ASCENDED DEAD 'Ascended Dead (Demo I)' You cannot help but to think that the debut demo by Californian Death Metallers Ascended Dead was intended for raw publication only, even though released on a tape and at large deliver so-low produced music that it would take the 2020 version of the Dolby Digital System to even register the output at level 2 on the dial. Sure the release is not a total silent production, but as for its overall perception there is much more to be done before the band embark on trying to deliver their music to the masses. After all this is a sound that's meant to be depressive, occult-loaded and darkening, instead it may as well be dubbed 'bizarre' [3] RHYS STEVENSON MARTYRD 'The Mortal Coil' As bright as that classic New York sunrise, Thrash maniacs Martyrd make their welcomed return to deliver 'The Mortal Coil', a futile collection of modernised Thrash Metal tracks, designed to outwit the preconceived ideas the artwork delivers. Capturing influential essences from the likes of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Testament and Metallica, Martyrd are setting themselves up to become the next band to emerge from the metropolis of American Thrash Metal. With their infectious riffs shredding through the human senses like a pack of wolves on their midnight hunt and the drums providing a solid base whilst the vocals power the album forward into a sense of total destruction, the next stop is going to be an interesting one, 'The Mortal Coil' could very well be the album that see's them get a record deal. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON KILLING SEASON 'Killing Season' One cannot help but to notice that it took seventeen years for these Illinois scamps to release something, it wasn't a disappointing wait either, welcoming home is the debut s/t demo by Killing Season, an eight-legged Groove/Thrash Metal machine of which has death written all over them. Playing Groove Metal in the style of Lamb of God and Thrash Metal in the style of Metallica, perhaps they should be called Metallica of God? This is the sort of band who love playing underground, playing what they want to do and it's evident on their demo that they stand for no-bullsh*t, what you hear is what you get, what's that Daffy Duck? It's Killing Season? Don't tell Bugs Bunny that, or he'll be forced to repeat the words 'that's all folks'. [8] RHYS STEVENSON WANTED INC. 'Demons We Created' Teutonic Thrash Metal quartet make their second album sound sweet, they forget to put the cherry on the cake, that said 'Demons We Created' qualifies as a break-neck release. From start to finish, the five-piece blast holes in the silence around with the echoing sounds of the guitars, riffing up like a chainsaw about to desecrate the Bavarian forests whilst the vocals and drums deliver a sound only a V12 could equate to. This is an album full of everything, full of angst, breakdowns, quirky riffs and pure German engineering; sure it's nothing on the scale of Holy Moses, but it will please fans of Evile, Blood Tsunami and Testament. As for Wanted Inc. they could be the band Germany has been waiting for, a breath of fresh air. [8] RHYS STEVENSON BLACK HAMMER 'Darker Days Will Come' FORGOTTEN WISDOM PRODS. 2012 sees the premier EP release of French one-man project Black Hammer, 'Darker Days Will Come' explodes and ignites with the infinite dark sound of classic Blackened Thrash Metal produced by the musical magician known as The Iron Messiah. The music itself is raw and gruesome, just the way its meant to be, the vocals however are raspy and chilling, thus bringing into the affray an abysmal outburst of blackened horror, so evil it would make the French revolution look like a tea party. 'Darker Days Will Come' is designed for fans of Dissimulation, Aura Noir and Toxic Holocaust, even so 'Darker Days Will Come' and that's a fact. [7] RHYS STEVENSON DEUS IGNOTUS 'Christmation' FORGOTTEN WISDOM PRODS. Well apparently it seems that due to the financial situation in Greece that the metal scene is getting darker, as seen by the recent release by Black Metal duo Deus Ignotus, their debut album 'Christmation' has what Black Metal already is, fast drumming, sensational blastbeats and evil vocals, so there is really nothing new here at all, still it cannot be knocked as not a good release, it is brimming with technical playing at every minute and is sure to please many amongst the Black Metal subgenre, as for the band this is the beginning of something epic, something more epic than Mayhem. [8] RHYS STEVENSON ANWYNN 'Forbidden Songs' M & O MUSIC Now this is the sort of band to uplift the Belgian Metal scene, mixing together a myriad of metal styles to construct what we perceive as 'Angelic Heavy Metal', their debut album 'Forbidden Songs' takes pinches from Death Metal, Melodic and Symphonic Metal, Progressive Metal and Gothic Metal, so there is something for everyone, but don't let the soft genres fool you, the Death Metal vocals are as brutal as a warm pint of Leffe. 'Forbidden Songs' delivers an onslaught of majestic music, brilliantly executed vocals and delinquent melodies, this is the album to set this lot off on a storm across Europe, the time has come, Anwynn are set to take the Belgian Metal scene to new heights. 'Forbidden Songs' is an album which fans of Izegrim, Arcane Grail and Diabulus In Musica will like. [10] RHYS STEVENSON ACYL 'Algebra' M & O Music Mixing traditional Algerian and North African / Arabian sounds with the Progressive Metal sounds of the French metal scene is dual-nationality quartet Acyl with their genius debut album 'Algebra'. Authentic in every way, 'Algebra' provides listeners with a taste for original Arabian sounds and brings the atmosphere of being in the sands to life. With a percussive beat giving a dance feel and the vocals delivering that harsh and ambient feel to the music, all in all resulting in a release that has enough originality in it to be called innovative. 'Algebra' is a release that will please fans of Myrath, Orphaned Land and Anagesia. [9] RHYS STEVENSON FENRIR 'Echoes Of The Wolf' From time to time you can be assured of specialist metal bands to arise from the depths of the abyss, so when Fenrir appear on the radar with their debut album 'Echoes Of The Wolf', you get the instantaneous pre-conceived idea its going to be a Folk Metal album, quite the contrary, in fact to be specific with the violin driving the melodies, the vocals providing heavenly choruses and the basic foundation of a metal band providing a solid backbone to the band, this is clearly the best Celtic Metal band France has ever produced. Laden with joy, adventures and sensational musicianship, the sextet from Nancy conduct a formula that any ancient druid would be baffled by, dragging the listener into the ancient times of Gaul and enriching their senses with what can be claimed as French Metal album of the year. [9] RHYS STEVENSON NAHUM
'The Gates Are Open' It has to be said that Nahum's debut album 'The Gates Are Open' lacks any real vibrancy, sure the Melodic Death Metal / Thrash Metal combo plays well, but the overall feeling is that the vocals don't change level and so thus leave it with a set method of performance, however the music does offer some unique sound shifts especially on 'Equal', but for the Czech quartet the album in question is not a be all end all, for it does have mind-blowing drumming and heart-breaking riffs, so there are at times good and bad points, but the overall reception is a fairly positive one. It has sounds for every sort of metal fan, 'The Gates Are Open' and Nahum is 'nearly' ready to slaughter Europe. [6] RHYS STEVENSON
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KOSMOS 'From Innocence To Pervesity' French Black Metal has always been a hit and miss area and from time to time bands or projects emerge that wipe the floor with the rest of the scene, unfortunately its projects like Kosmos who loiter on the fence. The debut album 'From Innocence To Pervesity' delivers sensational musical compositions via insane drumming, raw riffs and a dark grim atmosphere, but what lets it down is the vocals, sure there is meant to be vocals, but it just sounds like static on the microphone. Overall the album is fairly well done, but the vocals need more work to be done rather than making pretty designs using corpse paint. [6] RHYS STEVENSON SPIRITS WAY 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved' Polish Death Metal quartet Spirits Way take no time out to release their next opus as a year after their 2011 debut EP, they release their debut album 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved'. Kicking off with technical metal simmering in the background and Death Metal delivering the goods in extreme form, this is a solid prime example of how Death Metal should be conducted. 