 NAFRAT 'Abnegation' BRUTAL INFECTION Singapore has a long standing history within the extreme metal community, it has been producing top notch bands for the past two decades. One of it's exports Nafrat re-emerge fresh from their 10 year slumber with their second unforgivable slice of no-bullsh*t Death Metal in the form of their new album 'Abnegation'. By taking elements from the old-school faculty and bolting on modern elements, the Singaporean quartet remind listeners as to why the South-East Asian Metal scenes are as brutal as they are. Demanding your attention at every passing second, this album will sit well with those well and truly seasoned with the genre, but moreover would provide a platform for those getting into Death Metal to explore it further. 'Abnegation' is one Death Metal album for the ages, gripping, tense and outright ferocious. Download This: "Iconoclasts" - click to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Modern Death Metal, Rudra [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MORS SUBITA 'Into The Pitch Black' INVERSE Just like being smacked in the head with a metal pole, Mors Subita's third effort 'Into The Pitch Black' comes slamming down on to your senses and leaves you left for dead. The strong opening track 'As Humanity Weeps' sets the tone for the album and arguably is the strongest track on the album. Throughout the album this Finnish outfit romp throughout. Bolting together the Modern Metal sound (with Industrial in tow) with the underlying current of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal, Mors Subita once again prove themselves to be the dark horse of the Finnish Metal scene. 'Into The Pitch Black' is loaded with aggression, slick swift elements, an electric atmosphere and a sound that is potent enough to leave you in a coma. For a band who has been going 19 years, they aren't giving up just yet not by a long shot as demonstrated on this album; if Scar Symmetry and In Flames are up your street, then Mors Subita is the mansion at the end of the road. Download This: 'As Humanity Weeps' For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Asylum 8 [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASTRAY VALLEY 'Unneth' WORMHOLEDEATH Modern Metal seems to be the in-thing of late, it seems that the metal style cannot be shaken off and has arguably become the best thing since Nu Metal (was Nu Metal good though?). Escaping the claws of generic sounds is Spanish quartet Astray Valley, whose latest album 'Unneath' is laden with so much aggression you wouldn't know how to mosh to it. This quartet are young and full of energy, however they are also set to become the next successful Spanish Metal export having already hooked up with the likes of The Agonist for example. By lashing together elements from Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Melodic Metal and Groove Metal, Astray Valley are destined to go places with this rather unique and disturbing sound. 'Unneth' is one album that every fan of hard, abrasive metal should have, it's got more brutality in it than the Saw franchise ever delivered. Download This: "Waters Of Skylah" For Fans of: Butcher Babies, In This Moment, Jinjer [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ACEFALO 'Sin Piedad' INDEPENDENT Sometimes the old ways are the best ways and Argentina's Acefalo have demonstrated this very well through their debut album 'Sin Piedad'. By harnessing the old-school Thrash Metal style and adding a side serving of grit and sweat, this quintet deliver a sound that echoes the early days of Slayer; full-on fast-paced Thrash that leaves your neck aching for days to come. Singing in their native Spanish, Acefalo know how to create an infectious sound that will make Thrash diehards weak at their knees; through the unrelenting drum-thumping, riff barrage and vocal onslaught. Granted it's nothing new, but it's worthy of utmost attention and once again, sometimes the old ways are the best ways. If you're seeking thunderous Thrash Metal then Acefalo will provide you with the best fix available. Download This: "Apostoles De La Crueldad 1" - click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Machine Head, Nuclear Assault [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODSHED 'Scoundrel' U-ORIES Could you blame Vietnam's Bloodshed for using pig squeals in their gruelling and gritty form of Death Metal? Not really, seeing as the extreme forms of metal out in the Far East are ultimately in their own league. Digesting their debut EP 'Scoundrel' is like sinking your teeth into a gourmet burger, its full of flavour and warrants finishing to enjoy the full array of ingredients. It comes together lashed with a sizeable dollop of unintelligible vocals, thick riffs and battering drums, overarching all of this is an innate sense of aiming to craft a signature sound and whilst it's evident Bloodshed tries their best, the result is merely a cry for help or raising the white flag to surrender the generic pig-squealing Death Metal formula. Download This: "Scoundrel" - click to listen For Fans of: Prostitute Disfigurement, Suffocation, Visceral Bleeding [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KRUMMHOLZ 'Rooted In Despair' INDEPENDENT It's rare to find Black Metal in Sub-Sahara Africa let alone Atmospheric Black Metal, but Uganda-based trio Krummholz aim to change that and having released their debut EP 'Rooted In Despair', it would seem they've found their sound to march on with. Full of magical harmonies and riveting metal elements, this is one EP any metal fan should have in their collection because it's sound is so mesmerizing, it puts the Scandi-bands to shame. 'Rooted In Despair' comes in a 20-minute two-track onslaught that is almost guaranteed to keep you awake whilst listening to it. It would be fair to say that with this EP now in the wider world, that the dawn of 'True African Black Metal' is upon us, it's majestic sound is enough to satisfy anyone's musical thirsts. Download This: "To Father Worlds in the Bones of Ancient Solitude" - click the link For fans of: Windir, Winterfylleth, Carach Angren [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ARTEMIS BLADE 'As Above… So Below' INDEPENDENT It's always fascinating whenever a band splits only for some of the members to form a new band, because at times they'll carry forward influences on from their previous outfit to their new one. Australian Melodic Death stalwarts Artemis Blade have done just that with their debut album 'As Above… So Below', having been a Thrash Metal band in The Blackened Beneath beforehand, it's clear some of these elements have seeped into their new music. Despite this the vocals are inhaled mostly but are savage enough to keep your attention from swaying away and if that's not enough, the three guitars, bass and drums will staple your ears to the speakers so hard that it won't be the staples that'll make your ear bleed, but the sharpness of Artemis Blade carving right through your senses. Download This: "The Fall" - click to listen For fans of: Silent Descent, Scar Symmetry, In Flames [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASYLUM 'Domination' GSD PRODUCTIONS Prior to slaughtering the Wacken faithful this year by winning the Metal Battle Caribbean heats, Surinamese Groove / Metalcore outfit Asylum dropped their debut EP 'Domination'... and f**k does it kick some ass. Creating such a glowing effort in a relatively small metal scene is not easy, but Asylum have done just that, presenting a release that's guaranteed to smack a few jaws hard. Having been around six years, the wait for this release was worth it as the quintet summon every fighting spirit within their grasp to present metal so attention-grabbing, you would be a bloody-minded fool to ignore this promising outfit. Sure for some it's stripped bare and has no flashy riffs or trickery that the likes of Lamb of God might wield, but 'Domination' is one hell of a ride... free at that. Download This: "Dis Na Mi Kondre" - click to listen For Fans of: Lamb Of God, Fear Factory, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AOHEN '失魂 (Lost Souls)' INDEPENDENT It goes without saying that the Asian Extreme Metal scene is by far the best to have ever existed and Taiwan's Aohen make that point loud and clear. Dropping their latest demo '失魂 (Lost Souls)' this year, the Doom / Death Metal stalwarts waste no time in delivering such raw and energetic music, yeah sure it's a demo and yeah their fifth demo in a row, but who cares? '失魂 (Lost Souls)' is a two-track dynamic force that exhibits thick distortion, raw vocals and riffs so fluid they make your urine seem viscous. With some dabbling in Black Metal along the way, this quartet know how to hone their craft and whilst it might not be groundbreaking, it certainly adds up for a refreshing listen. Download This: "失魂 Lost Souls" - click to listen For Fans of: Myrkur, Amorphis, My Dying Bride [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BURST
'You Must Die' INDEPENDENT It's always amazing to find bands from the most far flung lands and yet to discover their music to be as professionally done as you would find in the leading metal scenes. Entering the fray are Burst, a Death / Grind band from the Pacific island of New Caledonia whose debut album 'You Must Die' is a tour de force. All across the fourteen tracks, listeners are subjected to a barrage of double bass drums, thick and heavily distorted guitars, topped by some rather neat and brutal vocals. With songs exclusively in French and English (although it depends if you call it audible), this outfit are sure to garner attention from outside of the French island dependency. If you're digging and looking for something exotic, then Burst's 'You Must Die' is your first port of call. Download This: "Bastard Extravagansa" - click to listen For Fans of: Deathbound, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON
0 Comments
 PALE BASTARD 'Pale Bastard' INDEPENDENT Casting aside the overshadowing Welsh 'core' scene for a second, Stoner Metal crew Pale Bastard prove that there is more to the Welsh Metal scene than tight jeans, breakdowns and the occasional sheep-shag (yes it's an outdated joke, but it's still funny). Having crafted their self-titled debut album with such finesse, it's difficult to see where they can improve before their next outing, but there is always room for improvement right? However, it goes without saying that this is an album that any Stoner Metaller will be proud of, with grooves as thick and choking as the Welsh coal mines and riveting riffs laying down the red carpet for the ballsy atmosphere to take charge, Pale Bastard are certainly primed, tipped and ready to explode upon the British Metal scene with a brutal arsenal at their disposal. Download This: "Spider Blood" - click to play For Fans of: Orange Goblin, Fu Manchu, Kyuss [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LELAHELL 'Alif' METAL AGE PRODS. Four years have eclipsed since the debut album by Algerian Death Metallers Lelahell saw daylight, since then there has been a few members leave and thus has left frontman Lelahel taking command. Taking over bass duties and recruiting Hannes Grossmann on drums as guest, the Algerian outfit unleash their second album 'Alif' which offers more of the infatuating style of Death Metal presented on their debut 'Al Insane... The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane' albeit with Black Metal influences dotted here and there. It's been some time coming but 'Alif' delivers without fail, offering a slaughtering barrage of tight-ass riffs, menacing bass-lines and gut-rotten vocals along with crystal-clear production. 