BLOODSHOT DAWN 'Demons' INDEPENDENT Fired up from their recent Bloodstock face-melting appearance, Hampshire's beloved sons Bloodshot Dawn unleash a barrage of fiery hell in the form of their second album 'Demons'. Outrageously heavier than previous efforts, 'Demons' explodes into an unmerciful massacre with spark-shedding riffs, the drums as unrelenting as a Gatling gun (especially on 'Consequence Complex') and the vocals as murderous as a nuclear genocide. 'Demons' demonstrates the true capabilities of the Bloodshot Dawn and is sure to be met with rapturous appraisal from old and new fans alike, seriously if they were aiming to strike an impression and reach the desired sound simultaneously, then 'Demons' ticks both boxes. Nothing is missing from this fantastic release, it will blow your brains apart and thus places itself as a contender for English Metal release of the year. For Fans of: Sylosis, Obscura, Woe Of Tyrants 'Demons' is out 26th October via an independent release. [10] RHYS STEVENSON SUBSERVIENCE 'Upheaval' INDEPENDENT Change is inevitable and so when Dan Lofthouse took over vocal duties from ex-Subservience member Jay Fitt, the new era of Subservience was born. Exploding with the delightful sound of Groove-laden Extreme Metal, the Sussex armada unleash their third EP 'Upheaval' and with it comes an explosive array of riffs, charismatic vocals and menacing attitude. Wielding together the sounds of classic Death Metal from days-bygone with the atmosphere of Lamb of God, Subservience might have just dealt justice and in the wake of this EP, the right to stake their claim as one of England's hottest properties to watch out for in 2015. 'Upheaval' may be a sharp improvement from previous releases, the question is can they hold their nerve and keep this improvement progression going? Time will tell, that is for sure. For Fans of: Carcass, Strapping Young Lad, Cannibal Corpse 'Upheaval' is out now via an independent release [8] RHYS STEVENSON REIGN OF SIRIUS 'Mirror Figures' Sensationally dramatic and epically adventurous are two sentiments that can easily be placed upon Reign of Sirius' latest offering 'Mirror Figures'. The Symphonic Melodic Metal sextet from Macclesfield have delivered another erotic opus to wet your whiskers by. Through the meticulousness of the music and the vocals intertwining so elegantly with each other, 'Mirror Figures' can be claimed as the "metal world's version of Phantom of the Opera". From start to finish, you are taken on a roller-coaster of dynamic symphonies, articulate melodies and wintry / Gothic atmospherics, so much so that 'Mirror Figures' would be a perfect accompaniment to any birthday, Halloween, Christmas or New Years Eve celebrations. Make no mistake with this release, it is sure to give Reign of Sirius the perfect spring board to launch themselves into the European Metal circuit. Download This: "Mirror Figures" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation [10] RHYS STEVENSON LIV KRISTINE 'Vervain' NAPALM Norway's beloved Liv Kristine, with her grace and beauty, returns with her fifth solo album 'Vervain'. Once again the soprano has delivered a spectacular album that will surely earn her accolades in the music industry. Joined by the same line-up as the preceding album 'Libertine', this output features a rather majestic and swan-like elegance feel to it, that is it exhibits a lot of grace, charm and power. Keeping intact the Symphonic Metal sound that bodes well with Liv's vocals, the new album drags in elements of Folk Metal, Industrial Metal and Gothic Metal; with a possible tinge of schlager (on some songs), giving it that almost Lord of the Rings escapology feel to it, or perhaps the grandeur of a winning Eurovision entry (although the possibility of Liv entering is probably low). It is safe to say that Liv Kristine has returned with her (and fellow band-members) best album to date. For Fans of: Within Temptation, Midnattsol, Tarja-era Nightwish. 'Vervain' is out 24 October 2014 via Napalm Records [9] RHYS STEVENSON LASTER 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' DUNKELHEIT PRODUKTIONEN The Dutch affair with Black Metal continues with Laster's debut album 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' (rough translation: 'The Furthest Distance Is Here'), if you can call it an album that is. The release is merely four tracks, three of the songs have an average length of 13 minutes and so if you want to be mightily bamboozled and have nothing worthwhile to do, then sit down and be mowed down by this unforgiving release. 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' is of the atmospheric kind, it does not aim to be the heaviest, fastest or more brutal release, but rather one that is full of body, soul and spirit. Granted it is nothing new and is a long way from being anything but, however it does demonstrate a really eery feeling, one that will surely appeal to the more underground Black Metal fans. For Fans of: Alcest, Drudkh, Wolves In The Throne Room 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' is out 1st November 2014 via Dunkelheit Produktionen [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON BEYOND CREATION 'Earthborn Evolution' SEASON OF MIST Canada's latest and hottest property Beyond Creation make their welcomed return with their latest slice of juicy Progressive-laden Technical Death Metal. 'Earthborn Evolution' is the second album by the Quebecois quartet and with it comes a battering onslaught of thunderous drums, electric riffs and raucous vocals, what more could you want? Simple. More where that come from! With ten tracks of some of the most complex metallic algorithms you'll ever come across, an atmosphere raining blood-soaked spikes and a release that could easily claim the title of Canadian Metal release of the year, Beyond Creation have successfully dug deep to find something funkier than 1970's disco, more brutal than your last New Years party and sweeter than pancakes topped with Canadian syrup. Prepare for some hazardous moshing, savage headbanging and crapped pants, you have been warned. For Fans of: Obscura, Fallujah, Alarum, "Mathematical Metal" 'Earthborn Evolution' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON OBSIDIAN KINGDOM 'Mantiis' SEASON OF MIST Catalonia's (Spain) Obsidian Kingdom make their voices once again known with their third album 'Mantiis', now this sound is not easy to pin down and thus requires a level of mental deconstruction to unlock the various elements pressed onto each song. But what this quintet has done is strapped together a myriad of sounds to captivate and arouse the listener in every aspect (ay no need to think dirty here), through the use of eery atmospherics, progressive elements lodged in the drumming area, riffs so soft they make velvet more like sandpaper and vocals that flit between the melodic and gruff Black / Death Metal vibrancy, Obsidian Kingdom have produced a release they can be extremely proud of. As black as obsidian itself, the world can now witness the birth of "Obsidian Metal" and with it a 47-minute epic journey through a hellish heaven. For Fans of: Cult of Luna, Dälek, Drumcorps 'Mantiis' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist [8] RHYS STEVENSON NECROPHAGIA 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' SEASON OF MIST Death Metal's forefathers Necrophagia make their hallowed return with their seventh full-length offering 'WhiteWorm Cathedral', with it comes that classic old school Death Metal sound that concreted the genre to the ground and laid the foundations for the Death Metal bands you know as of today. 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' welcomes Mirai Kawashima back to the fore as the band's keyboardist (some will also know him from the band Sigh), with her return comes the spine chilling elements she is renowned for, add that to the brutality and grit that Necrophagia has always been known for and you get slammed with a force so reckoning, you would have to take out life insurance to survive the uniqueness of what we call "Horror Death Metal"; we could imagine Necrophagia as a decent addition to any Saw film soundtrack - it is that gory in an audio context. For Fans of: "Old School Death Metal", Autopsy, Asphyx 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON AONIA
'Sunchaser' Uprising English "Symphonic Gothic Fantasy Metal" outfit Aonia mark their second coming with their latest EP 'Sunchaser', which sees a line-up extension with guitarist Przemek Drużkowski and second female vocalist Joanne Kay Robinson joining the band. With this change, 'Sunchaser' completely crushes Aonia's debut EP 'City Of Shadows' without any remorse or mercy, in fact the EP carries the sound that should give Aonia the attention they deserve. What with the dramatic elements found scattered all over like a starry night, the angelic vocals caressing the symphonic atmosphere (which is as powerful as Disney's Fantasia) and elegance as graceful as a swan, it is safe to say that 'Sunchaser' is one of Gothic Metal's best 2014 releases. Make no mistake about it, we will be hearing more of Aonia in the future. Download This: "Echoes" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Therion, Within Temptation [10] RHYS STEVENSON
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INFLIKTED 'Inflikted' WORMHOLEDEATH Since the 1980's Thrash Metal has evolved into many various strains, some establishing a greater presence than others, but one strain that appears to be making a resurgent comeback is the Old-School Thrash Metal style, that is the sound that is rather raw, comes with that DIY attitude and features a slight whiff of Punk. Entering this domain is Swedish trio Inflikted with their self-titled album, featuring an hours worth of pure old-school Thrash Metal, that's enough to cause anyone whiplash sixfold, unless of course your drunk on Kopparberg and then what would happen next would certainly make good use as banter amongst the local Swedish police station. Party all night to this riff-a-thon of an album, take note as Inflikted have placed themselves in good stead as the latest promising Stockholm export. Download This: "Tyger" - Click To Listen. For Fans of: Kreator, Tankard, Destruction [8] RHYS STEVENSON NOCTEM 'Exilium' ART GATES If there is one scene in Europe that generally gets overlooked it is Spain, sure with the likes of Avulsed, Dark Moor and Mägo de Oz amongst a few others leading the way for fellow countrymen like Noctem to follow, it still needs to be fully excavated and with their latest effort 'Exilium' now under Prosthetic Records' wing in terms of selling it in Australia and the USA, Noctem are really on highway 666. Blitzing drums drive this monstrosity to the frontier of insanity, whilst the riffs do the deeds of masticating your brain to a pulp and the vocals simply obliterate what is left you. Make no mistake about this, Noctem's 'Exilium' is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for anyone who dislikes Extreme Metal, in fact this album is far more extreme than a ghost chili-laden paella... explosive. Download This: "The Rising Horns" - Click to listen For Fans of: Behemoth, Gorguts, Watain [9] RHYS STEVENSON ASA-NOIR 'Fall Of The Idols' WORMHOLEDEATH Asa-noir are a tricky band to pigeonhole into a specific metal style, even if their lyric topics cover the works of Edgar Allen Poe & H.P. Lovecraft, this does not nowhere near help. In fact you may just as well call it 'Mythical Melodic Metal', as there features a lot of fantasy, darkness and obscure aspects, whilst the music itself adds an element of mysticism and magical feelings to the production of their long-awaited debut album 'Fall Of The Idols'. Marking their 10th anniversary in style, 'Fall Of The Idols' may have come too late to make the band's career groundbreaking, but it certainly is a welcomed sound to the dynamics of the Finnish metal scene. Keyboard elements lace the chunky riffs and powerful vocals together with an almost adventurous atmosphere. Fans of the Avant-Garde and Experimental Metal movements may indulge in this alongside the Melodic Death and Symphonic Metal lovers. Download This: "Hawthorns For The Jotunn's Harlot" - click to listen For Fans of: Shade Empire, Waltari, Fleshgod Apocalypse, The Devin Townsend Project [8] RHYS STEVENSON ANGERMAN 'No Tears For The Devil' WORMHOLEDEATH Angerman are possibly the best rock act to come out of Norway since A-ha stormed the charts with hits such as 'Take On Me' and 'The Living Daylights'. In fact it could be argued that they are bringing back to the front what we've all been missing: proper grunge-laden rock 'n' roll, their premier album 'No Tears For The Devil' spits out Jack Daniels and blown-out amps at every passing second, and with the attitude of Alice In Chains deeply grounded within the epicenter of the release, the periphereal sounds of Machine Head and Guns 'N' Roses can work their magic. With vocals that could easily wipe smiles off peoples faces, riffs so sharp that they are capable of cutting deep into your soul, and the fieriness of a hog-roasted drumkit boiling your brains dry, Angerman are running riot and are leaving a blazing trail behind them. Download This: "Ritual" - click to listen For Fans of: Machine Head, Alice In Chains, Guns 'N' Roses, Tool [9] RHYS STEVENSON IMMINENCE 'I' WE ARE TRIUMPHANT For those who are not familiar with the 'T-Symmetry' theory, Imminence musically have represented it. By wielding together the aggression and sound of an established band, with the beauty and desire to become the flag-bearer of Swedish Metalcore, Imminence have managed to conjure up a release that is guaranteed to send shock-waves across the globe, resulting in the Metalcore powerhouses of the USA, Australia and the UK sitting down, shutting up and paying homage to their Swedish brothers. By injecting a Post-Metal and Technical Hardcore approach to their already well-acknowledged Metalcore skeletal infrastructure, Imminence's 'I' automatically qualifies as more complex than an Ikea store, more towering than Zlatan Ibrahimovic and more powerful than a SAAB Gripen breaking the sound barrier. Make no mistake, this is a groundbreaking release and firmly places itself as a candidate for Swedish Metal album of the year. Download This: "86" - click to listen For Fans of: Periphery, Architects, Miss May I [9] RHYS STEVENSON CLANDESTINED 'Angel Despair' BUSDEATH It's probably been said before, but even so it will be said again. The Japanese metal scene gets highly overlooked, especially when you have bruisers such as Clandestined sending shockwaves across the Far East. Unleashing hell in the form of their fourth outing, the quartet take no prisoners when exercising their raw and gritty mix of pure Thrash Metal and Death Metal elements. You know, this would be a good soundtrack to a sake drinking game, just trying to mosh afterwards might not be such a good idea. Staying put in the classic 80's Thrash Metal era, Clandestined have once again delivered a fantastic release, so for once stop prying eyes on Babymetal and listen to True Japanese Metal, man this is some cranial-crushing stuff. Download This: "Angel Despair" - click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Machine Head, Kreator [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON NEAR RUIN 'No End' If not executed right, Melodic Metalcore can turn out to become so watered down, it would make the ALS ice bucket challenge replace the monsoon season. What Near Ruin have done here is avoided that trap, and as a result conjured up a sound that lashes together the spikiness of Metallic Hardcore with dollops and dollops of melody.... oh and the occasional trickling of technical and post-hardcore elements. Their debut album 'No End' is sure catch the eye of not just the Metalcore addicts, but the labels as well as it has everything you would wish for from a Melodic Metalcore outfit. The salient point is that Near Ruin deliver a rally of face-punching, straight-to-the-point music, with plenty of oomph, power and none of that 'omg we r a metalcore band, we are so br000tal' poser attitude. Watch with interest, Near Ruin are going places. Download This: "Apostles & Heretics" - click here to listen For Fans of: Killswitch Engage, Miss May I, No Consequence [8] RHYS STEVENSON DOOMSDAY PROPHET 'Our Predetermined Fate' SALUTE To think that sole musician Satanic Tony plays in seven other bands and projects alongside Doomsday Prophet, as well as running his own label Salute Records, it is pretty safe to say that he is a busy guy. Doomsday Prophet is his Funeral Doom Metal child and has just released the debut album 'Our Predetermined Fate'. What we have here is the expected thick and slow guitar playing associated with the Doom Metal signature and the funeral influence playing upon the atmosphere and lyrics as a whole. Unlike most Doom Metal albums, this one does not feature any really lengthy tracks and thus positions itself in a different league, added to the fact the level of raw audacity adds to the already depressing feeling experience when indulging in this release, it's thick, it's bitter, it's Swedish, it's underground Funeral Doom Metal at it's very best. This could do well as a soundtrack to films like Psycho and The Shining. Download This: "Not Our Freedom, Where Is My Freedom" - Click to listen For Fans of: Funeral Doom Metal (any band) [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON WINTERCOLD 'We All Are Dead' SALUTE 2013 bore witness to another one of Satanic Tony's releases, this time via his Gothic / Doom Metal project Wintercold. The EP 'We All Are Dead' keeps that unique sound that has been developed alive and as a result has dealt justice once again. Make no mistake about it, 'We All Are Dead' is a decent enough release that does not over-complicate anything, not even the artwork. With the DIY production sound clearly evident, this release will appeal to the fans of true underground metal, as well as the Gothic / Doom Metal army. Limited to only 200 copies, this release is worthy of being in your collection and should be considered as a rare release, as for the music, well only you can be the judge of that. Download This: "We Are Robots" - Click to listen For Fans of: Gothic Doom Metal (any band) [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON RAINOVER
"Transcending The Blue & Drifting Into Rebirth" WORMHOLEDEATH Alongside the likes of Italy and Finland, Spain definitely has a huge love affair for Gothic Metal. The latest edition to the Spanish circuit being Rainover with their debut album "Transcending The Blue & Drifting Into Rebirth", from start to finish this quintet conjures up an elegant and appealing sonata of angelic vocals, powerful atmospherics, mind-blowing riffs and an overall release that may well position itself as a contender for Spanish Metal album of the year. Far from crying itself out as a release you would blast out all over the Spanish resorts like Benidorm, it certainly carries the warrant to start a party, getting down, getting wasted and having a good time, just go easy on the piña coladas and paella. Download This: "Rain Over My Tears" - Click to listen For Fans of: Tarja-era Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, Leaves' Eyes [8] RHYS STEVENSON END OF AN ERA 'PACT Zollverein Live' How brilliant is it to think that a band releases a live album before an official studio-release? Well that's exactly what Germany's End Of An Area have done. This Symphonic Metal ensemble set the bar high for their next round as this release is of what is expected from an underground unsigned band, a home-but-good quality release. Sure it does not really deliver that all important and crucial aspect, the atmospheric feeling of actually feeling what it was like to be there, but it does it's best to deliver what listeners can expect from the studio albums. Sadly at times the vocals sound too forced and thus really drag the music down - the guitars seem very quiet, quieter than the drums and so thus can leave the listener questioning what is going on. Download This: "Angel's Spring" For Fans of: "German Symphonic Metal", "Underground live albums" [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON KAINE 'The Waystone' Essex Heavy Metallers Kaine make their welcomed return with their second album 'The Waystone', once again firmly rooting themselves deeply entrenched in the classic NWOBHM sound, despite the artwork giving whiffs of either Doom Metal or Folk Metal. There again the song 'entropy (unrelenting chaos)' may as well take Folk Metal elements on the riffs and drums in sync. What makes this release that little bit special is simply the evident intricacies employed on each song and as each song rallies through the speakers, the overall impression is one of gratification in as far as it seems Kaine have finally found the sound they have been begging for ever since their inception, oh and Rage has kissed goodbye to the gruff vocals.... play it again Sam. Download This: "Dreams To Nightmare" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Motorhead [8] RHYS STEVENSON CRUX 'Elapse With The Relapse' WINDMILL Fresh from their lengthy hiatus of around 15-20 years, South Korea's Crux may well be one of the old guard, but their music is as fresh as the morning dew. Delivering their first ever album may be a daunting experience, but 'Elapse With The Relapse' glimmers bright with the sounds of some rather epic Symphonic Power Metal, with elements of Progressive Metal in tow. Powering through the songs like a Formula 1 car being injected with Nitrous Oxide, Crux are a right gem in this Far East Asian Metal scene. Utilizing sensational solo's to blast any posers off their seats, ballistic drums that shake the ground and vocals so powerful it would make any pop music fan's ears bleed from the pain, Crux are one band to celebrate, 'Elapse With The Relapse' to cherish and of course acknowledge that they are flying the flag for the South Korean Metal scene. Download This: "Itch For The Cure" For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden [8] RHYS STEVENSON DUNKELNACHT 'Revelatio' WORMHOLEDEATH Finally a Black Metal band who doesn't serve up absolute drivel, one that does not produce such crap that it makes you want to cry. Blasting out their second serving is France's Dunkelnacht, 'Revelatio' adorns much of the fury and aggressiveness you would want from a Black Metal album without it sounding too false or too soft (yes that does really exist). There is even a point where the band flits between English and French, more of the former and less of the latter, but besides that what Dunkelnacht have concocted is an album that would make the most ardent supporter of Black Metal weak at the knees. If you thought the French metal scene was only capable of producing the likes of Gojira, The Algorithm and Blut Aus Nord, think again, Dunkelnacht are here to prove a point. Download This: "Le Serment Des Hypocrites" For Fans of: Blut Aus Nord, Averse Sefira, Winterfylleth [8] RHYS STEVENSON SONIC SYNDICATE 'Sonic Syndicate' NUCLEAR BLAST They are back and darker than ever, Sweden's beloved outfit Sonic Syndicate unleash a rally of Modern Metal hell through their recently released self-titled album. Firmly rooting themselves in the Alternative Metal, Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal arenas, this is without a doubt the best album they have ever done. If you ever had doubts about them when 'We Rule The Night' came out, cast aside them now because this album eclipses that in the Biggs-era. Fuel-injected riffs cut deep into you so much that you begin to bleed from the outside in, that coupled with vocals more brutal than your last hangover and drums so powerful that any atomic explosion becomes reduced to a grenade detonation, results in what could be billed as possibly Swedish Metal album of the year. This time Sonic Syndicate have really delivered a sonic blast. Download This: "Before You Finally Break" For Fans of: Motionless In White, Soilwork, Raunchy [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON NORIKUM 'Regress In Progress' Norikum may just become your new favorite Austrian Metal band. Smashing through the barriers with an almighty eruption of gun-blazing Melodic Death / Thrash Metal, this is a sound that is sure to ignite the gunpowder and warrant a label signing. 'Regress In Progress' is the debut album by this monstrous machine and what comes with it is an onslaught of tight-ass riffs, face-punching vocals and ballistic drum sequences. Finely tuning a brutal slab of "Modern Hybrid Metal", Norikum have certainly set the bar for times ahead and with this effort are guaranteed to turn heads worldwide. Imagine if Machine Head and Soilwork had sex and gave birth, this would be the offspring. Make no mistake about this, you have no reason to not check them out, they will blow your tits off. Download This: "I, The System" For Fans of: Machine Head, Soilwork, The Haunted [8] RHYS STEVENSON EVILENCE 'Essence Of Life' It must be something in the water because this year Poland has been producing some sensational music and Evilence's debut album 'Essence Of Life' is no exception. Employing the Melodic Death / Thrash metal sound, the quintet quickly muster a decent enough release that deserves attention. The only downside is that pretty much after the first track, the album loses it's sense of built-up excitement and soon enough falls into a pretty standard release. That is until you hit halfway and the savage intent picks up again, so consider this album a 50/50 release i.e. some songs are for this type of fan and the other songs are for another type of fan, however casting that aside this is definitely a good starting point for the lads. Download This: "Edge Of Life" For Fans of: The Defiled, The Haunted, Sapiency [7] RHYS STEVENSON IN HUMAN 'Promo 2013' Last year Finland's In Human made their first step into the music world with their promo EP, wielding an apocalyptic style of Melodic Death Metal right at the core, this five-piece armada demonstrate here a sound that deserves a lot of attention. Now let's think about this, since the Melodic Death Metal scene is rather overun by bands who sound similar, there are very few bands that you could possibly liken In Human to, besides possibly Scar Symmetry. Three songs totaling 13 minutes is what is served up and on the sides comes a sumptuous and erotic mix of funk, groove, melodies and the nitty gritty of metal music in it's prime. This is a decent release that holds promise for the future, whether that promise is fulfilled or not remains to be seen. Download This: "Hysteresis" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Wintersun, Deals Death [8] RHYS STEVENSON SPIRITUS DIABOLI 'Spiritus Diaboli' Female Black Metal vocals may as well be considered a rarity, so when Spiritus Diaboli emerge on the Brazilian Metal scene, they drag with them a unique level of anticipation. Their debut self-titled album really captures the essence of true underground Black Metal, with a sound so raw it would make Varg Vikernes wet himself, leading the brigade is 17 year old L. Scarlet, alongside her are four other teenage metalheads of whom all weave their elements into this release very well. Make no mistake this is an album positioned towards the BM fans who love their music as black as death, grim as homicide and bitter as black coffee. It is early days for this group, but they are sure to make a name for themselves in the next few years. Download This: "Curse Of The Widow" For Fans of: Watain, Rotting Christ, Dissection [8] RHYS STEVENSON NONSERVIAM
'A Spectral Ascension' Following hot off the heels of their premier EP, uprising Melodic Death Metal outfit NonserviaM concoct another excellent slab of monstrosity, melody and total brutal carnage. Their debut album 'A Spectral Ascension' exhibits a tighter, grizzlier and irresistible sound that gently and harshly caresses the listeners senses simultaneously. It is clear that there has been progression since "Ordinance Of Reason", such as the vocals periodically having an echo effect built in to give that added level of dramatics and the vocal range expanding as well, as for the guitars and drums, well they simply have gotten heavier, more direct and more synchronized. This could be NonserviaM's time to exploded out of the Malaysian Metal scene Download This: "Amongst The Scorned" For Fans of: Deals Death, Preternatural, Sight Of Emptiness [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON CASTLEWAY 'Tales From The Old Times' Folk Metal comes in many strains, so how is that a band appears to sing about Viking topics and yet plays a sound that appears to slightly wedge itself in the Celtic Metal arena? It remains to be seen whether there is an answer to that, but what is clear is that Switzerland's CastleWay are determined to make a stand and have their voices counted with the release of their debut album "Tales From The Old Times" last year. Granted it's nothing new and whilst it employs some background Black Metal elements, the overall impression is that they are going to remain as a straight-edge Folk Metal band. Despite the gritty vocals, almost depressing violin elements, bouncy riffs and blazing drums, 'Tales From The Old Times' lacks one element, that is an atmosphere. Maybe if they recorded in the forest.... Download This: "Fenrir's Revenge" For Fans of: Heidevolk, Tyr, Abinchova [7] RHYS STEVENSON NÚMENOR 'Colossal Darkness' STYGIAN CRYPT Arising from the depths of the Balkans, Serbia's Númenor summon up a majestic sound that would displace any established Power Metal or Black Metal band in the region singing about fantasy and correlating literature. 2013 bore witness to their debut album arising, 'Colossal Darkness' is a short 35 minute journey that takes you through the burning depths of Tolkien's Middle Earth and through the cascading mountainsides of the Dinaric Alps, but with a phantasmagorical image and artwork to potentially fool the listener into thinking it's a Power or Folk Metal album, just wait until you hear what this Serbian unit have served up. Weaving together Black Metal vocals, sensational symphonies, brazen drums and captivating lyrics, 'Colossal Darkness' is an album that is sure to appeal to many. Download This: "The Alchemist" For fans of: Bal-Sagoth, Nazgûl, Summoning [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON DEMENCIA MORTALIS 'The End Is Nigh' The Czech Metal scene at times is overlooked by Western Europe, it's a shame when you have bands like Demencia Mortalis tearing up the countryside and storming the cities with their Symphonic-infused Gothic / Doom Metal, a genre that seems to pop up in this scene quite often. It has been six years since their debut album and so when their follow-up 'The End Is Nigh' dropped, what you get is a beauty and the beast style vocal duet, supported by some rather sweet violin elements; as if to drag in the classical atmosphere developed by the likes of Antonin Dvorák, crunchy riffs and thunderous drumming supplement this and add up to what could be Czech Metal album of the year. Download This "What If" For Fans of: Virgin Black, Draconian, Paradise Lost [9] RHYS STEVENSON SUBLIND 'Thrashing Delirium' Welcoming to the Thrash Metal arena is Sublind, a five-piece from the small country of Luxembourg. It only took them 9 years to summon up their debut album and sure the wait was worth it, especially when beer and Thrash Metal is involved. Oh hell this is an album that would burn your ears so hot that you would need to douse yourself in beer to cool yourself down. From the start to the very finish, Sublind unleash a barrage of maniacal hell through the usage of mauling riffs, savage vocals and stomach-piercing drumming. Make no mistake Sublind might be a small band, from a small scene in a small country, but small things add up to big things and with this effort now firmly cemented, the only way for them is forward. Download This: "Humpeknupper" For Fans of: "Beer-soaked Thrash Metal", Destructor, Kreator [8] RHYS STEVENSON DARK DESOLATION 'Blasphemous Pestilence' SALUTE Unholy matrimony rides bareback on Dark Desolation's premier demo released back in 2012. Black Metal in India has come a long way and so when this five-piece leviathan unleash this barrage of demonic hell, the feeling left is one of despair and bitterness, so much so the next step is vomiting. 'Blasphemous Pestilence' is as raw as it comes and whilst the average metal fan may dismiss it for the less-than-average quality and tinny sound, the fans who love their BM as raw as red meat are definitely going to dig this. Make no mistake, India and Dark Desolation might not be in the same league as their European or American contemporaries, but christ they are edging closer to it. Watch these guys with intent. Download This: "Futile Dogma" For Fans of: Immortal, Dark Funeral, Urgehal [8] RHYS STEVENSON JUNKYARD LIPSTICK 'Hellbent' Four South African women, armed with metal music and a musical instrument, what could be more deadly? Simple. Junkyard Lipstick. No, these ladies are not your average rock chicks, they are instead a Hard Rock / Thrash Metal group with enough attitude to smack faces. 'Hellbent' is a rollercoaster of a ride that takes you from the insanely fast to some of the rockiest sounds made ever, trip-wire riffs guide this ballistic missile-of-an-album through the maze of angelic and demonized vocals, whilst accounting for the drums that would make Lars Ulrich wet himself. 'Hellbent' is simply an album full of face-melting metal, sweat and more oestrogen than African penguins in mating season. It is mean, gritty and full of metal, but perhaps the only thing that is missing is lots of leather, fans may as well agree that seeing these ladies in leather will turn heads faster than Oscar Pistorius can run. Download This: "Reality TV" For Fans of: Guns 'N' Roses, Slayer, Metallica, Pantera [8] RHYS STEVENSON SELFMACHINE 'Broadcast Your Identity' WORMHOLEDEATH Could this be The Netherland's answer to Five Finger Death Punch? Well it would certainly seem that way. Selfmachine excavate the lower depths of the Groove Metal barrel and smother it with Metalcore to develop a funky yet brutal sound 5FDP would be impressed by. Staking their claim as possibly best new Dutch band of the year with their debut album 'Broadcast Your Identity', Selfmachine are sure to be destined for big things in the times ahead and are a sure band to watch out for. There aren't many places where you would find insanely crazy solo's, blistering drums, neck-squeezing vocals and riffs so powerful it would blow women's clothes off. With just under an hour to keep you amused, this album warrants a replay at least threefold. Watch with interest. Download This: "Massive Luxury Overdose" For Fans of: Soilwork, 5FDP, Killswitch Engage, Threat Signal [10] RHYS STEVENSON AEON PATRONIST 'Through The Paths Of Delusion' Arising from the tropical island of Réunion (near Madagascar), Technical Death merchants Aeon Patronist unleash cyclonic hell via their premier album 'Through The Paths Of Delusion', through the execution of slamming Death Metal vocals and such guitar wizardry, they manage to produce such remarkable time signatures and of course a level of brutality equivalent to that of a force 5 hurricane. Now if they were to play this live at an open air festival, the sheer ferociousness and brutality expelled on the album would be enough to blast the island straight onto the African shores. Take note, this music is not for the faint of heart and thus you will need to be emotionally stable to indulge in this band. 'Through The Paths Of Delusion' is simply a masterpiece, and as for Aeon Patronist, they are flying the flag for the Réunion Metal scene. Download This: "The Mad Poet" For Fans of: Gorguts, Atheist, Nile [8] RHYS STEVENSON IMMORTAL EMPIRE 'Utopia, Nocturne, Parabellum' + 'Immortal Reign' Once again one of Norfolk's most beloved Black Metal bands, Immortal Empire, delivers another smacking of cold and bitter music. This time through both their 2014 and 2013 EP's 'Utopia, Nocturne, Parabellum' + 'Immortal Reign' respectively. The latest release carries on that raw and nitty gritty sound expected from an underground metal band. Moreover, the level of distortion and fuzziness adds to the sheer force of the music, it is unrelenting and is guaranteed to turn heads. With two tracks reaching the 8 and 9 minute mark, you won't be left short of what to listen to. Oh how they would bode well at a Black Metal festival. Both EP's are a work of genius and with regards to the 2013 EP, the same can be said as the above. A sheer stroke of genius and creativity is evident here as the EP unleashes a wave-after-wave attack of raw Black Metal in it's truest form. Sure this may not appeal to those who cannot stand poor sound quality releases, but that's what speakers are built for so turn it up. Both EP''s deal justice for the hard work this band puts in and thus their next release will be watched with high interest. Download These: "1000 Winters" + "The Conqueror Wyrm" For fans of: "Raw Black Metal" [8] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON DECIMATION
'Bound For The Chamber' Decimation's 'Bound For The Chamber' delivers slamming Brutal Death Metal, emanating from the darkest depths of the Cornish countryside. How hard can it be to muster up a sound that makes your stomach turn? Well Decimation evidently don't find it that hard, because their debut album released last year explodes into a full-on frenzy metal explosion. From the start to the very finish, Decimation bore down into your brain so hard it will make you go psychotic and eventually make you lose your yourself, even then Eminem would be unable to help. Armed with machine-gun drums, gut-wrentching vocals, murderous riffs and an atmosphere so close to that of the Saw films, Decimiation are poised to make a buzz across the British Metal scene. You have been warned. Download This: "Revulsion" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Decapitated, "Brutal Death Metal" [8] RHYS STEVENSON EVERGLOW 'Destination' Last year Belgian Power Metal sextet unveiled their premier album and with it comes an extremely well-presented sound. 'Destination' wields together some rather heavenly yet bellowing female vocals to blitzing drums and elegant riffs. Sure it has taken 13 years since the band's inception but the wait has been worthwhile, let's be honest here though - how many Power Metal bands do you know feature female vocals at the forefront? Probably not many, but as Cindy Baert's Everglow evidently show, you don't need to burst your lungs or introduce melodies such that swaying becomes almost uncontrollable and unrelenting oscillation. 'Destination' is an album of epic proportions and would appeal to most metal fans. Download This: "Frozen Tears" For Fans Of: Sonata Arctica, Delain, Edenbridge [8] RHYS STEVENSON INFERNAL OUTCRY 'Eclipsed' You'd have to either be stupidly drunk or high-on caffeine to actually understand what Infernal Outcry's debut demo 'Eclipsed' is all about, well the drumming is so uninspiring and the riffs are so simple it makes you question whether this was a practice session or they were legitimately aiming to release a well-crafted demo. The vocals are too forced and the whole feeling of the release is one of utter confusion, questioning what they were aiming to do. The only salvation point that the band can take from it, is that they managed to release a demo, let's just hope their second release is going to turn heads otherwise consider this a shot-in-the-foot moment. Download This: "Jaws Of Life" For Fans of: You tell us! [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON ONE MORE VICTIM 'Loyalty & Honour' Strutting out of the back streets of Liverpool is "Street Metal" mob One More Victim, hell actually it's a combination of bruising metal and gritty attitude. Laying down the law with their premier album 'Loyalty & Honour', the four-piece amass a sound that makes Wayne Rooney's post-match commentary seem like baby talk in comparison to the deliverance of this release. Damning as hell, you would want to take out life insurance to make it past the absolute concrete barrage of face-punching, ballsy metal One More Victim have served up here. Now whilst this may cause some listeners to reminisce a bit, through the intricate use of Groove Metal riffs and Ministry / Rammstein Industrial Metal elements, a DIY attitude and a bright future ahead, One More Victim are poised to make a buzz in the British Metal scene with this effort. Download This: "5 Days" For Fans of: Rammstein, Ministry, Pantera, Charles Bronson (if he was a musician) [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON LAPIS LAZULI 'Lost' 'Lost' marks the departure of Lapis Lazuli's third vocalist Frida Eurenius and welcomes in their new vocalist Cecilia Kamf. As for the Swedish Symphonic Power Metal outfit, Lapis Lazuli have not lost their trademark sound, that is their tasty mix of angelic vocals, cascading and ascending symphonies, smooth riffs and dramatic atmospherics. It could actually be said that Cecilia Kamf has vocals of the Tarja Turunen guild, that swan-like elegance in her voice caressing each note produced by her fellow band-members. This could be Lapis Lazuli's time to make a stand and go for a label deal, because this material certainly warrants a contract. Download This: "Forgive, Never Forget" For Fans of: Therion, Within Temptation, Tarja-era Nightwish [8] RHYS STEVENSON NECROBLATION 'Ablation Of Death' It might as well be ironic that a band using Christian lyrics amasses a sound so demonic that it would make Satan piss blood. Welcoming to the forefront of the Death Metal / Grindcore arena is Switzerland's Necroblation, whose 2013 debut album 'Ablation Of Death' features the brutality of an Alpine avalanche, but leaves the vocal clarity at times like the snow-dust from the subsequent avalanche. Sadly at times the album seems to run out of imagination and thus rests on the stereotypical Death Metal / Grindcore sound that seems to be generically churned out, despite this as said the vocals are the only major letdown, for you might as well just grunt in tune and hope for some lyrical inspiration to emerge from the almost-vacant clear-vocals. Consider it a learning curve. Download This: "Human Slave" For Fans of: Napalm Death, Dying Fetus, Mortification [6] RHYS STEVENSON EXCRUCIATION '[G]host' AURIC Unsigned bands who start and pause, split-up and reform over their entire career are often disinterred and re-emerge as a lost and forgotten relic, this may apply to the Swiss quintet Excruciation whose atmospheric mix of Doom Metal reverberates around the Matterhorn, so much so yodelling becomes a less-meaningful way of communicating a message. That message from Excruciation is one of human emotions, feelings and thus is felt with their third full length '[G]host'. Since their reemergence in 2005, you can tell that they have been buried down in a bunker mesmerizing over what their future sound will be like, possibly a lot different to the sound conjured up way back in 1985. As for their latest effort, it is a truly remarkable piece of work that solidly justifies this underground veteran's existence, you will never find another band quite like this. Download This: "Mother South" For Fans of: Saint Vitus, Candlemass, Hellhammer [8] RHYS STEVENSON HIJOS DE OVERÓN 'Prisionero De Agujas' Seven years down the line and Spanish Classic Heavy Metallers Hijos De Overón finally drop their debut album 'Prisionero De Agujas' (translates as: 'Prisoner Of Needles'), now whether satellites were involved or any form of help from the company Overon remains a question, but certainly their music is not questionable. Sticking to their mother tongue to deliver a release entirely sung in Spanish, you get the full flavor of where they come from, moreover the whole album is a masterpiece in it's own right as it sticks itself right within the realm of Iron Maiden, but wallows about to find it's own footing. Whether you like or dislike classic Heavy Metal, this album is a win for those willing to learn Spanish or indeed listen to a band that will go down well in Hispanophone countries. Download This: "Hijos De Overón" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Helloween [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON HYBRIS 'Blinded Thoughts' This is quite simply a stellar start for Polish quartet Hybris, the face-smacking power exhibited on their debut EP 'Blinded Thoughts' is enough to make Behemoth turn heads. With 19 minutes of pure eccentric and accentuated Technical Death / Thrash Metal, it is worth a solid listen and subsequential replay. However at times the music gets too creative to sustain anything worthwhile and at most lacks a respectable level of convincing execution. Smothering all of that is some rather gritty and dirty vocals, so dirty it makes any porno film seem like a chick flick. Moreover you might want to go to a doctor after headbanging and moshing to this leviathan-of-a-release, it is that powerful and with the right attitude, could provide the springboard for this band to break out of the Polish Metal scene. Download This: "Mystic Circle" For Fans of: Fleshgod Apocalypse, Legion Of The Damned, Vader [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON TOTENGEFLÜSTER 'Vom Seelensterben (Re Issue)' As far as Germany goes on the metal battlefront, the nation generally does well with it's Extreme Metal and Totengeflüster are no exception. Re-releasing their debut album Vom Seelensterben, the only thing that has notably changed is the bonus track, the rest of the album is the same occult Symphonic Black Metal the band has employed. Sickening shrieks make you quake in your shoes as the shivers and bitterness of death creeps down your spine, so much so you feel repugnant to even attempt to sing along to this murderous release. With a bleak atmosphere shrouding the raw feeling of the riffs and atomic drum power, Totengeflüster have staked their claim as one of Black Metal's bands to watch in 2014. Download This: "Ein Monolog Im Mondschein" For Fans of: Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Winterfylleth [8] RHYS STEVENSON GANGRENOMITY
'Demo 2014' Awh, you have got to admire the slamming Brutal Death Metal sound for what it is. No need to sing just gurgle away and make pig squeals, hell if you don't like this style of music, then there's always Justin Bieber and that will hurt your ears. Making their own style of noise is Swiss bruisers Gangrenomity whose 2014 demo spews out nothing but fairytale gore and peaceful murderous ideologies. From the bloody start to the infested finish, this demo covers everything you would want from that metal genre, just don't forget to brush your teeth after vomiting all your innards, because take note, this release is not for those with an unstable stomach, it will make you feel like you're about to puke. Welcome to the dark side of Swiss Metal. Download This: "Compulsive Murdering" For Fans of: Carnal Disfigurement, Aborted, 'Psychopathic Metal' [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON ELESSÄR 'Dark Desires' Welcoming to the international stage is Argentina's Elessär, whose premier album 'Dark Desires' released last year, delivers a magical and galloping sound of Symphonic Power Metal wrapped within the elegance of life and fantasy. There seems to be a love affair between any Hispanic nation and the Power Metal, Gothic Metal and Symphonic Metal styles, Elessär certainly seems to prove that point. In fact Elessär are the sort of band you would expect a European label to snap up immediately (what are they playing at?). As for their album, Alejandra's vocals almost certainly wallow in the style of Tarja-era Nightwish, and the music does too. Make no mistake, they might not be well known outside South America, but blimey they would be well received in Europe! Download This: "Heroes Born Dead" For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Nightwish, Therion [8] RHYS STEVENSON APRIL WEEPS 'Outer Calm. Pain Within' What could be called somewhat more gratifying amongst other underground Progressive Metal releases, 'Outer Calm. Pain Within' is the debut album by Slovakia's April Weeps. What instantly hits out is the inevitable contrast between the female and male vocals, melodic and gritty respectfully. Whilst the vocals lead the front-line, the real artillery comes from the guitars, drums and keyboards, firing out a rally of riffs, beats and atmospheric elements that come together to deliver a sound that is guaranteed to crush your soul, make you spit blood and wish you had not shagged Dream Theater so hard, because this release is 10x more impressive then them. The modern wave of Progressive Metal is amongst us, lead by April Weeps who are flying the flag for the Slovak Metal scene. Download This: "Buried" For Fans of: Opeth, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage [8] RHYS STEVENSON HAMFERÐ 'Evst' TUTL What is so magical about the debut full length album 'Evst' by Faroe Islanders Hamferð is the sheer magnitude of power rumbling throughout Jón Aldará's vocals, breaking out into an almost operatic tone. Reminiscing of early Pavarotti, gone metal. Contrasting against that comes some of the grizzliest Death Metal vocals you could possibly imagine (OK this might be a bit of an over-exaggeration, but the elemental truth is the vocals are blindingly crushing). What this Faroese beast has done is taken the core essences of Paradise Lost, whipped in a Nordic atmosphere and turned the combo into a sound that inevitably was justifiable to why they got to play Wacken, their next effort will certainly be watched with interest. Download This: "Sinnisloysi" For Fans of: Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, Amorphis [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON SEEDS OF IBLIS 'Anti Quran Rituals' UNMERCIFUL DEATH Possibly one of the most extremist Black Metal groups to emerge from the Middle East ever, Seeds of Iblis are an Iraqi quartet who exclusively preach about one thing: Anti-Islam. Such a controversial release made public is sure to cause a division amongst the metal community, but discounting the lyrics aside, their debut album 'Anti Quran Rituals' spits out venom in all directions. Through the use of barbaric riffs, traditional Middle Eastern music as the atmospheric backdrop, thunderous drumming and spleen-splitting vocals, Seeds Of Iblis are primed to make a name for themselves and for those who seek unique sounds or bands from far-flung lands, 'Anti Quran Rituals' is one album you must own, regardless. * We suggest a song to download, but due to the nature of the lyrics we are not going to suggest any. For Fans of: Gorgoroth, Carpathian Forest, Marduk [8] RHYS STEVENSON GAUNTLET 'Break The Chains' Greek Heavy Metallers Gauntlet made their voices known last year with the release of their first ever demo entitled 'Break The Chains', delivering what you would expect from any Classic-style Heavy Metal release: infectious vocals, melodic riffs and rallying drumming, all in the Iron Maiden-esque style. Sure granted it is nothing new and might bore some fans to tears, but the solidarity of the release pushes the band on and with this effort, we might not be waiting much longer for their next release which is surely poised to build upon this success. Standing at a modest 21 minutes, this is a demo that any Heavy Metal fan should own, however it was limited to 150 copies, so you would need to act very fast! Download This (if you can): Hearts Of Metal For Fans of: Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Metallica [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON GORESOERD 'Asülum' INVERSE Celebrating 10 years this year may surpass the fact that not only was 'Asülum' Goresoerd's third album, but it was their first release on Inverse Records. Estonia's most revered Death Grinders have once again served up another slab of face-mauling grit and stuck to their indigenous Estonian tongue. Now if this album was to be a film, it probably would be Saw 7, because it is soon over before it has started and it delivers a high velocity impact in a rapid rate of fire. Plus naturally it's gore, but that's besides the point. The point is 'Asülum' proves itself as a well-planned work of art, that delivers outrageously catchy riffs, ballistic drums and raucous vocals, all of which are guaranteed to gain attention across planet metal. Goresoerd are one hell of a hidden Estonian gem, mine it at will. Download This: "Soerd" For Fans of: Deathbound, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death [8] RHYS STEVENSON AKROMA 'La Cène' FANTAI'ZIC PRODS. Such a far outcry from what you would expect from a Symphonic-charged Progressive Black Metal album, the vocals sound so painful it makes stepping on Lego entertaining and feel as if under anesthetic. Seriously though the keyboards, female chanting and drums deliver the greater parts of this album, but the vocals, well, are enough for you to cry, the guitars are there but at times are muffled by the vocals. Perhaps if they were deeper and less on the verge of developing 'Blackened Screamo', this album might be going places, but Akroma's latest effort 'La Cène' is certainly not pushing them anywhere. This French lot may need to come up with something far more serious for their next effort, or consider it game over. This album is an own goal for Akroma. Download This: "Simon" For Fans of: Ihsahn, Dimmu Borgir, Enslaved. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON THE WITCH 'Black Flower Field' You know when a release is going to be extra special when a film clip makes it's way into the introduction of a song, well The Witch have done just and with the Pulp Fiction reference where Samuel L Jackson delivers his excellent biblical passage before executing Brad, it really sets the tone for the release. This French Progressive Stoner unit have certainly delivered their A-game on their second EP 'Black Flower Field'. Infectious hooks, ravaging riffs and biting vocals charge this release into the next dimension, that is as a release placing The Witch firmly on the front line for an imminent signing next year; or we will eat our speakers .'Black Flower Field' is certainly one hell of an interesting EP Download This: "Skeleton Soul" For Fans of: Mastodon, Kyuss, Fu Manchu [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON THE BLEEDING 'Rites Of Putrefaction' They might as well just of made an instrumental and save the hassle of the vocalist turning up, granted the debut EP by Italian Death Metallers The Bleeding is enough to make you poop your pants, but the vocals are on par with grunts made by cavemen. Seriously though if anyone wanted to sign along to this, the best option would be to mime. The only credible aspect of 'Rites Of Putrefaction' is the ferocity of the drums, the guitars make the occasional 'wow factor', but the overall impression of the EP is one of mass frustration, there again this would mostly appeal to fans of Grindcore, Brutal Death Metal and Goregrind, so who can honestly complain? The neighbors next door of course.... Download This: "No Dawn" For Fans of: Aborted, Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON FROSTBITTEN KINGDOM
'The Winter War Symphony' If anyone knows their history, then they will recall the bloody battle that took place between Finland and the former USSR, otherwise known as the "Winter War". What really sticks out like an impaled thumb on Frostbitten Kingdom's latest release is the sincerity of the music, from start to finish the blistering aggressiveness exerted here is near enough a musical representation of the brutality and pain experienced on the snow-trodden battlefield. Opening up with a ten minute wonder-opus and then cascading down to the 4 minute mark before reaching 6 and then 8 minute-long songs, 'The Winter War Symphony' warrants more attention than it is getting as it makes Immortal seem truly outdated, if you dig Melodic Black / Death Metal in the style of Hecate Enthroned, etc, then you're bound to be blitzed apart from this Finnish resistance. Download This: "Sentinels Of The Silent" For Fans of: Hecate Enthroned, Immortal, Behemoth [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON PERCEPTION OF DARKNESS 'Tyranny' Sweden's Perception Of Darkness go down the Rammstein route with their latest effort 'Tyranny', this is notable with the riffs on the song 'Shutdown', the song has strong links with the song 'Du Hast'. Pushing that aside and you are left with a much-improved sound by the trio, one that they can claim as their own unique style. However at times the industrial music side seems to drop off too much, leaving some songs with very little presence and just a basic metal sound. However on the song 'Destroy', the vocal effects really add a strange feeling to the mix and thus this ought to be used more than it has been, something they may do for their next effort. Download This: 'Destroy' For Fans of: Rammstein, Fear Factory, Ministry [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON KREMATED 'Three Minute Warning' Kremated serve up what you would expect from a Thrash Metal album: speed, power and brutality, their second opus 'Three Minute Warning' digs deep into the gravel and sprays out dirt out in all directions. As Pete Dee leads the ferocious storm with his vicious vocals, following in behind are some rather sizzling riffs and blazing drumming sequences, not to mention the whole attitude of 'Thrash ain't dead' stamped across this album in similar fashion to that of the 'wide load' tattoo spread over The Nutty Professor's ass. Make no mistake about it, Kremated have certainly upped their game since the release of their debut album two years ago and demonstrates a lot more promise for times ahead. It seems that their Bloodstock stint injected some fresh impetus into their music craftsmanship and this is clearly evident on 'Three Minute Warning', just remember to get your neck insured because this is guaranteed to give you whiplash. Download This: "Until The End" For Fans of: Slayer, Sodom, Pantera [8] RHYS STEVENSON THE HOURGLASS 'Through Darkness & Light' From what could be argued as Tarja-era Nightwish meeting Gothminister and Deathstars, Romania's The Hourglass have set out the blueprints to create a music style all of their own. Through molding together the classics of Symphonic Metal with crystal clear Industrial elements and a host of Gothic aesthetics topping the emphatic sound created here, their premier album 'Through Darkness & Light' is bound to turn heads across the world. With a fan-base that is endlessly growing and an album that is sure to appeal to metal fans worldwide, big things are destined for The Hourglass as they craft their illuminating atmosphere into a musical work of art and stake their claim as the "Electro-phonic Metal" juggernaut the world has been waiting for. Download This: "Dare" For Fans of: Therion, Nightwish, Gothminister, Deathstars [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON BLINDER 'Hegemonic Cult' We're not sure, but we think that Blinder might have just snatched Cuban Metal album of the year, and why? Well, for starters the emphatic brain-smashing that takes place throughout their latest release 'Hegemonic Cult' is enough to make the toughest of tyrants weak at the knees. Mauling Death / Thrash Metal courses through this album's veins with unrelenting power and a sound that will leave anyone who listens, left for dead. Now, whilst the blitzing mainly resides within the lyrics, the need to be voracious in terms of digesting the music is ultimately relieved through the majestic combination of savage riffs, machine-gun fire drums and of course heart-shredding vocals, with that in mind you be assured that Blinder are flying the flag for the Cuban Metal scene, shiver me timbers. Download This: Final Proclamation Of War For Fans of: Archaios, Pantera, Carnal Forge [8] RHYS STEVENSON DARKNESS BY OATH 'Seeds Of Desolation' ERZSEBET RECORDS The Basque Country does not tend to get much of a look in by the rest of Europe, but when you unearth the metal scene and find out that over twelve years and four albums released, you can tell that Darkness By Oath were and still are very dedicated to making everything 100% perfect. Unleashing hell through their fourth album 'Seeds Of Desolation', the quintet amass the sheer beauty and class of the Melodic Death Metal genre and infuse it with a brutal atmosphere and songs that give this band that identity they have created themselves. Such a release is sure to garner attention out of Spain and possibly across the seven seas, as for this living armada, the inevitable has come and so Darkness By Oath are flying the flag high for the Basque Metal scene. Diskoa besterik paregabe da. Download This: "Screams That Walk With You" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Sight of Emptiness, In Flames [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON THE FALLACY 'Love Division' It's not all that often that you come across Gothic Metal from Chile, in fact it comes as a surprise that there is a deviation from the well established Death Metal scene. Entering the affray is The Fallacy, a three-piece who released their third album 'Love Division' back in 2012. What you have here is the deep and masculine vocals in the form of Ville Valo being met with the elegant and feminine vocals of Cristina Scabbia, whilst the guitars and drums deal the final blow to what makes a Gothic Metal album, exactly that. Using the words of the band, it is a Fallacy that only Spain and Italy can pull of this style of metal, in fact The Fallacy have delivered such a brilliant album, you'd be a fool not to check it out. Download This: "Drops Of Fire" For Fans of: Lacuna Coil, H.I.M., Fields Of The Nephilim [8] RHYS STEVENSON CORNERS OF SANCTUARY 'Epilogue' MARCH BABY MEDIA Classic Hard Rock / Heavy Metal mob Corners Of Sanctuary dealt justice when releasing their third EP entitled 'Epilogue', with seven tracks of majestic riffs, bellowing vocals and powerful drums coursing throughout the EP, it is without a doubt that the trio have thought this one through very well. To some it might not seem any different to any other Classic Rock / Metal band, but through closer inspection you will notice that they have their own formulated sound. Even when you have the song "Aqua Luminoza" which was backed by Spanish vocals conducted by Lorenzo Partida, this release has everything going for the band except they need to eek out that one song that sets the world alight per se Iron Maiden's 'Fear of the Dark'. Download This: "Bleed With Me" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Motorhead [7] RHYS STEVENSON PABLO BAPTISTA 'Consummatum Est' What does Ill Nino, Orphaned Land and ChthoniC have in common? They all took traditional music from their country and mixed it with various metal forms. Now the attention turns towards Pablo Baptista, a three-piece Nu / Alternative Metal band from Mozambique, who released their debut album 'Consummatum Est'. By mixing together the aforementioned metal genres and traditional Mozambican music, this could spark a new wave for this African nation. With the vocals wallowing in the style of Corey Taylor and music that breathes out100% uniqueness, there is a lot of hope for Pablo Baptista to break out of their national scene and across Planet Metal. Nu Metal just got a new reason to exist. Download This: "Forgive Me" For Fans of: Slipknot, Ill Nino, Seether, Stone Sour [9] RHYS STEVENSON BEFORE THE BLACK GATES 'An Ancient Evil Rises' Despite the evident reference to the Lord of The Rings scene "The Black Gates Of Mordor", Canada's Black Metal five-piece (were a six-piece) Before The Black Gates held no fury back upon dropping their debut album 'An Ancient Evil Rises'. Now if syrup was not sweet enough, then this band certainly tops that by making a delicious 'pancake noir' full of grimace, darkness and utmost devastation that delivers barbaric blows to the body. 'An Ancient Evil Rises' is an apocalyptic album that sheds out shrapnel at every passing second and forces the listener to succumb to it's powerful presence. This is probably why this quintet ought to be sniffed out by their European contingent. This album promises big things for this band in the future, watch them closely with interest. Download This: "Blood Oak" For Fans of: Marduk, Dark Funeral, Immortal [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS
'Jamat-Al-Maut' SALUTE Mixing short bursts of Grindcore with Death Metal vocals and injecting some Hardcore Punk elements, Pakistan's Multinational Corporations do not welcome any form of mercy towards their music, that is, this music is not for anyone who listens to soft metal music. Since their debut demo 'Equality' in 2011, the duo have certainly upped their game and have produced a much more meaningful release. 'Jamat-Al-Maut' comes as the band's premier EP and whilst the EP delivers some rather assertive Death / Grind, the shortness in the release drags it down, you would expect a much longer release. Question is whether the computer space over there would have taken it, after all metal music in Pakistan is too far and few between. Whether the European metalheads roam outside of their safety zone and explore this band is another question. Download This: "White Collar Communism" For Fans of: Rotten Sound, Napalm Death, Terrorizer [8] RHYS STEVENSON RENEGADE STATE 'The Pit' What has Liverpool and metal got in common besides the obviousness of the shipping heritage? The answer is found in a Renegade State. Fresh from the depths of the Mersey, this five-piece monstrous ensemble wield together elements of Groove Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal and Hardcore together to develop a sound that will epitomize the entire hybrid music ideology. 'The Pit' is not only their latest single, but on their latest release alongside "The Pit are tracks such as "Chicago Typewriter" and "Judgement Day", sure the former sounds like the Bugsy Malone era and the latter sounds like a time of the week we all fear, but the core point is that the Renegade State are a band that could well be on everyone's lips by the end of 2014. Just don't drag up anything about Mancunian football or culture..., joke. DO IT! Download This: "Chicago Typewriter" For Fans of: Chimaira, Machine Head, Pantera [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON ZEITGEIST 'Shallow Play' Paraguay might not come to mind when you think of Gothic Metal, let alone metal music in general, but some may actually challenge this by using Brazil's Sepultura as a prime example. Zeitgeist is a four-piece classic Gothic Metal band arising from the back streets of Asunción, through dropping their awaited debut album 'Shallow Play', the first impressions that come with it are of neutrality, in the sense that the album kicks off in a rather standard-sounding way for a Gothic Metal album, but as the music progresses there is this element of relief that the album is not doomed to slot into the 'every other album sounds like this' trap. 'Shallow Play' in fact is a decent enough release that should garner some attention from their Paraguayan compatriots and South American cousins, the likelihood of it reaching European shores will have to wait till the second album. Through the use of dynamic vocals, virtuoso guitar playing and solid drumming, Zeitgeist's 'Shallow Play' is a one to enjoy after a few re-runs. Download This: "For You" For Fans of: Evanescence, Sirenia, Tainted Grace [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON SILENT OPERA 'Reflections' MASSACRE 'Reflections' is no doubt one of the most highly-anticipated metal albums of the year, the album explodes into a wide array of sounds that will certainly tickle the taste buds of planet metal. What Silent Opera have done here is something spectacular, by lashing together the elegant beauty of Symphonic Gothic Metal with the hard, heavy hitting power of Melodic Death Metal, the sextet seemingly have crafted out their own unique sound. Underneath the album's skin lies the echoing connotations of the operatic greats such as The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables, by charging thunderously down the halls of Operatic darkness and into the new wave of Orchestral Metal, Silent Opera will place themselves on everyone's lips in 2014. 'Reflections' is guaranteed to smash your senses to pieces as the majestic power demonstrated here is enough to shatter crystal. It would not be surprising at all if 'Reflections' secures Silent Opera a slot at either Wacken or Bloodstock in the not so distance future. Download This: "Dorian" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Arcane Grail, In Flames, Delain [10] RHYS STEVENSON UNTIL EXTINCTION 'Malice' Four years after their debut album, Missouri's Until Extinction have certainly dusted themselves down. The debut album was not as impressive as this album is, with a clearer production level imminently evident, and the harmonics and brutal elements intertwining more freely, 'Malice' is an album you would want to chew into intentionally. Naturally Until Extinction have followed their instinct and in doing so have delivered a release that is sure to garner attention across the USA, overseas attention might be a little harder but with this formula demonstrated, they could easily push harder and further. Just imagine a hundred horses galloping towards the sunset in an adventurous style, this is the best envisage you could apply to the album, it is a rapid journey across many musical sounds. Just prepare yourself for the last track which is a whopping 10 minute opus, might as well whip out the popcorn and American beer. Download This: "Herald The Dawn" For Fans of: Immoralis, Gojira, Dream Theater [8] RHYS STEVENSON FALLEN FATE 'Into The Black' If a forthcoming apocalypse had to have a soundtrack constructed in order to support the mass devastation, Fallen Fate's 'Into The Black' would be the perfect candidate. Developed by fusing together the monstrous sounds of Thrash Metal with the brutality of Modern Metal, the calculated output is one of sincere cranial destruction and sheer incomprehensible force. From the start to the end, Fallen Fate certainly have upped the ante since their well-received debut album 'The Virus Has Spread' (2011), by utilizing ear-bleeding vocals alongside explosive drumming sequences and murderous riffs, 'Into The Black' is a definite contender for album of the year, even though the year has only just begun. With this effort firmly set in concrete, it is inevitable that Fallen Fate will be blitzing their way through 2014 and remain a positively and highly promising unsigned British Metal band. Watch this space... Download This: "Blackened Within" For Fans of: Machine Head, Sylosis, Trivium, As I Lay Dying [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON ALTERBEAST 'Immortal' UNIQUE LEADER If violence was to become the next Disney film theme, then Alterbeast ought to be the film's composer. By unleashing a rally murderous brutality via through their debut album 'Immortal', the Californian Technical Death Metal newbies craft a sound that will crush anyone who opposes it to death. Guaranteed it will make you spit blood and spew acid out of every orifice. Unrelenting vocals shatter the silence with enough force, leaving your last constipation seeming pitiful, moreover whilst the drums deliver a whammy of fast-paced mauling, the guitars exercise and shred metal shrapnel so sharp it will make your cranial area bleed black blood. Whence listening to the sheer uncompromising brutality delivered by the Californian quintet, prepare yourself to walk away with your tail between your legs and with the knowledge that Alterbeast might just be one of 2014's hottest and newest properties. For Fans of: Abigail Williams, The Black Dahlia Murder, Psycroptic, Cryptopsy 'Immortal' is out 18th March 2014 via Unique Leader Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON INDICA 'Shine' NUCLEAR BLAST Making their highly-anticipated return to deliver their sixth studio album is Finland's all-female troupe Indica, building upon their successful 2010 album 'A Way Away' the quintet once again muster together their unique sound of Pop Rock, Alternative Metal and Symphonic Rock to shatter the musical barriers and evidently demonstrate why they are more than your average girl group. 'Shine' drags together the elegance of Nightwish, the power of Vanilla Ninja and the attitude of Finnish rockers that has served the national music scene for decades gone by. 'Shine' will get you moving on the dance floor and can easily prove itself to be successful as a soundtrack to proms or parties, make no mistake about it 'Shine' is certified to make anyone who listens to it rock their hearts out, without a doubt this album is an easy contender for Finnish album of the year. Download This: "Hush Now Baby" For Fans of: Vanilla Ninja, Nightwish, Evanescence, The Rasmus [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON BEHEMOTH 'The Satanist' NUCLEAR BLAST Let's be honest here, Poland's most successful Metal band of all time has gone and delivered what has to be their best album ever. Spitting acidic venom at every second, 'The Satanist' revels in the darkest pits of hell and smothers the atmosphere with the choking black smoke-smell of burning Black Metal and disease-ridden Death Metal. For a band that has been going non-stop over 23 years, never taken a hiatus and has never failed to impress, their new album 'The Satanist' certainly is the cream of the crop. Through the album you can experience the unrelenting power and mind-blowing force that this trio of musical architects have summoned on every song, more so if this triad from Eastern Europe continues their sensational punishment, we could see their follow-up being even greater, irrespective of the fact that 'The Satanist' is an album that will be hard to match by; the Behemoth metal sound continues.... Download This: "The Satanist" For Fans of: Vader, God Dethroned, Vesania [10] RHYS STEVENSON THERION 'Theli - Deluxe Edition' NUCLEAR BLAST Sweden's most successful Operatic / Symphonic Metallers Therion return with their latest offering in the form of 'Theli - Deluxe Edition'. Whilst at first it seems to be nothing but the same material they have been churning out over the years, it is in fact nearly the same as some of the material they have been churning out over the years. That does not mean to say it is not good, it basically means that if you like Therion, then you will like their upcoming album. Utilizing deep male vocals in the form of chamber music and weaving that alongside guitar and drum symphonies, Therion have once again proven themselves that they are a one of a kind. 'Theli - Deluxe Edition' will appeal to those who like the softer, darker and more elegant side of metal, the question is whether Therion can deliver it just as good when performing. For Fans of: Nigthwish, HIM, Avantasia 'Theli - Deluxe Edition' is out 28th February via Nuclear Blast Records [7] RHYS STEVENSON PERSONA GRATA 'Reaching Places High Above' Slovakia's Persona Grata are a rather curious bunch, sure they utilize the Progressive Metal sound to it's optimus prime, but by layering it with traditional Central European melodies and influences, this is a rather ethnic sound conjured up and is evidently prevalent on their debut album 'Reaching Places High Above' released last year. Sure the album at times questions itself as a credible release, simply because at times the music sounds all chucked in and not organized strategically. Meaning it's not the best release possible, but by no means is it a push over, more so it offers a newer dimension but sadly lacks that final push that makes it a brilliant debut. What have they been up to for the last seven years prior to release is beyond anyone's questioning, it certainly was partially wasted in relation to this release. Download This: "Orient Express" For Fans of: Dream Theater, Symphony X, most Prog Metal bands. [7] RHYS STEVENSON ADAMANTIUM
'Demo 2013' Every so often you will come across a release that at first seems to be as bland as a white canvas sheet, but as it progresses it's true colors begin to show. Welcoming to the apocalypse is Worcester's Heavy Thrash merchants Adamantium, whose 2013 demo delivers your average standard modern metal whilst coincidentally wafts in melodies here and there in the comparable sounds of Iron Maiden. Whilst it may never prove itself as pivotal in their career, it is a decent enough release that will get local and regional folk rocking out all night. At times the vocals deal no justice and lack that vibrancy that would push their sound up a gear, compensating for that are the intricate solo's and riffs that sit nicely on top of the drumming sequences. Credit is given where it's due and as long as Adamantium keep this line-up and buff the vocals up, they are sure to garner attention outside the West Midlands. Download This: "Escape Proof" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON METAL 'Proving Our Mettle' You have to admit that the old ways are sometimes the best ways, well Australia's rather aptly named Metal seem to think so when delivering their debut album, with a tongue-in-cheek title of 'Proving Our Mettle' and that is exactly what they have achieved. Smoldering Heavy / Power Metal surges like an electrical storm across this album as if they were running on Duracell batteries. Fixating on that classic Iron Maiden Heavy Metal sound that provides a solid backdrop, the quartet smother it with Power Metal elements, through the use of intricate riffs, 'squeezed balls' vocals and oomph and gusto in tow, 'Proving Our Mettle' is without a doubt a metal album fit for anyone who prefers the original and perhaps less complex style of metal music. It might have only taken seven years to let this one out of the bag, but boy was it worth it. Download This: "Beneath The Banner Of The Iron Duke" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, 3 Inches of Blood, Van Halen [8] RHYS STEVENSON REPTILIAN DEATH 'The Dawn Of Consummation And Emergence' OLD SCHOOL METAL Fronted by Indian Metal veteran Demonstealer, Reptilian Death Metallers Reptilian Death make no mistakes or errors upon excreting their second album 'The Dawn Of Consummation And Emergence', ten years have passed since the concretion and unleashing of their debut release 'Total Annihilation' and the long wait has certainly paid off through a tightly-packed brutal sound that is guaranteed to shake the very foundations of planet metal. Perusing the many veins and arteries of Death Metal, this three-piece unit stitches together elements of Technical metal as the skeleton infrastructure and Brutal Death Metal as the blood-soaked, savage-scarred skin of this megalithic ensemble. What with Demonic Resurrection and Kryptos firmly leading the line, Reptilian Death are sure to follow firmly in-behind. Get your vaccinations at the ready, because this exotic Reptile bites and injects a rather toxic metallic venom. Download This: "Distorted By Bondage Blood And Bestiality" For Fans of: Strapping Young Lad, Cryptopsy, The Berzerker [9] RHYS STEVENSON SATAN'S WRATH 'Aeons Of Satan's Reign' METAL BLADE Reflecting the whole emotional side to the current situation of the Greek economy, blasphemous Blackened Thrash stalwarts Satan's Wrath spit out corrosive venom and unholy disturbances via their sophomore release 'Aeons Of Satan's Reign'. Immersing the atmosphere with the anti-christian profanity demonstrated amongst most Satanists and Luciferians, this quintet totally murder your future grave stone by pissing down your ear-holes with savage riffs (so savage that professional murderers would s**t themselves at the sharpness), vocals that would make Golden Dawn stand up and do the honors against the 'she-who-must-not-be-named', in spite of this Satan's Wrath's 'Aeons Of Satan's Reign' is definitely the future sound of Hellenic Extreme Metal, if you thought Rotting Christ were evil, that lot are cupcakes compared to Satan's Wrath. For fans of: Sarke, Aura Noir, Skeletonwitch [8] RHYS STEVENSON 'Aeons Of Satan's Reign' is out 12th November 2013 via Metal Blade Records HEATHEN FORAY 'Inner Force' Pagan Metal, it's like as if some bands cannot leave the topic alone, but when bands like Heathen Foray enter the fold, it is clear that they take their own unique twist on it. This Austrian machine embroils the atmosphere with heavy hitting melodies and the feeling of galloping across the lands with that highly noticeable Folk Metal element being developed through the guitars and drums in sync. 'Inner Force' clearly shows this style off, the quintet's third outing does not disappoint and whilst at times the language barrier may pose a problem (songs are in both English and German), the music inevitably does the talking and with this elaborated form of Melodic Viking / Pagan Metal, it is clear that Heathen Foray are one of Austria's unsung metal bands, with 'Inner Force' now out in the wilderness, they are sure to garner some attention from the surrounding European countries. Download This: "Mei Laund" For Fans of: Adorned Brood, Amon Amarth, Arkona [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON INSURRECTION 'Prototype' GALY Now for those who think Death Metal has to be blasted at the speed of sound and feature vocals that makes anyone s**t themselves, you are half mistaken, well, just a bit. Insurrection take this theory with a pinch of salt and maybe some Technical Metal elements thrown in here and there, but they are no Quo Vadis or Neuraxis, instead they implore a sound that eclipses Neuraxis, how you may ask? Simple, by switching from technical to melodic to harmonic in a flash, they carve out there own form of complexity and can be dubbed 'deus ex machina metal', a mouthful for sure but whence dissecting their latest offering 'Prototype', it does not fall short of the Modern Metal sound, in fact if Insurrection added some synths or industrial elements then the sound could easily be 101% groundbreaking. As it is, 'Prototype' is a mesmerizing album in it's own ball park and could provide the way for Insurrection to become known overseas as the new face of Canadian Technical Death Metal. Download This "Hellfire" For Fans of: Misery Index, Decapitated, Obliveon, Hypocrisy [9] RHYS STEVENSON SISARE 'Natures Despair' Finland rarely disappoints when it comes to producing metal bands and metal music releases, out of the abyss comes another underground and exciting band called Sisare, of whose debut album 'Natures Despair' ticks all the boxes for it to be a recommended metal album. The Progressive Metal four-piece deliver a sound that illuminates the entire surroundings with the sense of magic, natural goodness and the very essence of what makes Finnish metal all that special the unique musicianship skills. 'Natures Despair' glides between the Progressive and Avant Garde metal styles, with hints of experimentation clearly detectable and elements of melodies filtering through in the background. They may be a small unknown band in the Finnish lands, but they are a gem to the worldwide Prog Metal scene as 'Natures Despair' evidently proves. Download This: "Isolation" For Fans of: Rush, Dream Theater, Haken [8] RHYS STEVENSON HAMEREX 'IX' IX MUSIC There seems to be this certain type of aura flowing amongst the relatively underground classic heavy metal bands, they seem to go on for ever and only end up release a couple of albums, sadly this looks to be that way with Hamerex. Hailing from Yorkshire, this four-piece platoon wield that ever classic sound of British Heavy Metal and by adding some Thrash and Doom Metal elements here and there, the second album 'IX' (aptly titled seeing as Hamerex is nine years old) demonstrates the uniqueness of this metal music strain. Sure 'IX' is nothing more than a run-of-the-mill heavy metal album, but it certainly is decent enough for anyone to own, well, almost everyone (Justin Bieber + metal = disaster). Like most of their underground contemporaries, Hamerex will keep the faith going strong, with a rally of riffs, drum beats and vocal exasperation's, this is 'el clasico'. Download This: "Inferno" For Fans of: Black Sabbath, My Dying Bridge, Iron Maiden [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON REDEYE 'Violence' VIOLENT JOURNEY Seven years down the line and the first ever EP by Finnish maniacs Redeye finally drops, 'Violence' delivers a brittle and harsh sound that will amuse and abuse anyone who comes across it. Imagine this, being pummeled by belching vocals that lead this musical attack, with fist-punching drumming and slashing riffs that will bleed you dry in tow, this is exactly what listeners can expect from 'Violence', just be prepared to have a massive headache. By mixing the glorified old styles of Death Metal with Thrash Metal, Redeye summon up a work of art that will get heads banging so hard, brain hemorrhage is almost certainly on the menu. With an attitude that explores the alleys of murderous topics and music that will boil your senses dry, Redeye will certainly set the underground alight. Listen in closely and you can detect elements of Grindcore... For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, Obituary 'Violence' is out 29th November via Violent Journey Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON NO REMORSE NO SURRENDER 'Afflictions' As if Metalcore had not explored every possible avenue, well if you ask London bruisers No Remorse No Surrender they would say f**k you and shove that into every possible orifice you possess. Let's face it, the evidence is clear when indulging this quintets experimental-like EP 'Afflictions', from start to finish there is a cooking pot of various styles that all combine to smash your face in. Think of it as the agile complexity of martial arts mixed with the harsh mauling of Rugby, that might give you some indication of how unrelenting this lot are, needless to say 'Afflictions' is a highly promising EP and it is clear this band will go far, forgot the poncy generic metalcore breakdown trash that is plaguing every single f**king nation and douse yourself in one of British metal scenes hottest promising properties. Download This: "Ocean's Eyes' For Fans of: Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, Bleeding Through [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MYSTERIOUS ECLIPSE 'Hell Of Pain' Now when listening to the third album by Slovakia's Mysterious Eclipse, there are times where the music disallows the vocals from keeping up and so it becomes disjointed, but at other times the overall sound is emphatic i.e. the melodies, brutality and sexual vocals kick in at the same time to develop a generous mix of glass-shattering and soothing ambiance. 'Hell Of Pain' definitely has an appeal to those Black / Death Metal and Melodic Metal fans, but this is no Hecate Enthroned nor is it Arch Enemy softened, instead what you have here is quite possibly the finest metal album this country has seen for a few years. Whilst the band has been around since 1996, they are relatively unknown to Western Europe, however with 'Hell Of Pain' now in their arsenal rally this is bound to change for the better. Download This: "Dark Side Of Humanity" For fans of: Children of Bodom, Arch Enemy, God Dethroned [8] RHYS STEVENSON ANTILLIA (Антиллия)
"Последний звездопад / Last Starfall" Them Russians, they do love their female fronted metal bands and so when Moscow-based Antilla deliver their premier EP, it comes as no surprise that they go full out with their style of Symphonic 'emotional' power metal. "Последний звездопад / Last Starfall" delivers a thunderous explosion of elegant keyboard elements, aligned with the dramatic-operatic vocals, Sonata Arctica-like riffs and drumming, that all together creates a sound that would be epic to play at the top of waterfall or a mountain looking over the ice-caped landscapes of the Russian tundra. Such dramatics in music has never been heard before, whilst on the other hand only Antillia can deliver this sound in such a mind-blowing way. We could see them touring Europe within the next two years if they keep this sound going and push it forward. Download This: "Шаман" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Sonata Arctica, Nightwish (Anette era) [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON REZINWOLF 'Corruption Kingdom' KILLER METAL Evile has just been reinvented. Simple as that... or is it? Entering the affray is Essex Thrash merchants Rezinwolf with their radioactive debut album 'Corruption Kingdom', bolted through and through with some insanely fast drumming, outrageously complex riffs and soul-scarring vocals, 'Corruption Kingdom' shifts through the gears as if it was the soundtrack to Formula 1 at Silverstone. Playing Modern Thrash Metal with the occasional breakdown and Speed Metal influences, Rezinwolf's 'Corruption Kingdom' has placed Harwich on the metal map and not just a coastal town renowned for it's ferry port and industrial relations, although the latter would be apt for usage as to call Rezinwolf 'Cargo Thrash Metal'; big, bulky and heavy... all the essential elements for a kick-ass Thrash album, this could be the start of something huge for Rezinwolf, the only way is Essex? Yes, Essex Thrash Metal. Download This: "Tomb Of The Incarcerated" For Fans of: Municipal Waste, Evile, Gama Bomb [9] RHYS STEVENSON DISSECTOR 'Local Maniac Syndrome' Dissector is an uprising Thrash Metal band from Bangladesh who have just released their debut EP ‘Local Maniac Syndrome’, it screams a subliminal statement that they are here to stay and bring back the reign of Thrash Metal! Dissector’s intention is clear, they wanted to make a really fast, extreme and if possible the angriest set of tracks to come out of Bangladesh! Dip’s vocals have this unique "I have no testicles" kind of voice and a bad-ass attitude, the anger adds great values to the band and the EP! The fast, thrashy riffs are well written and are quite old school-ish. Songs like "Samsu The Slaughterer" have a very catchy yet thrashy set of riffs that get hooked to your brain for a long time. Muktadir's uncanny ability to garner such pummeling momentum on the drums, and then slow down during the solo parts and create such a groove on the cymbals is remarkable! The solos may not be the most technically dazzling but they do fill in the riff structures just fine, maintaining and sometimes changing the feel of the songs. If producer Sumit Gaurab was given more mixing time, the record could have sounded more amazing. Those who listen to the EP “Local Maniac Syndrome” will find it like a quick kick in the nuts and is guaranteed to knock the wind out of you! Download These: "Samsu The Slaughterer" & "Mass Destruction" For Fans of: Old School Thrash Metal, Slayer [7] NABIL ABADDON HAIL OF BULLETS 'III The Rommel Chronicles' METAL BLADE The Dutch are coming! Armed with their infamously recognizable sound, Holland's Hail Of Bullets are going flat out for number three, their upcoming album 'III The Rommel Chronicles' crushes the mind and soul with the inescapable sound of Old-School Death Metal, utilizing thick riffs and raucous vocals alongside blitzing-speed drumming and hardcore military atmospherics, 'III The Rommel Chronicles' is a testament to the sensational battle between Erwin Rommel (Desert Fox) and Bernard Montgomery (for those who are not in the know, both leaders fought against each other in the Battle of El Alamein in WW2). Be prepared to be under the cosh from the very start to the very end as 'III The Rommel Chronicles' explodes with the violent sound of flak fire, razor-sharp shrapnel and heavy artillery fire, so prepare to be ambushed by this phenomenal release, place yourself at the forefront of either the British army or the Afrika Korps and be buried by the furious power of Dutch 'War Metal' veterans Hail Of Bullets, let the battle commence... For Fans of: God Dethroned, Bolt Thrower, Asphyx 'III The Rommel Chronicles' is out October 29th via Metal Blade Records [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON UNBORN 'Awaken To Reality' As if Prague was not already glorious enough with it's magnificent architecture and of course playing homage to the Vin Diesel film XXX, but as for the darker and more metal side to this Central European city, it holds a whole host of brilliant bands and Unborn is no exception. Having just released their third album in their seventeen year existence, the Thrash Metal ensemble do not mess around when it comes to unleashing sensational music. 'Awaken To Reality' comes as the next and latest installment in this band's history and boy does it blow hard, playing predominantly to the classic European Thrash Metal sound pioneered by bands like Kreator and Holy Moses, this Czech mob drag in various elements from Speed Metal to subtle detections of Hardcore; especially with the breakdowns. But overall this album is a work of art and something that any modern Thrash Metal fan will certainly enjoy, as will the old Thrash Metal followers. Download This: "Walls Of Madness" For Fans of: Gama Bomb, Holy Moses, Municipal Waste [8] RHYS STEVENSON THE DEFILED 'Grave Times Live' Following on from their well received debut album "Grave Times" and preceding their Nuclear Blast debut album "Daggers", London Industrial / Modern Metal bruisers The Defiled took their dark side to newer heights as they unleash their "Grave Times Live" at a rather intimate gig that seemed to have around only 100 people, some coming from as far as Scotland and Ireland. 'Grave Times Live' oozes the Industrial-tinged Modern Metal that The Defiled formulated and pioneered as their own unique sound. This live album certainly does take the listener to the gig, dragging you in as if you experienced this for your own self. Consider this release as the ultimate transition to their phenomenal second album "Daggers", but also consider 'Grave Times Live' to be the absolute pivotal point in the band's career and what a damn good release it is, rest assured this album packs a punch. Download This: "Metropolis" For Fans of: Dagoba, Ministry, Machine Head [9] RHYS STEVENSON ILLNESS 'Psychopath' DEFORMA(R)T Let's be honest at times you would think that the bass drum would break from the sheer velocity it is pelted at by a drum machine, not a proper drummer. It's rather a gray area this whole drum programming malarkey, especially when it deprives the music of originality. Polish-Norwegian duo Illness are in that very situation whereby the guitars and vocals do the forward commands and yet the drums totally drag their sound into complete shambles. 'Psychopath' is the duo's fourth album and whilst it compromises on letting the drums go beyond the speed of the average BM drummer, it drills a hole into the release and makes it less impressive, to save the album from being labelled a machine-made product, the snarling vocals sneer and slice your mind in half whilst the raw riffs bleed your senses dry. Ironically the drums do deliver a brutal sound, but the notion is the crux of the disappointment. Download This: "A Doors Behind The Doors" For Fans of: Drum Programmed Black Metal [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON PANDEMMY 'Reflections & Rebellions' Perhaps one of the finest metal bands to come out of Brazil for sometime, hauling out their premier album 'Reflections & Rebellions' is Death / Thrash wizards Pandemmy, accumulating a sound that spews out sounds in the style of old Sepultura, but more modernized, Pandemmy's 'Reflections & Rebellions' bulges at the corners with some rather brutal Death Metal vocals that would scare the living daylights out of the Amazonian tribes, whilst the drumming frequency and technicality mixed with the riff intricacy and solo patterns would make the Brazilian national football team wet their pants. 'Reflections & Rebellions' is a testament to the brilliance of the Brazilian Metal scene and with it's contagious songs brooding a new sense of direction for Pandemmy, this might be their hour. Download This: "Rubicon (Point Of No Return)" For Fans of: Kreator, Sepultura, Hypocrisy [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON CLANDESTINED 'Mortal' EVIL Clandestined make their welcomed return with their third album 'Mortal' firmly poised as the best release they've done in their four year existence, 'Mortal' delivers another round of knock-out metal that what makes Clandestined one of Japan's most exciting Death / Thrash Metal bands to come out in the last five years. Now if you thought the earthquakes this Asian island country receives were devastating enough, then Clandestined are perhaps not for you as they wield together a rough concoction of Death Metal with the slick speed of Thrash Metal. Imagine a sheer pummelling going on inside you as the drums drive your heartbeat rate so fast and high that you start bleeding from the inside out, whilst the riffs crush your soul and the vocals cause earache, this is the sort of force that 'Mortal' delivers. You better fear it, because you will never hear anything like this elsewhere, Clandestined are flying the flag for the Japanese Metal scene. Download This: "Syndrome" For Fans of: Sepultura, Carnal Forge, Torture Squad [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON SECRETS OF SIN
'Future Memories' Reinventing the dramatics of Symphonic Metal by developing 'Symphonic Modern Metal', Germany's Secrets of Sin summon up a sound that crushes anyone who opposes this triumphant music. Imagine the angelical elements of Symphonic Metal colliding with the technicality of Modern Metal and having the beauty and beast vocals scenario directing this sound to newer territories. Well that is exactly what 'Future Memories' is all about, the debut album by Secrets of Sin boasts originality and a musical fusion that is sure to get the ears of Europe perked up. With the song "Inside" sparking symphonic similarities with Verdi's "Requiem, Dies Irae", by adding the complexity of Modern Metal bands like The Defiled, the symphonies of Myrath and Epica, and wielding that with the sheer vocal dynamics that Sharon Den Adel and Alexi Laiho would produce, this is something rather unique being produced. With turbulent symphonies caressing the sheer vibrant differences in the vocal ranges and the algorithmic relationship between the guitars and drums, Secrets of Sin are a one of a kind. Make no mistake about this, Secrets of Sin are going to be BIG, watch this space. Download This: "Inside" For Fans of: Epica, The Defiled, Within Temptation, Children of Bodom [10] RHYS STEVENSON |
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