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved' features seven tracks of nitty-gritty music and twenty-one minutes worth of complete annihilation of the hearing senses. It would be really odd if no record label snaps this lot up, brimming with potential and attitude, 'Brainless Puppets Are Enslaved' may as well be Polish Metal album of the year. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON BURNING SHADOWS 'Gather, Darkness!' The question is 'Why on earth aren't these guys signed'? Listeners would most probably agree when checking out Burning Shadows and their sophomore album 'Gather, Darkness!', lashing together majestic Power Metal vocals with the traditional sounds of Heavy Metal to create a folklorish album. Mixing their intricate music with the lyrical topics of mythology, war and Tolkien themes, no wonder the overall product sounds like a thousand horses galloping; it's fast-paced, full of unexpected twists and turns and ultimately truly American. For the Maryland quartet this is a step forward and is sure to get attention across the globe. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON HELLSPAWN 'The Great Red Dragon' Wydawnictwo Muzyczne Psycho Hellspawn return to shed out their sophomore album 'The Great Red Dragon', the Polish quartet clearly have influence from titans Behemoth as there are very identical riffs between the two, even so 'The Great Red Dragon' is a well-produced slab of no-bullsh*t Death Metal. It is fast, brutal and a skull-smashing piece of musicianship. From the first second to the last riff, 'The Great Red Dragon' wipes the floor with their previous releases and is sure to garner much attention across Europe. With the drums blazing and the guitars shedding out notes like as if he has the runs, Hellspawn have done it again and brought their signature sound to the table for a second round. [7] RHYS STEVENSON IBLIS 'Menthell' D.T.M PRODS Strange things happen and sometimes they cannot be explained, such a chase is the debut album by Iblis from Poland, their album 'Menthell' covers much of the old school Black 'N' Roll that they seemed to play, but in fact most of the album dives into the Avant-Garde Metal pool and plucks out some of the most bizarre sounds ever imaginable. Playing in the style of bands like December Wolves, Aarni and Sunn O))), the quartet produce a unique sound that is hard to compare with any other bands. Weaving the Avant-Garde influences with their style of Post-Black Metal, Iblis are a one of a kind. [7] RHYS STEVENSON PANDEMONIUM 'Misanthropy' PAGAN Number four has dropped and strangely enough it's a nothing, the drums pummel away as it says in the script, but with no build-up or anti-climax, this failed to break the box office, enough of the film language, this is music, or so it should be. For Poland's Pandemonium, it couldn't get any bizarre, for starters the album tends to lack presence, yet the music is fine, the atmosphere is dull, yet the feeling is there. 'Misanthropy' in question is indeed a question mark over the band's excellent record of decent albums, but this is one they should quickly forget, from such a long-running band and a well known one at that, much was more to be expected than has been delivered. [5] RHYS STEVENSON WARHEAD 'The End Is Here' Sometimes you just think that recording studios can go from absolute perfection to backyard trash, sadly the album in question got beaten up in the backyard. 'The End Is Here' by American Thrashers Warhead is their debut album, yet to listen to it, you need speakers at maximum, it is that bad. The music itself is well done, a straight-edge production in the vein of Thrash Metal and clearly shows signs that they stuck to it and did not deviate, but for the level of the sound that is produced at a normal level, well you would need a huge speaker system to make it sound ok, sad to say but 'The End Is Here' for Warhead. [2.5] RHYS STEVENSON SVENTOYAR (Свентояр) 'Our Strength' BLACK DEATH PROD. Those Eastern Europeans, lavish and deep in their beloved folk music and beliefs, so when Sventoyar (Свентояр) come back to release their sophomore album 'Our Strength', it cannot be helped but to notice this is a band singing about Slavonic Paganism, folklore and nationalism, but don't dub them as a Nazi band, this is not the case. The Ukrainian quintet come together to produce a beautiful display of traditional folk music with the harsh sounds of Metal music to create something extraordinary. Singing in their native Ukrainian language, you get that truly glorious feel of being taken into the ancient history of their lands and with 'Our Strength' now firmly set in stone, Sventoyar are taking Ukrainian Metal to greater heights. [7] RHYS STEVENSON _ YOSSI SASSI 'Melting Clocks' VERYCORDS Most of the albums coming from the Middle East tend to have that exotic feel about them, 'Melting Clocks' is no different, the total instrumental album by Orphaned Land's Yossi Sassi delivers the best sounds of traditional Hebrew and Israeli music with the solid backbone of rock music. Composed in such a way that even at Yom Kippur, this would be a perfect soundtrack to the colourful festival. Garnered by the authentic Oriental sounds of the native homeland of Christianity, Yossi Sassi delivers a masterpiece classic to the world in a thousand colours and with his 'Melting Clocks' album now firmly set in the music world; this is just the start of something rather epic. [8] RHYS STEVENSON DARK AMBITION
'Gallows Of Empire' ROCK SPACE KOREA On the other side of the globe in South Korea, comes a return for the sextet Dark Ambition and their sophomore album 'Gallows Of Empire'. The Seoul-based band deliver another round of their unique Melodic Black / Folk / Death Metal sound combo and their historical legends as lyrics once more, such a fine album this is and especially since it's the bands tenth anniversary. Mixing heavenly keyboard notes with the harsh brutality executed by the drums, vocals and guitars, altogether come as one to produce one of the finest dark albums South Korea has ever seen. 'Gallows Of Empire' is in fact for fans of Cradle Of Filth, Hecate Enthroned, Ancient Rites and general Extreme Dark Metal. [7.5] 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 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 P.S. Global Metal Apocalypse does not support or encourage the NSBM movement, nor do we condone it, we purely look at it as a Black Metal genre and focus purely on the music itself. FEUERNACHT 'Kamps Macht Frei' ONE PEOPLE ONE STRUGGLE The debut from the Austrian NSBM machine known as Feuernacht does not go without any compromise, singing entirely in their native German language, the band drag out from the darkness the most gruesome and evil types of Black Metal, the National Socialist kind. Whilst most will hate on the album, the music deals justice in that it delivers a cleverly structured slice of classic Black Metal. Fast-drumming on top of raw vocals that are so raw, it makes blood-red meat look pathetic. With a morbid, cold and damp atmosphere being drawn into the affray, this release could be the peak of the movement and as such, without any argument, a release worthy on anyone's shelves. Grim, black and practically old-school, 'Kamps Macht Frei' is the signature tune of Feuernacht. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON MOSHPIT 'We Carry The Heart' ONE PEOPLE ONE STRUGGLE Let's face it, the 2012 offering by German Metalcore mob Moshpit is poised to smack the hell out of the cloned Metalcore bands that scatter the earth's surface these days. Their 2012 album 'We Carry The Heart' is a perfect example of how Metalcore 'should' be done. Brutal breakdowns, neck-slashing riffs and gut-rotting vocals accelerate the monstrosity that is Moshpit. Signed to OPOS Records, Moshpit are one hell of a promising band and are sure to smash their way through the German Metal scene like a dozen horses charging into battle, this, is, the, sh*t! [8] RHYS STEVENSON WARSENAL '2012 Demo' Give the lads due and praise, well after all Canada's Speed / Thrash Metal crackpots Warsenal make their debut on the scene with their 2012 demo. Regretfully quality is near appalling, but there again it makes you turn the volume up past 13, and then you'll find that this release has close links to the likes of Slayer and Anthrax. For the trio from the French-speaking region of Quebec, this could be the first step to bring back the old glorified sounds of 80's Speed and Trash Metal. Fast percussive beats, shredding riffs and slick vocals, Warsenal maybe become the war arsenal. [5] RHYS STEVENSON NIGHTCREEPERS 'Alpha' Gallantly wielding their swords, strapping together their barrels and priming their arrows, is French Pagan Folk Metallers Nightcreepers with their majestic sophomore album 'Alpha'. This sextet create an upbeat yet traditional sound with the usage of keyboards and a finely-tuned accordion to mix the classic French music sound with the harsh brutality of the Metal music infrastructure. It is not often that you come across bands similar to that of Arkona, Primordial or Cruachan; minus the Celtic Metal influence, or so one thinks. However, Nightcreepers are sure to storm the European lands, turn heads and most importantly sport that upcoming, needed label signing (and one could see them on a label like Nuclear Blast someday). [9] RHYS STEVENSON RISE OF AVERNUS
'Rise Of Avernus The debut EP by Australian quintet Rise Of Avernus does not go without it's drawbacks, it's too short. The EP kicks off the melodramatic and dark atmosphere through the delinquent sounds of the keyboard and the raw riffs of the guitar intertwining with the deep and depressive vocals, all of which bring together a real dank release. For the Progressive Gothic Doomsters, this is a great attempt on the first hurdle and it would seem that they have much more to offer in the next few releases. With clear-cut influences from Opeth, Paradise Lost and Candlemass, this is one EP to please any Doom Metal fan. [7] RHYS STEVENSON WEDDING IN HADES 'Misbehaviour' BAD MOOD MAN MUSIC French Death Doomsters Wedding In Hades make their awaited return with their sophomore full-length album 'Misbehaviour', fully of melancholy and sorrowful depression, this record is enough to make anyone weep unintentionally because it carries the darkness in one package. Such an improvement has happened since their debut album 'Elements of Disorder' gloomed out the surroundings in 2010, the songs are darker and more slower and yet they capture a real misery side to release, just a shame the first song is far too long. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON GRAVEFLOWER 'Returning To The Primary Source' SOLITUDE PRODS Let's face it, Russia know how to conjure up the right method of playing Doom / Death Metal. With the most depressing and cold bitter atmosphere drilled into one's head, Graveflower who hail from Yekaterinburg ignite a murky and ugly feel to their music, making it really atmospheric and sensationally shadow-like, 'Returning To The Primary Source' is their debut album and this is a great way to start it on, with vocals delivering a mellow yet frost-bitten feel and the guitars and drums working in sync to give a dank feel to the audio, this could be the turning point in Doom / Death Metal. [6] RHYS STEVENSON _ EVADNE 'The Shortest Way' SOLITUDE PRODS Apt music to justify the mood felt in the Spanish economy, but hey-ho Evadne's sophomore album delivers the goods in eccentric form, mixing melodic metal with the depressive Doom / Death Metal which in itself is a plethora of different styles and stance. The five-piece who hail from the autonomous region of the Valencian Community bring out the darkness in their land and curse the listener with a sensational outcry. Bringing together a collection of different elements, the five-some are sure to go onto greater things and achieve higher recognition as what is billed as potentially Spanish Metal album of the year. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON HELL LIGHT 'Funeral Doom / The Light That Brough Darkness' SOLITUDE PRODS Here is a dual-release; one 2008 album and one 2011 EP - both making up on a 2 CD release and a delightful listen, even with the epic cover of Queen's 'the show must go on'. This is the Brazilian Funeral Doom/Death Metal trio Hell Light and they mean business. With at least two hours worth of music to devour, this dual-release could be most essential one of the band's career, sure they have been going since 1996 and within a 3 year period, two releases coalesced and come together to deliver an almighty musical explosion. [7] RHYS STEVENSON HEART OF A COWARD
'Hope & Hindrance' It's not very often that you come across a Metal band that nails two genres perfectly at once, well at least in the Groove Metal and Metalcore genres respectively, unless your of course Heart Of A Coward, the Milton Keynes quintet with ex-Sylosis vocalist Jamie Graham on the reins unleash their latest brutal offering 'Hope & Hindrance'. Splintered with sharp riffs and covered by some of the grittiest vocals ever known to man, Heart Of A Coward put the 'pedal to the metal' on this release and go out on full throttle, now if they don't win any awards in the future, I'll eat my speakers. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON AENYGMIST 'Creation Born of Trauma' As raw as cold meat found in the northern most parts of Canada, Quebec's quintet Aenygmist unleashed an absolute belter in the Melodic Black Metal vein back in 2010 with their debut album 'Creation Born of Trauma'. Best fitting to that of Cradle of Filth, the release cultivates a dark and bleak atmosphere within the blackened corners of the listener's mind, meaning it is one of those releases that takes you away from your senses, this is the sort of output that has been missing from this land and with the beauty residing in this release, Aenygmist could well be the next big Black Metal act from Canada. [9] RHYS STEVENSON _ CORPSE FAUNA 'Gore Gallery' Arising from the pits of Essex is Death Metal / Grindcore quintet Corpse Fauna, this five-piece simmer out the gravel from the grit and repeatedly smash the listener into brick walls with their debut demo 'Gore Gallery'. Whilst the production isn’t the most wonderful and at times sounds completely non-existent, the demo is a fair attempt at kick-starting the band's career, of course all bands don’t sound their best on their first demo, but Corpse Fauna are sure to make an impression as time goes on, with the double bass and guitars adding a raw atmosphere to it, the only way is forward, the only way is Essex. [7] RHYS STEVENSON AONIA 'City of Shadows' It would seem that Aonia, who hail from the Midlands, have chosen to adopt an Operatic-cross-Disney epic style of Symphonic Gothic Power Metal. The female-fronted quintet debuted with their 2011 EP 'City of Shadows' and instantaneously it bursts into life by alleviating the suspense via a terrific outcry of emphatic riffs and heavenly vocals. This is the 'beauty and the beast' scenario whereby the aurora of the Gothic Metal reaches that essential point whereby absolute bliss is maintained, henceforth Aonia may as well be England's answer to Sweden's Therion and Finland's Nightwish, but wherever this band end up, they have covered the land in a 'city of shadows'. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON BULL-RIFF STAMPEDE 'Scatter The Ground' If not for the ad-hoc riffing and the occasional cymbal thumping, this could be a rather decent Death/Thrash album, instead it just falls short of the full works, yet it holds a rather interesting sound, fast and shrieking, a unique combo found in the Italian Death / Thrash scene, added to the affray is some bombastic English solo's, all of which combine together to produce a decent effort for Bull-Riff Stampede, however the Bristolians need to stop learning how to 'Scatter The Ground' and learn how to stand their ground. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON _ CENSURA
'The Island' BIELER BROS RECORDS American Franco-Irish quartet Censura blast themselves into the Irish Metal scene with an apocalyptic boom, mixing an eclectic style of Electronic Power Metal and embodied with Metalcore and Industrial influences, Censura are in the new style of Modern Metal. Their five-track EP 'The Island' from start to finish is a non-stop rollercoaster of mesmerising trance-style beats, furious vocals and some of the most sickening riffs known to man, let alone being drawn to comparisons with Dead By April and Asking Alexandria, Censura are the new face of Irish Metal, watch out, this is just the beginning. [10] RHYS STEVENSON GMN - Vol63 - Emerald Night, Изморозь (Izmoroz), Twilight, Disconnected Brain, Corpse Fauna29/12/2011 EMERALD NIGHT 'Зеркало Троллей' GRAILIGHT Emblazoned on the Russian Metal scene like a light-bearer is Emerald Night with their third album 'Зеркало Троллей', the Symphonic Melodic Black Metal quartet deliver a sonic blast of Russian language-infused tracks that are so powerful, the nuclear weaponry that is present in today's world is now considered obsolete. Whilst the general listener may fall short of understanding the lyrics, the music does well in supplying a backdrop to keep the listener occupied, with a massacre of tricky riffs to savour the insane drumming and ear-smashing vocals, Emerald Night are a truly underground band waiting to give the all-out assault. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON IZMOROZ (Изморозь) 'Отморозь' GRAILIGHT It just seems apparent that most Eastern European Black Metal bands will use Paganism for their lyric topics and include Slavonic style music, easily Pagan Black Metal, but for Russia's Izmoroz it is more than that. Mixing their native Russian language with the sounds of Paganism and Slavonic folklore, this is perhaps the most influential album for Russian Pagan Metal bands to follow as an example, with vocals evil enough to make yourself soil your pants and music fast and brutal enough to send all the bodybuilders running in tutu's, Izmoroz is leading the Russian Pagan Metal scene to newer dimensions. [8] RHYS STEVENSON TWILIGHT 'Awaiting The Sunrise' GRAILIGHT The debut album from Russian Symphonic Black / Melodic Death Metal quintet Twilight is now a reality, sounding similar to that of fellow countrymen Arcane Grail. The Vologda-based five-piece mould together the blistering pace of Black Metal with the melodic symphonies found within metal and the sister Metal genre of Death Metal to produce an album worthy of a Grammy award. Thunderous double-bass drumming is only the foundation for a harmonic yet mentally brutal production and is only the signal for an eight-track onslaught, 'Awaiting The Sunrise' is perhaps the most heaviest album released in Russian Metal history; a true work of honour. [9] RHYS STEVENSON DISCONNECTED BRAIN 'Descent Into Hell' Slaying their way into the limelight and into newcomers corner is French Thrashers Disconnected Brain with their debut album 'Descent Into Hell', sounding similar to that of Slayer and Metallica, the riffs are romping around the release like no tomorrow whilst the solo's are clean and crisp, somewhat bringing classic styles to the modern sound of European Thrash Metal. 'Descent Into Hell' is a 'thrashin' good album and with a taste for Pantera clearly detectable, this is without a doubt French Metal album of the year and with this effort, Disconnected Brain is only going to get better. [7] RHYS STEVENSON _ CORPSE FAUNA
'Gore Gallery' Arising from the pits of Essex is Death Metal / Grindcore quintet Corpse Fauna, this five-piece simmer out the gravel from the grit and repeatedly smash the listener into brick walls with their debut demo 'Gore Gallery'. Whilst the production isn’t the most wonderful and at times sounds completely non-existent, the demo is a fair attempt at kick-starting the band's career, of course all bands don’t sound their best on their first demo, but Corpse Fauna are sure to make an impression as time goes on, with the double bass and guitars adding a raw atmosphere to it, the only way is forward, the only way is Essex. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON ONE WITHOUT 'Sweet Relief' Hailing from the centre of the Gothenburg Metal storm system, Swedish Gothic Metalcore quintet One Without storm out of the darkness with their all-so beautiful melodies and earthquake-rhythmetic beats in the form of their sophomore album 'Sweet Relief'. The Metalcore part stems from the source that seems to be the same as where fellow countrymen Sonic Syndicate have doused themselves in whereas the Gothic Metal part is in the style of the Italian maestros Lacuna Coil. None the less this is not Motionless In White mark 2, but more so a band in their own rights and sounds. Without a doubt this is the Swedish Metal album of the year 2011. [10] RHYS STEVENSON SENTENCED TO BURN 'We Represent' No prisoners and no prayers are welcome with the debut EP of Hardcore crew Sentenced To Burn, the quintet from the State of Brunei Darussalam (in South-East Asia) give no reason to why people should shy away from their music, full of breakdown and rib-snapping riffs, this is Hardcore beyond all belief. Drawing clear influences from the American Hardcore scene and especially Hatebreed, Sentenced To Burn are truly bringing metal to the masses with 'We Represent', simply put you would have to be totally insane not to check them out. Balls, sweat, brutality, masculinity, just about everything including the kitchen sink has been injected into this release, forget Hatebreed 'cause this is the new s***! The band may as well be caught saying 'We Represent' Brunei Darussalam, because they are flying the flag for their Metal scene. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON INFLUENCE 'Where Does Your Way Lead To?' Without compromise and without any signs of respite, this is the brutal melodic storm the Polish Metal scene has been waiting for, clad in business suits and corporate like CEO's, the Technical / Melodic Death Metal quartet Influence shed noise on their debut EP 'Where Does Your Way Lead To?' Fast paced percussion encased by the viral sounds of outrageous riffs and solos and dogged by some of the harshest vocals heard this year, Influence are exactly what the band name says, an influence to the next generation of Metal bands, think twice before dismissing them as another average Melodic Metal band, you'd be a fool to do so, so in the end fans know where the bands way leads to, but 'Where Does Your Way Lead To?' [9] RHYS STEVENSON MITIGATE 'A New Day' Austrian Symphonic / Melodic Death Metal trio Mitigate return once again with swords raised high and in triumph of unleashing their second album 'A New Day' to 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. [7] RHYS STEVENSON LIVARKAHIL
'Signs Of Decay' LISTENABLE Parisian Deathcore slammers Livarkahil commit double genocide with their emphatically grave-raping sophomore album 'Signs Of Decay'. Fisting in a smacking of brain-crushing Death Metal in its most extreme form whilst the gritty gravel of Hardcore digs down into the skull's chambers to unleash a torrential flooding of blood and sweat in an outrageous style. With smack-down breakdowns and vocals to give any emo a migraine, 'Signs Of Decay' is the most unforgivable Deathcore production this year, take no mercy, take no cowardice, Livarkahil have only just begun the humanity slaughtering. [10] RHYS STEVENSON EVENSTORM 'The Return Of The Storm' This is perhaps one of Germany's most hidden metal gems, Evenstorm return with their fast-paced Heavy Metal tune in the form of their third album 'The Return Of The Storm', this cooks up a fruity balance of German Heavy Metal and brutal speed, all making this effort the funkiest the German Metal scene has to offer, even playing a song about Formula 1 on the song 'Speed Ecstasy'. This is one of those albums that you would drive along to, roof down and along route 66. Evenstorm are a classic band who deserves space on anyone's iTunes - True Heavy Metal. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON KARYBDIS 'War For Land' London quintet Karybdis decimate any resistance with a full-on ear-rape in the form of their debut EP 'War For Land', this characterizes an insane mix of Melodic Death Metal and essentially Thrashcore to the sound. The music is mid-paced, heavy and brutal and the vocals are quick, snappy and exciting, all in all this is a great first attempt. Mixing a great array of breakdowns, riffs and sensational lyrics, the bad boys are set to shred the underground in half, definitely a band to watch out for, they will soon join the British Metal revolution with Malefice, The Dead Lay Waiting, Dyscarnate and Sylosis amongst others, the storm has only just begun. [9.5] RHYS STEVENSON NOEIN 'The Initial Tale' LES ARTS BOURRINS If Noein were a footballer, they would be Zinedine Zidane - quick, agile and an excellent striker of sensational music. The French female-fronted Industrial Death Metal quintet whips together a furious rally of tornado-force drumming, riffing and growling. One would also dub it 'cyber metal' for the ambiance caused by the clashing of instrument sounds, leaving it with a cyber feel. With their debut EP 'The Initial Tale' released last year, the two females and 3 males that make the line-up are heading the right way for recognition and with this effort, they rightly deserve it. Fear Factory now has an enemy, the war has just begun, let the battle commence. [10] RHYS STEVENSON CORR MHONA 'Corrguineacht' Captivating the old forgone language of Irish Gaelic is Pagan Doom band Corr Mhona from Ireland, unleashing their EP back in 2009 it passes on a unique sense of it being totally different from your average Irish Metal release, regardless of the language change. There lies within this EP an influence of the Celtic Metal vein, not so much Doom Metal; being mid-paced. Still this is a band from Cork with a lot of passion about their heritage and is willing to share it in the best conveyed message. Regardless if you don’t like doom or pagan metal, Corr Mhona is a band welcomed in anyone's music taste, just to hear the Irish Gaelic language spoken is beautiful. [9] RHYS STEVENSON EUPHOREON
'Euphoreon West meets East in this international collaboration between a German and a New Zealander, implementing the majestic sounds of Melodic Death Metal and adding their own twist to it, the duo who form Euphoreon concocted the perfect storm to unleash hell in the form of their sensational debut self-titled album. In the veins of Wintersun, Blackguard and Preternatural, the album offers a vast array of tones and pitches to excite the listener's hearing, so much so the release is an audible orgasm. Euphoreon are setting sights on pastures new and with this release, could prove to be the best ever band released from the New Zealand Metal scene as well as the best ever dual-nationality project. [10] RHYS STEVENSON |
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