KREMATED 'Total Warfare' You want a blitz? Look at world war two documentaries, however if you want a blitz-storm then get a load of historical Thrash Metal produced by London masters of grit, the quartet known as Kremated. Returning from the pits of the south bank, Kremated thrust forward their latest offering 'Total Warfare' in epic fashion, through a myriad of tempo-changing tracks and outrageous riffs, both together powerful enough to make an AK-47 look like a spent lump of corrugated metal. Moral is if you think the old styles of metal are dead, if you feel that the 'core' genres are the best style of metal ever, you would be mistaken, 'Total Warfare' delivers thrashed-up music along with Hardcore brutality and slick Crustpunk atmosphere, just make sure you turn the speakers up past 13 or else. [9] RHYS STEVENSON Kannabinõid 'Kannabinõid' Considering most of the Eastern European Metal scenes deal with mainly Doom and Black Metal, when the Stoner Doom Metal quartet Kannabinõid emerge with their self-titled debut EP, it is looked open as the turning point for the Estonian extreme metal scene, full of melancholic, darkening and disturbing atmosphere, played on by the elegance of the Estonian language and the slow, thick sound of the guitar strings being plucked in a sorrowful way that leaves a bitter and cold emotion in the ears of whomsoever comes across this cleverly produced work of art, so much so irrespective of the language difficulties, here the music does the inevitable talking. [8] RHYS STEVENSON DARK HORIZON 'Diabolic Agreement' Two words: very disappointing. This is the best way without being crude upon summing up the debut album by Dark Horizon, their album 'Diabolic Agreement' delivers great music in the style of Melodic Black / Death Metal and at a precise tone too, but the vocals somehow seem to have gotten lost somewhere or at least practically are hard to understand, if there is anything else positive to take from this release is that it would pose well as an instrumental, but if the band are to exceed expectations and deliver a sound that critics and labels will pay more attention to, then the vocals need to keep a gear, there is great potential, just not as evident as it should be. [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON MYRA 'The Venom It Drips' EUROPEAN LABEL Falling back four years to the spark of Myra's career and you'll find their debut album 'The Venom It Drips', much is different here to their later album 'Godspeed', but the band still employs that phenomenal sound they coalesce, putting together lashes of Melodic Death Metal with Metalcore and Thrash Metal, the German quintet are a force waiting to take Europe by storm. With each song there is an explosion of technically crafted metal music and an atmosphere that would make any Bundesliga match sound and feel like a kindergarten, the album is that powerful. From the lush sounds of 'Doomed from the outset' which features female vocals to the delicate instrumental 'The Venom Part I', Myra prove that they are the new face of German Metal. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON GHOST TRAIL 'Orkestergrav' It is a truthful fact that Norwegians are very good at producing grim Black Metal and Ghost Trail are no exception, putting together the cold and grave sounds of their True Norwegian Black Metal heritage with the progressive elements found in bands like Ihsahn, Enslaved and Emporer, the Norwegian trio deliver a promising start to their career and are sure to continue to create even darker music. As for their demo 'Orkestergrav', it is sure to please fans of the Progressive Black Metal style, with it's slow and long elements and formidable shrieking, it is a sound of death. [7] RHYS STEVENSON CRIMSON SHADOWS 'Glory On The Battlefield' From time to time Canada delivers a band that whilst unsigned, deserves international attention and proves themselves to be the next big act, this time that falls upon Ontario quintet Crimson Shadows as they smash the sound barrier with their emphatic debut album 'Glory On The Battlefield', mixing together the guttural vibrant sounds of Melodic Death Metal with the heavenly and majestic elements of Power Metal to deliver what could be perceived as Canadian Album of the year. 