'Alif' may well be the album to set the Algerian Metal scene alight and bring much-earned attention to this part of the world, Lelahell are flying the flag for Algeria. Download This: "The Fifth" For Fans of: Aborted, Unleashed, Behemoth [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TURBYNE 'Origins & Endings' INDEPENDENT Just for a second, think about the fact that Scotland has other metal bands. You know, other metal bands than that Pirate Metal band (you know who). Bands like Turbyne whose recent Bloodstock appearance was a statement of intent, a statement to prove that there is a truly active scene north of the border. Harking back to their debut album 'Origins & Endings' it's clear the band wanted to avoid being shackled down as just another flashy Melodic Metal band, determined to add some grit and attitude to the mix and the result is one of beauty. Sure members have come and gone since then (2015), but the formula will remain the same, this might be 'Turbyne Metal' but whatever it is, it's a breath of fresh air. Think Cypher 16 meets Scar Symmetry meets Iron Maiden, a metal concoction that will leave you drooling for more, the origin of Turbyne is Dumfries, Scotland, but the ending is nowhere to be seen. Download This: "The Fate Of A Dying World" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Iron Maiden, Cypher 16. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  OBZIDIAN 'Obliteration Process' ROCKSECTOR 17 years in and now four albums down, things cannot get any rosier for Obzidian could they? Well unless you count their amazing set at Bloodstock showcasing material from their latest album 'Obliteration Process', their tight-ass combination of Progressive Thrash and Death Metal is so sublime you'd have thought this band would have graced the bigger stages by now. Since 2012 they've been in a sturdy 2 year-album cycle, having had a rocky start in the beginning and 9 years between their debut and follow-up. But with this effort the Staffordshire outfit have clearly shed that past off and emerged with a glistening and sparkling sound, one that will bleed the ears of whomever checks this brilliant outfit out. Thundering drums, crunchy riffs, venomous vocals and a ballistic bass-line come together to leave you totally battered. Download This: "They Led The Fall" - Click to listen For Fans of: Malefice, Gojira, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NARSARAKH 'Thy Doomsday Lord Enthroned' INDEPENDENT Brunei's Narsarakh are a leading beacon in their national scene, 9 years in and their debut album comes out with a dank, dark and filthy sound, one that is as extreme as the Asian Metal scene itself. 'Thy Doomsday Lord Enthroned' takes the best from the Atmospheric, Black and Death Metal styles, through the use of harmonious keyboards, gritty vocals and riffs, this quintet are proving themselves to be capable of delivering a melting pot of sounds... a lot more than the initial one-man project did. Expect to flit from the rawest of raw sounds in the Black Metal dominion to the majestic of majestic sounds a Death Metal band could throw up, granted it's no groundbreaker in terms of 'it's been done before', but it's a solid enough release to get heads turning in the South-East Asian Metal regions. Narsarakh are flying the flag for the Bruneian Metal scene. Download This: "Storms Of The Nine Kingdoms" For Fans of: Demonic Resurrection, Behemoth, Unleashed [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SRD 'Smrti Sel' ON PAROLE A one to watch in the Black Metal world, Srd are a Slovenian quintet who formed from the ashes of Terrorfront (project of Goran Slekovec) and with their debut album only just released last year, a year or so since the band's inception, this is one band that will rock the very foundations of the greats. Bands like Watain, Immortal, etc., will befall to the swagger and menace Srd deliver, their debut album 'Smrti Sel' is sung in mostly the Slovene language, but does have some English songs in the mix. It's amazing how such a South Slavic language can be utilised with Black Metal to create something so dramatic, so grim, so dark that you will be sweating in fear as the music sends blackened shocks down your spine and the suspense makes your hair stand on end. Download This: "Kupa Trpljenja" - Click to listen For Fans of: Eastern Front, Immortal, Carpathian Forest [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LYNCHPIN 'Millennial Holocaust' DEAD SEA RECORDS CARIBBEAN This is no Pirates Of The Caribbean story, there is no black pearl, no dead man's chest, only some rather brutalising metal bellowing out, spewing across the sandy beaches and wind-swept palm trees of Trinidad & Tobago. The passage of course refers to Lynchpin, who after Wacken hit the studio to deliver their second EP 'Millennial Holocaust' and by steel drums did they deliver. OK enough with the puns. Lynchpin don't take no nonsense, this EP demonstrates that as they unleash a torrential flood of Progressive, Death, Nu Metal and Metalcore altogether in one solid package. There is never a dull moment on this EP, the metal does not slow down, nor does it go stale. If you're looking for something exotic, something brutal, something metal as f*ck, you've come to the right review. Lynchpin are flying the flag for the Trinidadian Metal scene. Download This: "Graves Of A Thousand Unknown" For Fans of: Meshuggah, Machine Head, Necrophagist [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  EMPHASIS 'Soul Transfer' RED RIVET Estonian Symphonic Prog Metallers Emphasis return with their second offering in the form of 'Soul Transfer', featuring a lengthy journey across soaring melodies, harmonious symphonies and beautifully orchestrated pieces, this is a step up from their debut album and with a new drummer at the helm (Stanislav Lint), the future looks bright for the quintet. The album thunders along for a whopping 73 minutes, but what makes it worth the lengthy wait is that the instrumentals included break the songs up; ingenious. 'Soul Transfer' carries on the soft yet powerful style of metal Emphasis have created, it's almost in Within Temptation territory. Given the evident planning that has gone into this album, it won't be long before Emphasis grace the rest of the Europe with their infectious masterpiece. Download This: "Leviathans" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Dream Theater, Tarja-era Nightwish [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MOTÖR MILITIA 'World In Flames' INDEPENDENT Seven years have passed since Bahraini Thrashers Motör Militia released an album and now they present to the world, the 'World In Flames'. With three new members in the line-up including a new vocalist, this album is by far the best material they've ever released. Thrash Metal is the staple sound of this band, but on this album they manage throw in the occasional Middle Eastern vibe on the guitars. Otherwise the album is a neck-snapping work of magic, from start to finish there is the unrelenting surge of power coursing through each and every song. It's hard to see Motör Militia turning back after this, it's an album worthy of international recognition and could very well prove to be thee album to expose the Bahraini Metal scene to the world. 'World In Flames' arguably is one of the finest Thrash albums to be released for the last few years and reassures Motör Militia that they are flying the flag for the Bahraini Metal scene. Download This: "Reckoning" For Fans of: Holy Moses, Suicidal Tendencies, Evile [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NECNON MORTUSS
'Válečné Konflikty 20. Století' INDEPENDENT The Czech Metal scene does seem to be slightly secluded from the rest of Europe, but it's bands like Necnon Mortuss who keep the underground thriving. Sure it's been six years since their second album, but was the wait worth it? Kind of. 'Válečné Konflikty 20. Století' is a decent enough effort but it just does not make the cut, there is something missing, that something is deviation, most of the songs seem to have a similar pattern in the music and this is what drags the album through the dirt. Props go to singing in their native tongue, but the album itself fails to shift out of third gear. Despite this, the album is a decent effort but falls short of being excellent, it's not terrible but it's not sensational either. Download This: "Karpatsko-Dukelská Operace" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Vesania, Aborted [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON  X.KERNEL 'Face The Truth' CIMMERIAN SHADE 'Face The Truth' is the debut album by the Ukrainian Cyber Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit X.Kernel and boy does it captivate throughout the entire album. By lacing a industrial / cyber style of music on the keyboards with the sheer magnitude of the Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore crossover sound, the quintet X.Kernel have clearly demonstrated that they're not adverse to challenging the conventional norms and in doing so have delivered an album that is worthy of international recognition. If they can maintain this futuristic sounding style of metal they've constructed, they may well just become The Ukraine's latest successful export after their fellow countrymen Jinjer secured a deal with Napalm Records, one can imagine the likes of Nuclear Blast being interested in this one. Imagine Sybreed being mixed with Asking Alexandria and Scar Symmetry and you get the idea, cyber metal flirting with heavenly melodic death metal and brutally-tinged Metalcore. Download This: 'Kingdom Of Pain' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BEHATED REIGN 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' INDEPENDENT It's no secret that South America has had a relatively low-key history in terms of metal exports, except for Brazil's Sepultura and Nervochaos, Argentina's Skiltron and to an extent Colombia's Eshtadur. Venezuela on the other hand doesn't throw up any successful metal exports, until perhaps now where Behated Reign are the juggernaut this scene has been waiting for. Their debut album 'Encounters Of The Worst Kind' embraces the Melodic Death Metal sound with ease and comes dabbled with elements of Black Metal (in the riff department), it's a tour-de-force that will sure garner the band attention across planet metal. Having been in a previous incarnation in the form of Beheaded (2012-2015), the 2015-present ensemble Behated Reign are sure to knock on the doors of opportunity with this irresistible effort. Download This: 'Insanis' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AK-47 'AK-47' INDEPENDENT Latino Thrash Metal is one thing you could call the sound devised by AK-47, or you could call it raw Thrash Metal, whatever you decide to call it, their debut demo is one of promise. Hailing from Uruguay this quintet play Thrash Metal and sing in their native Spanish language giving it that original and authentic feeling. Sure the demo itself is only two tracks long, but it's a solid effort which leaves much anticipation for their debut EP or album. Despite the demo having a low-budget artwork design, the sound certainly is not low-budget, far from it. Thunderous drums lead the backline whilst the riffs rampage on, all whilst the vocals polish off the tracks with enough headbanging opportunities to give you conclusive whiplash. Download This: 'Amos De La Guerra' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CRUSHEM 'OBS' INDEPENDENT There are times where it's best to stick to the 'already done' and then of course there are the times where originality should take centre stage. However and somehow Turkey's Crushem seem to have gotten themselves stuck in the middle, their debut EP 'OBS' delivers a modern approach to the Death / Groove Metal crossover genre, but some of the components are nothing new and so the EP unfortunately lands itself in the 'been there, done it' basket. There are moments where the EP could swing into more favourable territory but these are too rare for the EP to be considered an interesting listen and rather just something to pass the time of day. With the correct vision and aptitude, Crushem could craft something much more memorable rather than something just to be in existence. Download This: 'Trial' [6/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ORCHID SWORD '大躍進' INDEPENDENT Could this be the birth of 'Orientalcore' or Oriental Metalcore? Well Taiwan's Orchid Sword certainly seem to want to embrace the westernised Metalcore style with the basic breakdowns and chugging riffs that you would expect, but draft in oriental sounds by using a keyboard; it might sound more impressive with traditional instruments, a er-hu per se. However, the other aspect that makes this band and their debut album ' 大躍進' evidently oriental is the language choice, embracing their traditional Taiwanese they have created a truly unique and authentic sound that should get some attention from overseas – this stuff usually gets some form of international attention. Taking an overall aspect this album is something magical that will propel Orchid Sword into the limelight, here cometh the pioneers of Orientalcore. Download This: 'Empty 6' [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  APOCRIFO MANIFESTO 'Manifiesto' INDEPENDENT Hailing from Argentina, Heavy Groove Metallers Apocrifo Manifesto make their debut EP 'Manifiesto' a little basic and unadventurous despite using their native Spanish as language of choice. The EP is too casual for it to be taken completely seriously but does offer glimmer of hope at various points of something special to come. But for the time being it is a decent effort, it is hoped they will build on this effort and come up with something more striking. The atmosphere is just not as potent as it could be, the vocals are OK, the guitars are what you expect and the drums, well simple as they can be. Download This: 'Alpha-Omega' [5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLUNT SHOVEL 'Get In The Ground' GOATSOUND Now this is what you call some brutally heavy sh*t, seriously the debut album by Australia's Blunt Shovel is savage enough to rip the skin and muscle from your face. The unrelenting concoction of Death Metal-infused Metalcore is menacing enough to leave your underwear stained. 'Get In The Ground' is their debut album and it will certainly keep you occupied just as long as you can keep headbanging or air guitar playing, because it demands your immediate attention and does not let go without a fight. Fire and fury underpins this unforgiving release and it's final strike is the unrelenting ability to never stop. Download This: 'Tongue Hung Pinata' [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ANOMALIE 'Visions' ART OF PROPAGANDA Austria has always had a success story at nurturing the Black Metal scene and yet despite the slight lack of bands expanding beyond borders, it still has a thriving and enticing scene. Dropping their third album is Atmospheric / Post-Black Metal ensemble Anomalie, 'Visions' definitely brings the chills down your spine with an icy, Alpine breeze that is almost impossible to resist. To be fair it's the kind of Atmospheric Black Metal you could fall asleep to, sure it's similar to bands like Winterfylleth and Fen, but it works and will certainly appeal to the wider metal music fan and not just those enticed by Black Metal as a whole. Anomalie are a band to keep tabs on as this effort shall certainly turn heads. Download This: 'Vision VI: White Forest' [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DEMOCRATUS 'Starting Again' INDEPENDENT The Welsh are always regarded as singers when they speak, but when they let open the gates of hell for metal music to enter into their lives, their true singing abilities kick into being. Back after a 2 or so year plunge into the abyss with line-up changes and what not is South Welsh crew Democratus with their slick streamlined slab of Melodic Death Metal, successfully demonstrated on their aptly named EP 'Starting Again'; it would be cool if they crafted a song in the Welsh language, but for now let the EP strike a chord in the underground for it will serve as a building block for the next few years or so. Whilst at times the EP breaks into Thrash territory especially on 'Furious Horde' (but retaining the core Melodic Death sound), it does evade the shackles of the generic formulas so many other Melodeath bands have used over the years and thus giving the EP a greater meaning to it's existence. Download This: "Furious Horde" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Bloodshot Dawn, At The Gates [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THEOPSYA
'Endless' INDEPENDENT 6 years may seem a long while, in the case of France's Theopsya it certainly is seeing as they've had a line-up change and apparent hiatus during the period between their debut EP 'Tales Of An Angel' and their long-anticipated debut album 'Endless'. The magic has never gone away and with this effort they have shown they are more than ready to let rip on the world once more, hopefully with their newfound sound of glistening melodies and thunderous riffs they can rack up the attention worldwide. 'Endless' is a huge testament to the Melodic / Symphonic Goth Metal crossover and never stops entertaining throughout. Whatever Theopsya have planned next it it sure to be anticipated with high expectations because simply put, 'Endless' is a sumptuous piece of musicianship that is certain to tingle many ears alike. Download This: "Emerald Heart" For Fans of: Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MAYSALOON 'The Forgotten Dawn' INDEPENDENT When it comes to metal bands singing about Middle Eastern or North African mythology or related topics, it's only truly authentic when the band originates from the MENA region; so no Nile are not authentic in this case. Arriving fresh on the Syrian Metal scene amidst civil conflict is Melodic Death Metal outfit Maysaloon with their raw and infectious metal sound laden with Middle Eastern mythology. So whilst ISIS or daesh deliver their unwelcome evil on the outer world, in response Maysaloon distance themselves from those betraying their country in bad light and as a result, lay waste in the metal world with their sheer brutal force and unrivalled demeanour, sending a message to the world that Syria has light in the form of metal music. Maysaloon will crush ISIS' message of hate with a message of love and solidarity amongst the brothers and sisters of the metal world. Download This: 'The First Believer (Al Namroud)' - Click to listen For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Melechesh, Brood Of Hatred [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  INFINITAS 'Civitas Interitus' INDEPENDENT It's been eight years since the inception of Infinitas, this has however not stopped the Swiss quintet from delivering their debut album with such enthusiasm coursing throughout. 'Civitas Interitus' is an interesting masterpiece, combining the best of Heavy and Folk Metal together to create a sound that is not just full of upbeat euphoria, but also captures the very essence of what metal is all about. Think Iron Maiden meeting Eluveitie; without the Death Metal influence, and you get an idea of where this band is heading. Bard after bard, Infinitas are creating their own story and with their majestic sound doing the rounds, we could see them become the next successful Swiss Metal export. Download This: 'Samael' - Click to listen For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Eluveitie, Skyclad [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NOX VORAGO 'Al Chem' INDEPENDENT Visually the demonic side of Ghost, musically a leviathan rampaging on speed. Sweden's Nox Vorago are totally underrated when it comes to their musical creativity and it shows on their second album 'Al Chem'. Their blistering style of Symphonic / Progressive Death Metal is without a doubt a furious force that should not be taken lightly, it will cause your ears to bleed at the sheer might of their intensity; think Fleshgod Apocalypse meets Gojira and you get an idea, or perhaps Sweden's answer to Australia's Ne Obliviscaris, minus violin. Either way Nox Vorago are truly underestimated and with 'Al Chem' at their disposal, no one better doubt them... this album is far too tasty to let go. You might need some clean underwear after this, it will give you a boner and an almighty explosion.... truth be told. Download This: "Nuremberg 1561" - Click to listen For Fans of: Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septicflesh, Gojira [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KADAWER DIALOOG 'Sterfbed' INDEPENDENT It's rare for a South African metal band to sing in their native Afrikaans, but when a metal band ends up singing in their native language it adds an extra element of cultural difference to it and as such makes the music that extra special. Kadawer Dialoog are a four-piece Groove Metal outfit who have just dropped their debut EP 'Sterfbed' and with that added guttural element through their language; off-shoot of Dutch, they've crafted an EP that will be favoured among many in the South African Metal scene, and yet has effectively pigeon-holed the band into a genre that probably will have a niche following. However it is sure to garner attention from their neighbours in Botswana and Namibia whose cultures seemingly transcend borders. Download This: "Babel" - Click to listen For fans of: DevilDriver, Pantera, Machine Head [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  NIGHON 'The Somme' INVERSE Of what arguably could be perceived as 'Symphonic War Metal', Finland's Nighon certainly know a thing or to about breaking boundaries, in fact by stripping their new album 'The Somme' down to bare elements it's clear that the symphonic structure borrows influence from film scores and therefore could lend itself to a WW2 film; perhaps more specifically the Lapland war. Overarching the symphonic foundation are elements drawn from Industrial Metal, Black / Gothic Metal and Atmospheric Metal, all of which coalesce into a sound that could spark off a whole new metal genre; sure 'film score metal' is nothing new with fellow countrymen Ravenia waltzing down that path, but for Nighon this could be the album and sound they've been craving for – the dawn of 'Symphonic War Metal'. Download This: "Marseille 1914" - Click to listen For Fans of: Sabaton, Ravenia, Nightwish [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DETHRONE THE CORRUPTED 'Sephirot' INDEPENDENT When will bands begin to realize that mixing Melodic Death Metal with Deathcore is not always a good idea? The latest band to attempt this unforgiving combination is Slovenia's Dethrone The Corrupted, sure at times they manage to escape the basic formula for this style and create their own variant, but in an overall sense the result of their latest EP 'Sephirot' is a tale of two halves. On one side there is an abundance of creativity, formulas dictating new musical constructions, on the other side is an EP that is so lost within the notion of escaping Deathcore that it does the exact opposite. If this Slovenian horde could harness more of the Melodic influence and lessen the Deathcore input, then they might well be on a winner. Download This: "Seed Of Cerebrus" - Click to listen For Fans of: The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, All Shall Perish [6.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  COLD BLACK 'Circles' ARTERY Denmark's most promising Metal act Cold Black have success in their sights with their latest effort 'Circles', it's delicate balance of Electronic Post-Hardcore and Metalcore seems to work in this quintets favour. Since their well-received single 'Constellations' took flight years ago, they've been on the fast-track to making a name for themselves and it's with this effort that dedication and passion pays off. No more is the USA the home of Metalcore as 'Scandicore' takes flight with Sweden's Imminence and now Denmark's Cold Black leading the way. Crossfaith meets modern BMTH with elements of latter Linkin Park detectable in parts of the album, with this formula devised Cold Black are on course to reach the upper echelons and join the most successful Danish metal exports of Mnemic, Raunchy, King Diamond and Scarred By Beauty. Download This: "Circles" - Click to listen For Fans of: Escape The Fate, BMTH, Asking Alexandria [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  Pereplut / Переплут 'V Starodavnie Goda' STYGIAN CRYPT Pagan Metal has long been a staple sub-genre of metal within the Russian lands, so it's no surprise that Pereplut carry on this tradition in national fashion, that is singing in their native Russian language. Surely in time Cossack metal will become a thing as this style of folk metal would befit the said race. For those who don't speak Russian, it will somewhat be alien to them however it does lend itself well to the cultural heritage of the Russian motherland. 'V Starodavnie Goda' is the debut album by this sextet and it has a variety of songs in different speeds; from the fast and bouncy to the sing-song by the campfire style, but it also goes to show that Arkona are not the only Russian Pagan Metal band in existence. Just don't tease those bears with this music... Download This: 'Русалья' - click to listen For Fans of: Arkona, Skyforger, Graveland [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  FADING AZALEA 'Maze Of Melancholy' INDEPENDENT Starting off with with a gracious and elegant sound, the debut album by Swedish duo-combo fading Azalea waltzes into the infamous Gothernburg melodic death sound, with one evident difference. They strip away the brutality and replace it with an almost orchestral symphonic arrangement that would get any metalhead aroused from head to toes. Maze Of Melancholy can be compared to the works of Fleshgod Apocalypse minus the technical and extreme death metal undertone, in fact what Fading Azalea have done here is a work of genius, if you were to take pinches of Epica, Scar Symmetry and Amon Amarth and put them into a melting point and strip away all but a small of amount of Death Metal, then what you're left with is a symphonic barrage of almost Power Metal-esque music that will surely gain the attention of the record labels. Download this: "Burning To Ashes" - Click to listen For fans of: Epica, Nightwish, Scar Symmetry [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASSAULT
The Fallen Reich TRANSCENDING OBSCURITY INDIA Assault are another living proof that the South-East Asian Metal region is as brutal as it once was and that there is no signs of slowing down, sure it's taken the Singaporean unit 11 years to drop their debut album but f*cking hell it was worth the wait! No nonsense Melodic Death Metal comes crashing into Thrash Metal and Metalcore influences that give their debut album 'The Fallen Reich' the privilege of sticking the middle finger up at the overloaded Swedish Melodic Death Metal scene. Remember how extreme Impiety are? Well Assault have improved on that extreme nature and with their sound are sure to cause a shockwave across the wider Asian Metal scene; it might even have enough gusto to perk ears up in Europe. Close your eyes and let the insane audio blitz herewith provided rob you of your senses, this music is guaranteed to keep you awake into the early hours of the morning. Featuring ChthoniC's Freddy Lim as guest vocalist on 'Enslavement To Torture', this is another reason to check this album out. Download This: "The Fallen Reich" - Click to listen For Fans of: Nervecell, DevilDriver, Amon Amarth [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CYPECORE 'Identity' ADULRUNA Strap yourselves in for the musical journey of a lifetime as Germany's instigators of Cyber Melodic Death Metal make their welcomed return from out of their futuristic bunker. With their third album 'Identity' now out and ready to be unleashed on the unsuspecting masses, this could easily be the album to set the world alight in terms of intuitiveness and desire to challenge convention, let's face it where else would you find the perfect combination of Modern Melodic Death Metal with Cyberthrash Metal? But what is Cypecore? Is it a codeword for a branch of Modern Metal, or is it the storm from Germany you did not see coming. Assimilating drums provide the solidarity for the riffs to ripple across whilst the vocals add the final blow that will leave you for dead, embrace this album but fear it also, it's not for the weak nor elitist metalheads. Download This: "Saint Of Zion" For Fans of: Black Comedy, Fear Factory, Dagoba 'Identity' is out now via Adulruna Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  THE HYPOTHESIS 'Origin' INVERSE Modern Melodic Death Metal seems to be the in-thing recently, and Finland's The Hypothesis are no exception. By layering together speed, brutality, electronic atmospherics, technicality and an attitude that says 'fuck you', The Hypothesis are primed to take over planet earth with their awaited debut album 'Origin'. No matter how many tracks you check out, you will never feel bored out enough to switch off, have a beer or a wank, depending on what takes your first preference. Engineered to run away like a thing possessed, this album will hit you like a bullet so hard that you will have noticed the album has finished playing before you come to your senses as to what has just happened. The latest exports from the Finnish Metal scene are sure to cause a buzz across the Nordic nations with this effort. Download This: "Atonement" For Fans of: Omnium Gatherum, Shade Empire, In Flames 'Origin' is out now via Inverse Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  NOCTURNAL HOLLOW 'Deathless & Fleshless' UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT Let's be honest, the Venezuelan Metal scene is a very underground one and has ever really seen the light of day on the international circuit. So when the three-piece Old-School Death Metal horde Nocturnal Hollow step out of their bunker with their latest offering 'Deathless & Fleshless', you know that they mean business and the music demands attention from across the world. Plundering atmospherics aid the thickness of the riffs, pristine production levels and attitude that would get the likes of Unleashed and Morbid Angel raising their thumbs in approval. 'Deathless & Fleshless' is a gritty release designed to leave you battered and scarred, seriously if you love Death Metal but despise this release, then there is something wrong with you. Download This: "Devilish Blood" For Fans of: Unleashed, Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel 'Deathless & Fleshless' is out now via Underground Movement [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  EMPHASIS 'Revival' UNDERGROUND SYMPHONY Never has such an exciting band from Estonia arisen like this since the days of early Metsatöll. The sextet Emphasis have gone from strength to strength throughout their tenure, having released an EP, a batch of singles and had a switch of vocalists, their attention to detail brought them to the point of unleashing their debut album 'Revival'. Replacing vocal duties is never easy, but Emphasis have done a like for like as both ex and current main vocalists deliver such a powerful vocal range, that luckily their gamble paid off. 'Revival' delivers epic solo's, thunderous drums, dynamically-electric atmospherics and vocals so angelic, they would have had to be made in heaven to be this captivating. With this effort, Emphasis clearly have a vision to follow and by doing so, will ultimately establish themselves as Estonia's long awaited answer to Nightwish. Download This: "Death Itself" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Nightwish, Delain 'Revival' is out now via Underground Symphony [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SINNERY 'A Feast Of Fools' PITCH BLACK There must be something in the Israeli waters because no matter what the year is, there is always a rally of sensational albums, and adding to this year's collection of 'oh my god what the hell just happened' releases is Sinnery's 'A Feast Of Fools'. Calling it 'thrashtastic' would be an understatement to say the very release as it's gritty reception leaves the listener gasping for more, or perhaps just gasping for water due to it's demanding nature for incessant headbanging. Given the strength of Sinnery's 'A Feast Of Fools', being their debut album, the expectations for this Israeli unit to do exceptionally well is certainly on the cards, there will be no place to hide for this quartet. As brutal as rapid machine-gun fire and as unpredictably technical as a surprise assault, 'A Feast Of Fools' is perhaps not only the finest Israeli Thrash Metal release to surface, but perhaps one of the finest Thrash Metal releases to arise out of the Middle East region. Download This: "Showing Teeth" For Fans of: Slayer, Gama Bomb, Holy Moses 'A Feast Of Fools' is out now via Pitch Black Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KRATOS 'Archlechino' INVERSE Seventeen years have passed since the debut album by Kratos was released and now, in 2016, they have emerged once again to drop their long-awaited second album 'Archlechino'. The Romanian quartet merge together the delicacies of Symphonic Metal with the twisted and atmospheric nature of Dark Metal to develop a sound that would lend itself to the dramatics found within operetta. In fact, 'Archlechino' could be the metal version of 'The Phantom Of The Opera' with the romantic side of the music being threatened by the darkened gritty side, which all in all makes Kratos truly unique. There is plenty of different sounds reverberating across all the songs herewith, but also with each song comes it's own unique emotional storytelling, something that will appeal to those who seek solace in metal's wide array of emotions. Download This: "Fishing" For Fans of: Epica, Lacuna Coil, Therion 'Archlechino' is out now via Inverse Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  AGAINST 'Emerger' INDEPENDENT Returning with their second offering is Against, a Groovy Metalcore outfit who hail from the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. Their tightness on this release runs throughout and leaves an aftertaste when it's finished, an aftertaste of wanting and desiring more from this four-piece army. To translate the album title is taking the Spanish-English translation one step too far, because whilst in Spanish the album is 'Emerger', in English it is 'emerge'. Funny right? Maybe, but even so these lads certainly know what notes to string together as the album gleams with Tango-inspired grooves, smooth metalcore elements and a clear D.I.Y. attitude, hell let's not call it Groovy Metalcore, instead we'll call it 'Tango Metal'. Whatever you decided to call it, 'Emerger' is a decent enough album that deserves a listen regardless. Download This: "Voluntad" - Click to listen For fans of: Pantera, Lamb Of God, Machine Head [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ORDNANCE 'Echelon' INDEPENDENT After all of the technical brutality expressed on Ordnance's second album 'Echelon', you would imagine that they would be left without any energy. Hardly likely, when this band's efforts at unleashing a prim and proper debut album are highly noticeable that you begin to question why aren't they signed? Well there are subtle hints as to why this is the case, there is at times too much flash and not enough pelting, sure using a drum machine is not always the best idea and on 'Echelon' this proves the case. But for this Australian unit, they are sure to rectify these two issues on their next release. For now, listeners can explore the almost-splendour release that is 'Echelon', ignoring the two mentioned issues, the album slams hard with gritty vocals, dirty riffs and a filthy-rotten atmosphere, ironically the drum machine does the trick at hitting hard in the right places, the right notes to give the album that full-on whack feeling. Download This: "Thaumaturgist" - Click to listen For Fans of: Suffocation, 'Modern Death Metal', Disentomb [7] RHYS STEVENSON  CROWORD 'Manifest Of Mortal Sickness' INDEPENDENT Fresh from the snowy Alps of Austria, comes this ten-legged melodic machine known as Croword and their subsequent premier EP 'Manifest Of Mortal Sickness'. The EP is laced with infectious riffs, vocals so brutal that your last hangover has just been outclassed and drums so precise, they cannot get any more on point. For the Melodic Death Metal band, this ultimately is the dream start for them and is a sure sign there is a lot to come from this group. With this effort, Croword have quite rightfully instated themselves as a band to watch because their first EP packs a punch, that hits your brain so hard you would need a CAT scan to check out the imminent damage. Seriously you would be hard pushed to find an exciting premier release from a Melodic Death Metal band quite like this, this year! Download This: "Manifest Of Mortal Sickness" - Click to listen For Fans of: Myra, The Black Dahlia Murder, Deadlock [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KILL THE WHORE
'Chronic Anthropophagy Thanatophilia Fetistic Morgue' INDEPENDENT Kill The Whore return with their second album, it's title longer than the hardest boner you have ever had... 'Chronic Anthropophagy Thanatophilia Fetistic Morgue'. This dual project is primarily based in Belize, a country in Central America with a very small but active metal scene, one that Andy Chuc has had a lot of input in. However 'Chronic Anthropophagy Thanatophilia Fetistic Morgue' comes loaded with eight gore-infested tracks and two rotten covers, to some it's just noise and to others its maximum brutality, make of it what you will as it is simply Brutal Death / Grind Metal. Undistinguishable vocals lead the charge with the thunderous, tuned down guitars and drums supporting the bloody onslaught. So whenever you're up for a gore-horror fest, be it dramatics or film, just remember to indulge in this album before undertaking said activity. Download This: "Chronic Parasite Infestation Experiment" For Fans of: Fitcage, Regurgitate, 'Goregrind' [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  KHROMA 'Stasis' INVERSE Khroma might as well become Finland's answer to Japan's Crossfaith, an explosive rule-bending mix of electronic brutality, metalcore heaviness and an atmosphere to pierce your brain at it's very core, for their latest effort 'Stasis' will leave your mind completely f*cked. By lacing together elements of Metalcore, electronic music, Groove Metal and Alternative Metal, this hotly-tipped outfit are sure to tear Europe apart with their uniquely fashioned and original s. From start to finish, 'Stasis' will have you moshing your braincells to death, raving your sweat out and drinking alcohol like water, seriously this is proper hard party music. If Crossfaith, 5FDP and The Defiled ever had a three-some, then Khroma would be the offspring, a cataclysmic, unrelenting brand of Modern Metal. This shit is crazyyyyyy!!!!! Download This: "Brace Yourself" For Fans of: 5FDP, The Defiled, Crossfaith 'Stasis' is out now via Inverse Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  12 GAUGE OUTRAGE 'Deadly Sins' INDEPENDENT No let's not indulge in the Irish puns, even though the Guinness demands it. Hailing from the South-East coast of Ireland, the Heavy Metal trio 12 Gauge Outrage do more than just invent an interesting and rhyming band name, they're also capable of bleeding out a debut album that will almost certainly appeal to the metal masses. Pounding drums lead the backline as the riffs slit your throat right at the deadliest point, actually come to think of it have they managed to whip in some Melodic and Thrash Metal elements? Whatever you make of their debut album, 'Deadly Sins' is a joyous and satisfying nod to the classic sounds of Heavy Metal. Whilst it might not be as fast as Slayer or melodically heavy as Iron Maiden, the album will surely book the band their ticket across the Irish Sea and into the UK. Download This: "Greed - Drag Me To Hell" - Click to listen For Fans of: Kaine, Diamond Head, Metallica [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HALIDOM 'Purity Corrupts' INDEPENDENT You might get stuck in the groove when checking out the premier EP by Israel's Halidom. The new kids on the block kick off their career with their EP 'Purity Corrupts' and whilst it offers something fresh, at times it becomes stagnant, that's not to say it's not enjoyable but rather the 'been here done that, sold the t-shirt' feeling. However through bolting together some flash riffs, thick and heavy bass, gritty vocals and an atmosphere primed to get any pit open, Halidom might be on to something, whatever it is they haven't found it yet. 'Purity Corrupts' serves as a respected nod to the Groove Metal movement, but nothing more, in fact their next release needs to be an improvement to enable the band to gain considerable attention from outside of Israel, or the Middle East. Download This: "Turncoat" - Click to listen For Fans of: Gojira, DevilDriver, Lamb of God [7] RHYS STEVENSON  ROMAN KHRUSTALEV 'Our New Sun' INDEPENDENT When you think of Kazakhstan, you generally would not consider it a metal music nation and truth be told whilst it's scene can be traced back to the early 1990's, there are very few bands or projects going around. One such musician, Roman Khrustalev, has been releasing music since 2008 under different guises. However he now goes under his real name and has released his latest instrumental Progressive / Power Metal album 'Our New Sun'. From start to finish, this marathon run of epic riff shifting and abrasively loud atmospherics certainly demands a lot of attention as this work of art deserves it. Forget the flashy and technical wizardry Herman Li of Dragonforce can deliver, because Kazakhstan have got their own answer through Roman Khrustalev. His futuristic outlook is channelled through his music and ultimately could serve well as background music for the next sci-fi blockbuster. Download This: "Cold Roots Of Earth" - Click to listen For Fans of: Instrumental Metal, insanely godly music, epic music [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BLEEDING TEARS 'The Fall Of Lucifer' INDEPENDENT Hailing from Venezuela, Bleeding Tears are a Dark Metal band whose sound features a lashing of Gothic Metal beauty, the dank atmospherics associated with Doom Metal and a sprinkling of menacing Death Metal. 'The Fall Of Lucifer' sadly is nothing new as it appears to have elements that some would agree sounds too similar to other bands in the said combined genre. However despite the near-evident comparisons, the music in question is one that will captivate you no matter where you are in the world, perhaps the EP was built to put Venezuela on the metal map or perhaps just to stand on it's own two as a decent release. Whatever the future holds for this sextet, with this effort they are sure to gain some attention from outside of their own country, perhaps even land a record deal.... Download this: "Premoniziones" - click to listen For Fans of: Macbeth, Tristania, Darkwell [7] RHYS STEVENSON  TROLLWALD' 'У гушчарах (U Huszczarach)' INDEPENDENT Formed out of the ashes left behind by Litvintroll, Belarusian Folk Metal maestros Trollwald carry on from where their predecessor left off. 'У гушчарах (U Huszczarach)' is the band's debut EP and it remains in touch with their folk heritage, utilising folk instruments normally associated with Pagan Metal. Unfortunately Trollwald aren't as with it as Litvintroll were and make light use of what could have been a potentially arousing EP, their inept self just does not enable their EP to reach it's fullest potential. Granted they've stuck to their mother tongue, being Belarusian, but this does not give the EP that needed kick up the backside that otherwise may well have demanded a more positive reception. Overall despite the lack of convincing elements, 'У гушчарах (U Huszczarach)' is an EP that marks the transition from Litvintroll to Trollwald. Download This: "Bywaj!" - Click to listen For fans of: Arkona, Litvintroll, Pagan Metal [7] RHYS STEVENSON  WASTED HEROES 'Wasted Heroes' INDEPENDENT Returning after their debut album 'Between The Worlds' was released six years ago, Ukrainian Melodic Death / Metalcore horde Wasted Heroes justify the time spent in crafting their second offering. This self-titled album deploys all what you would expect from a band from said genre combination, full on smack-down brutality, infectious riffs, emotional vocals and a vision that should enable them to stand tall as possibly the most exciting Metalcore-based bands to emerge out of Eastern Europe. But with this comes their own form of Modern Metal influence, which almost breaches the 'Post Metalcore' territory, but it definitely aims to shove over the dominance of Black and Pagan Metal the Ukrainian Metal scene has been arguably enjoying for far too long. 'Wasted Heroes' is the band's calling card to the record labels, if you want us, come and get us. Download This: "Burn Down This World" - click to listen For Fans of: Imminence, In Flames, Zonaria [8] RHYS STEVENSON  OHOL YEG 'Humanize' INDEPENDENT Emerging out of the deepest darkest depths of hell in Turkey is the one-man Black Metal project Ohol Yeg masterminded by Sazakan. 'Humanize' is a delightful listen with enough raw elements found across the entire release to ensure that it stands out as a kvlt release. By harmonizing together mid-paced drums with quick-fire riffs, spluttering vocals and audio clips taken from nature's own backyard, Ohol Yeg manages to create a truly authentic and inspiring sound. Given the project relies upon non-professional equipment and thus bolsters its obvious DIY production sound, homage must be paid to Ohol Yeg for developing a sound that is far from being artificial and rather closer to being completely pure. For the seasoned Black Metal fan, this ought to tickle your ears with delight, for the generic metalhead its a chance to experience something truly unique to the Turkish Black Metal movement. Download This: "Becoming The Reality" - Click to listen For Fans of: Carpathian Forest, Moribund Oblivion, Moonblood [8] RHYS STEVENSON  MOURNING SUN 'Último Exhalario' INDEPENDENT Chile's Mourning Sun might as well become the scene's most exciting export of 2016 because their debut album 'Último Exhalario' is so emotionally enriched that it really taps into the mind and soul, calming and soothing the listener at the same time. Constructing a delicate balance of Avant Garde and Doom Metal, this sextet (now trio) harmonise the traumatic and emotional side of life and the wilderness to develop a sound that either you could fall asleep to or ultimately classify as 'easy listening metal'. 'Último Exhalario' gleams with a vibrant array of atmospherics, elements and emotions that coalesce to leave the listener in a state of entrancement. It won't be long before Mourning Sun are snapped up by a record label, because that is exactly what this album deserves, it needs to be heard far and wide. There's a storm brewing across the Andes... Download This: "Hoowin (Mythic Ancestors)" - Click to listen For fans of: Paradise Lost, Mar De Grises, Doom Metal [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SOULBURNER
'The Throne of Armageddon' INDEPENDENT Fast paced Death Metal thundering out of the back streets of Bogota D.C., Colombia. That is the shortest way to explain Colombian Death Metal maniacs Soulburner and their long-awaited third album 'The Throne of Armageddon'. Released 10 years after their second album, 'The Throne of Armageddon' is a non-stop assault of guttural vocals of the most extreme kind, unrelenting and unforgiving blast-beats and some of the most grizzly riffs ever to be shat out of a guitarist. Designed to crush your cranium in such a way that it would make a simple punch to your skull seem an upgraded tickle. Consequently you need to be in the right mood to be blasted by this audio wave of mass constriction, fear it because you won't have heard anything like it (unless you're a metal elitist, in which case, you're not kvlt enough for this bruising music). Download This: "World To Ashes" - click to listen For Fans of: Crackdust, Abhorrent Decimation, Corpse Garden [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BEYOND CHRONICLES 'Shatter' INDEPENDENT High hopes have been placed on the French outfit known as Beyond Chronicles, well with their premier EP 'Shatter' carrying such a convincing sound that in basketball-terms would be considered a slam-dunk, you would have to be stupid to write this group off. Never has French Melodic Death Metal been so exciting, from the rhythmic architecture providing the basis for the guitars, vocals and bass to unleash themselves upon to the slight hint of Modern Metal creeping in, 'Shatter' is a release that will shake the very foundations of the European Metal circuit. Essentially 'Shatter' is as rich in fresh potential for success as much as Sèvres goaded the world of porcelain, Beyond Chronicles are one band to watch for the future, no mistake about it they will go far and will gain acclaimed attention from across Europe. Download this: "Born To Die" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Marionette, Deals Death, Sight Of Emptiness [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  LA HORDE 'Dystopie' FANTAI'ZIC PRODS. Comme-ci comme-ça, or like this like that. That is what springs to mind when pouring over La Horde's second album 'Dystopie', this French unit explore the various avenues of Thrash, Punk and Hardcore to muster up a violent, abrasive and unruly splattering of Thrashcore; but with more Hardcore than Thrash. Bolting together their sound with the romance of the French language is like dressing up a female Black Metal fan in a pink flowery dress, one is brutal and the other elegant. But despite this conflicting analogy (think black rose), 'Dystopie' is a full-on stomping album that would appeal to any fan of old-school Hardcore and modern-Thrash; it is what it says it is, a take-on what life will be like if humanity keeps heading down the yellow-brick road, except La Horde will lead the horde. 'Dystopie' is a decent enough release, it is not groundbreaking or cutting edge, but it will do for now. Download This: "Chan Chan" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Hatebreed, Scarred By Beauty, Skreamer 'Dystopie' is out 5th October via Fantai'zic Productions and all major online outlets [7] RHYS STEVENSON  INVOKER 'Aeon' NON SERVIAM Germany has a long history with producing some of the finest Black / Death Metal acts and Invoker continue that legacy by returning with their second offering 'Aeon'. Whilst the vocals continue the raw sound that distinguishes them from titans of said genre like Behemoth and Vesania, Invoker tend to drag in more brutal and atmospheric influences to the mix, resulting in a fast and furious yet cumbersome presentation. Whilst 'Aeon' might not exactly be the release to drag them out of the underground shadows, it does however poise itself as a decent listen for those who prefer the more exquisite strains of Black / Death Metal. With two instrumentals, a total listening duration of 45 minutes and an eight minute epic, this album will guarantee anyone who peers into it, a listen they will never forget. Download This (when out): "In The Womb Of Arrogance" For Fans of: Dissection, Bolt Thrower, Hypocrisy 'Aeon' is out 30th October via Non Serviam Records in both physical and digital formats [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FORKLIFT ELEVATOR 'Borderline' INDEPENDENT Despite the crazy band name, Italian wielders of Groove / Thrash Metal Forklift Elevator deal justice with their debut album 'Borderline'. Whether that's a remark about their music style being borderline or their band name remains to be seen, but the problem that is presented with their debut album is the quality delivered. Naturally self-produced albums are a little risky in terms of whether it will be successful or not, Forklift Elevator just avoided that trap, just. 'Borderline' does offer crunchy riffs (especially on 'Damn Bug') and thick bass elements, but it lacks that kick force that this quintet are so capable of mustering. By adding a bit more eccentricity and / or power will give them that magical spark to ignite their career and gain much acclaimed attention. Despite this, 'Borderline' is still a valiant effort it just does not have that quality to make this unit stand out from the underground masses. Download This: "Struggle Of Life" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Five Finger Death Punch, Machine Head, Hebiimetaru [7] RHYS STEVENSON  NICROTEK 'Strange Sound From The Sky' BLACK LION PRODS. Eclectic to say the least, well what else can be said when you put industrial music, Black Metal, folk, ambient and atmospheric music into the mixing pot? Insane is another way, but however you wish to put it, it seems that Indonesian soloist Bobby Deathstars has ventured into the euphoric moment of widening the Black Metal cesspool even more. His project Nicrotek has pummeled out 9 albums this year and this is just one of them, 'Strange Sound From The Sky' explores the creative and artistic breadth of this ingenious musician. Granted to the die-hard kvlt Black Metal fans this would come across as a pile of wank, to those into electronic music the harshness of Black Metal would leave them clueless. Hence this release is designed for total musical annihilation and so for that kudos must be bestowed, what with the sound and atmosphere creating a wide landscape, where can this project go from here? Download This: "Unexpected Situation" - Click here to listen For Fans of: 'Black Metal, 'Ambient', 'Experimental music' [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  BLACK ROYAL 'The Summoning Pt. I' ARMLESS STRANGER Stoner Death Metal? If that is not another way of describing dying from a meth overdose then no idea what is, joke aside Finnish quartet Black Royal demonstrate their musicianship well through their premier EP 'The Summoning Pt. I'. Thick as the Floridian Death Metal sound and brutal as a mediocre hangover, 'The Summoning Pt. I' is a league apart from other weirdly genre-combined releases. The sad thing is that it just seems to not go anywhere, the music is good but the initiative is one that lacks that convincing element. Granted it will appeal to those who like thick, fast and ironically slow music, but there is too much going on for it to be a decent release. If the band were to hone in on their playing skills and fine tune it, then sure the outcome would be far different, but this is a learning step for the Finns, time will tell if their is any improvements. Download This: "Contagion Accident" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Melvins, Orange Goblin, Six Feet Under [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  UNDER THE ABYSS 'A Future To Behold' VOCATION Heavy / Thrash Metal mixed with Metalcore influences? Sounds good. Sounds even better when you have the likes of Under The Abyss commandeering it. This French mob brandish their own take on the over-populated metal combination and it is this decision that makes releases like their second album 'A Future To Behold' a delightful listen. With each passing second, new elements are delivered and it is this that leaves an ever-lasting taste for more, with an eccentric approach to the compositions and an architectural foundation to build their sound on, Under The Abyss position themselves as potential contenders for 'French Metal release of the year'. This modern take on Thrash Metal is what will drive the genre forward, forward onto newer ventures and perhaps towards 'A Future To Behold'. Watch this band with interest. Download This: "Meaningless Things" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Fallen Fate, Scarred By Beauty, Evile [8] RHYS STEVENSON  CHAOS BEFORE GEA 'Khâron' BLOOD FIRE DEATH Chaos Before Gea could easily become Spain's answer to 36 Crazyfists and Norma Jean, with their latest effort 'Khâron' delivering a ballistic onslaught of insanely angry Metalcore / Nu Metal, you would wet your pants at the brutality of such a release. Not known for producing stellar Metalcore bands, this in fact could be the moment the Spanish Metal scene has been waiting for, sensational vocals lead the strike force with the riffs and drums providing substantial artillery fire. It might not be something new, but it is something epic and that is good enough for the average metal listener. it won't take long before this lot end up on the laps of the Metalcore titans, so watch this band with every passing day because they are going places they may never have thought of. Download This: "Red Lights" - Click here to listen For Fans of: 36 Crazyfists, Norma Jean, Miss May I [8] RHYS STEVENSON  ÓSSERP 'Sang I Sutge' BLOOD FIRE DEATH No matter how much effort you put into a release, it does not always guarantee a decent release. This is what has happened with Ósser's debut album 'Sang I Sutge', there is too much going on and very little in the way of organizing it, as if to suggest the band were distracted during the album making process. 'Sang I Sutge' is the debut album by the Spanish Death Metal / Grindcore contingent and despite it's thick double bass (and bass guitar) elements, gritty vocals and brutal pace, it lacks the ability to convince that this album is there best output possible. Granted Deathgrind was never meant to be pretty, tidy or neat, but there is an exception to that, that is the release has to maintain a percussive pattern and not be hit this, hit that, play this, f**k that. That is exactly what makes this album flop, it just does not convince itself let alone the listener that it is the real deal. Download This: "Heretant Enemics" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Death Metal / Grindcore [5] RHYS STEVENSON  JUSTABELI
'Cause The War Never Ends' MUTILATION Seven years since their debut album 'Hell War' emerged from the Brazilian Metal scene, Justabeli makes their hallowed return with another slab of old school 'Blackened-tinged' Death Metal. Full of thick viscous riffs that float in-between the ferocity of the drums and vocals that are so raspy they put the old Norwegian Black Metal vocalists to shame. 'Cause The War Never Ends' is true in it's words in that somewhere in the world there are skirmishes going on and so with this 'Blackened' Death metal at the helm of this release, the stage is set for another onslaught of the 'War Metal' style. The only downside is that some of the songs sound too similar to one another, thus the lack of diversity in terms of song construction hinders the album somewhat to the extent that it becomes hard to appreciate certain songs. But despite the inconsistency of song differentiation, 'Cause The War Never Ends' is a well constructed album that will appeal to many fans of Old-School Extreme Metal. Download This: "Soldiers Of Satan" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Immortal, Marduk, Morbid Angel [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  GOTLAND 'Gloria Et Morte' Gotland from Italy plays an exclusive mix of Italian Folk Metal with Pagan Black Metal, marking their debut is Italian Folk Metallers Gotland with their premier effort 'Gloria Et Morte' (Latin for 'Glory and Death'). Whilst the album may lead some fans under false pretenses, that is, the style of Folk Metal is not what you would expect; there are melodic metal elements running here and there throughout, especially in the vocal and melody departments, the overall perception of the album is that it strikes fear hard. If you like, 'Gloria Et Morte' captures the very essence of the power and darkness experienced during the empirical battles, dramatizing the ferociousness of the Roman Empire in its wake, now whilst Caesar may not approve, it certainly would have appealed to Caligula for it's level of monstrosity and darkness. Download This: "Slaves Ov The Empire" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Finntroll, Amon Amarth, Septic Flesh [8] RHYS STEVENSON  DISTANT PAST 'Utopian Void' Switzerland's Distant Past return with their fourth studio album 'Utopian Void', adorning much of the Progressive / Melodic Heavy Metal sound that has bound them together since 2002. 'Utopian Void' is a glistening hour of pure ballsy metal with twelve tracks of grit to keep you going, granted whilst it is nothing new and is certainly not groundbreaking, it offers another slice in this sensational crossbred music genre. 'Utopian Void' delivers that almost unmistakable sound of classic metal, you know with the bellowing vocals in the Iron Maiden-esque style and music so rocking, so metal, you have no choice but to let your hair down and go completely insane! Where the quintet go on from here is one question, whether 'Utopian Void' will be beaten by a better Distant Past album is another, but for now it stands as a decent album on it's own accord. Download This: "A Day Of Darkness" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Airbourne [7] RHYS STEVENSON  P.T.O.M.A 'Shit Into Existence' Finally a Thrash Metal band who takes no nonsense and delivers a sound that is what is expected of a Thrash Metal band. Greek quartet P.T.O.M.A. (Ptoma is the Greek word for 'corpse') drop their premier album 'Shit Into Existence' with such a thrashing force, it eclipses anyone involved in a boxing match. 'Shit Into Existence' is your classic Thrash Metal album, full of speed and agility that is smothered by the lovable Slayer influences. Whilst most Thrash Metal bands sing about politics, death and the cliche topics, P.T.O.M.A on the other hand cover every lads dreams... tits and fun. It's funny really because for most metalheads, metal, beer and boobs are all the rage, and yet this Greek outfit certainly jab in an element of humor, especially with track titles like 'die with titties in your face' making '50 Shades Of Grey' all of a sudden appear to be a children's bedtime story. Download This: "Die With Titties In Your Face" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, Zimmers Hole [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HIVERNA 'II. Macabre' Quebec has a very good track record regarding Black and Folk Metal bands, so when one of it's 2004 graduates Hiverna, released their second album 'II. Macabre' this year, expectations were sure to run high and sure enough, they have delivered. Now surely the theme here is that the albums form some sort of series, especially when there are Roman numerals present, but ignoring that ideology for a second and focusing on 'II. Macabre' itself. The album delivers the elements you would expect from such a band, the galloping yet ferocious drums set the pace whilst the flute delivers the melodies that the guitars cannot seem to do, in turn the guitars deliver that crisp yet sharp sound that is demanded from a Black Metal purview. What makes 'II. Macabre' such an interesting album does not reside with the French lyrics, but more so it's connection with nature, leaving it much likened to any album by England's Winterfylleth. Download This: 'Le Satyre' - Click here to listen For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Eclipse Eternal, Kampfar [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PROTOKULT 'No Beer In Heaven' Anyone know any major Canadian beers? Because you cannot just listen to this release without a beer in your hand. 'This release' so happens to be Protokult's second album 'No Beer In Heaven', an album that exhibits a rather unique mix of Atmospheric Folk Metal with Black Metal elements. So picture this, the melodic beauty of Nightwish crashing against the blackened brutality of Windir and being entwined with the elegant happiness of Arkona, well you get the picture. Laden with angelic soprano-like female vocals alongside gnarly and clean male vocals, 'No Beer In Heaven' is a truly dynamic masterpiece, and that's just the vocals. Coupled with an emphatic array of riffs designed to melt your heart apart and drumming so juicy, it bleeds hops and fermenting grapes as to create an aromatic flavorsome production of Canadian Folk Metal, such an eclectic mix of elements will surely garner a lot of attention from around the world. Download This: "Get Me A Beer" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Skyforger, Arkona, Nightwish [9] RHYS STEVENSON  FRAGMENTA 'Odimorsus' Returning with album number two is Australia's Fragmenta, of whose Thrash Metal effort 'Odimorsus' initially has a promising outlook on it, but when you realise how high you have to turn the speakers up to hear anything, positive anticipation turned into sour disappointment. Ignoring the production for now, what you have is a decent enough album that carries all the signatures you would expect from a Thrash Metal release, that is gritty vocals, crunchy riffs and bass lines. Topping out at over an hour long with twelve tracks, one of which lasting eight minutes long, is adequate evidence to say that there is something for everyone regarding the album as a whole. 'Odimorsus' may not be the album some die-hard Thrash Metal fans would expect, it is one of those left wide open to interpretation... literally. But the imagination of how this sounds live has a greater feel about it. Download This: "Darkest Storm" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Evile, Slayer, Kreator [7] RHYS STEVENSON  LA DAMA OSCURA 'Caminando Sobre El Fuego' MOLUSCO PROD Last year Spanish Heavy Metallers La Dama Oscura released their third album 'Caminando Sobre El Fuego' and naturally what comes with it is a bout of sensational songs, all in the Spanish language. In fact this such a great album if you are learning the language, or want to, because you can really connect with Spanish culture through this album (and indeed all of the band's releases); not just lyrically but musically as well. The album itself is very much wedged within the Iron Maiden universe, with the vocals being in the tenor range demonstrated by Bruce Dickinson. As for the rest of the album, it simply is the basic classic Heavy Metal sound you would expect and so thus ought to appeal to a wide range of metal music fans, listen to it and live la vida loca. Download This: "La Hoguera" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Judas Priest [8] RHYS STEVENSON  WARFIST 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' WYDAWNICTWO MUZYCZNE PSYCHO Poland's love affair for Black Metal and Thrash Metal continues with Warfist's latest offering 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' (the German name for the Polish town of Zielona Góra) - the trio from Zielona Góra (yes you guessed it right) - have rustled up another serving of Black / Thrash Metal, but with a tendency to lean more towards the latter genre. The thing is, it's nothing new and it sits well and truly within the generic sound you would expect, some would even go as far as calling it a shame to abuse their town name like that. The only thing that can be really said about 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' is that it is a decent release, that is all. For a band celebrating ten years, you'd have thought there would have been a greater presence on the album, in a contradiction-context however it is there, just not all the time. Make of it what you will, it just simply does not completely impress. Download This: "The Devil Lives In Grünberg" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Deströyer 666, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch [6] RHYS STEVENSON  BODY HARVEST 'Futile Creation' GRINDHOUSE MUSIC Murderous and cranial crushing comes to mind when devouring Body Harvest's debut apocalyptic album 'Futile Creation', from the word go this release will have you begging for mummy more than you did when you were a baby. 'Futile Creation' draws in elements from the Grindcore and Brutal Death Metal sub-genre's and thus combined together produces a musical onslaught of blood-splattered riffs, gut-rotten vocals and seismic drumming, all of which provides itself as a perfect soundtrack to any Saw movie. Funnily enough in recent times, Bristol has become a hotbed for some of the grizzliest bands ever to have emerged in the Death Metal and Thrash Metal styles, so with Body Harvest now a firm family member of the Bristolian metal clan, we can expect a lot more from these guys in times ahead. Download This: "Condemned To Suffer" - click here to listen For Fans of: The Berzerker, Suffocation, Hour of Penance [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SINISFEAR
'Reigning Death' Drilling their flag of Death Metal in to the Canadian soil is Sinisfear with their premier EP 'Reigning Death', a colossal slamming of subterfuge in 25 minutes. We say subterfuge, because it is more like Deathgrind than actual Death Metal, but even so it is a rather interesting release to say the least. With squealing guitars forming a glut of whine on 'Wretched Stench' and guttural vocals imminent on every single song, this is an EP of all sorts. The downside is that at times it seems as if the music is going nowhere and has too much going on in such a short space of time, leaving the EP in the corner feeling sorry for itself. That does not mean to say it is trash, just that it lacks that punchline to label it a release of promising things yet to come, Sinisfear need to rethink their next offering otherwise it might as well be game over. Download This: "Wretched Stench" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Death Metal... ish [5] RHYS STEVENSON  AGHARTI 'Change' WORMHOLEDEATH It's not often that you come across a band that totally obliterates everything in it's path, well Agharti's debut album 'Change' certainly ticks all the boxes for "album you must own". The Croatian sextet weave together a face-melting concoction of emphatic melodies, romantic beauty-and-the-beast style vocals, knife-edge riffs and hollow drumming, producing a sound that is sure to push their name across the European continent. With hints of Evanescence, Within Temptation and Sirenia coursing throughout the album, you would be silly to ignore this beautiful red rose. Agharti have poised themselves as one of Croatia's hottest properties and with this effort, are sure to catapult them into the limelight, this is their finest hour. Download This: "End Of Your Domination" For Fans of: Evanescence, Sirenia, Within Temptation, [9] RHYS STEVENSON  ALL THIS FILTH 'Programmed To Suffer' Australian new kids on the block All This Filth dropped their debut demo last year and with it comes a skull-smashing lump of gritty Death / Thrash Metal laden with Groove Metal elements. Seriously this release punches your face in so hard you will eat yourself to death. 'Programmed To Suffer' literally speaks of what is wrong with the world, that everyone is told what to f**king do and so we suffer by being programmed as robots. Well from this release, as pissed off as it is, All This Filth provide the soundtrack to keep you sane and rid you of anger. Ballistic drumming supplements the disgusting riffs that course through and underneath the sickening vocals and vulgar atmosphere. You have been warned, this is not a release to f**k around with. Download This: "Two Faced" For Fans of: Chimaira, Machine Head, DevilDriver [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SEVENTH SIN 'When Reality Ends' So thirteen years after the band's inception, Seventh Sin unleash their premier album and to a slightly negative note in that it doesn't escape the clutches of the generic Gothic Metal album trap. Granted 'When Reality Ends' is a decent release, but it's nothing new the sound. At times the album gets so slow, you could easily fall asleep, whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends upon your perception. Seventh Sin however have delivered a decent enough album, just not one to have the potential of a label deal, but take in the moment because it certainly is one album that speaks volumes, literally. Download This: "Silent Tears" For Fans of: Delain, Lacuna Coil, "European Gothic Metal" [7] RHYS STEVENSON  PYRAH 'Where Am I?' The sad thing about Pyrah's debut album 'Where Am I?' is that it flits about too much, that is it is a rather unconventional and unforgiving style of Progressive Metal. At times it seems lost and whilst the vocals deliver an angelic presence, the music needs harnessing and not being let run riot. Make of it what you will, but even the harsh vocals totally ruin the album - especially when placed next to clean vocals. 