By Farzand Bawa

First things first this is not for the weak hearted! But then again which form of metal actually is? The theory behind Ghalazat ([Urdu] an excess of filth and impurity within an area or within a human being) MMXIII was to bring together some of the most highlighted bands of the underground scene in Nepal, Pakistan and the USA!! Does it succeed to do so? Well, read on to find out..

First up we have the Nepalese Brutal Death Metaller's "Binaash", who are highly acclaimed in their scene. They deliver what they call "Ancient Moot". Moot basically means urine in Nepali and the title comes as no surprise as the song is in Nepali. The fact that the lyrics are in Nepali affects the flow of the song in no such way! The vocals are a real highlight!! 1:50 minutes of pure mosh!

Binaash - Ancient Moot
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/ancient-moot
http://www.facebook.com/binaashband

Next up we have "UgraKarma", another Kathmandu based Death Metal band. They offer us with "Dang Dung (Disorder Lust)". Like "Ancient Moot",this is also a Nepali based song, but trust me Death Metal never sounded so real. Highly suggested for people new to this genre. It's made for the people who can't take Death Metal, not that it's light by any means, but it shows all the brutality there can be, if this can be in taken your into the genre my friend!

UgraKarma - Dang Dung (Disorder Lust)
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/dang-dung-disorder-lust
http://www.facebook.com/Ugrakarmaofficial

So we have two variations of the Death Metal genre, what about Grind? Can it be left behind? The guys at Ghalazat MMXIII, say HELL NO!! And then we get the Nepal-based Grindcore band "Terrifyer". Sticking true to their genre they give two short yet really heavy songs! In fact "Mortal Enemy" ends just as you thought it was picking up. But what follows is the epic "Urban Wasteland". These are some songs that I must say have a real thrashy feel to the sound (and I like that change). Go and jump into the fire of true GRINDCORE!!

Terrifyer - Mortal Enemy / Urban Wasteland
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/mortal-enemy
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/urban-wasteland
https://www.facebook.com/terrifyergrind?fref=ts - (for some reason the band disabled the link)

And now for the song which will be the highlight for me! Pakistan's (Yes that country has a better way to express VIOLENCE) "Foreskin"!! They give us the true Thrash Metal song on this compilation with "Anti-kvlt". With unbelievable vocals and heavy use of the bass, this is some song! With a high replay value, this is the song of the album for me! God, Pakistan has some talent!!

Foreskin - Anti-Kvlt
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/anti-kvlt
http://www.facebook.com/foreskinband?fref=ts

An album with so much underground stuff to offer only gets real when we have the highly underground band "Kali X Gula", they are actually one band whose location has not been traced till now, now beat that! Two songs where the Hardcore Punk comes to the fore, what comes as a revelation is the use of Bollywood these guys do, yes you read it right, Bollywood!! They give intro's by Amrish Puri in "Kalimai" and Shakti Kapoor in "Shakti Kapoor" and then the pounding starts!! These guys have a sure love (or should I say anti-love for bollywood), but that comes as no surprise as it is the music which has hidden all other forms of music from South Asia!!

Kali X Gula - Kalimai & Shakti Kapoor
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/kalimai
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/shakti-kapoor
https://www.facebook.com/KaliGulaMachikne

"Jugga", the next band has nothing funny about them except for the name and this is where things get serious hardcore wise. Hailing from Nepal this Metallic Hardcore band takes it to another level! With bestial vocals and a groove-like feel in the back-end of the longest song on the album, this is "Eternal Sleep". Power! Force! Total Blasphemy!!

Jugaa - Eternal Sleep
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/eternal-sleep
http://www.facebook.com/jugaahc

So, everyone thought this was South Asia specific? NO!! Gazalat goes global when the include "Sangharsha" from the USA!! These guys describe themselves as Peace Core but actually are Sludge Metal. Beat that for contrast. We get a Nepali based song "Chik De" which literally means 'F**k it' in Nepali, guess that is enough for some insight into the song. The bass is prominently used in this one and is a totally different song in the context of the generally high-paced compilation! I don't mind that and actually came as a pleasant surprise to me!!

Sangharsha - Chik De
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/track/chik-de
http://www.facebook.com/shoutatsangharsa

This album proves that metal exists in every part of the world and for true there is talent galore everywhere, we just need to dig in.

