to 8 minute mark, however the breadth of the release is sensational, for once Frailty are now on the rightful track to shed their music over the European lands and with 'Melpomene' firmly in the forefront, there is nothing to stop this megalithic monster from reaching the metal masses. Download This: "Cold Sky" [8] RHYS STEVENSON DERELICT 'Perpetuation' Taking into account a complex algorithm of matrices is never easy, especially in the musical context of piecing technically laden Death Metal with a myriad of differentiating influences from song to song, such an example is Derelict of whom last year melted faces with their third onslaught of mathematical death metal. 'Perpetuation' delivers a non-stop rally of face-punching music that would make any professional boxer look like a soft lad dancing around in the ring wearing a tutu and lashings of pink. So what does Derelict take to make 'Perpetuation' thee album from which the European labels should sniff at? Simple, Strapping Young Lad, DevilDriver, Neuraxis and Beneath the Massacre at a premium, however they brandish their own unique style on the complex music genre and as a result are primed to obliterate any pathetic excuse to why they are not simply Canada's latest and greatest modern metal export. Download This: "Spoils Of War" [10] RHYS STEVENSON ABYSSUS 'Monarch To The Kingdom Of The Dead' 2012 saw the premier release of 'Monarch To The Kingdom Of The Dead' take flight, it is the debut EP by Greek Death Metal mob and sad to say is not an all thumbs up release either, the riffs deliver a sharp and composite approach which, alongside the drums, acts as a force that even Golden Dawn could not comprehend, however the let down is the vocals as they are not well executed and need more growling to be inserted, in fact they are so bad the Ancient Greeks would not be impressed by the power exerted here and so the EP loses much of its luster. On a plus note, the music is original and for those Death Metal fans, it may well be a good listen, but for the benefit of the doubt it is questionable. Download This: "Left To Suffer" [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON RELICSEED 'Upcoming Second Studio Album Promo EP' Heavy Industrial Thrashers Relicseed unveil their magical works to come via a promo EP for their upcoming album out in Autumn. What fans can expect is blistering paced drumming, industrial funk and heavy vocals, all of which when together create a wall of sound that would blast any hole in any speaker that the music comes into contact with. With influences ranging from Metallica, Machine Head, Slipknot and Rammstein, listeners can expect a whole selection of different song structures and musical sounds whilst the Latvian four-piece retain that signature sound they have created over the years, and that's just the promo EP! Bring on number 2! [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON THE SUMMA IN VERSE 'When In Limbo' Trance Metalcore seems to be a hit or miss genre, you either get it nailed on sounding right or end up like another Asking Alexandria clone, but down in the underground streets of Bristol a project (hoping to be a band) is born under the moniker of The Summa In Verse. Putting together the electic elements of Hard Trance with some elaborate synthesizers cutting through the electromagnetic surge that courses through each track and then bolting clean and harsh vocals to the mix, this is some cutting edge stuff. 'When In Limbo' is what it says, in limbo between the electronic-sphere and the metalcore legion and what separates this project from the crowd is the unique layering going on, such a winning formula should garner this young musician some attention in the times ahead, in the near future. Download This: "Into The Inferno" [8] RHYS STEVENSON SILVERCAST 'Chaos Engines' For those who love their Gothic Metal full of power, bouncy elements and emotional connectivity, then Silvercast's 'Chaos Engines' is for you, unleashed by the Russian quintet the debut album has a number of exciting elements to it from the technical parts in the song 'Mechanical Heart' to the soft elegance experienced on 'В Лабиринте', sure the latter is in Russian but the album itself is a mixture of the Russian and English language, so one can expect the album to be culturally diverse. Even so, the keyboards add a calming feel to the aggressive drumming sequences and the savage swift riff production, all in all 'Chaos Engines' is a well crafted musical piece that should aspire many in St Petersburg to follow suit. Download This: "The Name Of Chaos" [8] RHYS STEVENSON SYSTEM OVERTHROW 'System Overthrow' Well the truth is you're not meant to be disappointed at the first part of a release, but sadly this is the case for System Overthrow's debut self-titled demo. The instantaneous negativity that smacks you in the face is the inescapable realization that the volume quality is merely abysmal, if you krank the volume up more you can hear a band that fashions the classic frenzy known as Thrash Metal and produces a well worked recording, but with that the consensus is that this is basic Thrash Metal with no real deviation from the plethora that swamps the metal music community of modern times, maybe System Overthrow will get better on their next release, but for now there is room for improvement. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON NORTHERION 'Silent Screams' Here again just another generic Melodic Heavy Metal band, Northerion made their mark last year by releasing their debut album 'Silent Screams' and what is featured on this album is ideally no keyboard elements just bog standard Heavy Metal with melodies circulating the standard instruments themselves, leaving somewhat a disappointing feeling. Perhaps if German beer was a little stronger, so would the music be, but on the other hand it cannot be decried as a total flop because the music itself is knit tightly so that any attempt to crush the music before fully dissecting it would be a mission impossible. What is possible though is for this band to seriously consider restructuring their sound to make it what it says it is. Download This: "Out Of The Light" [7] RHYS STEVENSON RAW ENSEMBLE
'Jesus Is Back.... And He Is Fucking Angry' 2012 gave birth to a new German Thrash Metal release, 'Jesus Is Back.... And He Is Fucking Angry' by quartet Raw Ensemble. What pursues next is a colossal explosion of gnarly vocals and the signature Teutonic Thrash Metal caricature, with that in mind the band opt for a more religious and evil approach rather than the political stance some Thrashers adopt. They call their music 'Blasting Thrash Metal' and they aren't half wrong, fueled by unrelenting percussion and bulldozing riffs that would make your generic headbanging style look like a pansies dance. Infectious and insanely fast is what this mob have aimed for and successfully delivered, so expect similarities with bands like Slayer and the whole 80's Thrash Metal era. Download This: "Jesus Is Back..." [8] RHYS STEVENSON ONDFØDT 'I' Finnish Raw Black Metal duo Ondfødt make their first move by delivering their premier EP simply entitled 'I', from the start the explosion of bitterly raw riffs gets the music well and truly underway, whilst the drums and vocals alongside the riffs conjure up a cold and bleak atmosphere. Sure it is another one of those releases that sounds like every other Raw Black Metal release but in fact there is a major difference, this is there own unique sound and what one means by that is that it is very heard to pinpoint what influences are exactly involved. However, 'I' does prime itself up as a feasible debut and shall allow the duo to build upon this shriekingly epic release. Just don't expect any mercy from this lot, there is no mercy in this music. Download This: "Verlden Er Min Slakteri' [8] RHYS STEVENSON DAGOBA 'Post Mortem Nihil Est' EARMUSIC It might as well be accepted that France is going through its own metal revolution and it is fair to say that when bands like Dagoba release total chaotic hell through their music, the result is a mass brawl amongst many fans alike. Simply put, the band wielded radioactive metal to deliver their post-apocalyptic album 'Post Mortem Nihil Est', producing a futile and technological music revolution as to say the groove elements resonate within the similar sounds of Pantera, whilst the industrial elements spit out the total envisage one would want to hear from the modern metal era. What 'Post Mortem Nihil Est' has that defines Dagoba as perhaps a leader in the French metal scene is the constant brutality that explodes at every algorithmic riff and technical drumming pattern. When songs like 'Kiss Me Kraken' spew out a sound that eclipses the very industrialist sound behind lords like Rob Zombie, it is insurmountably evident that Dagoba have delivered what can be persevered as not only their best album to date, but more so potentially French Metal album of the year. 