'Glory On The Battlefield' takes the listener on a forty-six minute journey through the fields of Canada to places as high as the Rockies and as low as the mountain bears riding bareback through the cities, to put it short, expect this band to go far as they prepare for 'Glory On The Battlefield'. Fans of 3 Inches of Blood, Blackguard and Unleash The Archers will love this album to bits. [10] RHYS STEVENSON WEEPING SILENCE 'For The Unsung' RAVENHEART MUSIC Malta's most prolific Metal band Weeping Silence return for a third time to deliver their sensational sound of Gothic-infused Doom Metal in emphatic fashion, the septet deliver another opus in what can be perceived as their greatest work to date. Mixing delicate female vocals with the harshness of the brutal male vocals spurted out here and together wrapped in music so atmospherically dynamic, it shook the very foundations of this small European island nation. For a Gothic Doom Metal band, they know how to make the balance just right so it doesn't place the listener in suicidal despair, instead what the Maltese septet have done is bring to the table another slice of fruity cake, one that any metal fan would savor and especially is delivered in honor 'For The Unsung' heroes that defended Malta during WW2, that is how strong this album and indeed this band are. [9] RHYS STEVENSON FIRES OF TARTARUS 'Fires Of Tartarus' Berkshire of late seems to be producing metal bands by the truckload and all sound out of this world, so when the new kids on the block Fires Of Tartarus released their debut s/t EP this year, the expectations were running high, by god did we not see this coming. Slamming, face-smashing Death Metal is unleashed to pummel the streets into total disrepair, wielding together killer riffs and earthquake-like drumming precision amongst sickening vocals and an atmosphere to make any hardnut become equated to a ballerina, 'Fires Of Tartarus' smacks out five tracks of insane music and yet leaves the listener begging for more, 'Fires Of Tartarus' is for fans of literally pure cold-blooded Death Metal. If this lot don't get signed in the next two or three years, I'll eat my speakers. [10] RHYS STEVENSON XENOSIS 'Haunted Skies' Whilst conventionally unconvincing as a perfect debut album, Xenosis' 'Haunted Skies' meets the expectations of what they claim to play, Progressive Death Metal. However for the American quintet the obvious lack of little timing here and there leaves some songs without any meaning or reason for purpose other than that to drag the entire album out of it's overall perception. Tracks like 'The Contactee' deliver what one was expecting, as for the first two tracks, skip them. However the real fudge-packer that will entice everyone is 'The Willows of the Brook surround us' with it's technically productive riffs and brutalizing drumming and vocal capabilities, overall the album has gems here and there, but there are a few areas to clean up on for number two. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON BAAL ZE UB
'...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' Enter Baal Ze Ub with their debut full-length album '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' and the new sound in the German Metal scene. Mixing traditional Blackened Thrash Metal with the darkness and grim atmosphere of war that plagued Europe for years, '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' delivers fast and furious brutality in a barrage of blastbeats, death-defying riffs and insane shrieking vocals. Without dubbing them 'Black War Metal' would be a little of an understatement, there is evident parts of the album that relate to war and the air raid siren at the start is the first part of this extreme release. Emerging out of the darkness '...From The Cave Of The Forgotten' comes a quintet with enough cold bitterness to freeze your nipples off. [8] RHYS STEVENSON
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VOODOO GODS 'Shrunken Head' MISANTHROPICA ENTERPRISES When you feature a septet that resembles a Death / Thrash Metal Armageddon with Nergal of Behemoth on the front line and past members of Morbid Angel, Manowar, Decapitated and Deicide amongst the affray, you know this band is going to be sensational. Enter Florida-based Voodoo Gods and their debut EP 'Shrunken Head', full of the very essence of voodooism from it's Caribbean counterparts, even Baron Samedi could not cope with the brutal force residing here. Grizzly vocals lead the way for the erotic riffs and elaborate drumming to decimate any senses the listener may have, this is something extra special and is sure to attract attention from far and wide. Fuelled by the Gulf of Mexico, this cyclonic storm is strengthening up and is preparing to make a global assault. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON ACROMONIA 'Human Downfall' Probably soon to be considered the next best German Melodic Death Metal band on the block, Baden-Württemberg's Acromonia storms out of the gates with their highly promising debut EP 'Human Downfall', awashed with emphatic solo's, ballsy drumming and vocals so deep it would make the nearby church cemetery shake earthquake-style. For fans of Soilwork, Scar Symmetry and Threat Signal, Acromonia's 'Human Downfall' takes the classic sound of Melodic Death Metal, adds their own emphasis on it and triumphantly delivers something so epic, the debut album is already seems promising. [9] RHYS STEVENSON WANDAR 'Landlose Ufer' Heathen Black Metal horde Wandar make their full-on battle assault with their debut album 'Landlose Ufer', exclusively singing in their native language of German, the quartet immerse the atmosphere with Germanic paganism and heathen traits, laced with the evil, cold and bitterness of continental Black Metal. Not all German Black Metal bands make their debut as refreshing as they should be and so when coming across 'Landlose Ufer', there is not a lot of negativity that can be scrutinised on, even if the production seems a little weak, the album spits originality and signals an oncoming winter storm as Wandar rebel across the lands. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON ERA HEX 'New Aeon' From time to time band's will try to mix genres as extreme as they can and so when four Bavarians lock horns with the intricate sounds of Industrial Death Metal and incorporate elegant sounds of Symphonic Metal, the stage is set for the absolute demise of their debut EP 'New Aeon'. Blasting sonic waves with the immense velocity delivered by the double bass drumming and smothering it with total technical riffing, harmonious keyboard elements and gritty death metal vocals, you can clearly see a mixture of Scar Symmetry, Shade Empire and Breach The Void. All in all the EP signals that Era Hex, as we know it is the Cyber Metal juggernaut the world has been waiting for. [10] RHYS STEVENSON DESTINATIONS CALLING 'End Of Time' Germany's Destination's Calling make their awaited return with their sophomore album 'End Of Time', filled to the brim with Power Metal, this album naturally is your average sounding one in the stated genre. High-pitched vocals, adventurous musical compositions and an all-round feeling of power, 'End Of Time' is an album that will please any fan of Sonata Arctica, Edguy and Dream Theater. The only downside of the album is that it's not long enough (even if it's over fifty minutes long) and it only starts kicking off when track three 'Revolution in Min' comes into play, but in conclusion it is a decent enough album, we'll let the listener make the critical judgements. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON BLEEDING 'Bleeding' One year in and Hamburg's Bleeding deliver their debut self-titled EP, but the first part of the storm is a bit of a bumpy ride, there are a host of genres wafting and weaving about the release, from Progressive Metal to Power Metal and from Thrash Metal to Modern Rock, there again when you take three musicians and give them a studio, anything can happen. If you had to pigeon-hole this release, simply call it 'experimental funk metal', the rhythm changes every minute and the music ranges from high-pitch belters to low-sounding humdingers. Exclusively this EP can cater for a range of acquired tastes, eventually leaving the listener with 'Bleeding' ears. [8] RHYS STEVENSON CLEAR SKY NAILSTORM 'Marching Through Darkness' German Melodic Thrashers Clear Sky Nailstorm emerge out of the sewers with the stench of their infectious and disease-ridden debut EP 'Marching Through Darkness', oozing with confidence and heavy brutality, who said German musicians were only good at Death Metal? Mein gott nein. Clear Sky Nailstorm are exactly what they say are, a heavy downpour of razor-sharp riffs, metallic drumming and two-ton weight vocals, all in all producing a fine piece of musicianship. 'Marching Through Darkness' takes the listener on a ride of their life, from the cascading riffs to the heavy drop of the drumstick, just purely epic. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON RUNNING DEATH 'The Call Of Extinction' Bavaria plays host to a number of exceedingly good bands and from time to time there are bands from this part of Germany that deserve (well they all do) to be signed, but Running Death with their neck-breaking Thrash Metal deserve it most, in fact they modernise the already established Teutonic Thrash Metal sub-genre without fault or deviation from the main sound that is expected. Moulding versatility with total brutality, Running Death emerges as one of the finest newcomers of the German metal scene, time will come and this band will be ready for more. [7] RHYS STEVENSON WINTER IN EDEN 'Echoes Of Betrayal' Following their debut album, upcoming English Symphonic Gothic Metallers Winter In Eden make their welcomed return with 'Echoes Of Betrayal', their second full-length album loaded with heavenly vocals, dramatic musical composure and dark elegancy at every minute of this gracious release. This is the album that deserves to end in Winter In Eden being signed, the evidence is there that this band have enough potential to overthrow the queen of the Symphonic Gothic Metal throne, that is Within Temptation, with 'Echoes Of Betrayal' now firmly out in the open, the wolves of the forest are packing together, the hunt is on, with a feast of riffs, drum sequences and operatic chanting leading the way, there is nothing that will stop this five-piece leviathan from taking the world by storm. [10] RHYS STEVENSON AEURTUM