Ghalazat MMXIII
http://ghalazat.bandcamp.com/

Download for free here (Yes, it comes for free!!) :
http://www9.zippyshare.com/v/1030251/file.html

Some cult pick's: Anti-kvlt, Urban Wasteland, External Sleep, Ancient Moot.

ANCKORA
'Открой мне дверь' (Open The Door For Me)
LIFE MUSIC

Russian Cyber Metal bands are always promising, not only do they lash together electrodes of industrial music along with synthesizers and the beautiful dark side of the Russian language, but bands like Anckora make it sexy time. Deep in the cold and bitter backstreets of downtown Moscow, Anckora emerge with their new album 'Открой мне дверь' (Open The Door For Me), showing a shift from Symphonic Gothic Metal to Electro 'Cyber' Metal, whilst continuing to mix their mother tongue with the musical shift. 'Открой мне дверь' (Open The Door For Me) is one for those who love the futuristic elements of electronic trance and the harsh bitter sounds of industrial laden with brutal metal foundations that compute this release as one of Russia's most exciting releases this year.

Download This: "Врата рая"

For Fans of: Nine Inch Nails, Breach The Void, The Kovenant, Gothminister

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

NOTHING MORE TO EAT
'Nothing More To Eat'

For a quick 25 minute outburst of Death Metal and Grindcore, look no further than Finnish band Nothing More To Eat and their delicious self titled release, featuring a whole host of humorous and totally bonkers songs, this is extreme comedy central like never before. 'Nothing More To Eat' gleams with fourteen tracks of outrageous lyrics and barmy music, the two when together sum up as a frenzy like production. Sure this is nothing as grandeur as fellow countrymen Deathbound, but this isn't Brutal Death Metal either, this is simply fast music with heavy vocals that crushes and destroys anything that opposes it, devouring the senses until there quite literally is 'Nothing More To Eat'.

Download This: "Death From Below"

For Fans of: Deathbound, Fitcage, Goresoerd, Tengkorak.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

BODRAGAZ
'Symphony'

Eighteen years down the road and Colorado's Bodragaz have still got the power, their seventh full length 'Symphony' ironically does deliver symphonic-like Progressive Metal. However unlike most albums in this genre, 'Symphony' does not feature any whopping 7 minute plus songs, whether that is a good or bad thing remains debatable, but what is hard to debate is the level of excellence shown on this release, if this was a bird of prey it would be a peregrine falcon, swooping down each symphonic element as it glides over the sensational riffs, pecks at the electric vocals unleashed on this release and watches over the drums as all elements come together and deliver a spectacular release. 'Symphony' is an album that will appeal to almost any Progressive Metal fan and is sure to become a legend in the state of Colorado, if not beyond.

Download This: "I Found You"

For Fans of: Dream Theater, The Devin Townsend Project, Myrath

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

FALL OF PANTHEON
'The Shadow Envelops All'

Easily one of Denmark's most promising extreme metal acts to emerge out of the abyss in the last few years, the five Danes wield together a sound that will get bands like Hail of Bullets (NL) wetting their pants, this sound resonates on their second 'The Shadow Envelops All' from which belts out drum sequences at a blistering pace whilst the riffs shred metal like bullets that are fired from an AK-47 and the vocals emit a brutal force that is reported to have swayed the Øresund Bridge so much that engineers are worried that anymore brutal force and it will collapse, perhaps then it will be made out of Lego or perhaps Fall Of Pantheon will make the Swedish Death metal scene shudder in fear. This year music belongs to Denmark, they already won the Eurovision and now they might as well have one best underground unsigned Death Metal band of the year.

Download This: "Inner Dystopia"

For Fans of: By The Patient, Narakam, Scarab, Unleashed

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

TENOCHTITLAN
'Сотворение Мира'
BADMOODMAN

Usually when singing about topics that are not related to the country you are from it is always less authentic, such is the case of Tenochtitlan of whom delves into the past histories of the Mayan, Aztec and Inca civilizations. Whilst the Russian lot are expanding their horizons beyond paganism and bard folk numbers, it is more so worrying that they decided to sing in Russian about South American people, who knows they may be cursing? Even so considering 'Сотворение Мира' is the band's fourth major outing, the integrity of it's existence is considerably questionable; this is about the release in general that seems to at one point offer something different and on the other copy every other Doom Metal band wallowing in the snow-laden lands of the Russian Federation. Tenochtitlan's 'Сотворение Мира' may be a unique journey, but it's a bumpy one sadly.