'Post Mortem Nihil Est' is out 14th June via earMUSIC For fans of: Pantera, Breach The Void, Rob Zombie, Noein, The Defiled [9] RHYS STEVENSON TIME GRID 'Life' Emerging from the Swiss and French border is the joint effort between six musicians under the moniker Time Grid and combining female and male vocals with two keyboards the rest that is expected, it is almost an advanced and updated version of Il Divo. However the debut album 'Life' features more than operatic style progressive metal, the male vocals at times are on the same par as Michael Crawford and so as a result the song 'Me' may as well be put in the same ball park as the Phantom of The Opera and that means to say that 'Life' is a myriad of different elements coming together to explode as one and shed a sound that can be likened to bands like Nightwish, Therio, Avantasia and those along the lines of the Neo-Classical, Symphonic and Operatic Metal styles. Thus 'Life' is an album that shall gain attention as a promising debut by this international group. Download This: 'Me' [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON UBUREN 'Sons of the Dying Gods' The soundtrack of gregarious darkness and evil has surfaced in the form of the debut release by Norway's Viking / Black metal trio Uburen. 'Sons of the Dying Gods' bleeds out traditional ass-tight riffs and shrieking vocals that would make wolf sex sound like silence, lets face it Uburen are amongst the same string of Norwegian BM bands but with an additional twist, besides the obvious Folk Metal elements inserted here and there, the overall sound is one that should gain considerable attention as the band do it their own way and not to any conventional playing style. But there again it is likely some extreme metal fans will find a riff taken here and there but will acknowledge that 'Sons of the Dying Gods' is a great release to launch your band's career from. Download This: "Sea Of Deceit' [8] RHYS STEVENSON LARCENY 'My Fall' SAOR How can it be that a band develops an angelic, soft-flowing atmosphere through the use of keyboard melodies and heavenly female vocals, and as a result can be compared to the elegant flow and sound of a stream or a gushing river? Whilst imploding it with harsh brutal vocals that would make any Alpine wolf run a mile at the shear power the vocals create. Simple, the sophomore album by Germany's Larceny, 'My Fall' is a total epic release, not just from the intertwining vocal arranages but from the sincere precision placed on each element that makes each song uniquely different in their own rights and the album a musical masterpiece, from this release it is evident that Larceny deserve a lot more to come there way and are sure to make tracks in the year ahead as listeners come round to grasp what could be German Metal album of the year. Download This: "Love! You! Dead!" [10] RHYS STEVENSON RULE 'Rule' There are too many bands doing the same or similar thing these-days and Massachusetts' Rule does not escape this trap, the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal outfit conjures up their debut EP and it just about sounds similar to every band trying to emanate the bygone sound, even if the solo's deal the release justice the whole EP sounds too much like other releases, on the other hand it offers fans and music listeners another chance to experience that all essential Iron Maiden-esque, 80's rock and metal sound. But be warned, there is nothing too unique here except the band provides their own twist on the music style, shame it's already been done before. Overall expect no compromising riffs or set ways through the music, just ballsy ballistic rock 'n' roll / Heavy metal. Download This: "Clining To Life" [6] RHYS STEVENSON JEWISH JUICE 'Fourth Reich' The awaited debut by Italy's darkest metal band has finally dropped last year, 'Fourth Reich' by the NSBM trio Jewish Juice wallows once again in the National Socialist and Anti-Semetic lyrical garden and plucks out six tracks that will strike fear in any listener. Underlying the political and fascist propaganda is a solid Black Metal sound, with mid-paced to full on raw atmospheric music that leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of the listener whilst corroding their senses for a long time. For the open-minded this is a unique insight into the minds of those favoring right-wing ideologies and grim thoughts that otherwise on a purely social level would be spat out upon. No remorse, this is a decent and well crafted release that should not be taken as being literal as the music itself does more talking than the band's ideology. Download This: "Stalingrad" [8] RHYS STEVENSON TRUE 'Riders of Doom' Brazil's promising lads True have become true to themselves (pun intended), by releasing their debut album 'Riders of Doom' from the depths of the Amazonian rainforest, this Death / Thrash armada assault encases the silent atmosphere surrounding the listener and results in total Armageddon. What is sensational about this album is that it carries on their signature sound of dropping speed suddenly to almost narrowly escaping a Metalcore breakdown as seen on the song 'Forget In Hatred', but with a rallying of insanely paced drumming acting as the leader for the rest of the band to follow by, it is credible to acknowledge that True are one of Brazil's greatest underground metal bands going around, in fact they are the 'Riders of Doom'. Download This: "Obliteration" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON THRASHMANIACS 'Demoshhh - Pit' DEMENCIAL Bolivian Metal is one scene that is not really promoted enough and yet when bands like Thrashmaniacs release their first ever compilation it begs the question if this band can lead the frontline to guide their scene forward. 