POSSESSOR 'City Built With Skulls' SLANEY Virginian Thrash maniacs Possessor make their short-awaited debut with 'City Built With Skulls', a solid production of classic American Thrash Metal in the style of Metallica and Slayer. Loaded with riffs and fist-burning drumming, 'City Built With Skulls' slashes its way through the silent atmosphere and explodes by delivering a feast of tasteful compositions. Rough it up and ride it bareback, this is breakneck Thrash as it should be in its modern form. For Possessor, this their moment to stand out and shine, an album that keeps the classics intact and retains its title as the original sound, 'City Built With Skulls' is not for the faint of heart (or indeed haters of old school metal). [9] RHYS STEVENSON ZOMBIES ATE MY GIRLFRIEND 'Patient Zero' Possibly one of the greatest modern day bands to walk out of the South African Metal scene. Zombies Ate My Girlfriend kick off their highly-anticipated career with the face-punching EP 'Patient Zero', spewing out cursed Melodic Death Metal and lashed with elements of Metalcore here and there, the compass points south on this one as the quintet smash apart the crystal silence with what can easily be perceived as South African Metal album of the year. As bloody as the Boer war and as brutal as the realisation of penguins on the sandy beaches, Zombies Ate My Girlfriend are due to hit the international scene and fly the flag for the South African Metal scene, think you know metal? You don't know sh*t until you check this lot out! [10] RHYS STEVENSON SURREAL THOUGHTS 'Augmentations' Interestingly enough, Bavarian quartet Surreal Thoughts make their return well and truly known, making their next outing their sophomore album 'Augmentations' come to life, the Progressive Death Metal ensemble demolish every instrument in sight and yet sadly fail to make the cutting edge vocals that were anticipated to be there. Whilst the riffs are great, they mask out the drums and so the production lacks any presence, so what you end up with is a perfect elemental piece minus any atmosphere. Give due the death growling is decent, but unless you have got ultra-high hearing, the lyrics without reading them are anyone's guess, anyone's guess that is if you can be bothered. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON BONERIDE 'Arms Of Mercy' Bringing back the glories of the Heavy Metal and Rock 'N' Roll sound is Finnish Heavy Metallers Boneride and their third demo 'Arms Of Mercy', whilst not exactly similar to the titans Iron Maiden, the closest you can compare this quartet is to bands like AC/DC, Motorhead and Judas Priest, the sort that require the listener to be in tight leather (if your a girl), drinking Jack Daniels and riding a Harley-Davidson across the snow-laden landscapes of Finland. As for 'Arms Of Mercy', this is a sure sign that Boneride are readying themselves to unleash something rather epic and highly extraordinary, as such this is a band to watch and well in the end they take the no-nonsense direction and remain with rock in their hearts. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON FROSTBITTEN 'Nocturnal Hypnosis' Hailing from the city of Cambridge, Frostbitten is a one-man Black Metal project and yet when upon hearing the debut album 'Nocturnal Hypnosis' unfold like a venus fly trap decapitating its prey, the inevitable sound of raw black metal spews out over the atmosphere like a poison gas murdering everything living within its detonation radius. Word of warning, turn down the speakers, for at points the album gets very loud and as such could make the listener sh*t themselves. Full of depressive shrieks, shrieks rivalling pain and music to rival the satanic Justin Bieber, no wonder this is an underground project, you probably could not find anything more kvlt. [6.66] RHYS STEVENSON WRITHING VOID 'Isolate' From the dark corners of the lands of Northern Ireland arises a force so powerful, it made Southern Ireland tremble in fear, enter the band or project Writhing Void with the debut EP 'Isolate', a classic example of pure Black Metal. Loaded with some of the most evil vocals heard on overseas British soil and yet the EP carries this feeling of pure euphoria, for it has the raw sound in tune and yet somehow has a lively feel to it, quite bizarre for a Black Metal album, but who is to judge? The EP features four tracks of pure chaos, let alone the drums running wild and the vocals spitting curses at every second, 'Isolate' is probably the darkest release ever to be created in the Northern Irish Metal scene. [7] RHYS STEVENSON WAKING THEO 'Reborn' So much is a-due here, the North / West Yorkshire quintet Waking Theo smash their way back into the scene with their latest demo 'Reborn' in wake of their vocalist changing, needless to say - this is the real deal. The vocals as far as one can hear, are awashed with gritty Metalcore and so bullies the band into action for a full fist-pumping smackdown. In short, the Thrash Metal elements residing in the guitar riffs and the Metalcore physique blasting out from the drums and vocals edge Waking Theo further into the scene, this material is perhaps the material to get them label attention if not major press, if this does not get attention from Metal Hammer, Terrorizer or at least Kerrang! I'll eat my speakers. [9] RHYS STEVENSON THE FLESH TRADING COMPANY 'River Runs Red' Bavaria seems to be spewing out a host of excellent metal bands lately and The Flesh Trading Company is no exception, bringing to the frontline their debut EP 'River Runs Red' in what can be called a 'DVD case'. Kicking off with the 'in your face' attitude, the music punches the listener so hard it makes unarmed combat look like a hugging session. Mixing Death Metal vocals with the agile speed of Thrash Metal and the embodiment of Heavy Metal, the German quintet set themselves up to buttrape anything that stands in their way and with their EP now out in the open, this is going to only get even more nasty, let the pain commence. [8] RHYS STEVENSON (WANING) 'Broken Path' Let's face it, you have to be a strong as steel sort of person to overcome the haulage of depression (Waning) throws into their 2012 EP, because its just near suicidal. Sure thats how this type of music has to be, but come one, Ambient Doom Metal without the ambience is like a guitarist without a guitar, pointless. Given due that (Waning) do piece it well together, given that as granted, but there is so much seeming to lack here, the vocals are fine, but it seems a little bland and the next release will have to be a big improvement. [4] RHYS STEVENSON EMMELEYA
'Opium Vision' German Progressive Death Metal mob Emmeleya whack out their debut album on a bizarre note, 'Opium Vision' has all the elements but the keyboards as far as it can be said, ruins the overall sound. However, given due it is an acceptable album, but one that will take time for listeners to get used to. Kicking off with an almighty eleven minute track maybe the worst ordering yet, surely a build up would be more appropiate, unless Emmeleya were really seeing an 'Opium Vision', in that case the album is worth more than the opium is, it will be interesting to see where this lot go on from here. [5] RHYS STEVENSON