Download This: "Sokol I Zmej"

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

SKARTHIA
'Retaliate'

If the NHS wasn't screwed, it is now. Tracing back all those whiplash cases has left doctors pointing at the same cause, the ground-cracking sound of Skarthia and their apocalyptic powerhouse 'Retaliate'. Spewing out a plethora of cosmic elements that merge together to form a musical combustion of melodic angelic vocals, murderous riffs, solid drumming sequences and gut wrenching male vocals. 'Retaliate' from start to finish unleashes a whitewash torrent of groove-laden melodic death metal that would make bands like Devildriver perk ears up. Skarthia may be relatively new on the block, but the sound is their own and with Bloodstock in their sights, there is no reason why they should not go through. The time has come for Skarthia to 'Retaliate' against the over produced 'core' scene in England, if you want cranial corrupting music and slit-throat vocals then Skarthia is for you, if you don't then you don't know true metal.

Download This: "Drill"

For Fans of: Devildriver, The Agonist, Lamb Of God, Machine Head.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

NATHICANA
'2012 Demo'

London in the last year or so has renewed itself as a breeding ground for some top notch bands, joining this fresh wave of grit is Nathicana, a West London force that produces enough brutality to sink a thousand ships, let alone cause havoc for those traveling towards Uxbridge due to the sensational force exerted on the band's premier demo. The '2012 Demo' purges out a raw and bitter sound that eclipses the earliest days of Behemoth whilst adding an experimental stance to the formula, pretty much like a Subway where you put what you want on it and what you want is a delicious slice of extremity, with Nathicana you get that and much more. Make no mistake, Nathicana are a force to be reckoned with and as 2013 opens new doors, who knows what this band will do next.

Download This: "Entity"

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ABSKE FIDES
'Abske Fides'
SOLITUDE PRODS

Suicide is perhaps an understatement after hearing this offering by Brazil's Abske Fides, their self titled debut comes nine years after their formation and it most probably will take that time for listeners to regain their lives. Seriously, what is here is on one hand a decent effort but on the other hand a total calamity that could drive listeners to enjoy opera. Not much else can be said about this release except if you're looking for eccentric and outstanding Doom Metal, look elsewhere; ideally the underground because 'Abske Fides' is worse than the Black Plague. But if you're up for listening to music that can only be worse than listening to flatulence on low audio wave, then go right ahead.

[3] RHYS STEVENSON

ETERNAL HELCARAXE
'Against All Odds'
ABYSS

Marking their debut album release last year and tenth anniversary this year, Ireland's Eternal Helcaraxe show a thing or two with their thunderous sound found on 'Against All Odds', unrelenting Black Metal slices and bleeds the atmosphere as if torture was a passionate hobby, or at the very least the soundtrack to the wishful film Saw 8. 'Against All Odds' features eight songs that are authenticated to unleash a battering of convincing Black Metal, whilst inevitably justifying why Eternal Helcaraxe ride alongside bands like Cruachan as masters of True Irish Black Metal. Whilst not being as pronounce as one would have hoped for, the band outperform the expectations on level of brutality and 'Against All Odds' sum up a masterpiece that will power them forward even more.

Download This: "We Assist Death"

For Fans of: Cruachan, Winterfylleth, Hecate Enthroned

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

HI-GH
'Loud Frequences On Planet Jupiter'
LA RIOT SURVIVOR

Spunk usually is associated with the white, sticky stuff that Rammstein spurt out when rubbing their microphones on stage too much, however in Italy it refers to the music genre that HI-GH have dreamed up. Abbreviated for Speed Metal and Punk, the four-piece from Rome deliver justice on their debut demo 'Loud Frequences On Planet Jupiter' released last year. Furiously paced drums power the rest of the band forward at a hundred M.P.H, whilst the overall sound is raw and gritty the satisfaction is well out of reach. Sure it is a classic 'flip the bird' release aimed at politics and rioting, but the overall productiono is one left to be desired, but that is what makes it great. 'Loud Frequences On Planet Jupiter' and HI-GH do not conform to rules and instead smash out a sound that will make you soil your pants.