'The Fall' Hailing from Birmingham, one man project Aeurtum makes his debut album 'The Fall' and whilst the music is fine the vocals lack any real presence, thus leaving the album in a state of being unfinished, well thats how it would seem. Fixing depression and other darker topics as the main point for the lyrics, the music may as well add the same level of depression as it fails to impress, lacking any clear motivation in relation to the fact the melodic death metal has gone awoll and the progressive metal seems a little overused, Aeurtum may as well have just experienced 'The Fall'. [2] RHYS STEVENSON 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 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 PURSUIT OF POWER 'Across The World' You can get the sense of forward thrust on Pursuit Of Power's debut album 'Across The World', ideally a great soundtrack for those going on tornado chasing, with it's tasty melodic riffs and harmonious musical backdrops, 'Across The World' is a one of a kind. Spawned from the brains of Martin McCann and his friend Steve Mullican Jr., the musical epic delivers a breathtaking elegant production of solid music, epic atmosphere and heavenly vocals, all of which can be drawn in comparison to bands like Sonata Arctica and Iron Maiden. If 'Across The World' is anything to go by, Pursuit Of Power could may well be bringing a new sound to the table, with bouncy riffs, speedy drumming and pedal to the metal no-nonsense. [8] RHYS STEVENSON BEYOND EXISTENCE 'Rising Tide' Words escape on this one, the production is dire and the drums are hardly heard, even the subtle guitar riffing gets less acknowledgement than a farmer on holiday leave. The fact being the quality is poor is an understatement; sure that generally can't be helped but the lack of musical presence is not really acceptable, even if it is the debut EP by Beyond Existence from The Netherlands. However, it is not entirely a flat fail, the only reprisal is that the keyboards give a delicate introduction, but the overall reaction to this release is not one of positivity, much has to be changed and fast or Beyond Existence could be faced with their own 'Rising Tide'. [3] RHYS STEVENSON ANGIST 'Circle of Suffering' 2011 saw another Icelandic Death Metal release, it seems that the country has a fascination with bringing out Death Metal releases, yet usually they are of tough quality, and Angist's 'Circle of Suffering' is no exception, bringing to the battlefront the old school style in the form of Bloodbath and Death to name a few. Fluid drumming, gut-rotten vocals and tricky riffs combine and mesh together to excrete a sound so petrifying, it made Eyjafjallajökull erupt in fear. Featuring two females and two males, the quartet from Reykjavík bring a revival to the old guard and freshen up the Icelandic Metal scene. 'Circle of Suffering' is a good sign of more to come, the tremors can be heard, you have been warned. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON J.T. RIPPER 'Death Is Among Us' German Speed Thrashers J.T. Ripper (Jack The Ripper) make a solid start to their career with their old school 80's style demo 'Death Is Among Us'. Playing uniquely in the style of early Slayer and Sepultura, the quartet makes no mess about it and progress with no hesitating whatsoever. Raw and rough recordings are how it should be and this band do not fail to impress with this release from which would seem apt to dub as possibly the revival of German 80's Thrash Metal. Taking a pinch of no-nonsense and dipping it in the cauldron of history, J.T. Rippers take the grizzly times of their historical moniker and moulds it onto modern times. [7] RHYS STEVENSON SLIPPERY 'First Blow' Take into account bands like Iron Maiden, Whitesnake, Deep Purple and more in the Hard Rock / Heavy Metal vein and then add the Brazilian attitude to it and you end up with the quintet Slippery with their rocking debut album 'First Blow', their first album in their eight year career. With classic vocals in the Bruce Dickinson style and the guitars and drums coming together in the original Hard Rock style, this is a band who knows how to play clean edge metal without the need to be tricky, complex or so congested that they need a breather every five seconds. 'First Blow' is for those fans of classic NWOBHM and original Hard Rock music magic. [8] RHYS STEVENSON THRIVEN 'Bag Of Scumbags' Brazilian Metal is always known to be a fast and flexible sound when it comes to producing Heavy Metal, so when the quintet Thriven deliver their first album 'Bag Of Scumbags', the mountains shook and the pace of life in Sao Paulo went out of sync. Mixing Groove tunes with the smackdown force of Metalcore, the five-piece deliver a unique twist on Lamb of God from which is a clear influence. From the sensational and epic breakdown on 'A la Calabresi' to the spine-snapping speed track known as 'Fudge'. This is an album with enough potential to blow holes in speakers worldwide, this is the real deal, this is the 'Bag Of Scumbags' and it's going to haunt you, you have been warned. [8] RHYS STEVENSON CROSS UP YOURS 'Holy Shit' The voice of hate, the hatred against all religions is among us and it comes in various forms, so when Greg Bukinus delivers his first EP from the Black / Death Metal project Cross Up Yours, you get the sense this is one pissed off person. 'Holy Shit' delivers the raw vocals experienced in the darkest forms of Black Metal whilst enraging the human senses with the insanely fast drumming. Distinctly taking influences from bands like Carpathian Forest and Darkthrone, Cross Up Yours does more than deliver the evil goods, it says fuck to everyone and everything whilst morally and musically saluting the big fat middle finger, moral is: "when you put the Cross Up Yours, you get 'Holy Shit". [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON SUNLIGHT REALITY 'Through The Rings Of Darkness' Russia's Melodic Death Metal newcomers Sunlight Reality unleash their debut album 'Through The Rings Of Darkness' with a sound that sounds so common amongst other bands, the drumming is a little bland and ideally it's more of a Death Metal album as the melodies are just not there. The riffs are too consistent and lack any fluidity and the vocals are more shrieking than growling, so whether the band are in the wrong genre ideology or they weren't on their best form during the recording phase, remains a mystery, but it's not all there to be condoned, in fact the best descent thing about the album is that its fast, but even then it sounds a bit too fast, ah well MOUNTAIN GRAVE 'Ruins' & 'Rage & Ruin' Black / Death Metal from the USA at times can be dire, dull and boring, however it can be rewarding and so when bands like Mountain Grave come around, they swing the pendulum the other way, now taking into account that their 2010 demo is a raw sounding release and that this is between two albums, the overall production is not it's best. The drums deliver a solid sound and the raw buzzing of the guitars install a unique atmosphere but the vocals are hardly heard if not result in simple shrieks. Given due it has a dark and disturbing atmosphere it lacks in the musical presence section and as a result leaves the demo on a knife-edge. 2011 was a little better but had a trippy sound to it, instead of full-on double bass drumming and harsh vocals demolishing the sound around, it desecrates the release itself. The release in question is the band's second album 'Rage & Ruin', give due the riffs are more rampant than its predecessor and the drums are far more lively, but the vocals need a little oomph in the intonation. Overall it is a decent enough, crafted release but there are some minor areas that need dressing, if anything the album is for fans of old Black / Death Metal and not so much the behemoth style that dominates this genre these days. [4] + [6] RHYS STEVENSON TO THE MARROW
'For Your Blinded Minds' Smashing through the barriers of sound is newbies To The Marrow, the German Progressive Deathrashers make their immediate debut with their first ever album 'For Your Blinded Minds'. Featuring a multitude for sick breakdowns, feisty riffs, gut-wrenching drumming and juicy vocals, 'For Your Blinded Minds' is more than an album, it's a god damn assault course. Taking influence from bands like HateSphere and The Black Dahlia Murder, the quartet immerse the listener in some of the heaviest metal Germany has to offer this year, an instantaneous classic is born here and is sure to propel To The Marrow into the international metal scene limelight, if you thought you seen Extreme Metal, think again, you haven't seen nothing yet! [9] 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 APOTASY 'Redemption' Well the clarity is nearly good but as far as the music goes, it's pretty decent. This is Apotasy from Slovakia, playing Melodic Death Metal on their debut demo 'Redemption', in any sense they are similar to bands from the USA, fast double-bass drumming, epic riffs and threatening vocals. For the trio this is a solid start, of course it's not 100% perfect, but neither is any band on their first outing. 'Redemption' itself carries a little twinkle on it in that composure is tight and the resulting production is a brutal enough display of what can be achieved, if this band were to add a bassist it would sound a little more heavier, but as for the release, well it speaks for itself, modern Melodic Death Metal in it's most gruesome moment. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON NEOANDERTALS 'Ebu Gogo Gutting The Child / Australopithecus' Before the critics just slaughter this release, let's be honest it's practically Brutal Death Metal music without any lyrics, the grunting just brings out the caveman style Death Metal, or is that just an ironic pun? Whatever it is, Estonia's duo Neoandertals smash it out with their second album 'Ebu Gogo Gutting The Child', pummelling drumming drives the insanity beyond believe whilst the gut-rotten vocals completely and utterly demoralises the listener into a sound sense of utmost suicide, or perhaps it's just listener playing dead. 