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SURVAEL 'War Of The Wild' They call it Epic Black / Folk Metal, we call it 'Cultural Metal', henceforth arise Survael, Spain's quintet immersing the listener in shrieking vocals and Ancient Rites-like composure, one could not permit that the five-piece entice bull-fighting even with this monstrous debut EP herewith playing. 'War Of The Wild' features intricate solo's and a whole load of ethnicity amongst the divine sounds produces here, coincidentally it could be seen as a cultural revival of Spain's rich history, but as the Madrid-based band start their career, it could be said that Survael are in a league of their own, sadly to say not a good league either. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON ENSHROUDING 'Time To Kill The Beast' BULLROSER Well it's a hard one to pin down, both the album and band, claimed to be from Mongolia, but we prefer to state they are Finnish, because well with Finnish musicians, what else can they be? Again they are pinned down as Black / Death Metal, but truly they are plain Melodic Death Metal, even if 'Time To Kill The Beast' has enough gusto and power to blow holes in the upper stratosphere, the fact remains this is an album that never was, however what it is instead is a release chock full of twists and turns at ever corner, surprising the listener and driving them into a false sense of security. Smashing drums lead the way on this face-punching delivery and wrap it up with some snazzy guitar work; afterwards it truly is 'Time To Kill The Beast'. [8] RHYS STEVENSON HEDFIRST 'Godforsaken' + '44' Two releases, one each side of the band splitting up and coincidentally two different sounds, so when taking into account the 2007 full length 'Godforsaken' by Polish Post-Groove Thrashers Hedfirst, that being their third ever album, you can expect a full-on blast of Lamb Of God style Groove Metal and Evile style Thrash Metal, oozing out with riffs galore and delivering outrageous drumming to savour any passionate metal fan, it is clear to see why Hedfirst are still underground, the music however original it is lacks a great deal of eccentricity, yet ironically it seems to capture one's attention. Again this is one of those albums that just happen to be there, but there again it has a decent level of meaning. After the reformation, their fourth album dropped, entitled '44' it depicts the heart of the band, a flowing river of blood-red music and powerful sounds, sure the lyrical shift reverts to Polish on this one, the brutality is maximised and the product is far more captivating than 'Godforsaken' . Consider 'Godforsaken' as a cardiac arrest and '44' as a healthy heart, Hedfirst have now found their ground and have utilised a far greater winning sound. Neck-snapping drumming supporting cutting-edge riffs and truly heavy vocals, this is the sound to carry Hedfirst forward. Prepare to mosh, for '44' is the soundtrack of the Polish Metal revolution and so the band from Warsaw is going into the revolution Hedfirst. [4] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON FLAME OF WAR 'Long Live Death!' LOWER SILESIAN STRONGHOLD Polish Black Metal duo Flame Of War make their welcomed return by releasing their fourth assault entitled 'Long Live Death!', the album takes in really raw sounds and old-school Black Metal, in the totalitarianism vein of course, mixing together traditionalism, paganism and war themes, it could easily be dubbed NSBM, even with its military style emphasis, but wouldn't that be a tad ironic for the hated to become supporters? Regardless 'Long Live Death!' delivers the old school style of Black Metal, in the veins of Mayhem, Gorgoroth and early Polish BM. For Flame of War, this is another chapter to be standing tall and saluting for, Black metal in Poland will never be the same again. [7] RHYS STEVENSON DARK FURY 'W.A.R.' LOWER SILESIAN STRONGHOLD It comes to this, the seventh full length by Poland's Dark Fury in their fifteenth year of existence, the highly recognised NSBM trio truly step out of the darkness and ignite the area once more with the sounds of the far-right movement and attach it to some highly sophisticated Black Metal, from military style drumming to the atmosphere experienced at the tombs of Auschwitz, 'W.A.R.' brings back to life the dark times of the 20th century in musical expression and this time they have not failed to impress. Whether you like, hate or thrust neutral views against the NSBM genre, Dark Fury do more than just praise the bygone Nazi empire, in fact they teach it in historical form, making it a musical history lesson. 'W.A.R.' will impress those who love raw and dark Black Metal and also the far-right side of political music. [8] RHYS STEVENSON NIHTERNNES 'The Dawning Of A New Era' + 'The Mouthless Dead' + 'Subterfuge' English Symphonic Dark Metal project / band Nihternnes is one of the darkest to ever walk the British Isles, forging atmospheric symphonic black metal with the darkness of bitter political humanity, this is the plague that has been threatening both Northampton and now Cornwall. Kicking off with 'The Dawning Of A New Era, which is the debut album and was released back in 2007, it is clear that there is a lot of raw Symphonic Black metal going on, take a pinch of Dimmu Borgir and lace it with a smothering of Mayhem and Carpathian Forest, you get the idea. 'The Dawning Of A New Era' delivers a knockout punch of extreme music and was the beginning of an underground storm. Forwarding towards 2009 and the first ever EP takes flight, 'The Mouthless Dead' instead drops the symphonic black metal sound of its predecessors and instead optimises a new depressive and ghoulish sound to kill of the listener's senses. Employing Progressive Dark Metal as the new sound, the EP 'The Mouthless Dead' delivers nearly 45 minutes worth of music in three tracks, so if you have time to kill, dinner is being cooked or something along those lines, you could just play this to cover the time wasting. It won't be everyone's cup of tea and sure fits the ambient music genre to a point, but the overall impression left is a bizarre and wordless one. Finally coming into 2012 and once again the depressive music sinks in, there shows little sign of change in comparison to the 2009 EP and as such pretty much demands a similar response. Except this time round you may need a whole hour free, for the sophomore album 'Subterfuge' delivers seven tracks in just over an hour, and by the time it's over your exhausted, wondering what the hell this was all about, sure the composition is sublime, but compared to the symphonic black metal days, Nihternnes in fact has gone downhill dramatically. [6] + [4] + [3] RHYS STEVENSON FRAGMENT 'The Misotheist Portrayal' Just when Oxfordshire was named the most tranquil county of 2012, that statement was soon interrupted by a mass noise of machine-like Black / Death Metal, enter the badboys Fragment and their soul crushing debut demo 'The Misotheist Portrayal', playing in the old school style of the music genre, this quartet drag up the deepest pits of hell to unleash a musical belter that would make Behemoth shake in their boots. Fuelled by their latest outing and a three year career to their name, Fragment may well just become that band that lifted the Oxfordshire Metal scene to new heights, make some room 'cause this is going to get crazy. [8] RHYS STEVENSON AWAKER 'Control Lost' In light of saddening news, that the drummer and co-founder of Awaker Marcin Kolinski passed away Monday 06/08/2012, we dedicate this review to him, gone but not forgotten, may his soul rock on. Awaker emerge from the streets of Manchester with their atomic debut album 'Control Lost', wielding together delicate melodies and musical sounds, the quartet immerse the listener in a fountain of heavenly Progressive Metal. Sure this is an album that carries a certain atmosphere and with that in mind the listener has to be in the right mood, you could dub it a chill out album but in hindsight it is an album that totally acts as a multi-mood piece, fluctuating guitar riffs embezzled by straight-edge drumming and lush vocals, Awaker make the whole djent movement look weak as a piece of solder. [7] RHYS STEVENSON MISANTHROPIA 'Everdark' If this was meant to be an improvement from the debut album, only knows what the first album must have sounded like, sure here we have a decent slab of melodies but the drums at times sound a little sloppy for anything catchy and the riffs seem a little basic, that said 'Everdark' by German Melodic Power Thrashers Misanthropia does deliver emphatic vocals, mixing the high pitches of Dream Theater with the deep growling experienced with Opeth, but with that, it is imminent and evident that the two genres combined simply do not work, what you get is two sounds colliding, mixing a powerful and upbeat sound with a slow and deep sound, something that you would expect from a widow murdering her husband to gain the million euro heritage, dark thought sure but that coalesces with Misanthropia's dark music. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON DECIBEL HAMMER