Download This: "You're Going Down"

For Fans of: The Sex Pistols, Motorhead, The Ramones, Judas Priest

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

HERIDA
'Ghost Of The Sun'

Rowdiness comes in three stages, one: silent build-ups, two: breaking point and three: total havoc, Herida sit on breaking point and fail to break, but that's the ingenious blueprints behind their 2012 release 'Ghost Of The Sun', a groove metal marathon that jitters and jives from song to song in abhorrent fashion. It's hard what to make of these lads at times on the album but the general ideology is that they use a groove music foundation to add classic heavy metal vocals on top, just like a cheesecake the band and release features a solid background sound and a smooth and tasty foreground that leaves the listener wanting more music to their ears.

Download This: "Burnin' Tree"

For Fans of: Lamb of God, Iron Maiden, Battle Beast

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DRAGONLANCE
'Edge Of Darkness'

Dragonlance returned once again to deliver their first ever single back in 2005, it is evident that they have changed their tune and gone for a more Heavy / Power Metal approach that emulates the melodic trickery that bands like Sonata Arctica induce and the vocals reminiscent of Bruce Dickinson in his higher vocal range; sure this may be a cliche but it is the best one to use. 'Edge Of Darkness' can be seen as a turning point for the band as they coalesce their nominal sound that will see them progress unto delivering their all important debut album. The only downside is that the level of clarity needs to be upsurged and some guitar solo's need to be less technical as they tend to over ride the song indefinitely, not only do the guitar solo's tend to hog the limelight, the keyboard elements do the exact same thing, where will they go now from here?

Download This: "Edge Of Darkness"

For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Italian Power Metal.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

IRON KINGDOM
'Gates Of Eternity'

It seems noticeable that Canada in recent years has reverted back to the classic sounds of early Heavy Metal, Iron Kingdom on the other use the same sound but twist to add their own ballsy electrifying feel to their music. 'Gates Of Eternity' the second album by the four piece stalwarts pieces together the classic Iron Maiden-esque infrastructure but amplifies the sound through a number of different values, such as having a female drummer who makes musicians like Lars Ulrich seem past their sell by date as the backdrop is as heavy as the hangover from an all nighter. As for the guitars and vocals, the sensationalism riding on every note and lyric is enough to send any die hard metal fan into mass headbanging. The ultimate question from the truly successful album 'Gates Of Eternity' is whether can Iron Kingdom follow in the footsteps of modern bands like Kobra & The Lotus? Well why the f**k not?

Download This: "Chains Of Solitude"

For fans of: Kaine, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Kobra & The Lotus.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DRAGONLANCE
'Returning Of The King'

Now this is the sound that works best for the Japanese Power Metal troupe Dragonlance, finding that delicate balance the quartet consequently dropped their third demo 'Returning Of The King' back in 2007 and with it summoning a musical identity that will power them out of the Japanese islands. 'Returning Of The King' ticks all the boxes expected from a Power Metal release and more, in fact on this release there is that majestic adventurous feeling experienced when listening to European veterans, that sort of Power Metal that sends shivers down your spine. The truth is that this demo is exactly what Dragonlance should stick to, it is this sound that separates them from the rest of their countrymen. Think along the lines of Children of Bodom's icy keyboard elements and Dragonforce's plethora of complex solo's and you get the idea, as for Dragonlance this is the time to capitalize on this development and exploit it further.

Download This: "Returning Of The King"

For Fans of: Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

FOR THE IMPERIUM
'Hail The Monsters'
WARNER MUSIC FINLAND

If the Finnish music industry was an operations management model it would be mass production, spewing out acidic flames of metal like no tomorrow, uprising and emerging out of the frozen furnace of Helsinki is For The Imperium. Armed with their mindf**king elemental matrix of avant-garde metal, pop rock and mimicked electronic elements, the overall sound can somewhat be summed up as 'Finnish Modern Metal'; a threat to their Nordic neighbors. 'Hail The Monsters' is an algorithmic musical puzzle that does not cut corners in order to impress, it simply reinforces the inevitable fact that For The Imperium is Finland's answer to Denmark's megalithic trio of Mnemic, Raunchy and Hatesphere. Fueled through the unrelenting masterminds that are For The Imperium, 'Hail The Monsters' is the sound of Finnish Metal 2013 and will impress metal fans across the globe, the Modern Metal style belongs to For The Imperium this year.