'Ebu Gogo Gutting The Child' is a unique album in that it provokes more of the Avant Garde album than needs to be and as a result lowers the final conclusion of the album beyond mere acceptance, listen if you will, it could just kill you. 2012 saw the third release take life, 'Australopithecus' becomes album number three in the Estonian duet's career. Now once again the drums deliver the goods, the guitars for the most part of it have a livelier approach and since the vocals have been dropped, there is a huge improvement in the sound. Sure it carries on the same salsa-like movement between the Avant Garde sound and the Brutal Death monster that emerged on their second album, but it adds a more progressive sound to the affray, especially on the drums. Now this could act as a damn good film soundtrack especially during a fight scene or especially in a spy movie, but for the salient point, the fact remains the percussive side is by far the more dominant and so this is the better album of the past two. [4.5] + [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON THIS BROKEN MACHINE 'The Inhuman Use Of Human Beings' It's great when bands create their own genre names to suit their music playing and so when you have the Italian quartet This Broken Machine deliver their Progressive Metalcore debut album 'The Inhuman Use Of Human Beings', it gets instantly dubbed by the band as 'Architectural Metal, let's just hope the scaffolding holds them up and that they don't enter self-demolition mode. Anyhow, drawing crystal clear influences from bands like Killswitch Engage and Mastodon, it is no surprise then that with each riff there underlies a melody and under each melody underlies a blastbeat. Mid-tempo is the best way to describe the speed, it's not insanely fast or boringly slow but it does keep the listener on their toes. This is a sign to say that there is more to come from this Italian lot and they won't go quietly about it either. [7] RHYS STEVENSON CATUVOLCUS 'Gergovia' DEATHBOUND Quebec Blackened Folk Metal trio (now duo) Catuvolcus return with their Celtic and Gaulish music in emphatic form, with their sophomore album 'Gergovia', they deliver blazing drumming with a furious attitude in the vocal department and a raw reception with the guitars, altogether smiting all other similar sounding bands and valiantly producing a well-delivered release. With songs generally longer than six minutes on this release, there is a lot for the listener to dissect and to take on board whilst the overall production captivates the listener in an atmosphere of dark folklore and cold bitter times, Catuvolcus may well be close to exploding on the international metal scene. [7] RHYS STEVENSON_ VORPAL NOMAD 'Hyperborea' METALODIC It couldn't get any better than this, the debut album by Colombian Power Metal quintet Vorpal Nomad bursts into a classic epic and outright adventurous soundtrack. 'Hyperborea' carries a harmonious sound and a real rough vocal array but interestingly sounds not unlike to bands like Winter's Verge or Nightwish and is sure to drag this band right out of the darkness and into the pits of the international metal scene community. 'Hyperborea' delivers blitzkrieg riffs, sensational drumming and some of the craziest vocals ever since the birth of Power Metal and is a key for the Colombian Metal scene to unlock itself and unleash a torrent of music across the seas, with 'Hyperborea' Vorpal Nomad is without any doubt, flying the flag for the Colombian Metal scene, [8] RHYS STEVENSON LINEAR SPHERE 'Manvantara' Technical Prog Metal or Djent Metal, whatever you want to call it, the fact remains the second album by London's Linear Sphere is a journey of science, technology and long song epics. Singing in the style of the Progressive Metal vein, the quintet opt to adopt technical music as the back drop and so with that firmly installed in their compositions, the riffs get so technical it required a mathematician to calculate the time signatures as well as monitor the drum strokes. Naturally this is only the inaugural start for the lads, there is much more to do but with this album now alive and kicking, that should not be a problem. 'Manvantara' is for fans of The Devin Townsend Project, Periphery and Tesseract. [8] RHYS STEVENSON HAILSTONE 'The Greater Counterfeit' Arising from the graves of the mountains of Bavaria, Germany is Hailstone and their mind-blowing debut album 'The Greater Counterfeit'. Fusing the intricate melodies summoned by the quintet with the harsh brutality developed via Blackened Death Metal. This is a machine on speed, spewing out epic riffs, ulcerating vocals and face-smashing blastbeats. Playing in the style of Evocation, Kalodin and Cannibal Corpse, the five-piece from Munich do all what's needed to deliver a stellar performance and ignite their road to further achievements. From the first track to the last track, 'The Greater Counterfeit' delivers a death warrant in ten tracks, it is so brutal, they had to confine the band for three years and detoxify them from hyperactivity. [8] RHYS STEVENSON CONTRAST 'Charybdis' Blasting down barn doors is the ten-leg beast Contrast with their sensational sophomore album 'Charybdis'. Playing in the style of In Flames, the quintet hailing from Germany deliver a constant flow of raging riffs, firm and sustainable drumming and the most guttural vocals you can find in German Melodic Death Metal, perhaps it is the guttural level of the German language they sing in that aids the death growls! 