'Release The Havoc' It just seems that when the Finnish go to create old-school Thrash Metal for the modern audience and atmosphere, they nail it perfectly. Such an example is Decibel Hammer, the three musketeers from Tampere indulge in the 80's Thrash Metal style and add some Black / Speed Metal style vocals to deliver a dark and abysmal release, abysmal in that you couldn't find anything more pathetically extraordinary anywhere else. 'Release The Havoc' blasts out Slayer-esque music at a rate of knots and totally overwhelms the listener with some really scary sounds, no wonder there has been a rise in casualties in Finland, the cause is of course Decibel Hammer shocking listeners into total paralysis, killing off their senses and as the band begin to 'Release The Havoc', the darkness bites once again. [8] RHYS STEVENSON RAGE INVEST 'Where The Sacred Ends' With an album cover that somehow is reminiscent of the great fire of London in 1666, except that Rage Invest are in fact Swedish. The music in question is an onslaught of Melodic Death Metal (no surprise here) and the seemingly low spread of Thrash Metal in the national scene, so when bringing the two sounds together to produce their successful debut album 'Where The Sacred Ends', what can be said is that the band has potential, the vocals are a little sketchy here and there no real guttural feeling more like the Hardcore style vocals, but there again the correlation with the band name suits the preconceived idea of the vocals as befitting. Fuelled by hate as the core topic, Rage Invest are ready to flip the middle finger and assault Europe, be careful the new kids on the block are set to make waves. [8] RHYS STEVENSON DEATHMARCHED 'Open Fire!' Finally Finnish old school Death Metal has made an appearance, about time the classics got revived, so when hearing the premier demo by Seinäjoki quartet Deathmarched, there is definitely Hail Of Bullets and Napalm Death influences coming in, the latter really applying to the music and the first influence clear as day when looking at the demo title - 'Open Fire!' This is the sort of band that may get attention from Finnish record labels; it's authentic, original and utmost classic. 'Open Fire!' acts as a well-deserved breather from all of the modern metal that seems to flush out the roots of the genre and so with Deathmarched firmly set on reviving the original style of Death Metal, nothing will stand in their way. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON PAINLESS DEATH / LOST IN THE DELUSION CALLED 'LIFE' 'Longest Path To The End' PARKBENCH Mexican and Australian Black Metal join forces in this international split release, not only that but both are solo projects from both genders. Kicking off this collaboration called 'Longest Path To The End' is Australia's Lost In The Delusion Called "Life" which is the fourth release, first split and only (so-far) release of 2012. Much cannot be said for this project only that it is disturbing, ambient and very, very dark. Taking the ambient settings of the venomous tarantula and transforming it into audio poison to leave the listener self-murdered in their own frantic escape, it is that bizarre. Moving onto the second half of the split, the last project to move into focus is Mexico's Painless Death, which is the third split released and second release of 2012. Delivering a sorrowful and soul-destroying ambient sound of murderous depressive Black Metal to savour the emo kid from being butchered by self-vanity, in other words this is not for the weak. Darkness intrudes the realm of the listener and warps them into a place full of cold bitterness, even as this is written I'm feeling queasy. Playing in the style of Be Persecuted, this is Mexico's darkest hour and perhaps the listener's final hour. [6] + [7] RHYS STEVENSON CHAOSWOLF / ASTAROT 'Verwerfung / In the Abyss...' PARKBENCH Bringing together two Mexican projects on this split is a unique form of cultural expression, intriguingly both actually perform Black metal and this is significant, some splits don't have a continual genre-theme going on, but with the 'Verwerfung / In the Abyss...' split coming out of the darkness and performed in the stated order, this is a true masterpiece of Mexican Black Metal, the most grim variant of the spicy enchilada, one bite and your immediately hooked onto it's delicious sounds and aromatic atmosphere, if only the pepper was just as raw. Chaoswolf and Astarot together will definitely appeal to those who love their Black metal in the old school style, not just because there is no fancy blastbeats as such (well only for Chaoswolf, but for Astarot it's simply basic, just how it should be), but more so because of the atmosphere and level of raw influence drafted into what can be dubbed as possibly Mexican Metal release of the year. [7] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON HOLY MARY'S BLOWJOB / SATANIC FOREST 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' You may as well call the 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' split between Brazil's Satanic Forest and Mexico's Holy Mary's Blowjob simply 'Satanic Latin American Black Metal', because thats what it is. Forged in the darkness of two highly religious countries, 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' starts off with a Raw Black Metal track that can be summed as saying 'mercy cannot be used here', truly punishing music in it's most evil form, yet when Holy Mary's Blowjob move into the driving seat it totally blacks out the senses, litrally. Anti-christianity and Satanism pursue on this cleverly done release and as such leaves the listener totally speechless as to what and why a Roman Catholic Brazilian suddenly switches allegiance and allies with the devil, 'Lacerandam Pauper Nazarenum' is one hell of a disturbing release. [7] + [7] RHYS STEVENSON GRAVEN ASPECT 'Eksyneiden Unia' A little disappointing is Graven Aspect's debut EP 'Eksyneiden Unia', besides the great feeling of hearing the Finnish language, which actually is not disappointing but rather pleasing, the only disappointment is the lack of songs, you know the Melodic Black Metal however suits the band well because overall the EP is a credible release, fully of melancholic melodies and brutal drumming - if anyone has any knowledge of Finnish singing bands, the best to compare this to is nearly Verjnuarmu, but for Graven Aspect this is the start of something unique, their own style and is sure to captivate many Black Metal fans alike. [7] RHYS STEVENSON Опричь / Чур / Piarevaracien
'Триединство' CASUS BELLI MUSICA Possibly the greatest international Folk Metal split album collaboration ever made, featuring two bands from Russia and one from Belarus, 'Триединство' is the ultimate Pagan Metal party soundtrack. Starting off with Russian Pagan Metal sextet Опричь (Oprich) and the festivities soon come into full swing, full of Russian lyrics to add the originality to the music whilst the music itself delves into the delightful sounds of traditional Russian music, unearthing the flute to add that true Pagan feel and setting up for the next band to follow suit, for Опричь this is their boldest selection of music to date and is sure to steer them onto greater achievements. Moving onto the second band and what we have here is what seems to be a one-man project, or so it would seem but information lacks so there cannot be an informed decision, none the less the overall production that this artist releases is something of the extraordinary kind, they sing in their own native language of Belarusian and play a unique style of Black Pagan Metal, but the strange thing is that there is hardly anything to suggest it has Black Metal influence or something similar, in fact it may as well be a toned down Arkona minus the Russian ethnicity and the obvious Black Metal sounds, even so it cannot be denied that Piarevaracien's contribution is a rewarding one. Finally finishing off with the Russian Pagan Metal band Чур (Chur), the split is finally looking to be a truly momentous time in the Eastern European Metal scenes, perhaps there should be a compilation of metal bands from the CIS countries, but going back to the split release, Чур deliver a more upbeat version of Pagan Metal than Опричь delivered in the first stage of the release, sure the band sing in Russian but they have a more valiant sound, the sound that battles would be linked with, folklore imagined and the entire release spellbound by 3 talented acts. Чур wraps up the release in fantastic style and prove once again why they should be recognised as one of Russia's greats. [8] + [7] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON _ GENUINE RELIEF 'Behind The Smile' METALGATE Billed as possibly the best answer from the Czech Metal scene in the Black / Death Metal vein, Genuine Relief may sound a cliché to the previous statement, but make no mistake. With drums so heavy and fast it makes the Skoda car look weak, smashing the norm with evil riffs and grizzly vocals on their debut album 'Behind The Smile', it is likely that this band will see attention across Europe and perhaps beyond. With a bleak atmosphere drawn up from the pits of hell and the music crafted so finely it would appear similar to the final product of a gold smith, it's heavy, shiny and most importantly 100% metal, Genuine Relief are a band to watch and ideally prepare to be mesmerised by. [8] RHYS STEVENSON MARIONETTE 'Nerve' 'Nerve' marks the return of the Swedish sextet Marionette but with a new drummer and vocalist in their ranks, whilst conventionally not as lively as 'Enemies', the third opus produces a darker and far more atmospheric sound to their organic style of playing. With Alexander Andersson bringing in his Black Metal influences, Marionette are darker than ever. Taking on board the Gothenburg sound and adapting it to a trance-laden slice of cutting edge Melodic Death Metal, 'Nerve' is an album with a total sound shift and has redirected the band's emphasis on the whole Visual Kei visage. But don't be fooled, the album still delivers that unique sound pioneered by Aron, Mikael, Anton and Linus and has only been maximised by the two new recruits, with 'Nerve' finally on the table, Marionette are arming themselves to take the world by storm. With Marionette, not only do you get a six-piece machine, but you get a full-on punch that will crush your soul and you're very last 'Nerve'. [9] RHYS STEVENSON LIVEEVIL '3 Altering' METALGATE '3 Altering' is the third outing by Czech Electro-Gothic Metallers Liveevil, following their 2009 sensation 'Unique Constellation' it was always going to be a tricky task to summon up something far greater than itself, yet Liveevil have managed to pull it off, returning with their electronic backdrop and deep male vocals, the quartet once again captivate the minds of the listener with their Eisbrecher / Rammstein - style sound and twist it to deliver a cracker of an album. However, at some points the music sounds a little repetitious and thus loses fluiditiy, but despite that the album itself combines elements in the far-side of the music genres concerned. '3 Altering' is an album with a load of electronic beats, gothic influence and industrial cores, but it is not ground breaking, or is it? [8] RHYS STEVENSON MILOS MEIER 'DRUMMING SYNDROME - DRUM SHOW' METALGATE In the 2012 release of Miloš Meier's 'Drumming Syndrome' DVD, the Czech drumming maestro takes the viewers on a whirlwind journey through the drummers life of how he came to play drums, who he has met and played with and more importantly acts as a platform for budding drummers to cotton on to how the legend plays and what tips the lad has. Featuring three live videos of his sets in the Czech settlements of Olomouc, Ostrana and Hronov as well as a live studio video at the akropolis and also special features like music videos, other live shows with the bands he plays in: Stroy, Dymytry and Noid, topped off with a documentary all about the man himself. For budding drummers and also fans of Czech Metal music, this is a superb DVD to watch and be educated by, experience the force of a Czech drumming wizard and be infected by the 'Drumming Syndrome'. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MINDREAPER 'Human Edge (... To The Abyss)' Unfortunately this is not Melodic Thrash Metal as there is meant to be keyboards present, instead what we have here is an example of Thrash Metal slowed down and sped up within reason. But for Germany's Mindreaper, of whose debut album 'Human Edge (... To The Abyss) came after eleven years of the band's existence is a little disappointing, as was Germany in the world cup, you could say the quintet scored an own goal and you'd be right, the guitars are too over processed, the drums are fine (no errors present) and the vocals remain true, but overall the album lacks an element of class and so the wait for the album was a little wasted, but not a total failure, just nothing spectacular. [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON OBLIVION MACHINE 'Unnatural & Wrong' / 'Zero-Gravity' / 'Starfield' MOLOT Russia was always known for exceptional Extreme Metal, but when one band by the name of Oblivion Machine come on the block, many could not believe what they were hearing, so starting with their debut album back in 2008, 'Unnatural & Wrong' isnt the greatest of sounds, not least because the vocals are hardly present, the guitars are quiet and the drums are the only section to give the release any life in it. However it is fast paced and acts as a promising catalyst for the later releases. 'Unnatural & Wrong' is not the best of starts but the band can only progress from there, in the end it is an album that isn't a total failure, but isn't a great album either. Coming into 2011 and the band's third album 'Zero-Gravity' wipes the floor with their debut album, there is far more presence on the album and perhaps its the female vocals that they are missing as they add that extra level of movement to the release, a truly grand mix of electronic sounds with the harshness of Death Metal and Industrial Metal. With sounds similar to that of fellow country-men Xe-None and Illidiance, Oblivion Machine with 'Zero-Gravity' have clearly found their sound that will suit them forever. Sensational riffs and danceable drumming come together and are topped with some really evil vocals of which leaves the album as possibly the turning point in the bands existance. 2012 came into view and the next release by Oblivion Machine took shape, this time in the form of their first ever EP called 'Starfield'. Continuing the new sound of electronic death metal with the heavenly female vocals, this is a promising release and platform for the new sound to be fully exploited on. 'Starfield' is a thirty-six minute, six track opus for which achieves to captivate the listener in excellent form. Not much else can be said about this release only that it will provide Oblivion Machine with a brutal from of assault, the cyberstorm as we know it has only just begun. [4] + [7.5] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON BLOOD & BRUTALITY 'Sick Of It All' / 'The Blood & The Brutality' BLOOD & BRUTALITY Hailing from Alabama, USA, Blood & Brutality serve up their unique twist on Death / Thrash Metal with playing Thrash Metal music and near-enough Death Metal vocals. However their sophomore album 'Sick Of It All' shows what the band is capable of doing, by lashing together some of the fastest drumming they could muster with a load of grizzly riffs and spine-chilling vocals, sure this is nothing new but it gives to be old-school and ideally happy playing what they want to play. Armed with a feast of songs to keep the listener hooked, 'Sick Of It All' proves to be one of those releases that no matter how many times you listen to it, you cannot deny it is practically old school and so therefore retains its place in metal history. Coming into 2011 and the band go a little more on the raw side but still retain that recognisable sound established on 'Sick Of It All', or you would think. With the music now changing at different speeds from the middle-of-the-road speed to neck breaking Thrash Metal style, the sort of speed that suggests the drummer is battery operated, Duracell probably. Whether you like it or hate it, listeners cannot deny that 'The Blood & The Brutality' is probably the band's best album. It mixes the Slayer Thrash Metal sound with the Death Metal vocals devised in the Swedish lands. it is this sensational combination that gives the album it's highly recognisable tune and is sure to please many listeners alike across the globe, old hat people may say, we say metal to the bone, 'The Blood & The Brutality' of the state of Alabama. [7] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON PASSION OF DEATH 'Passion of Death' BLOOD & BRUTALITY Well there is not much to go by on this release only that is was released this year, the band comes from Alabama, the drummer is the owner of Blood & Brutality Records and that this band play Death / Thrash Metal. Ok so 'Passion of Death' is pretty much a low-budget recording but the music still delivers in its raw form over the course of five tracks and it is these five tracks that ultimately suggest that the band are on to something unique, with agility on the forefront of the drumming department and the cutting-edge riffs carving their way through the silent atmosphere, 'Passion of Death' is a decent enough solid start from the duo. [6] RHYS STEVENSON WOLFSHEAD 'Promo 2012' Dragging out the original sounds of Heavy Metal when it was born and adding a modern stance on it with guttural vocals is Finnish quartet Wolfshead and their debut promo, their first ever release in their 2nd year of activity. Dubbed 'Traditional Heavy Metal', the quartet from Oulu do not fail to impress with their Iron Maiden-esque style of playing and yet they manage to cut themselves some slack and deliver music that comes from the heart. With their 2012 promo, listeners can here vocals so melodramatic they make mood swings look appalling, as for the music itself, it's similar to a sweet shop, designed to make anyone high off their tits. None the less, this band will go far and this promo won't go unnoticed. [7] RHYS STEVENSON NARBARION
'Les Ailes Noires' Usually French Black Metal is as bad as a drunk downing his own pee, but when Narbarion, a one-man project led by Lourdes musician Morkhor comes into the limelight with his debut demo 'Les Ailes Noires', this is a reprieval that was a long-time coming. Mixing the harsh raw sounds of Black Metal with ambient sounds like crows and running water, this is a truly atmospheric release. Naturally all of the songs are sung in French, but that does not withdraw the music from being sensational, in fact it adds a level of uniqueness to the final product. 'Les Ailes Noires' is a demo for any Black Metal fan and is sure to light the path to greater releases, in the veins of Burzum and Blut Aus Nord, Narbarion is a name that will eventually be on everyone's tongues, you won't find music like this anywhere else. [8] RHYS STEVENSON WORKSHOP 'Khooni Murga' DEMONSTEALER Who would have thought that the art of comedy could mix with the harsh brutality of Heavy Metal, well back in 2008 a disturbance was born and caused a result in 2009. Workshop, the Indian Heavy Metal quartet who specialise in humour, comedy and parody, conjured up their debut album back in 2009, fronted by Sahil Makhija (vocalist of India's most famous band Demonic Resurrection), the Mumbai boys deliver a tongue-in-cheek twist on the classic side of the Heavy Metal infrastructure, by singing in both English and the local variation of Hindi, mixing classic sounds and hilarious punch lines, it is no wonder why Workshop are a band in a class of their own. [8] RHYS STEVENSON BLYND 'Punishment Unfolds' Hailing from the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, Blynd unleash a three-track taster of what is to come, fresh from their sensational performance at Bloodstock Open Air, the Cypriot quartet do not fail to impress with their Heavy Thrash Metal and brutal breakdown combo. For a band from a scene with as much known metal as the vast wine selection on the fertile land, Blynd without any doubt deliver the goods and in excellent form, it's fast and grizzly meshed with chunky riffs, eccentric drumming and totally 100% metal, the album when it's out for real will be interesting enough. [8] RHYS STEVENSON BLACK TRIP 'Heart Of The Dream' Now neither Thrash Metal nor Melodic Death Metal is meant to be sloppy and so when Black Trip comes back with their third EP, hands just cover the face. Whilst it clear has a bit of both the vocals aren't clear and the musical composition is basic standard with no fluidity or deviation at all thus leaving it on a knife edge. For Mexico's Black Trip, their 2012 EP 'Heart of the Dream' resembles nothing but a simple sound with added solo's, even which are a tad all over the place, let's face it if it were to be a football team, the goalie would be sent off and a 30-0 deficit imaginable, sure it's not a complete failure but neither is it anything groundbreaking, effectively what this means is that the 'Heart of the Dream' has been shattered. [5] RHYS STEVENSON SLAY THE SHEPHERD / RAPID DOMINANCE 'Rise Of The Antagonist' / 'Premonition' Two releases, nearly the same band. So when Slay The Shepherd made their only release 'Rise of the Antagonist' back in 2011, little did they know they were to change to become Rapid Dominance. However 'Rise of the Antagonist' delivers a tricky combination of aggressive riffs and gritty vocals but the sound obviously was not good for the band hence the change, but overall the release 'Rise Of The Antagonist' is a good attempt, but the change-over can also mean that they did not like their current position and so with that in mind shifted to a newer direction. Shifting to 2012 and the new boys Rapid Dominance do not fail with their debut EP 'Premonition', mixing the sounds of Lamb of God and a myriad of metal sub-genres; namely Progressive Metal with Death / Thrash Metal. It's fast flowing, powerfully brutal and insanely intricate, lashed with technical riffs and vocals so disturbing it made any autopsy automatically become a comedy. This is a band with a load of fury and wizardry stored up their sleeves, more than the predecessors had and it is this band that will lead the Danish Metal scene to newer levels. [5] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON RAGER 'Image Of Fear' From time to time release come out so poor you have to double the level your speakers are just to barely hear them, such a band is Rager from Weston-Super-Mare of whom have released their second EP and ultimately play it in the Slayer style, slamming rhythms, guitar-wire flaming riffs and blazing vocals, there should be a restraining order on this lot for going too fast on the instruments. Overall the release is a fairly decent effort but the clarity that's lacking leaves the release totally open to any criticism or praise, it's just that it isn't a powerful start. [5.5] RHYS STEVENSON SHOT AT DAWN 'White Trash Metal Brigade' Norway generally has a reputation for spewing out bands in the Thrash and Black Metal sub-genres, but even that does not equate the force of Shot At Dawn. Lashing furious breakdowns with intricate melodies and mesmerising technical attributes, 'White Trash Metal Brigade' is their pivotal album. The ten-legged Melodic Death Metal / Deathcore machine combine elements from bands like BMTH, Suicide Silence, Bleeding Through and the adequate Deathcore breakdown; this is the sort of album and band to garner label attention across the Americas and Europe whilst carving the two genres in half. Threading a sound together that sounds so unique it makes Deathcore seem infant to the incredible tune devised by this Oslo lot, for fast brutal and grizzly music look no further, join the 'White Trash Metal Brigade' and watch your enemies as they are Shot At Dawn. [10] RHYS STEVENSON WILL WALLNER / VIVIEN VAIN 'Will Wallner / Vivien Vain' So the side-project to White Wizzard is born and by jove does it kick off in electrifying style, enter Will Wallner accompanied by the illustrious Vivien Vain delivering the fiery raging vocals. The duo from L.A. California make their 3 year wait for a debut come to a close as they unleash the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal belter 'Will Wallner / Vivien Vain', featuring all the classy elements from bands such as Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Van Halen and more, this is simply a breathtaking album full of the old classic sounds with a modern emphasis. Harmonious vocals surrounded by some crafty and technical guitar work and backed up by some insane drumming; this is an album with everything chucked in and is sure to get some well-deserved attention. [8] RHYS STEVENSON _ BANSHEE 'Mindslave' SNOWBLIND PRODS. It only took an eleven year period for Kansas wizards Banshee to re-emerge from the tornado bunker and deliver an album worthy of F5 classification. Their third album in their 27 year existence is a sharp reminder this band is far beyond finished, crafting and curling up their unique sound in the Power Metal sub-genre. The quartet may be clocking on and the modern generation may seem them as has-beens, but this is simply not the case, Banshee are far from finished and with 'Mindslave' bringing the original tones and sounds of classic Power Metal back to the frontline, this is just the beginning of something far more epic than the first landing on the moon. [7] RHYS STEVENSON RIGOR MORTIS 'Grave New World' BRUTAL SYNDICATE If not for the horrendous vocals that sound so much like a guy being tortured or castrated, it would be a decent album, even so the sloppy bass sound adds more to the pain the ears are receiving. This is of course the 2011 EP by Japanese Thrash Metallers Rigor Mortis and it, well, is very non-descript. 'Grave New World' sets up a fast and ferocious drumming style and the riffing does well to keep in time, but the bass and the vocals are the major let down and if it is to be that Rigor Mortis are to aim for a debut album, they have got a long way to go, one whole album of this could cause death by dangerous music, there again it's better than Bieber so everyone is in the clear. [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON DIABLERIE
'Transition' Corr good lord, so much energy has surged through the speakers and it is this energy that gets the vibes on their toes, raving and getting down to the groove. Because you can't get enough from Diaberie's second EP 'Transition'. Mixing the funk sound experienced in Industrial Metal and tarnishing it with the synthetic sounds of Electronic Metal and putting into it vocals of the Hardcore guild, this is a truly sensational piece of music and is sure to go down well in the Finnish Metal scene. Showing off clear influences from bands like The Berzerker, Impaled Nazarene, The Amenta and other Extreme Metal bands, Diablerie may become more than just a blip on the radar. [7] RHYS STEVENSON ELDERS' TALES 'A Dreamer's Phantasy' The debut demo from French Melodic Power Metal sextet is a great effort but the male vocals are something to be less desired, it doesn't carry the same level of power that female vocals would do. However through the melancholy and Gothic-tinged atmosphere, Elders' Tales do deliver a superb musical side, one filled with calm moods and vibrant colours. Classed as an album that delivers that relaxation factor, it does not fall short of anything but a decent album and points the band in the right direction, with the melodies fusing together Gothic elements and fantasy together whilst merging it with high vocals; which in relation to the previous statement perhaps could feature both gender vocals and then it will simply be 'A Dreamer's Phantasy' of Beauty & The Beast. [7] RHYS STEVENSON DRAIN LIFE 'Revelations Of The Enslaved' A three years wait and the Dutch sorrow-masters of Thrashy Metalcore come back to deliver their second offering 'Revelations Of The Enslaved', full of speed and insane vocals, this is a hit and miss album as the band switch from genre to genre at the sound of a riff and motion of a blastbeat. Summoning up the spit-in-your-face style of Metalcore and lashing it with grizzly Thrash Metal toppings, 'Revelations Of The Enslaved' is certified to construct and destruct the listener piece by painful piece as the quintet put together a riff-a-thon of mesmerising guitar compositions and ingenious drumming of which can only be totally backed up by the vocals of total chaos. If you want to click your neck, listen to Doom Metal, if you want to snap a thousand necks listen to Drain Life. [9] RHYS STEVENSON _ NUCLEAR ASSAULT 'Atomic Waste! Demos & Rehearsals' HIGH ROLLER For a band that started in 1984, split-up and reunited three times during the past 28 years, the time has come for a rain check, or ideally a compilation of the greats. Enter 'Atomic Waste! Demos & Rehearsals' by New York old-school Thrashers Nuclear Assault, with a history linking with a number of Thrash acts including: Holy Moses, Anthrax and Soulfly to name a few, 'Atomic Waste! Demos & Rehearsals' is more than a collection of old music, its classic gold! Mixing the 80's Thrash Metal style developed along the East coast of the USA, Nuclear Assault deliver a powerful and extreme presence with this compilation, from start to finish through over an hour’s worth of yesteryear classics, this is the finest compilation of one of America's unspoken bands. 'Atomic Waste! Demos & Rehearsals' is for fans of old school thrash metal and lovers of crossover, it is without a doubt a pure, timeless classic. [8] RHYS STEVENSON GUERILLA TREE 'Mental Leaps' Much like H.I.M. from Finland, the vocals on Guerilla Tree's debut album 'Mental Leaps' delivers the deep male vocals of the Gothic Metal subgenre and lashes it with sensational epic melodies and meaningful percussion. Very much in the vein of Dream Theater and Type O'Negative, the German quintet compose a masterpiece of absolute undisputable perfection in it's most modest form. Eccentric solo's and gallant music take the listener on a whirlwind journey through the dark forests and gothic landscapes of Medieval Germany. It generally is not easy to discover label material, but give Guerilla Tree due, they are sure to attract a host of labels and with 'Mental Leaps' under their belts, the next step will be an interesting one. [9] RHYS STEVENSON REDEYE 'I Am God' The fourth demo is dropped and still no debut album in the six years of Redeye's existence, bit worrying, but when you get a band like this mixing old school Thrash Metal with the modern brutality of furious Death Metal, you can understand it's simply too good to put into album form. Hard hitting and insane music is driven by three burly musicians and one wordsmith, simply put the whole quartet and their finished effort 'I Am God' makes any Death / Thrash Metal band weep in their sleep, a ferocious display of utmost anger, harsh brutality and face-smashing metal, 'I Am God' is a promising sign of more extreme music to come. [7] RHYS STEVENSON TEMPUS FUSION 'To End It All' There's a storm brewing over Hampshire and it isn't a weather one either, shooting colours across the sky from the top of the Spinnaker Tower and creating waves in the form of their majestic debut album 'To End It All'. Taking clear influences from The Defiled, Devin Townsend, Gojira and TesseracT, Tempus Fusion are set to rock the nation, let alone Bloodstock this year. With this valiant and vibrant offer it would seem likely that will be signed in the near future, it cannot be ignored. 'To End It All' delivers a torrent of double bass drumming, wind-swept riffs and solo's, precise composition and a soothing vocal range to go with it, for Tempus Fusion 'To End It All' is to drive metal music to the extreme levels. [10] RHYS STEVENSON FLAMEDROP 'Burn Every Clue (Promo)' So apart from the odd occurrence of a chugging bass sound, the overall production of 'Burn Every Clue (Promo)' comes as no surprise as a superbly executed release, the 2012 demo by Hungarian Melodic Deathrashers Flamedrop is a prequel to what is yet to come and serves up as a promising step for the young quintet. The three tracks on the release are of great significance in that this could be the build up to their awaited debut album, although focusing on the demo in hand it delivers epic melodies, crushing riffs and speedy drumming, all of which mesh together to give a hard-on full-on metal experience, from start to the finish Flamedrop bring to the table a new unique sound. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON BLUE GILLESPIE 'Seven Rages Of Man' It would seem that the Welsh valleys had a sudden drop of rampant sheep and that locals reported mysterious woolly creatures moshing to the sound of 'Seven Rages Of Man', or maybe it was marauding scientists checking out the insane technicality shown by Blue Gillespie. 'Seven Rages Of Man' marks the return of Newport's sons Blue Gillespie for their second outing, mixing complex riffs with a harsh progressive sound and commanding vocals, it is clear to see that 'Seven Rages Of Man' could easily be compared to Mastodon's 'The Hunter'. Full on metal at a fairly melodic level and yet regardless of the calmness here and there, the vocals rough up the noise in ballistic style, no wonder health and safety went crazy over South Wales, this stuff is lethal. [9] RHYS STEVENSON Волчий Острог 'Багряный Восход Возрождения' GRAILIGHT PRODS. Волчий Острог is a septet from the vast lands of Russia and they come out of the shadows with their emphatic debut album 'Багряный Восход Возрождения'. Layering Melodic Death Metal with the folk sounds of Pagan Metal and shaping it using their native Russian language, Волчий Острог prove that they are a force to be reckoned with. Throughout the album changes speed from going insanely fast to having a more mid-paced melodic feel especially on 'Багряный Рассвет Возрождения' where the guitars deal a beautifully constructed solo and the drums deliver an intricate percussive support, all whilst the vocals crash head-on with the most guttural vocals anyone could muster. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON _ ARCANA IMPERIA
'Новые Миры' GRAILIGHT PRODS. Making their return to unleash hell with their third offering, Arcana Imperia explode in the total sound of Melodic infused Black / Death Metal. 'Новые Миры' sees the quartet conduct more melodic guitar work with the fury-pace of the double bass drums amassed on top of breathtaking vocals. Lashing together the harsh sounds of the Russian language with such delinquent music is as original as a Cossack reciting latin passages. A common trait amongst most Russian bands and so the originality dissipates, along with parts in songs which have no get-up-and-go attitude and so the overall perception of their third outing is that there are good and bad parts, just don't call it groundbreaking. [7] RHYS STEVENSON REVERIES END 'Beneath The Silent Shades / Empyreal Form' So between the two demo's by Finnish Dark Metallers Reveries End, a guitarist has left the band, but none the less, none of the essence has dissipated. Starting with their premier demo 'Beneath The Silent Shade' which instantaneously brings in the Doom Metal atmosphere and almost Nightwish operatic vocals with a slither of Melodic Death Metal style drums. With the heavenly vocals bound for the Finnish choir and the musicians giving a wall of sound as a barrier, this is a decent first attempt. 'Beneath The Silent Shade' is for fans of Apocalyptica, Vanguard and all around dark music. 'Empyreal Form' sees the departure of guitarist Mikko Pylkko and the quintet becomes a quartet, but the sound does not change, it ironically has improved. The second demo of 2012 brings out a greater production and more power behind the sound. With the first track 'Descent' being similar to that of Nightwish's 'Tutankhamen' and the average song by Arkona. With a greater and darker atmosphere shedding itself all over 'Empyreal Form', this is the sound that would best suit Reveries End, but by adding some symphonies here and there, it could be one notch better, still a very good demo and is sure to aid them into becoming a promising band. [7] + [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON AMNESIA 'Inside My Head' There is a common feeling amongst bands who use Thrash Metal in Brazil, it seems to be always fast, complex and sensationally brutal, there again Sepultura laid down that guideline, but it's bands like Amnesia who go one step further, the Brazilian quintet incorporate Death Metal in with their music to produce a trippy, brutal slab of pure menacing metal. This comes in their 2012 debut EP 'Inside My Head', spitting out the trash and injecting the new modern sound of Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal. With three tracks spear-heading a complimentary promo video, Amnesia's Inside My Head has set the tone for the band to achieve great things and they fully deserve it. [8] RHYS STEVENSON EMBASSY OF SILENCE 'Antler Velvet' RAVENHEART Once in a while you come across a band who totally blows wide open the guidelines and runs riot in the studio, such a band is Embassy Of Silence whose 2012 sophomore album delivers a non-apologetic smacking of Progressive Gothic Metal. The Finnish sextet conjures up a cosmic sound of darkened verses and erotic music to indulge anyone's tastes. The second major out 'Antler Velvet' delivers the essential 'Gothic femme' vocals and heavy music together in just under an hour, but all of it is worth it, with songs sounding similar to that of Delain, Lacuna Coil, and Echoes of Eternity, this is just the beginning. [7] RHYS STEVENSON HIGHLIGHT KENOSIS 'Change' RAVENHEART Returning once again is Romania's Prog Metallers Highlight Kenosis, who are now based in Germany. Following their highly successful debut album 'Glowing', the quartet delivers their next offering 'Change'. With the sounds of traditional progressive metal being mixed with the influential sounds of Krypteria, Guano Apes and Goldfrapp, this is the next step in great success for one of Romania's upcoming finest bands. From the sensational solo on 'There Is No Secret' to the pop rock feel on 'I Wish You Felt The Same', Highlight Kenosis are powering their way to further achievements and with this album under their belts, there is nothing to stop them. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON MALEDIA
'Your Angels Cry' RAVENHEART 2012 sees the first EP by Italian quintet Maledia come to life, the Symphonic Gothic Metal band unleash the sounds of 'Your Angels Cry' with comparisons of Tarja era Nightwish and the use of female operatic vocals and the beastly vocals of guitarist Daniele. In a way they have also got comparisons with Within Temptation in that the supremacy of the high notes and the music come together to deliver a classic epic. Brimming with excellence and powerful creativity, Maledia is duly a force to be reckoned with, move aside Within Temptation and Nightwish, there's a new band on the block and they won't be budged easily. [8] RHYS STEVENSON FORGOTTEN HORROR 'The Serpent Creation' WOODCUT Its something about the Finnish that makes them and Black Metal seem to go well, even if Thrash Metal is thrown into the affray, so when Kuopio-based trio Forgotten Horror make their anticipated debut album, the result is a glorious thirty-five minute jaunt of Black-infused Thrash Metal. From start to finish, the band serve up some of the most explicit musical creations to date, such that this is a promising start to the Finnish band's career, armed with a fist of fury and battalion armour, this is one record to savour and for those die-hards, one to recommend as a Finnish prodigy. [9] RHYS STEVENSON BLUDGER 'The Death of The Trend' What only can be described as Progressive Deathcore, Bludger s**t out their latest EP 'The Death of The Trend' with extreme diarrhoea, taking clear influences from Meshuggah, Pantera and Ion Dissonance, the quintet who are based in Leeds excrete a solid slamming of Deathcore with the fluidity of Progressive Metal. Battering the listener with four tracks of concrete musicianship that could only be broken down by an atomic bomb, not even Sheffield noiseboys Bring Me The Horizon could muster this, it would send Oli Sykes running with his tail between his legs, it would seem Bludger are causing 'The Death of The Trend' that seems to be 'scenecore'. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON URINE TEMPLE / VERMIN / HEXE / SABBAGOR 'Urine Temple / Vermin / Hexe / Sabbagor' SKINNED ALIVE So when more or less the same two musicians for four different projects makes a split, it is somewhat of a novelty, usually its multiple people, but the South African musicians D-Hond and Vermox wield together instruments and sounds to produce this remarkable 4-way split, even if Black Metal is the primary genre, Doom Metal, Thrash Metal and Death Metal all make an appearance so there is a wide variety to choose from, the split release itself topples out at nearly one hour and twenty minutes so for those looking for new music, listeners are spoilt for choice. Definitely a South African gem in terms of its characteristics. [7] + [7] + [6.5] + [8] RHYS STEVENSON PIEL DE SERPIENTE 'Inevitable' PURE STEEL Melodic Heavy Metal quintet Piel De Serpiente waste no time and effort in releasing their third majestic album, the five-piece from Valencia in Spain unleash the bulls in the paddocks for this one, mixing their romantic native language of Spanish with the delightful melodies found in bands like Dream Evil and Katana, fast and melodic songs are present on this release and that is guaranteed to captivate the listener. Whilst the male Spanish vocals aren't as dynamic as the females, senor Lufti Salah Al-Kharbutli does not fail to disappoint and even more so drummer Emma López proves that female drummers are just as good. It was 'Inevitable' that Piel De Serpiente were to make a justified return. [9] RHYS STEVENSON FIREBRAND SUPER ROCK
'Firebrand Super Rock' RISING Scottish lads Firebrand Super Rock raise up the tempo with their debut album 'Firebrand Super Rock', it features the style of Iron Maiden and School of Rock style vocals and music, with an awesome array of riffs to covertly backdrop the sensational vocals on this album, the quartet from Edinburgh unleash a flood of extraordinary songs of which are certain to rock out many listeners to death. Unleashed via the brilliant Rising Records (The Dead Lay Waiting, Confined Within, etc.), Firebrand Super Rock are exactly what their band name says and are sure to set alight the UK when they make their first major tour. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON CONNATURAL TERROR 'Lunacy Frenzy' PSYCHO LUNACY SOUNDS Arising from the grassy plains of Põlva in Estonia is Death Metal duo Connatural Terror and their disturbingly wretched debut EP 'Lunacy Frenzy', whilst the overall production is great, the vocal dynamics could be easily improved, however the music itself offers a two or three stroke battering and by jove is the double bass heavy. Although not exactly the greatest releases to start with, the effort in this is clearly felt with the vocals, what sets this duo apart from the rest of the Death Metal gathering, the level of precision in the vocals is paramount, almost explicitly morbid. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON AMORAL 'Beneath' IMPERIAL CASSETTE / THE END Armed with the absolutely talented Ari Koivunen (Finland's Idol 2007 winner) on vocal duties, Finnish Power Metal (and Death Metal) machine Amoral make their warmed-welcome return with their fifth album 'Beneath', this brings a storm of blizzardous drumming along with some of the most epic riffs ever heard by the band and of course utilising the magic that the Finnish Power Metal vocalists seem to muster, none the less Amoral know what sound they want to create, one of epic dynamic sounds and endless neck-breaking Metal music, 'Beneath' is for fans of Sonata Arctica, Shade Empire and Children Of Bodom; with the release now out it has to be Finnish Metal album of the year. [10] RHYS STEVENSON IN LEAGUE 'Where The Silence Is Easy' Australia sees a new boy band on the block, this time it is In League with their debut album 'Where The Silence Is Easy', the Post-Hardcore sextet immerse the listener with gravitational-pulling riffs and brain-shredding drumming, all supported by some of the most melodic vocals heard from Australia. Sounding similar to that of Enter Shikari (minus the trance) and Rise Against, In League are sure to gain global attention from media and fans alike, 'Where The Silence Is Easy' is an exceptionally powerful release and with the attitude and musical direction displayed on this release, there is nothing to stop this furious blazing wildfire of six lads to dominate the globe. [8] RHYS STEVENSON ESSENZA 'Devils Breath' BIG MUD Totally unethical and despairingly common, Essenza's third album released in 2009 is nothing more than a standard Heavy Metal release, no enthusiasm or drive to make it entertaining, as if the guitars just rusted up or the drummers lost the groove. The only good thing about it is the fact they've tried to make another album, but with this effort they may as well want to re-record it and make it 10x better, whilst the album does offer some glimmer of hopes here and there, listeners may disobey their Metal traits for once and listen to Justin Bieber, back to square one for the Italian trio. [2] RHYS STEVENSON MITIGATE
'Welcome To Our World' Austrian Symphonic / Melodic Death Metal trio Mitigate make their debut album 'Welcome To Our World' sound out with axes raised high in view of the masses. Much goes by the basic drumming but more attention is drawn to the vocals of which give two contrasting feelings, one of majestic feeling and the other of being slaughtered, whilst conventionally the music has some progressive elements to it - especially in the symphonies, but even so the latter is a just reflection of 'Dimmu Borgir-like' symphonic metal. Mitigate for who they are, have created a separate sound regardless of the common drum sounds, rest assured it can only get better. [6] RHYS STEVENSON THE BROWNING 'Burn This World' EARACHE Considered one of the next big bands to embrace to storm of colliding electronic music and metal together, The Browning install their hard drive force of complex Extreme / Hybrid Metal or Technical Electro-Deathcore, but essentially a sickening mix of Deathcore, Trance Music, EBM, Technical Metal and Cyber Metal. The fact being their debut album 'Burn This World' is one that cannot be genre-pinned, simply because of its multi-sound offering and it's tasty repertoire of brain-bashing breakdowns, energetic electronic EBM and all round sonic blasting. The Browning may be compared to bands like Design The Skyline, but even so both bands are leading a metal revolution, The Browning just taking it one step further, make or break for this band and genre is set to stay, love it or hate it, the perfect poker hand has been dealt, its time to 'Burn This World'. [10] RHYS STEVENSON KOZAKS OF METALLISHTAN 'Kozaks Of Metallishtan' Once in a while you get a band that breaks all guidelines, rules and totally wrecks conformity, this time it falls grace to the Finnish Metal scene, or so to speak the land of Metallishtan of which is located in modern day Russia. The trio of musical leaders bring a totally new idea to the Metal music world and as such bring out a totally unique sound. 'Kozaks Of Metallishtan' is the band's self-titled debut release and has a collection of Russian-tinged Soviet propaganda and digs at Sweden in the purest and comical form. None the less, the Metallishtani's will be immersed by the revolution and with this music, it spells the rebirth of the once forgotten nation. Kozaks Of Metallishtan is for fans of Rammstein and System of a Down, but for the band itself, Kozaks Of Metallishtan is a one of a kind, one band that will drive forward and bring a whole new level of Metal to the masses. [10] RHYS STEVENSON WINTERCOLD 'Lost Wolf' SATANICA Swedish one-man project Wintercold returns with another assault of Gothic-tinged Doom Metal, this time the full-length release in question is 'Lost Wolf', amassing a rather eclectic and sometimes shoddy mix of excellent and downright disappointing tracks. Some of the major highlights include 'Psychopath' with its quick beat and somewhat funky approach to the musical style. Nonetheless this is another fine example of the Swedish musical magician Satanic Tony; his project Wintercold is rumbling around the underground and with this latest release, things can only get darker, more intricate and most importantly heavier. [7] RHYS STEVENSON HELLARISE 'Human Disgrace' All female Brazilian Death / Thrash group Hellarise shed light in 2010 with their debut demo 'Human Disgrace', dragging up a fast blazing arrangement of songs fuelled by Amazonian wood and tribal heritage, this band mix a bit of Sepultura with feisty feminine creativity. For this debut effort from Brazil's underground, this is a good attempt at making brutal music. None the less, Hellarise could have gone better on production but with that in mind, the overall product is more than a general death / thrashes release, this is a demo with enough guts on it to over-throw any Ronaldinho or Pele. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON HAMEREX
'Rites Of Passage' Yorkshire boys Hamerex waiver their next assault of classic Heavy metal with their latest release 'Rites Of Passage', with a cascade of riffs and drumming to entice the most frantic of mosh-pits, Hamerex are igniting the old traditions and bringing them to the masses as a trophy of the evolution of Metal music. 'Rites Of Passage' brings a whole new stance on the meaning of original and traditional, this is by far one of the most impressive rejuvenations of old style metal to be unleashed, a sheer class of absolute proportions. For fans of Iron Maiden, Kaine, Van Halen. [8] RHYS STEVENSON |
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