'Demoshhh - Pit' is a seven track compilation that takes the best songs the Thrash Metal quartet has ever done, sure to the international scene it would be hard to decipher seeing as they sing in Spanish, but add a cultural value to it and you have got a release that every fan of Slayer and Evile would be immensely entranced by. 'Demoshhh - Pit' is a roller-coaster ride through neck-breaking riffs, Teutonic drumming and explosive vocals, simply put this release is a must have for Thrashers everywhere. Download This: "3:15 (Instrumental)" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MIDGAR
'Sombras Del Mañana' Spanish metal of late seems to be doing rather well and in 2012 one album that changed the face of Progressive Metal in this region came to life, 'Sombras Del Mañana' by Madrid-based sextet Midgar nucleated over the metal scene like a torrent of bulls hyped on crack running through the narrow streets of the fabled capital city, even more so think of 'Sombras Del Mañana' as a delicious paella, with spicy riffs, juicy beats and fresh vocals and then think of the entire package as elegant as the local flamenco class, in fact this album may as well be a damn good soundtrack to either a Spanish adventure film or elaborate dancing. It is fueled up to the top with eccentricity beyond anyone's imagination and as 2013 offers the band a new adventure, Midgar are sure to catch the eye of many. Download This: "Grítale Al Cielo" [9] RHYS STEVENSON CAPTAIN ZORX STIMMUNGSATTACKE 'The Maps Of The Ancient Sea Kings' From time to time you come across a band that is completely crackpot that they should give up music and become comedians, such is the case of German 'Disco Metal' band Captain Zorx Stimmungsattacke and their album 'The Maps Of The Ancient Sea Kings'. Playing rock / metal in the style of Tenacious D, this unbelievable quartet are perhaps as wacky as Albert Einstein's hair. From the start to the very end, each song has it's own tongue-in cheek element and variation of music, thus begging the question are they System of A Down in disguise? Whoever the band is influenced by, it is a rarity and almost certainly a hidden gem in the underground German music scene. Download: "Roter Alarm" (for the yodeling :p) [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON VICTORIANS - ARISTOCRATS' SYMPHONY 'Revival' Taking Poland by storm, Neo-Classical / Symphonic Power Metal quartet Victorians - Aristocrats' Symphony delivered their debut album 'Revival' last year and with it comes perhaps what could be perceived as the next big Polish metal export and Poland's long awaited answer to Nightwish, delivering soprano style vocals on a bed of mellow and emotional music that resounds throughout the entire album, resulting in a deluge of operatic sounds and beautiful symphonies that will get heads turning. 'Revival' is a solid start to the band's career and is sure to power them to greater European recognition as one of the most exciting new metal bands from Poland to emerge in the last five years. Download This: "Voice Of Eternal Love" [10] RHYS STEVENSON DO NOT DREAM 'Eiszeit' Sensational and indescribable are two different things but can interlink when specifically referring to music, so when Germany's Do Not Dream drop their fourth album 'Eiszeit' like a bomb exploding over Berlin, the shrapnel that shoots from it carries the sound of Melodic Black / Gothic Metal and twists it in such a way that the band develop their own sound. By utilizing soft female vocals against rough male vocals and amounting that on top of the delicacies produced by the unique background melodies from the keyboard and dramatic drops emitted across the songs such as 'Schlaflied'. However the language barrier may prove a little difficult for some, but coincidentally it offers metalheads a chance to buff up their German whilst enjoying some rather special metal music. Download This: "Polarlicht" [8] RHYS STEVENSON SPIDKILZ 'Balance Of Terror' INFERNO / LA RIOT SURVIVOR The debut album by Italian Speed Thrashers Spidkilz has finally dropped, 'Balance Of Terror' takes it's time to get started but once it does, the flood gates of Italian renaissance and agile supremacy take over, whitewashing the atmosphere in a combination of American Thrash Metal like Nuclear Assault and Speed Metal in the vein of Judas Priest. Sure the sound is at times non-original and the creativity a little stuck, but the overall reception of the album is well perceived as a solid piece of musicianship that should please many Thrashers alike. Loaded with 46 minutes of irresistible riffs, cut-throat vocals and ballistic drumming, this is truly The Italian Job. Download This: "Motorhome" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON SINFLOWER 'Evil Cure' It comes with great anticipation that finally Italy's Power Thrash crackpots Sinflower spurt out their debut album last year and with it comes a mid-paced yet a technically crafty deviated style of metal. What is heard on 'Evil Cure' is eccentric solo's and riffs accompanied by a solid drum pattern and vocals that at first raise questions on whether it is Power Metal or Thrash Metal inspired, however the salient point behind 'Evil Cure' is that it combines high-pitched vocals with gritty, ballsy low vocals that stab you in the brain so hard it would make murder look like a recreational event. However, the only little bit that lacks from this release is a secure atmosphere, because on some songs it tends to be bleak and not entirely apparent, this drags the integrity a few levels down. Download This: "Just Alive" [7] RHYS STEVENSON FINGERNAILS 'Alles Verboten' HIGH ROLLER / LA RIOT SURVIVOR For a band that formed thirty years ago and then went on a hiatus or split in 1990, only to re-emerge fourteen years later in 2004, their 2012 album 'Alles Verboten' shows exempt power and passion whilst almost certainly indicating they are far from finished and still have the musicianship to deliver a bombshell without warning. 'Alles Verboten' features erotic riffs that would make any bloke have a hard on instantaneously, whilst the vocals and riffs together would bode well whilst driving down a long straight road, like route 66 for instance. Now whilst the Italian quartet wallow in between playing Thrash Metal to Hard Rock to Punk influences, the epic sound that they extrude is total finesse and an essential to anyone's collection of whom indulges in Hard Rock / Heavy Metal. Download This: "Fun Addiction" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON TBC 'The Rise' STF 2012 saw the return of Austrian Gothic Metal quintet TBC with their next installment 'The Rise', delivering once again their beloved sound of female and male vocals which guide the rest of the music to form erotic and sensational songs. There again the album switches between the romance found within the German language and the power within the English language, whilst at the same time displaying a vast improvement from their debut album '28 Days'. Songs like 'Gnade' can draw similarities to bands like Subway To Sally of whom explode with emphatic power and emphatically constructed music. Throughout 'The Rise', the keyboard provide that atmospheric ambiance experienced in Gothic films like Dracula, it drags up that foundation from which spouts the classic beauty and the beast duet between Steve and Natascha, almost resonating with the operatic sensations felt when watching 'The Phantom of the Opera'. Download This: "Crystal Bride" [9] RHYS STEVENSON BENEATH THE TIDES 'A New Beginning' SPEARJUSTICE Australia in recent years seems to be a massive hotspot for everything Metalcore and as listeners will find out, Canberra cowboys Beneath The Tides are no exception. Exploding with a relentless force of Metalcore that comes laden with Melodic Death Metal influences taken from the Gothenburg guild. The five-piece outfit have assembled a remarkable debut album called 'A New Beginning', that should see the lads crawl under the skin of the international metal scene, ripening to erupt as an acidic blister that will burn the Metalcore scene and will scald everything in their way. As for the album itself, listeners can expect a futile and frantic fist punching onslaught, packed full with a tasty selection of In Flames melodies and Lamb Of God brutality that will have the most hardcore kids crying for their mummies. Slaying riffs, spine-shagging vocals and grizzly drumming sequences, this the post-apocalyptic Metalcore album of the decade. Download This: "Medicate Me" [10] RHYS STEVENSON CROWNLESS 'Dark Evolution' There is definitely a love affair going on between Spanish metal musicians and the Gothic Metal and Power Metal styles, even when the two merge together. However when bands like Crownless make their debut album become a living reality, the result is that the music often captivates the listeners mind and drags them into a emotional state of being calmed, relaxed and somewhat sensual. 'Dark Evolution', the band's debut album saw daylight in 2011 and has been a springboard for the band to carry on their ravenous sound of elegant Gothic Power Metal. From the first to last song, listeners will be taken on a journey that is inspired by the likes of Within Temptation, Sirenia and Nightwish, whilst being entranced by this bands 'Dark Evolution'. Download This: "Ravens In The Storm" [8] RHYS STEVENSON RUM