'Charybdis' brings music that keeps the listener on their toes and does not give them a moment's peace, from the intricate riff intro on the song 'Charybdis' to the sonic speed of the drums on 'Gaias Hand', there is something for everyone on this release and it is guaranteed, Contrast won't go down quietly, this band will make waves. [10] RHYS STEVENSON KLAMM 'Wahnsee' As cold and bitter as the Bavarian mountains, Klamm deliver a frosty reception with their traditional Black / Folk Metal and German language combined on their debut album 'Wahnsee'. Bringing with it a feeling of sitting by a campfire and singing to myth and folklore of the high mountains and forests of the southern German lands. Slow and melancholic spring to mind and yet essentially the album has the clean crisp atmosphere to it, dragging the listener right into the heart of the emotions expressed by this exceptional quintet, from the first very note to the last shriek, Klamm show what they are made of and are sure to become a known band without any doubt. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON SEKORIA
'Iter Stellarum' Nothing comes more darker than this, well that can be debated, but when you have a quartet delivering what is perceived to be Epic Black Metal, the intonation of the sub-genre sounds out what a band is all about and so when Sekoria come on the block with their debut album 'Iter Stellarum', it cannot be automatically tagged as a general Black Metal album. It delivers its own ambient atmosphere without the use of keyboard music, now the listener may conceive that as a pathetic reason to go it alone, but their album 'Iter Stellarum' delivers justice in the most grim form yet and so what you end up with is a decent production, just don't expect any other band to do the same and succeed. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON AGRESIVA 'Eternal Foe' Revolution, that is the only word to describe the Spanish onslaught brought on by the emphatic debut album 'Eternal Foe' by Madrid Thrashers Agresiva. Corroded by a bountiful load of riffs, grizzly vocals and neck-snapping drumming, 'Eternal Foe' sees the clashing of 80's style Thrash with the tenor of American Power Metal. Just like a horde of bulls on a rampage and the free-flowing attacking style displayed by Real Madrid, Agresiva set the tone for the expectations of Spanish Power Thrash Metal. From start to finish, a non-stop delivery of powerful vocals, brain-smashing riffs and quick-footed drumming is what is to be expected. Is this Spanish Metal album of the year? Might as well be! [10] RHYS STEVENSON HYBRIS 'Instinto' LEYENDA Hybris return with their fourth offering of Spanish influenced Melodic Power Metal in the form of 'Instinto', this is a truly remarkable album for the Canary Islanders. With over an hours worth of majestic vocals, technical drumming and melodic riffs to capture the atmosphere of being in paradise, or so the listener should be. Whilst this may prove tricky for the non-Spanish speakers, the music instead does the talking, cruising from the deepest depths to the highest heights in metal music, Hybris certainly do not fail to impress with this release, in the tune of crossing Sonata Arctica with Amberian Dawn, this is a pure classic example of exceptional musicianship, it will be interesting to see what album number five brings. [8] RHYS STEVENSON HULDRE 'Intet Menneskebarn' No joke, this is proper Eurovision material, no wait let's not stoop that low for a release that is a mish-mash of Eluveitie, Aperion and Arkona. Collectively playing a violin, guitar, bass, drum, a flute and a hurdy-gurdy is sextet Huldre from Denmark. Delivering their Danish myth-laden debut album 'Intet Menneskebarn' in a classical way, it won't take long before the major labels start sniffing this album out. Fuelled by the classics of Danish folklore and tales, this is a truly remarkable album and is sure to get the European Metal scene wake-up call, or at least could act as a wake-up call for anyone. Bouncy music mix with a tongue-twister of Danish lyrics and traditional Folk Metal vocals and result in a definitive piece of music. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON DUBLIN DEATH PATROL 'Death Sentence' MASCOT For a band name which could provoke the Irish and Northern Irish, the septet from California, Dublin Death Patrol return with a vengeance with their face-melting second effort 'Death Sentence', quite literally one song down and you'll be signing your death warrant for enduring a luxury seldom ever done, simply classic Heavy Thrash Metal. Featuring the masterminds Steve Souza and Chuck Billy, they lead a valiant group of musicians on a quest to deliver epic sounds, and they have done. Scintillating riffs merge with brutal drumming and skull-crunching vocals and it is this sound that could shape the band forever, now if this album does not get in the top 20 on the billboard, I shall eat my speakers. [10] RHYS STEVENSON ADJUST THE SUN