Download This: "Northern Rampage [Muscles And Gasoline]"

For Fans of: Raunchy, Dead By April, Waltari, Mnemic

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

DRAGONLANCE
'Knight The Wanderer' + 'Master Of Lance'

Thankfully Dragonlance stuck to a similar sound demonstrated on their previous effort as their second single 'Knight The Wanderer' creates an atmosphere that is nearly exactly same experienced when listening to 'Returning Of The King', except 'Knight The Wanderer' carries a little less promise, sad to say it is not totally positive as at times the band seem to have lost the direction they want to go in. 'Knight The Wanderer' is a decent release granted, but at times it is questionable whether the release itself has 100% thought gone into it as the guitar solo overload once again makes an unwelcomed visit. Given due it is a good sound but in the end, the band have lost it on this release, lost it completely.

However their 2009 demo 'Master Of Lance' gets back to basics and summons that sound that suits the band, the sound that makes t

[5] RHYS STEVENSON

AN APPLE A DAY
'Fall Of Thera'

Blasting the abyss apart on the European continent is Luxembourg murderers An Apple A Day, the dentist's ultimate nightmare. Drawing up the blueprints for their debut EP 'Fall Of Thera' last year, the Deathcore / Death Metal wizards smashed the faces of the posers apart with a skull-crunching explosion of guttural Teutonic force that makes any earthquake look pitiful. 'Fall Of Thera' is designed to give bands like Whitechapel a wake up call to say the USA is no longer the best Deathcore producing nation anymore and as An Apple A Day course themselves through 2013, they may as well become the best ever heaviest metal band to emerge from the Benelux in years. Luxembourg and An Apple A Day may be small, but the punch they pack is harder than any delivered by a WWF champion.

Download This: "Thera"

For Fans of: Resist The Thought, Whitechapel, Buried In Verona

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DRAGONLANCE
'Chapter Of Skyland'

It is finally here, no not an album but the first major release by Dragonforce. Released in 2011, the premier EP 'Chapter Of Skyland' kicks off with an instrumental intro that circulates medieval chanting and has stark similarities with sections of the Epcot tune in Disney, rather odd no? In fact, this is perhaps the best ever release the band has ever done, even eclipsing the demo 'Return of the King' by miles. 'Chapter Of Skyland' employs that winning Power Metal formula demonstrated on the said demo and amplifies it to a whole new level. Sure the eccentric solo's are still there but they fit more majestically in the songs than their predecessors. 'Chapter Of Skyland' is without any doubt a release fit for global appreciation, with harmonies caressing the sharpness of the riffs, the powerful ballad like vocals and spine-chilling elements produced from the keyboard and drums coming all together, 'Chapter Of Skyland' is their best effort ever.

Download This: "Definitions Of Honor"

For Fans of: Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

LUCIEN SARTI
'Lucien Sarti'

Hailing from Suffolk, Lucien Sarti are a fresh faced Death / Thrash Metal quartet from the depths of Ipswich. Their self titled debut EP explores the more darker side to this crossover style, inducing guttural grit in the vocals and snappy riffs that are placed just right so that the vocals simply ride on the waves. Sure it is not as fast as some would expect, the drums aren't exactly Slayer speed but the vocals do deal justice in the form of some rather neat Death Metal. 'Lucien Sarti' is a good start but there is a way to go before it gets national attention; besides the band's potential of winning Metal 2 The Masses: East Anglia. Overall there are three tracks of good solid metal, but don't expect anything 100% special, not that perfection always works with rough bands, Lucien Sarti are simply lining themselves up to put old style metal back in the frontline.

Download This: "1066 Lament"

For Fans of: Carnal Forge, Sepultura

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DRAGONLANCE
'The Seven Serpents'

2012 saw the latest release by Dragonlance drop, 'The Seven Serpents' the band's fifth demo takes the nominal sound they developed once again and take it to greater levels, but still no debut album (what on earth are they playing at???) Anyhow, 'The Seven Serpents' is that classic Power Metal release, full of heavenly powerful vocals and elegant music, again it's three tracks so the special feeling does not explode totally but the retaining of their sound does. 'The Seven Serpents' could be the last release this band ever does, but who knows what they will throw up in 2013? As for the release itself, it is sure to appeal to many Power Metal fans and is sure to set off a new trend in the Japanese Metal scene.

Download This: "The Seven Serpents"

For Fans of: Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Dragonforce

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON