NAFRAT 'Abnegation' BRUTAL INFECTION Singapore has a long standing history within the extreme metal community, it has been producing top notch bands for the past two decades. One of it's exports Nafrat re-emerge fresh from their 10 year slumber with their second unforgivable slice of no-bullsh*t Death Metal in the form of their new album 'Abnegation'. By taking elements from the old-school faculty and bolting on modern elements, the Singaporean quartet remind listeners as to why the South-East Asian Metal scenes are as brutal as they are. Demanding your attention at every passing second, this album will sit well with those well and truly seasoned with the genre, but moreover would provide a platform for those getting into Death Metal to explore it further. 'Abnegation' is one Death Metal album for the ages, gripping, tense and outright ferocious. Download This: "Iconoclasts" - click to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Modern Death Metal, Rudra [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON MORS SUBITA 'Into The Pitch Black' INVERSE Just like being smacked in the head with a metal pole, Mors Subita's third effort 'Into The Pitch Black' comes slamming down on to your senses and leaves you left for dead. The strong opening track 'As Humanity Weeps' sets the tone for the album and arguably is the strongest track on the album. Throughout the album this Finnish outfit romp throughout. Bolting together the Modern Metal sound (with Industrial in tow) with the underlying current of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal, Mors Subita once again prove themselves to be the dark horse of the Finnish Metal scene. 'Into The Pitch Black' is loaded with aggression, slick swift elements, an electric atmosphere and a sound that is potent enough to leave you in a coma. For a band who has been going 19 years, they aren't giving up just yet not by a long shot as demonstrated on this album; if Scar Symmetry and In Flames are up your street, then Mors Subita is the mansion at the end of the road. Download This: 'As Humanity Weeps' For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Asylum 8 [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON ASTRAY VALLEY 'Unneth' WORMHOLEDEATH Modern Metal seems to be the in-thing of late, it seems that the metal style cannot be shaken off and has arguably become the best thing since Nu Metal (was Nu Metal good though?). Escaping the claws of generic sounds is Spanish quartet Astray Valley, whose latest album 'Unneath' is laden with so much aggression you wouldn't know how to mosh to it. This quartet are young and full of energy, however they are also set to become the next successful Spanish Metal export having already hooked up with the likes of The Agonist for example. By lashing together elements from Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Melodic Metal and Groove Metal, Astray Valley are destined to go places with this rather unique and disturbing sound. 'Unneth' is one album that every fan of hard, abrasive metal should have, it's got more brutality in it than the Saw franchise ever delivered. Download This: "Waters Of Skylah" For Fans of: Butcher Babies, In This Moment, Jinjer [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON ACEFALO 'Sin Piedad' INDEPENDENT Sometimes the old ways are the best ways and Argentina's Acefalo have demonstrated this very well through their debut album 'Sin Piedad'. By harnessing the old-school Thrash Metal style and adding a side serving of grit and sweat, this quintet deliver a sound that echoes the early days of Slayer; full-on fast-paced Thrash that leaves your neck aching for days to come. Singing in their native Spanish, Acefalo know how to create an infectious sound that will make Thrash diehards weak at their knees; through the unrelenting drum-thumping, riff barrage and vocal onslaught. Granted it's nothing new, but it's worthy of utmost attention and once again, sometimes the old ways are the best ways. If you're seeking thunderous Thrash Metal then Acefalo will provide you with the best fix available. Download This: "Apostoles De La Crueldad 1" - click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Machine Head, Nuclear Assault [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON BLOODSHED 'Scoundrel' U-ORIES Could you blame Vietnam's Bloodshed for using pig squeals in their gruelling and gritty form of Death Metal? Not really, seeing as the extreme forms of metal out in the Far East are ultimately in their own league. Digesting their debut EP 'Scoundrel' is like sinking your teeth into a gourmet burger, its full of flavour and warrants finishing to enjoy the full array of ingredients. It comes together lashed with a sizeable dollop of unintelligible vocals, thick riffs and battering drums, overarching all of this is an innate sense of aiming to craft a signature sound and whilst it's evident Bloodshed tries their best, the result is merely a cry for help or raising the white flag to surrender the generic pig-squealing Death Metal formula. Download This: "Scoundrel" - click to listen For Fans of: Prostitute Disfigurement, Suffocation, Visceral Bleeding [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON KRUMMHOLZ 'Rooted In Despair' INDEPENDENT It's rare to find Black Metal in Sub-Sahara Africa let alone Atmospheric Black Metal, but Uganda-based trio Krummholz aim to change that and having released their debut EP 'Rooted In Despair', it would seem they've found their sound to march on with. Full of magical harmonies and riveting metal elements, this is one EP any metal fan should have in their collection because it's sound is so mesmerizing, it puts the Scandi-bands to shame. 'Rooted In Despair' comes in a 20-minute two-track onslaught that is almost guaranteed to keep you awake whilst listening to it. It would be fair to say that with this EP now in the wider world, that the dawn of 'True African Black Metal' is upon us, it's majestic sound is enough to satisfy anyone's musical thirsts. Download This: "To Father Worlds in the Bones of Ancient Solitude" - click the link For fans of: Windir, Winterfylleth, Carach Angren [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON ARTEMIS BLADE 'As Above… So Below' INDEPENDENT It's always fascinating whenever a band splits only for some of the members to form a new band, because at times they'll carry forward influences on from their previous outfit to their new one. Australian Melodic Death stalwarts Artemis Blade have done just that with their debut album 'As Above… So Below', having been a Thrash Metal band in The Blackened Beneath beforehand, it's clear some of these elements have seeped into their new music. Despite this the vocals are inhaled mostly but are savage enough to keep your attention from swaying away and if that's not enough, the three guitars, bass and drums will staple your ears to the speakers so hard that it won't be the staples that'll make your ear bleed, but the sharpness of Artemis Blade carving right through your senses. Download This: "The Fall" - click to listen For fans of: Silent Descent, Scar Symmetry, In Flames [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON ASYLUM 'Domination' GSD PRODUCTIONS Prior to slaughtering the Wacken faithful this year by winning the Metal Battle Caribbean heats, Surinamese Groove / Metalcore outfit Asylum dropped their debut EP 'Domination'... and f**k does it kick some ass. Creating such a glowing effort in a relatively small metal scene is not easy, but Asylum have done just that, presenting a release that's guaranteed to smack a few jaws hard. Having been around six years, the wait for this release was worth it as the quintet summon every fighting spirit within their grasp to present metal so attention-grabbing, you would be a bloody-minded fool to ignore this promising outfit. Sure for some it's stripped bare and has no flashy riffs or trickery that the likes of Lamb of God might wield, but 'Domination' is one hell of a ride... free at that. Download This: "Dis Na Mi Kondre" - click to listen For Fans of: Lamb Of God, Fear Factory, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON AOHEN '失魂 (Lost Souls)' INDEPENDENT It goes without saying that the Asian Extreme Metal scene is by far the best to have ever existed and Taiwan's Aohen make that point loud and clear. Dropping their latest demo '失魂 (Lost Souls)' this year, the Doom / Death Metal stalwarts waste no time in delivering such raw and energetic music, yeah sure it's a demo and yeah their fifth demo in a row, but who cares? '失魂 (Lost Souls)' is a two-track dynamic force that exhibits thick distortion, raw vocals and riffs so fluid they make your urine seem viscous. With some dabbling in Black Metal along the way, this quartet know how to hone their craft and whilst it might not be groundbreaking, it certainly adds up for a refreshing listen. Download This: "失魂 Lost Souls" - click to listen For Fans of: Myrkur, Amorphis, My Dying Bride [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON BURST
'You Must Die' INDEPENDENT It's always amazing to find bands from the most far flung lands and yet to discover their music to be as professionally done as you would find in the leading metal scenes. Entering the fray are Burst, a Death / Grind band from the Pacific island of New Caledonia whose debut album 'You Must Die' is a tour de force. All across the fourteen tracks, listeners are subjected to a barrage of double bass drums, thick and heavily distorted guitars, topped by some rather neat and brutal vocals. With songs exclusively in French and English (although it depends if you call it audible), this outfit are sure to garner attention from outside of the French island dependency. If you're digging and looking for something exotic, then Burst's 'You Must Die' is your first port of call. Download This: "Bastard Extravagansa" - click to listen For Fans of: Deathbound, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON
0 Comments
X.KERNEL 'Face The Truth' CIMMERIAN SHADE 'Face The Truth' is the debut album by the Ukrainian Cyber Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit X.Kernel and boy does it captivate throughout the entire album. By lacing a industrial / cyber style of music on the keyboards with the sheer magnitude of the Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore crossover sound, the quintet X.Kernel have clearly demonstrated that they're not adverse to challenging the conventional norms and in doing so have delivered an album that is worthy of international recognition. If they can maintain this futuristic sounding style of metal they've constructed, they may well just become The Ukraine's latest successful export after their fellow countrymen Jinjer secured a deal with Napalm Records, one can imagine the likes of Nuclear Blast being interested in this one. Imagine Sybreed being mixed with Asking Alexandria and Scar Symmetry and you get the idea, cyber metal flirting with heavenly melodic death metal and brutally-tinged Metalcore. Download This: 'Kingdom Of Pain' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON BEHATED REIGN 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' INDEPENDENT It's no secret that South America has had a relatively low-key history in terms of metal exports, except for Brazil's Sepultura and Nervochaos, Argentina's Skiltron and to an extent Colombia's Eshtadur. Venezuela on the other hand doesn't throw up any successful metal exports, until perhaps now where Behated Reign are the juggernaut this scene has been waiting for. Their debut album 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' embraces the Melodic Death Metal sound with ease and comes dabbled with elements of Black Metal (in the riff department), it's a tour-de-force that will sure garner the band attention across planet metal. Having been in a previous incarnation in the form of Beheaded (2012-2015), the 2015-present ensemble Behated Reign are sure to knock on the doors of opportunity with this irresistible effort. Download This: 'Insanis' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON AK-47 'AK-47' INDEPENDENT Latino Thrash Metal is one thing you could call the sound devised by AK-47, or you could call it raw Thrash Metal, whatever you decide to call it, their debut demo is one of promise. Hailing from Uruguay this quintet play Thrash Metal and sing in their native Spanish language giving it that original and authentic feeling. Sure the demo itself is only two tracks long, but it's a solid effort which leaves much anticipation for their debut EP or album. Despite the demo having a low-budget artwork design, the sound certainly is not low-budget, far from it. Thunderous drums lead the backline whilst the riffs rampage on, all whilst the vocals polish off the tracks with enough headbanging opportunities to give you conclusive whiplash. Download This: 'Amos De La Guerra' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON CRUSHEM 'OBS' INDEPENDENT There are times where it's best to stick to the 'already done' and then of course there are the times where originality should take centre stage. However and somehow Turkey's Crushem seem to have gotten themselves stuck in the middle, their debut EP 'OBS' delivers a modern approach to the Death / Groove Metal crossover genre, but some of the components are nothing new and so the EP unfortunately lands itself in the 'been there, done it' basket. There are moments where the EP could swing into more favourable territory but these are too rare for the EP to be considered an interesting listen and rather just something to pass the time of day. With the correct vision and aptitude, Crushem could craft something much more memorable rather than something just to be in existence. Download This: 'Trial' [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON ORCHID SWORD '大躍進' INDEPENDENT Could this be the birth of 'Orientalcore' or Oriental Metalcore? Well Taiwan's Orchid Sword certainly seem to want to embrace the westernised Metalcore style with the basic breakdowns and chugging riffs that you would expect, but draft in oriental sounds by using a keyboard; it might sound more impressive with traditional instruments, a er-hu per se. However, the other aspect that makes this band and their debut album ' 大躍進' evidently oriental is the language choice, embracing their traditional Taiwanese they have created a truly unique and authentic sound that should get some attention from overseas – this stuff usually gets some form of international attention. Taking an overall aspect this album is something magical that will propel Orchid Sword into the limelight, here cometh the pioneers of Orientalcore. Download This: 'Empty 6' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON APOCRIFO MANIFESTO 'Manifiesto' INDEPENDENT Hailing from Argentina, Heavy Groove Metallers Apocrifo Manifesto make their debut EP 'Manifiesto' a little basic and unadventurous despite using their native Spanish as language of choice. The EP is too casual for it to be taken completely seriously but does offer glimmer of hope at various points of something special to come. But for the time being it is a decent effort, it is hoped they will build on this effort and come up with something more striking. The atmosphere is just not as potent as it could be, the vocals are OK, the guitars are what you expect and the drums, well simple as they can be. Download This: 'Alpha-Omega' [5/10] RHYS STEVENSON BLUNT SHOVEL 'Get In The Ground' GOATSOUND Now this is what you call some brutally heavy sh*t, seriously the debut album by Australia's Blunt Shovel is savage enough to rip the skin and muscle from your face. The unrelenting concoction of Death Metal-infused Metalcore is menacing enough to leave your underwear stained. 'Get In The Ground' is their debut album and it will certainly keep you occupied just as long as you can keep headbanging or air guitar playing, because it demands your immediate attention and does not let go without a fight. Fire and fury underpins this unforgiving release and it's final strike is the unrelenting ability to never stop. Download This: 'Tongue Hung Pinata' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON ANOMALIE 'Visions' ART OF PROPAGANDA Austria has always had a success story at nurturing the Black Metal scene and yet despite the slight lack of bands expanding beyond borders, it still has a thriving and enticing scene. Dropping their third album is Atmospheric / Post-Black Metal ensemble Anomalie, 'Visions' definitely brings the chills down your spine with an icy, Alpine breeze that is almost impossible to resist. To be fair it's the kind of Atmospheric Black Metal you could fall asleep to, sure it's similar to bands like Winterfylleth and Fen, but it works and will certainly appeal to the wider metal music fan and not just those enticed by Black Metal as a whole. Anomalie are a band to keep tabs on as this effort shall certainly turn heads. Download This: 'Vision VI: White Forest' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON DEMOCRATUS 'Starting Again' INDEPENDENT The Welsh are always regarded as singers when they speak, but when they let open the gates of hell for metal music to enter into their lives, their true singing abilities kick into being. Back after a 2 or so year plunge into the abyss with line-up changes and what not is South Welsh crew Democratus with their slick streamlined slab of Melodic Death Metal, successfully demonstrated on their aptly named EP 'Starting Again'; it would be cool if they crafted a song in the Welsh language, but for now let the EP strike a chord in the underground for it will serve as a building block for the next few years or so. Whilst at times the EP breaks into Thrash territory especially on 'Furious Horde' (but retaining the core Melodic Death sound), it does evade the shackles of the generic formulas so many other Melodeath bands have used over the years and thus giving the EP a greater meaning to it's existence. Download This: "Furious Horde" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Bloodshot Dawn, At The Gates [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON THEOPSYA
'Endless' INDEPENDENT 6 years may seem a long while, in the case of France's Theopsya it certainly is seeing as they've had a line-up change and apparent hiatus during the period between their debut EP 'Tales Of An Angel' and their long-anticipated debut album 'Endless'. The magic has never gone away and with this effort they have shown they are more than ready to let rip on the world once more, hopefully with their newfound sound of glistening melodies and thunderous riffs they can rack up the attention worldwide. 'Endless' is a huge testament to the Melodic / Symphonic Goth Metal crossover and never stops entertaining throughout. Whatever Theopsya have planned next it it sure to be anticipated with high expectations because simply put, 'Endless' is a sumptuous piece of musicianship that is certain to tingle many ears alike. Download This: "Emerald Heart" For Fans of: Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON ESTAMPIDA 'Hard As The Wolfram' INDEPENDENT Celebrating their 20th year anniversary, Argentinian quartet Estampida unleash an apocalypse with their 'Thrashtastic' EP 'Hard As The Wolfram'. Sure the simile used in the EP title might raise a few eyebrows given Wolfram is the alternate name for Tungsten, which in turn derives from Swedish for 'Heavy Stone', but if this is meant to describe the music then hell the words explain themselves. If you prefer your metal to be full of throttling pace, combined with an atmosphere that guarantees to spark a mosh-pit and one that harbors a sound that will snap your neck in two, then you are reading a review about that exact release. Wallowing between the furious pace of Bay Area Thrash Metal and the guttural harmonics of Melodic Death Metal, 'Hard As The Wolfram' is an EP to raise a pint to. They may be old in the scene, but their music is still fresh as daisies. Download This: "Face The Fear (Captive Soul)" - Click here to listen For Fans of: The Haunted, The Arcane Order, Dying Fetus [8] RHYS STEVENSON SPYDOR 'Predator' INDEPENDENT Despite all their efforts to sound unique and original, German Thrash Metallers Spydor just don't quite cut it. No disrespect to their debut EP 'Predator' which is a good solid slab of Thrash Metal, it just doesn't have anything excellent going for it, no 'wow' factor, no breakneck elements, nothing. It just doesn't seem whether they want to follow the Teutonic Thrash sound or the Bay Area Thrash sound, leaving them to ponder clueless as to where they want to be. 'Predator' for all it's might falls at the very last hurdle that otherwise would have given the band potential to establish a name for themselves in their homeland. Granted the members may well come from well-respected bands in their region, but as far as an international perspective goes, this EP is just another one to shelve in the category 'generic thrash', here's hoping their next effort is an improvement. Download This: "War" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Kreator, Slayer, 'Generic Thrash' [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON CRESCENT LAMENT '花殤' ("Elegy For The Blossoms") INDEPENDENT Crescent Lament's second album answers the anticipation surrounding it with such conviction, that this could be the release that gives Crescent Lament international recognition. '花殤' ("Elegy For The Blossoms") tells the story of A-hiong, a Taiwanese geisha who endured sorrow and anxiety throughout the late-Japanese period, the Pacific campaign in WWII and thereafter upon the dawn of the Chinese Nationalist Party's dominance in Taiwanese history. By utilizing traditional Taiwanese and Japanese instruments to give the sound a Oriental-yet-traditional feel to the music, Crescent Lamant establish themselves as the pioneers of ''Oriental Gothic Metal' and as this album goes, delivers a dark, saddening and theatrical sound. What also makes this release all the more magical, is the entire story concept, with two cultures clashing on one record, this is one album everyone should have in their collection. If any Far Eastern film delves into the realm of the geisha, Crescent Lament should make an appearance on the strength of this release. Download This: " 晴雨 " - Click here to listen For Fans of: Epica, Lacrimosa, After Forever [9] RHYS STEVENSON GEMINI ABYSS 'Regenerate' INDEPENDENT Gemini Abyss' third full-length release 'Regenerate', at times feels like there is too much going on and thus loses track on what could be a powerful album. The male vocals hinder the album this time round, constricting the evident Symphonic Power Metal sound and clogging it up, whereas the female vocals need greater space instead of battling against the crunchy guitar riffs and blitzing drums. Despite this, 'Regenerate' is a respectable release that will surely give the fans of said metal genre and band to chew on, but in a holistic sense it might not be enough to propel the band into the international spotlight. Instead of growling, perhaps Marcin ought to adopt a Phantom of the Opera singing style; this combined with Klaudia's graceful singing would send the atmospherics sky-rocketing. There are pockets of songs that stand out as true anthems, such as 'Like The Wind' which ideally is the sound Gemini Abyss ought to follow more. Download This: "Like The Wind" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Rhapsody Of Fire, Kamelot [7] RHYS STEVENSON VARIOUS ARTISTS 'The Witch 3: Wild Hunt Official Soundtrack - Special Edition' CD PROJEKT RED To hear this momentous soundtrack from the Windows/PS4/Xbox One game 'The Witch 3: Wild Hunt' is a delight beyond all belief. Featuring a wide array of instrumentalists and an all-Polish-choir, the end product is one of sheer emphatic and epic proportions that relates to the LOTR trilogy in it's suspense, elements and dramatic numbers. It also features the Progressive / Folk Metal band Percival using only acoustic instruments (Percival Schuttenbach is the metal counterpart) of whose metal name ties in with one of the gnomes from "The Witcher" saga, which in turn is a book series and forerunner to the video game series. In fact, this all Polish affair really has put the spotlight on the band and musicians involved, but as for the soundtrack itself for those who manage to secure a copy it is worth the listen. With 31 tracks spanning over 70 minutes-worth of listening time, listeners will be spoiled for choice onto what to listen to, overall this is a majestic work of art that will enthrall anyone who plays the game and as said listens to the soundtrack (if you're lucky enough to get a copy). Listen to it here: "Official Soundtrack" For Fans of: Video game instrumentals [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON PERCIVAL SCHUTTENBACH / PERCIVAL 'Wild Hunt' & 'Mniejsze Zło' INDEPENDENT / INDEPENDENT Lubin-based Percival Schuttenbach and their sister band Percival lock horns on their folkloric split release 'Wild Hunt' and exercise their traditional Slavic roots with pomp, majestic atmospherics and similar pace to that of their national dance the Polonez. The evident difference between the two bands is that Percival uses solely acoustic elements and yet whilst the Russian-Polish group have their musical differences with both bands, the essence of folk music remains on both accounts. Yet, Percival Schuttenbach (whose name comes from a gnome in the "The Witcher" saga) go international and perform other traditional folk songs from Belarus, Bulgaria and Croatia and thus deliver a fantastic multicultural product. Listeners will not get bored of this, nor will they get bored of the metal counterpart known (as said) as Percival. Sure whilst the latter band only has four songs on this 12-track release, it still delivers that excitement and folk-feeling you would expect. Singing exclusively in Polish, Percival keep their heritage and traditions alive through a cocktail blend of Progressive Metal guitar work and Folk Metal harmonics, just don't confused them with Pagan Metal because they are far from it. For Slavic Folk Metal, Percival stick true to their sister bands sounds and turn the amp up past 13. Overall this split is a remarkable testament to the Polish Metal scene, and is one that you ought to have in your collection. As for Percival Schuttenbach's fourth album 'Mniejsze Zło', more of their Progressive Folk Metal is brought out again. Maxing out at over an hour, this is a joy to listen to as the Polish verbiage flows out like a cascading waterfall. Much alike to fellow contemporary Polish Folk Metal bands, Percival Schuttenbach weave together traditional sounds with the harsh grittiness of metal music to create a sound that will enthrall many fans alike. Sure the balance between clean and screeching vocals is paramount to making a release dynamic, and that is what exactly has happened, by mixing two types of vocals that are reminiscent of many Slavic Metal bands and of the bouncy and melodic traditional type, 'Mniejsze Zło' will surely stand the test of time as a true honor to Polish Slavic Metal. Download This: "Żmij I Dziewczyna" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Arkona, At The Lake, Żywiołak [8] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON FRANTIC AMBER 'Burning Insight' INDEPENDENT Metal knows no boundaries, so when Sweden-based quintet Frantic Amber unleash their debut album 'Burning Insight' upon the masses, what comes with it is a new take on the Melodic Death Metal style. With members from Sweden, Japan, Norway and Denmark bringing together their own unique tastes for metal, the consequential output is a mixing pot of different influences that all mesh together to create the Frantic Amber sound. Dynamic atmospherics laced with the unrelenting pummeling of the drums come colliding and crashing against the crunchiness of the riffs and sickening feminine-ish vocals. It may well be 7 years since the band's inception, but the wait is well worth it. 'Burning Insight' shows a vast improvement across the years since the band's first EP and with this effort, clearly deserve to be signed, for they are certainly Sweden's hottest-property-of-2015. For Fans of: Arch Enemy, Scar Symmetry, Deals Death Download This: "Soar" - Click here to listen [8] RHYS STEVENSON AZURICA 'Warriors Don't Die' INDEPENDENT Not to be confused with their second EP of the same name, Azurica's humble beginning started with their 2013 EP 'Warriors Don't Die' which takes the form of a Keyboard-led style of Melodic Death Metal. Despite it's might, the vocals seem to be whispered and thereby allowing the guitars to take center stage alongside the keyboards. And what with the drums providing very little agility let alone sound quality, you begin to question where the band wants to be heading and where they are actually heading. Suffice to say despite Azurica's attempts to make 'Warriors Don't Die' a feasibly and exciting release, it fails to make the cut and as a result, begs for their next release to be the one to gobsmack. How will the German quintet move on from this is the next question, one of which should have an interesting answer. Download This: "The Inseparable Part" - Click here to listen For Fans of: 'Melodic Death Metal' [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON KYMATICA 'Kymatica' INDEPENDENT Just utter the genre and you will raise an eyebrow. Symphonic Extreme Metal might be a paradox in terms of how the opposites of the metal scale collide on Kymatica's self-debut album, but it certainly leaves an ever-lasting taste for more. Whilst their first major release might not be a clear-cut work of art, it certainly delivers something fresh to the table, with a concoction of sounds deriving from Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Post-Metal and Doom Metal, you would be left pondering what on earth did Kymatica drink in order to deliver this golden-piss-of-an-album. Despite its lack of presence for the most part, 'Kymatica' is a promising sign of good things to come from this Canadian quartet and whilst it may leave some listeners befuddled, the end result is as good as the start. Watch this band with some interest. Download This: "Fate, Doom" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth, White Empress [7] RHYS STEVENSON STORM UPON THE MASSES
'Vengeance Of Madness' INDEPENDENT Slamming the ground with a fist of fury is Belgian Brutal Death Metal masochists Storm Upon The Masses, now their EP 'Vengeance Of Madness' is a little heavier than your last hangover. By bolting together a furious rally of drumming, riffs and guttural verbiage, this quintet emerge victorious as perhaps becoming the natural successor to Aborted. 'Vengeance Of Madness' will grapple onto your senses, pound your skull into tiny fragmented pieces and leave you begging for your mummy; unless of course she's into brutally-crafted Brutal Death Metal. Whilst there is only three tracks, there is enough firepower to blow away any poser Death Metal band with ease and cement Storm Upon The Masses' place as one of 2015's hottest prospects, let alone place 'Vengeance Of Madness' as an early contender for Belgian release of the year. All in all, watch this band with interest. Download This: "The Skin Collector" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Aborted, Suffocation, Nile [8] RHYS STEVENSON SOULLINE 'Welcome My Sun' SEO When you take the time to search the globe for mesmerizing talent and end up checking a band that not only is signed, has performed at Wacken and toured with well respected metal bands and yet has very little recognition outside of their native country, you begin think to yourself 'something is wrong here'. Rest assured, SoulLine's fourth studio album is an absolute bone-crunching slab of Melodic Death Metal; with Metalcore influences dotted here and there. Having been around for 15 years, it's remarkable to think that this band has not grabbed the attention they evidently deserve and yet still put out releases that would probably result in the world's press smothering them. 'Welcome My Sun' is a huge testament to the Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore style and for those who check them out (you really should!), the time spent will be worth every second of it. Download This: "Anvils" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Sonic Syndicate, Cursed By The Fallen, Threat Signal [9] RHYS STEVENSON IN CAUDA VENENUM 'In Cauda Venenum' EMANATIONS If you were ever looking for something to pass the time with, or just to simply listen to Post-Black Metal that makes pop music seem even more livelier than roadkill, then check out the debut self-titled album by French duo In Cauda Venenum. Give credit though to the phenomenal length of the two tracks combined, a whopping 43 minutes of raw riffs, thick atmospherics, shrieking vocals and thunderous drums. However for the said appraisals, the album has no more redeeming qualities and as such falls as a rather uninteresting release, some people might even want to switch on the TV just to clear their heads from the damning misery exhibited here. If this is the best the French Metal scene can produce in the Post-Black Metal arena, then we might as well just give up. Download This: "Ωlpha" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Alcest, Falloch, Fen [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON METROPOLIS CHILD 'As Dreams Make Us Live' 2014 was the year that French quartet Metropolis Child unleashed their highly Modern Metal EP 'As Dreams Make Us Live' amongst the masses. This Progressive Metal unit wield together some rather tight-arse riffs, bulldozing drums and vocals so vicious, 'savage' would be an understatement. Whilst slightly diverting away from the Dream Theater-esque Prog Metal sound, 'As Dreams Make Us Live' borrows some of that influence and bolts it onto the seemingly apparent Djent influence, without ending up like a Periphery clone. The time signatures vary greatly and thus offers a varied mix of sounds on each song (let alone the use of both English and French), all in all this is 24 minutes of your life that will be greatly rewarded. This effort gives the band high hopes of establishing themselves worldwide. Download This: "Those XII Shades" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Breach The Void, Meshuggah, 'Djent' [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON BLINDRAGE 'Blindrage' When unsigned bands come to the point where they seek to release a debut album, they aim to have a complete and fully-comprehensive line-up. Well since Italy's Blindrage swapped the vocals position twice and landed Stefano Palmonari for their debut self-titled album, the feeling that they have found their winning music algorithm is present. Mixing together the agile, free-flowing rhythms of Speed Metal with the power and majestic-stance of Heavy Metal, this quintet deliver a debut album that is certain to perk up the ears of metalheads worldwide. Whilst it might be a tad late to spark a lengthy career, Blindrage however will be seen as a model for the new wave of Italian Heavy / Speed Metal bands to look up to. This album is truly a testament to said metal genre and would appeal to many metal fans. Download This: "Fool's Cant Cry" For fans of: Judas Priest, Motorhead, Rage [8] RHYS STEVENSON BLOODY TYRANT '水沙漣傳奇 (The Legacy Of Sun-Moon Lake)' Taiwanese Blackened Folk horde Bloody Tyrant mark themselves as the natural successor to ChthoniC with their second album '水沙漣傳奇 (The Legacy Of Sun-Moon Lake)' and ultimately delve into Taiwanese mythology whilst utilizing traditional instruments to give their sound that Oriental kick. Exclusively singing in Mandarin, this 7-track opus ought to give the band much deserved international attention and propel them onto greater heights within the global metal arena. Of course if Bloody Tyrant keep chugging away and putting out music like this, a record label deal will come along with it as this sort of music demands that level of attention. This may well be a sharp contender for Taiwanese Metal release of the year; with such ferocity and mind-blowing power, it deserves to be. Download This: "Final Battle Of Sun-Moon Lake" - Click here to listen For Fans of: ChthoniC, Ancient Rites, Tengger Cavalry [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MYSTERION 'In The Emptiness Of Life' Creating a release with less members than your average band line-up becomes harder as more instrument duties have to be designated, however with that comes the greater freedom of creativity and this is what Germany's Mysterion have exploited. With Zkraciev on vocals and Stefan Jakobitz dealing with the instrument sections, this duo have lashed together a ferocious blend of Black Metal, epic symphonies and plagued atmospherics with the embodiment of Dark 'Gothic' Metal to create a sound beyond darkened imagination. Evidently present on their debut album 'In The Emptiness Of Life', their unique sound of Blackened Dark Metal caresses the senses and enlivens the mind, call it what you like as this release will undoubtedly capture attention across the breadth of the underground metal world. Download This: "Emptiness" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Anorexia Nervosa, Carach Angren, Agathodaimon [8] RHYS STEVENSON N R C S S S T 'Schizophrenic Art' INDEPENDENT 'Blackgaze' sounds interesting at first but in the end it boils down to post-black metal, a sub-genre that irks die-hard metalheads. Or at least N R C S S S T might argue, musical creativity. Hailing from Lithuania, this quintet immerse the surroundings in a blanket of mist, laden with noise beyond belief and a Black Metal attitude that stems from this Baltic nation's dark history. 'Schizophrenic Art' is the band's debut album and it demands a high level of attention to say the least, ironically it falls short of being anything decent, experimentation is good but you can get carried away with it, sadly N R C S S S T have fallen into that trap and it is up to their next release to rescue them from falling flat on their faces. 'Schizophrenic Art' may be different, but it just fails to make the cut, but is a half-decent listen none the less. Download This: "In Remorse" - Click here to listen For fans of: Falloch, Alcest, Deafheaven [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON AVERSION 'Aversion' Canada's Aversion go balls-to-the-wall to show that Scandinavian-style Black Metal is not geographically fixed and that it can be exploited anywhere. This is exactly what the quintet have done, with their self-titled album sweeter than syrup and grimmer than a mauling bear, they have the hallmarks of becoming the next successful Canadian metal exports. For an album that is trilingual (English, French and Polish), it certainly meets the criteria to acknowledge it as a well-worked debut album. Conjuring up an atmosphere that chills your spine and lashing it to vocals from the venomous vixen Vena Kava, erotic guitar work, blitzing bass elements and thunderous drumming parts, the result is an album that will give any Black Metal fan a whopping boner in their pants. Watch this band with interest, we could have the new Carpathian Forest in our midst? Download This: "Gangrene Harvest" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Carpathian Forest, Mayhem, Urgehal [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON HELL:ON 'Once Upon A Chaos...' FERRRUM.COM Following a decade of demolition in their native land, Ukrainian metal wielders Hell:On return with arguably their best offering ever. 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is a hell-raising leviathan-of-an-album that enthralls an satisfies any palatable tongues for bruising Death / Thrash Metal. Featuring an array of slick-tight-arsed riffs that dance around the furious yet persistent drum beats, this is one album that ought to be on anyone's 2015 hit-list for album purchases. With raw and rancid vocals adding to the already enraged drama, you can be assured of a heavy knock-out when being seduced by this quintets capability of defying all logic and reason. Technical in some parts, seismic all over, 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is a sharp contender for Ukrainian Metal album of the year. This album certainly is not for those who cannot cope with heavy music, word. Recommended Track: "Self-Destruction" For Fans of: Nervecell, Oshiego, old-Sepultura 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is out 31st August via Ferrrum.com [8] RHYS STEVENSON KHAEL
'Efímero' INDEPENDENT Four years have passed since Khael's debut album 'Dualidad' caught our attention and last year they released their follow-up album 'Efímero', and damn is it good. Sticking to their native Spanish, the now-duo embrace the beauty and the darkness of the Gothic Metal sound and add some Spanish flavors to give it an exotic feel. Whilst perhaps not as robust as their first album, 'Efímero' does bear all the hallmarks of a well-executed release, with crunching riffs combining with flamenco-style singing and bullish drums supporting the electric atmosphere, you would be stupid to dismiss this release on the very simplest of whims. Whilst perhaps not geared to spark interest across Europe, this album will certainly appeal to the Spanish-speaking metal nations worldwide. Khael may yet have proved themselves to be Spain's answer to Italy's Lacuna Coil. Download This: "La Tormenta" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Lacuna Coil, Moi Dix Mois, Lumina Criptica [8] RHYS STEVENSON NIGHTCREEPERS 'Hreidd' What with 'Alpha' being the blazing album that it was, it was going to be tough to see how French Folk Metal sextet Nightcreepers could up their game. But they've succeeded and the result is a sensational offering in the form of 'Hreidd'. Utilizing much of the unforgiving brutality the band has exercised on previous releases, 'Hreidd' storms out of the barn with a trail of blisteringly-hot fire left behind it. What makes this release a powerful slap-in-the-face album is the brilliance in mixing Folk Metal with Extreme Metal elements, whilst avoiding being pigeon-holed in the Black / Folk Metal category. In fact 'Hreidd' has the attitude and firepower to ignite widespread interest for the band, if this does not deliver them a record label deal within the next year or so, then there is something seriously wrong with the..... labels. 'Hreidd' is set to win Nightcreepers a flurry of new fans worldwide. Download This: "Volcae" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Windir, Dimmu Borgir, Vanir 'Hreidd' is out now via an Independent release [9] RHYS STEVENSON YMYRGAR 'The Tale As Far' Sure Ymyrgar may be singing about Norse mythology and subsequently fall under the Viking Metal or Pagan Black Metal categories, but come on they are from Tunisia! That's just as misplaced as Skiltron from Argentina singing and playing Scottish Folk Metal. However their debut album 'The Tale As Far' really sets the par high for other Tunisian Metal bands albeit Myrath who have already cemented their place in the international arena. By lacing together melodic folkloric elements with the harshness of Black Metal, what Ymygar have delivered here is a rather unique culture clash of-a-release, one that ought to garner some attention from the North African metal scenes at the very least. Featuring Tuoksu (Arij Arbi ) as the guest soprano, her vocals add the missing dimension to the album and thus poise it perfectly as Tunisia's next successful album export. Download This: "Dawn Of Time" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Drakwald, Elder Tale, "Pagan Black Metal" [8] RHYS STEVENSON ARCHAIZE 'Liberation' It's not all that often an Australian Metal band gets international recognition, although Archaize might get this with their debut album 'Liberation' which explodes in a minefield of Groove, Death and Thrash Metal, accumulating to develop a brutal form of Modern Metal. 'Liberation' is a 41 minute assault of purely aggressive, insanely catchy and completely arousing numbers that will get your tits hard and cocks up in the air as if sex went out of fashion. With vocals that are so piercingly loud, riffs so savage they rip into your soul and drumming so full of fury, you would be hard to find any other Australian Metal band that can rival the Modern Metal machinists known as Archaize. This is the new sound of metal and it's coming to whip your sorry arse. 'Liberation' is guaranteed to give Archaize that platform needed to start their career, if they carry on this sound, they may well be playing in the UK in a few years to come. Download This: "Sunset" - Click here to listen For Fans of: DevilDriver, Mnemic, Six Feet Under [8] RHYS STEVENSON MANIC DEMISE 'The Bitter Blood Of Brutality' Call them blood brothers, call them brothers-in-arms, call them what you like, the fact is the duo known as Manic Demise do not mess around when it comes to releasing stellar material. Especially when the vocalist is in the USA and the instrumentalist is in Australia, the duo's debut EP "The Bitter Blood Of Brutality" may not be the convincing release they could have conceived but it certainly is a respectable slab of Death Metal. In fact it ought to be interesting to see how they progress from this release, surely the debut album will oust the EP with no mercy attached? 'The Bitter Blood Of Brutality' is a gore-guzzling sizzler-of-a-release that demands utmost attention and a stomach cast of iron, so as to stop you from puking at this orgasmic release. Download This: "Septic Crypt" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Gorguts, Avulsed, Dying Fetus [7] RHYS STEVENSON ALKIRA 'Juggernaut' Aiming to stake their claim on Australian soil (nay the international metal scene) is South Australia quartet Alkira with their infectious Groove / Thrash effort 'Juggernaut'. Their debut album comes hot off the heels from their second EP 'Red Devil' and with it comes a valiant neck-breaking storm of fast and furious Thrash Metal mixed with the funkiness and elegance of Groove Metal. Through a culmination of gnarly vocals, barbaric riffs and unruly drumming, Alkira's 'Juggernaut' has more balls than those two dudes on the Fosters TV adverts, in fact Alkira are not your average Australian Metal band either. They will go places if they keep this momentum going, the salient point is that 'Juggernaut' is without a doubt hotter than a typical Aussie BBQ on the beach and has tons more glamor than Kylie Minogue, however it does have the sexiness of her though... Download This: "Submission Therapy" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Anthrax, Motorhead, Pantera [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON ZARIA 'Po Poti Življenja' Very few bands from Central Europe deliver a sparkling demo and then top that by delivering a debut album that turns heads from further afield. Zaria, a six-piece Folk Metal unit from Slovenia certainly have struck the right chord in delivering their debut album 'Po Poti Življenja'. Aligned alongside fellow countrymen Brezno, it seems that we could have 2 bands simultaneously leading the Slovenian Metal scene. As for Zaria, the one thing holding them back is the lack of English, ironically if they ditched the Slovene language, then the music would lose it's cultural identity as true sounds of Slovenia. With infectious melodies and harmonious elements flowing freely throughout. Zaria's 'Po Poti Življenja' is a must-have album for avid Folk Metal fans, you'd be silly not to, as it expresses the beauty of traditional folkloric tales and the gracefulness of soft, melodic folk music. Download This: "Moč Brez Imena" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Brezno, Eluveitie, Ensiferum [9] RHYS STEVENSON HAMMERHEAD 'The Doom That Came To Sarnath' For those not in the know, Sarnath is the place of pilgrimage for Buddhists worldwide, so what inspired Hammerhead to call their second EP 'The Doom That Came To Sarnath'? Simple, the title is taken from the H.P. Lovecraft novel, moreover with this EP the Belgian trio hurl a barrage of gnarly, face-punching sounds that certainly would appeal to fans of neck-breaking Thrash Metal. With some rather dashing tremolo's creating a wall of sound alongside unrelenting drumming and vocals so vile, you'd have to wear a face mask to avoid being spat upon with cyanide; it is that corrosive. The EP is all good and proper but it does take time to kick in, so some impatient "Thrasheads" may switch off, but for those who wait, the rewards are certainly worth it. Hammerhead are a band to watch in 2015 because with this 2014 EP, they are rather promising. Download This: "The Doom That Came To Sarnath" - Click here to listen For fans of: Slayer, Exodus, Pantera [8] RHYS STEVENSON RETRACE MY FRAGMENTS 'Ethereal Flux' If there is one band that has never shied away from reinventing themselves or challenging the conventions of their own music, it's Retrace My Fragments. Their debut album 'Ethereal Flux' takes on board 101% originality; something that lacks in a vast swathe of modern Death Metal bands, lashing together an awe-inspiring science fiction story (split into chapters) conceived by vocalist Antonio Martija and bringing it to life through a dramatic-yet-theatrical production of brutal vocals, eerie riffs, apocalyptic drumming and an atmosphere so expansive, it makes a black-hole claustrophobic. 'Ethereal Flux' is the finest release by this Luxembourg quintet and should garner some international attention, why these guys are not signed is astounding, however with this album the labels cannot ignore them much longer. Retrace My Fragments are flying the flag for the Luxembourg Metal scene. Download This: "Rime Of The Instant Space Traveller" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Cephalic Carnage, The Dillinger Escape Plan, 'Modern Metal' [10] RHYS STEVENSON FROST TEARS
'九章 (Nine Chapters)' MAGNUM MUSIC Leading the way for the new wave of Oriental Gothic Metal is Taiwanese ensemble Frost Tears with their debut album 九章 (Nine Chapters). Singing in their native Chinese language, the sextet embody this with the gracefulness of European Gothic Metal, mix it with an Oriental atmosphere and create an overall sound that will appeal to a wide range of metalheads. '九章 (Nine Chapters)' explodes in all directions with the vocals ranging from operatic to melodic and the instruments delivering a combined solid force that will surely drive Frost Tears into the international limelight. Full of drama, twists and turns at every pulsating second, '九章 (Nine Chapters)' is one album everyone should own, literally everyone. Download This: "九章 (Nine Chapters) album trailer" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Lacuna Coil, Tarja Turunen, Within Temptation [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON BLACK ELEGY 'Pathway' Possibly the best Gothic / Doom Metal band to emerge from Germany in a long, long time. Black Elegy make their anticipated debut with 'Pathway', a 49 minute opus that takes the listener on a spellbinding journey through the bitter cold lands of the German forests and mountains through a delicate balance of harmonic angelic vs. brutally demonic vocals and a slow yet captivating mixture of solid riffs and stomach-churning drumming, not to mention a soothing and calming atmosphere being developed by the individual elements. 'Pathway' is an album many Gothic Metal and Doom Metal fans will love and is sure to push forward Black Elegy into the spotlight as a potential label signing in the year ahead, it may be early days but Black Elegy certainly seem to be going places. Download This: "Saturnine Past" For fans of: Swallow The Sun, Amorphis, Opeth [8] RHYS STEVENSON BEGRIME EXEMIOUS 'Visions Of The Scourge' DARK DESCENT Last year saw the unleashing of horrendous and torrential satanic pain, transmitted through the unholiest of medians, the second album by Canadian warlords Begrime Exemious. Their latest offering 'Visions Of The Scourge' delivers unrelenting black / death metal in the raw form that it should be more often in. Through the use of a low-key production sound it adds sweet distortion to the guitar and drum sounds whilst the vocals offer little resilience in terms of the ugly beauty they produce. Sure 'Visions Of The Scourge' may not appeal to all extreme metal fans, but to those who prefer their music as dirty as a slut mud bath, this is the album for you. In fact without albums like 'Visions Of The Scourge' and bands like Begrime Exemious, true underground metal would not exist. Download This: "The Vault Of Ancient Bone & Poison Saliva" For Fans of: Belphegor, Watain, Destroyer 666 [8] RHYS STEVENSON SILAS 'World Of Colour' You can never be too far short of good music in London, the capital of England is like a corn field with each piece acting as a band, a puzzle in the whole area if you like. Anyway enough small talk, Silas is a classic hard rock and heavy metal that embezzles the very foundation of pure music. Their first mini-album delivers that guitar-driven sound to it's limit whilst adding some rather neat and tidy fusion elements, namely the funk element from which we suspect vats of Jack Daniels might be the culpable culprit. Whatever this band runs on, their latest effort 'World Of Colour' certainly packs a punch, a punch that should get them on to the battlefields of Europe and lighting the various venues across the continent with their atomic explosion of riff-laden rock / metal. Download This: "Negative One" For Fans of: Avenge Thee & Naime, Artisfiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON REMNANTS OF CAMULOS 'Screaming For An Answer' Some bands start off with so much potential and have no clue where to direct it, this time that bleakness falls upon teenage lads Remnants of Camulos of whom delivered their debut EP last year and quite frankly although being well and good in terms of effort and being different, the overall feel and reception is one to be considered. 'Screaming For An Answer' supposedly is meant to be a mash-up of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal and Metalcore, never in the month of sunday's is that correct. Given the vocals are in the Death Metal category and the riffs and drums reside more with Thrash Metal, they may as well be Deathrash or similar. However as for the EP don't expect anything groundbreaking or spectacular, the metal is good but the application needs considerable work on. Download This: "We Are Not Enslaved" For Fans of: Lamb of God, Hatebreed. 'bizarre metal' [6] RHYS STEVENSON ADAPTOR 'Fire In The Hallway' What can one say, Thrash Metal how it should be, well at least partly. Take Adaptor's debut EP 'Fire In The Hallway' released last year and rip it apart, first off the shift in time signatures and pace is far too great to comprehend, how on earth are metal fans meant to headbang to the opening song 'Mind' without tripping over themselves? Fast, slow, fast, slow? Really? More like a stuttering car engine. Ok, give due 'Fire In The Hallway' is a decent enough release, it does mostly what most Thrash Metal bands do best and deliver heart-shredding music, but it is the change in speed that let's it down. Wherever the Dutch quartet go from here it better improve, because judging on this effort, they have a fair bit to do before being considered all for it. Good release though. Download This: 'Fire In The Hallway' For Fans of: Kreator, Holy Moses. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON NEBRUS 'From The Black Ashes' SCHATTENKULT At times it's a rarity to find old school Black Metal and so attention always turns to the abyss of the underground, this time the fire burns bright for misanthropic anti-christian Black Metal duo Nebrus who hail from the sun-soaked region of Tuscany, Italy. Their debut album released last year carries everything expected of an underground Black Metal release and as listeners peruse the songs on 'From The Black Ashes', they will come across at every song a whole plethora of different elements and sounds all coalescing into each song. Guitars are as raw as red meat and the drums as potent as poison, however the vocals do need some work on but for now offer a darkened insight into potentially the next best Black Metal outfit from the Italian lands. Download This: "Chains" For Fans of: Darkthrone, Burzum, Mayhem [8] RHYS STEVENSON MERCILESS TERROR 'Vile Extinction' DEVILS CLAUSE You know how it goes, technology is always renewing itself. The same goes for a band, each release that passes they intend to renew their current sound to improve it, however some fail at this process. Merciless Terror on the other hand were practically born with this process in their system, take their upcoming full length 'Vile Extinction' for example and try surviving the whole 34 minutes of it without either 1. violently headbanging, 2. drinking excessively or 3. wanking. This is due to the album blasting out a futile mix of Death Metal vocals and a Thrash Metal music embodiment that together merge to form a sound that will send shock-waves down the spine of planet metal. Through the composition of fast music that speeds past anything experienced at Wimbledon and the repulsive yet delicious lyrics instated on the album, there is no reason to why Merciless Terror's new album 'Vile Extinction' will not show bands in said genre how it should be done. For Fans of: Old Sepultura, Napalm Death, Slayer, Deicide 'Vile Extinction' is out on 19th August 2013 via Devils Clause Records worldwide [10] RHYS STEVENSON MASQUERADER 'Singular Point' It would certainly seem that Masquerader are ready to follow ChthoniC's footsteps and become an internationally recognised metal band. The five-piece Thrash Metal maniacs unleash furious hell with their second EP 'Singular Point', think classic Slayer and then wield that with an oriental attitude, you got it - colossal meltdown. 'Singular Point' gleams with everything you would expect from an 80's metal inspired band, producing insanely fast riffs without any mercy whatsoever whilst the drums and vocals finish the rest of you off. If this was a meal it would be burger and chips, juicy riffs with enough punch to know you back whilst the chips relate to the atmospheric flavor Masquerader muster on this must have release. Masquerader are flying the flag for Taiwan, now watch the Taiwanese onslaught begin. Download This: "S.A.T.A.N" For Fans of: Slayer, old Sepultura, Venom [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON HELL'S THRASH HORSEMEN 'Demo 2012' Wallowing in the land renowned for a lot of black metal and pagan metal is Hell's Thrash Horsemen, a (you guessed it!) Thrash Metal band from the bitter lands of the Russian Federation. Here we have their latest release, their 2012 demo gives an important sign that they are sure to make waves in Europe in the foreseeable future. Sure the release itself is not exactly anything different but still it serves up nicely as a decent Thrash metal release. Prepare for some classic sounds and fast music as Hell's Thrash Horsemen aim to serve up a feast for your ears that will aim for anyone to come back to enjoy once more. Download This: "Servants Of The People" For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, classic Thrash Metal. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON PUNCH 'N' JUDY
'Crossing Over' It is interesting to see a band cop onto the traditional British puppet show Punch 'N' Judy and call themselves after it, especially when they are from Germany. The five-piece Folk Metal musicians deliver an almost identical sound to that of the said piece of theatrical art. 'Crossing Over' is the band's third album to date and delivers that classic Folk Metal sound with added extras through the elaborate way of using the accordion to develop a country folk or medieval metal sound, which is funny seeing as medieval metal does already exist. But what is captivating about this band and indeed the album is that both defy the rulebook and do things their own way. You can be assured that Punch 'N' Judy will capture attention across the European plains with their unique style of German Folk Metal. Download This: "Nur Der Narr" For Fans of: Schandmaul, Subway To Sally, Eluveitie [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON |
If you enjoy reading this content, please consider a donation DonateMetal III
3rd Chronicles of Metal Music Reviews © 2011-2022
Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
May 2021
Categories
All
|