'Devouring Worlds' So the debut album from Adjust The Sun is practically Scar Symmetry but adjusted to a different style. Strapping progressive elements to the embodiment of Melodic Death Metal and ending up with a unique sound in that both gender vocals come together, the guitars riff it out to the max and the drummer provides a technical level of musicianship, such is an apt description of the German's debut album 'Devouring Worlds', think of Gojira mixing with Scar Symmetry and you'll get the idea of what this sounds like. For the sextet this is a promising start but the only problem is keeping it up, only time will tell, but for now and especially 2012, witness the birth of a new force in the German Metal scene. [8.5] 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 LAHANNYA 'Dystopia' KABUKI A bit of a reprisal comes into play with Lahannya's latest offering 'Dystopia', the multi-national quartet deliver a Gothic-twisted emphasis on the whole Alternative Metal division, with joyous melodies and erotic vocals coalescing together to shed new light on the sounds of modern music. Long gone are the days of London being a reputed Gothic area but the music continues to flourish and rule the night and with Lahannya firmly now set in stone and on the road to achieve much more, nothing will stop this foursome from reviving the old roots of Gothic/Alternative music. 'Dystopia' is for fans of Evanescence, The Cyan Velvet Project, Velcra and Domina Noctis. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON BELLIGERENT INTENT 'Seven Are They' Perhaps this could be a signature soundtrack to a world war two film, or it could be something dark that's lurking in Australia's backyard; a dead body perhaps? But whatever fans can make of Belligerent Intent's debut album 'Seven Are They', it is guaranteed a smacking of rough and grizzly Black / Death Metal. Blistering drums are perhaps the best section of the band's debut, but as an overall production it can be easily linked to other bands such as The Furor or Behemoth. Next thing we will know is that there is a sharp rise of hearing loss in the Melbourne area, or it could be the screeching of the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix (we think). [8] RHYS STEVENSON KLYNT 'Of Klynt & Man' Hard to make anything of this one, well technically that's a lie, this is Austrian quintet Klynt and their debut release 'Of Klynt & Man', now when claiming to be Power / Thrash Metal, it would be assumed to be fast, with melodic vocals and heavy vocals in tandem, however what Klynt have done have gone the opposite, heavy vocals, melodic music and medium pace. Like the fable of Midas, Klynt are on that path but are a fair distance away from making any epic sounds as-of-yet, but with this release under their belt, it can only get better for the lads, one band to keep an eye out for. [7] RHYS STEVENSON WHITECHAPEL 'Whitechapel' METAL BLADE Within the myriad and factory-processed Deathcore bands that seem to have come out of nowhere, lies a diamond amongst the fakes and it is this diamond that is in fact Whitechapel. The American juggernauts assault the fourth outing in sensational style, with a breakdown after blastbeat smack-in-the-face reception, the self-titled album by the heavy-weight titans is a clear sign of how Deathcore 'should be done'. This without a doubt has to be the best album they have ever released and will prove a real hard act to follow on from. For fans of Resist The Thought and The Black Dahlia Murder amongst many other elite Deathcore acts. [8] RHYS STEVENSON CATACOMBS
'Catacombs' Somewhat easy to compare when speaking of Catacombs, the closest you can pinhole them to is Wintersun, minus the chill factor. However, Australia's Catacombs and their debut self-titled EP is not without any deviations; subtle breakdowns emerge here and there whilst retaining the melodic overture found on 'The Fallen'. Sure it's not a 100% production and generally no first release is, but the Melbourne lads do have a sense of musical direction and with this EP under wraps, they could break into the international scene, with hints of Amon Amarth and the slow Melodic doom-feel in the shadows, Catacombs are a decent band with a decent release. [7] RHYS STEVENSON |
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