'Birbant' Beer is considered a gift from the gods, so what a better way to celebrate it than to sing about it? That's exactly what the Polish Slavic Metal band Rum is all about, mixing Eastern European and Slavic style Folk metal with the lyrical topics of drinking and the Slavic culture. 'Birbant' the band's debut album features some of the greatest party folk songs one would want to hear, given though it is sang in Polish the album itself has an element of class on its own. Weaving the classical sounds of metal music with instruments including an accordion, mandolin, flutes and a hurdy-gurdy;, this is a truly ethnic and culture-attached band and album. What makes 'Birbant' stand out from the rest of the Slavic Metal movement is that it has a real upbeat feel to it, one that would get anyone downing the nearest barrel of beer in a jiffy. Download This: "Piwo!" [8] RHYS STEVENSON CRY HAVOC 'New Life' UNSIGNED If Cry Havoc got anymore brutal then health and safety might put a restraining order on Exeter's thrash 'n' roll merchants, the debut EP 'New Life' explodes into life at every second and mashes up the evident traces of Pantera and Guns 'N' Roses into one concrete sound, rocking out of the starting blocks like no tomorrow. The killer riffs that reside on this release are sharp enough to cut your throat, so careful listening is of utmost importance. But whilst the vocals and music do the slaying, the only three elements that are missing from this sensational EP are the crates of beer, the hot girls and of course the record label, here's hoping they come out of the corners to stand up to Exeter's finest new band and one of 2013's hottest properties. Download This: "Ignition" For fans of: Guns 'N' Roses, Pantera, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine 'New Life' is out Monday 15th April 2013 [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON GBS (GRAND BEAST SODOMY) 'Fuck The Holy Trinity' SALUTE / WOLFSVUUR The debut EP only comes 11 or so years since the bands inception, going by the title 'Fuck The Holy Trinity' is not for the devout religious followers, instead what unravels here is a smothering of Finnish Satanic Black Metal, the cusp of demonic attributes soon explodes in the vibrant sounds of true black metal. As for The GBS (Grand Beast Sodomy), the wait for the debut EP was pretty much worth it, sure there were three demos prior to the release, but the overall production and reception of this release is one of gratitude and disappointment, the musical compositions are fine, the only problem is that they are more Death Metal than Black Metal vocals, somehow Satanic Death Metal just does not seem to fit. Download This: "Tekopyhä Kolminaisuu" [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON NYA 'Driving The Nails In' 2012 brought many things, the summer Olympics, the Queen's 60th anniversary, but amongst this was the dropping of Nya's debut EP 'Driving The Nails In', what comes now is an explosive concoction of Evanescence style rock and boisterous Meshuggah time riffs, armed with vocals that would tease any guy out of hibernation, 'Driving The Nails In' is the new sound of London alternative music. As soon as the music starts playing, the slicing riffs do the talking as the band battle their way through the grassed over underground and prepare to deliver an all out assault in 2013 as they are sure to turn heads in months to come. Download This: "Open Your Eyes" [8] RHYS STEVENSON VIATORA 'Mede, Kruid en Mensenvleesch' In recent times there seems to be a mass influx of Folk Metal in western continental Europe, especially from the Netherlands, the latest is Viatora who hail from Maastricht and utilise their own style of Folk Metal by mixing violins and keyboards with the Dutch language, so if you like a modern version of Heidevolk, just with less Pagan Metal influences and more connected to original Dutch folk music. 'Mede, Kruid en Mensenvleesch' contains six tracks of sensational traditional sounds and elements that onyl Viatora can compose together, so if your looking for a soundtrack to a folklore party or event, 'Mede, Kruid en Mensenvleesch' is your answer. Download This: "Three Sided Coin" [9] RHYS STEVENSON CRIMSON DEATH 'Dead's The Way I Like It' UNSIGNED Germany seems to have a knack for Death Metal, and the 2010 EP 'Dead's The Way I Like It' by Crimson Death is no exception, conjuring up the old style of the music genre and adding their own twist to it, what comes next is a barrage of mortar fire in the form of missile riffs, machine-gun fire style drums and commanding vocals, the right sort of mix to make the debut EP by the German quartet all the more better. 'Dead's The Way I Like It' is a good propulsion platform for the lads to jump off and use as a block to gain higher levels, they will need it to emerge out of the plethora of Death Metal band waltzing the earth everyday. Download This: "Show Me Your Guts" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON CORONACH 'Mountain Kings' Instantaneous thoughts are of that this band is a Black / Folk Metal band, but Coronach are ever so deceiving, instead what is delivered on their self-released album 'Mountain Kings' is a juicy mix of Death Metal vocals and Progressive Metal music, giving a final production along the lines of Gojira and Agonyst, but for the Cambridge / Suffolk based quartet, 'Mountain Kings' provides enough headbanging material to make the breakdowns of a metalcore band sound reminiscent of a chorus from a Justin Bieber song. What these lads have done is created an album that spits fire, warrants recognition and is a gem in any metalheads collection, however the production level let it down, on the other hand it gives you reason to turn the volume up past 13. Download This: "Death Bed Memories" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON NAZGULUM 'Aroused' DETE NENAVISTER Maybe Russian Black Metal is on a period of going overtime, not especially when the quartet Nazgulum dropped their debut album after a nine year wait, but god the wait was worth it. 'Aroused' slams out the classic style of Raw Black Metal with added effect in as far as there is not a lot of double bass drumming and so what lacks on firepower from the behind is made up in terms of atmospheric feeling, that being sombre and enigmatically dark at the same time. But as far as their anti-christian blasphemous musical production is concerned, the band overall seem to have and have not any clue of what musical direction they want to take, maybe that's why its called 'Aroused', 'Aroused' by the myriad of non-connecting music directions. [6] RHYS STEVENSON DEVIOUS MINE 'Revelation' UNSIGNED Making their mark heard is Italian Melodic / Power Metal warriors Devious Mine as in 2012 they deliver their debut EP 'Revelation' in sensational form, exploding in the sound of powerful and face-smashing music whilst the vocals encase the surrounding atmosphere in a blanket of sheer epic force. More like the modern Sonata Arctica, Devious Mine are to become a force to be reckoned with as they slalom there way through the underground and with 'Revelation' now under their belts and primed for action, there is nothing to stop these Italian maestros from conquering Europe, 'Revelation' is a must have for any Power Metal fan, simply inspirational. Download This: "Love Keep Us Together" For fans of: Sonata Arctica, Alestorm, Amoral [9] RHYS STEVENSON MOSHPIT JUSTICE 'The Serpent' UNSIGNED The band name itself is a key hint to suggest this is going to be neck-breaking music, turns it the hunch was right, the Bulgarian trio make no mistake in vomiting out their debut EP in fashionable style, covered in the glimmering shine of Power Metal and the viral assault of Thrash Metal, that together produces 'The Serpent', a full on metal assault that would make Slytherin house look as dainty as the muffin man on drury lane. Blistering pace drumming propels the EP forward whilst the vocals and guitars deliver that all important cutting edge dimension that makes 'The Serpent' perhaps one of Bulgaria's most polished releases, all in all Moshpit Justice are going places in 2013. Download This: "Blood Of The Tyrant" For Fans of: Slayer, Klynt, Evile [8] RHYS STEVENSON RADIATION SICKNESS
'Neter-Khertet' They don't make cult releases like this anymore, and no wonder. If the word diabolical was to be slapped on a Black metal release, some would assume it is correlated to Satyricon for being now, diabolical. But Californian duo Radiation Sickness (possibly after nuclear fallout) and their debut EP 'Neter-Khertet' may be a little cause for concern, simply being that although it has the embodiment of a Black Metal release, the overall sound is a little problematic, besides the great level of rawness that resides here, the music and vocals are left to be desired, rather more leaning towards Death Metal, but even that would be an insult towards the music genre. The level of seriousness here is not in questionable doubt, but the composition is in serious doubt. [5] RHYS STEVENSON |
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