'Where Am I?' may well be a decent enough effort, but it just does not cut it and would make any die-hard Progressive Metal fan weep in their sleep. It seems too basic and lacks that convincing element that otherwise might have given it more credibility. Download This: "Reflection" For Fans of: "who knows?", Progressive Metal, "basic music" [4.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SUOTANA 'Forgotten Soil Of This Land' There is much more to Lapland than just Santa Claus, reindeer, Lordi and the Arctic Circle. Arising from the snow-covered lands of Northern Finland are a sextet by the name of Suotana. Nine years since their inception and finally their premier demo see's the harsh light, 'Forgotten Soil Of This Land' promises to take you on a whirlwind journey through and across the mountains with the sounds of Melodic Black / Death Metal ringing all around. For those who are into that style of metal, be prepared to be blasted with an atmosphere so cold, vocals so bitter, riffs so sharp, keyboard elements so chilling and drumming so powerful, that adding these all together sums up to make a release worthy of a record label deal. Download This: "The Reason" For Fans of: Hecate Enthroned, Keep of Kalessin, "Arctic Metal" [8] RHYS STEVENSON  DRATHOTH 'Demo 2014' It's not often you find a Black Metal band in the Middle East that delivers such a fantastic sound and yet slips in a raw and thick atmosphere, so thick it would choke your airways. Fresh from the sand dunes of The Lebanon, the one-man project Drathoth which is lead by musician Eddy Ferekh, delivers a rather grizzly yet mesmerizing sound that ought to appeal to many fans of the more Atmospheric Black Metal style. 'Demo 2014' features three tracks of some rather calming yet aggressive music that lasts for 20 minutes. So if you want something that sends chills up your spine, makes you calm and has something for you to listen to when going into town, Drathoth's 'Demo 2014' is for you. Download This: "As The Moon Rises" For Fans of: Atmospheric Black Metal [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  MANDRÁGORA 'First Attack' INKAS NOIZE Forget Llamas and Alpaca's for one moment, because Peru have a new addition to the Metal music family, well relatively new. Dropping their first ever EP, Heavy Metallers Mandrágora deliver a jaw-smacking punch of classic Iron Maiden-esque metal with female vocals so crushing, it's enough to make you pee your pants. With two tracks leading the charge, it is a fairly short EP, but what it lacks in length it makes up for quality. Now let's say they were likened to footballers, they would have Lionel Messi's elegance, David Luiz's powerful striking ability and an atmosphere equivalent to that of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Mandrágora are flying the flag for the Peruvian Metal scene with this enjoyable-to-the-full release. Download This: "Snakebite" For Fans of: Doro, Iron Maiden, Saxon [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LEVANIA 'Renascentis' WORMHOLEDEATH The love affair between Italians and Gothic Metal is always destined to produce some rather magical music and bands, Levania sit firmly within that notion. Making their welcomed return with their second album 'Renascentis', the female-fronted quintet do not fail to impress with their unique concoction of angelic and beastly vocals, dramatic atmosphere and breathtaking musical elements. If you're a Gothic Metal fan, then you have no reason to not own this release because it simply puts Lacuna Coil to shame. 'Renascentis' guarantees you dramatic twists and turns at every second, it may be early to say but this is definitely a contender for Italian Metal album of the year, simply because when you listen to it, you cannot find the words to befit the emotions experienced, this is Levania's time to break into the global metal arena with their striking Epic Gothic Metal sound. Download This: "An Icy Embrace" For Fans of: Lacuna Coil, Elis, Sara Lee, Within Temptation [9] RHYS STEVENSON  AERANEA 'As The Sun Died' It always seems to amaze that when bands who employ the Gothic / Doom Metal style, they tend to place the Doom Metal elements as the atmosphere and the Gothic Metal elements at the forefront. However Aeranea have taken a slightly different approach, they've mixed both together so that they do not remain fixed to one duty. 'As The Sun Died' is the premier album by this German unit and instantly gives a lot of promise for the band's time ahead, with Christina Vogt's calming vocals easing the sharpness of the riffs and drums, this is a release that ought to give Aeranea that push needed in order to break out into the European scene. One evident difference is that the songs aren't insanely long unlike other Gothic Doom contemporaries, moreover there is definitely high hopes for this band, watch with interest. Download This: "Prayers Die" For Fans of: My Dying Bridge, Flowing Tears, To Cast A Shadow [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  MASSIVE DEMOLITION
'Ritual Inferno' Word of warning, turn up the volume before indulging in Massive Demolition's second demo. The recording quality is not what you would expect, albeit you probably would as their second release 'Ritual Inferno' is actually a demo. Sparking off their chosen style of Thrash Metal, the German quartet do not dice with fate or intellectual instinct, instead with their demo they take off the handbrake and let the classics of Thrash Metal spew out like an over-flowing blood-bath, the downside to this is that it sounds too generic for it to be unique and thus whilst there is a level of effort and creativity residing in the release, it is nowhere near enough to be considered groundbreaking, just a decent enough release. Download This: "Chemical Abuse" For Fans of: German 'Teutonic' Thrash Metal [6] RHYS STEVENSON  ALFORNA 'Awake' 2013 bore another good metal release in the form of 'Awake' by Austrian Groove Thrashers Alforna. Now what is rather interesting about this release, is that they switch between singing in Austrian-German and English, pinching a bit of both worlds whilst delivering a rather eclectic sound, eclectic in that the Groove elements would make any listener sway from side to side or as far as the fan girls go, wave their arms in the air side to side. Contrasted against the Thrash Metal side because this side offers no ways of resilience, nor does it deliver that convincing blow to ignite anything spectacular; often riffs are too repetitive even for a Thrash Metal release and coupled with the Groove metal sound, at times it just did not cut it. Download This: "Seed" For Fans of: Groove Metal and Thrash Metal. [7] RHYS STEVENSON  INFECTION 'Acrotomophile Mutilator' Peruvian Death Metal warlords Infection mark their seminal return with their second slab of gut-rotten vocals and blood-soaked masochistic music. 'Acrotomophile Mutilator' stakes its claim as the band's second studio album and what comes with it is a futile onslaught of gore-Death Metal. From the start to the very end, there is an unrelenting barrage of blast-beats, guttural vocals and barbed-wire riffs, all layering over each other to exert a sound that is certified to make anyone poop themselves. We're not sure what they get up to in Peru, but one thing is for certain, Infection are staking their claim as one of South America's most hidden-treasures. This is not the end, not by a long shot. Infection aim to spread the disease. For Fans of: Suffocation, Cattle Decapitation, Cannibal Corpse. 'Acrotomophile Mutilator' is out 1st July [8] RHYS STEVENSON  ARBOR 'The Plutonian Shore' Arbor's music is definitely classed as 'for exquisite taste only', that is you would have to have tolerance towards a mix of Atmospheric metal and Post-Black Metal. If you have over an hour to spare and you enjoy that style of metal then this album is really for you. Interestingly enough, unlike some Atmospheric-based albums, 'The Plutonian Shore' really digs deep and explodes in a radiant wave of sensational music. Funnily enough this would be best to listen to at either bonfire night or Halloween because of it's darkened sincerity and utmost bitterness riding on each song, sure it is an exquisite taste, but fans of Gothic Metal and Death Metal might actually dig this. Download This: "Only The Wind Calls Back" For Fans of: Arcane Grail, Alcest, Falloch [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  VELIGORE 'Veligore' It is generally evident what separates an American Black Metal album from an European Black Metal album, as New York's Veligore have demonstrated on their debut self-titled album. The American's want to go for more power and speed whereas the latter aim for atmospheric sounds, yet whilst the album may well deliver their own form of atmosphere, it does at times leave something to be desired in that it simply does not reach the standards expected. Despite this the guitars are raw as ever, the vocals spitting venom at a sickening level and the drums guide this beast through the mazes of darkness. If you want Immortal style Black Metal, stick yourself in the Nordics, but if you want something that sizzles like Averse Sefira, then look no further than Veligore. Download This: "Endless Night" For Fans of: Averse Sefira, Wolves in the Throne Room, Kult Ov Azazel [7] RHYS STEVENSON  WORKHORSE 'Fire Before All' You have to admire those bands who mold Death Metal and Thrash Metal together, because the outcomes can either be more of this or less of that, as for California's bruisers Workhorse their sound predominantly rests between the two. Their 2012 premier album 'Fire Before All' employs strictly Death Metal vocals and Thrash Metal music and yet whilst this may sound general to any standard metal listener, they certainly have put their effort into this album, ironically realizing their band name as exactly what they are, a Workhorse. With riveting riffs wallowing in the background, smothered by the blitzing drums and raucous vocals, this is an album that delivers a powerful punch and whilst may be short-lived, it forms the basis for them to build upon. Download This: "For Which We Stand" For Fans of: Megadeth, Gojira, Pantera [7] RHYS STEVENSON  VENGEFUL GHOUL 'Timeless Warfare' Like whiskey, some things must be left to mature in order to enjoy to the fullest. Such a band who has managed to do this is Turkey's Vengeful Ghoul, whose debut album 'Timeless Warfare' comes 10 years after the band's inception. Is that Dio wallowing in the background? Was Iced Earth fiddling about in the recording studio? Because that is exactly the sound you will expect from hearing this leviathan-of-an-album. From the start to the finish, 'Timeless Warfare' immerses the listener in a vibrant array of Thrash Metal speed, Power Metal-esque vocals and evident Heavy Metal melodies, summing up as a release that may well just turn heads in the Middle East region, let alone Europe. Vengeful Ghoul are flying the flag high for the Turkish Metal scene. Download This: "Search For Apeiron" For Fans of: Iced Earth, Dio, Metallica, Iron Maiden [9] RHYS STEVENSON  DEAFLOCK 'Courage To Expose All' Japan has a metal scene that rarely gets a look in by the Western world, such a shame when you have bands like Deaflock making as much noise as Rammstein make fire displays. 2013 bore witness to this band's latest album 'Courage To Expose All' being dropped and it comes 5 years after the band's debut release 'Reality Of False Pasts'. Now what makes this release rather interesting is the style of Thrash Metal they've opted for, it's not like Slayer but not unlike Metallica, but rather wafting in Evile and Gama Bomb territory. Mid-paced riffs set the pace for the album and whilst the drums deliver on time, the feeling of something is missing does seem to set in, not sure what it could be and pretty sure Deaflock don't know either... yet. Download This: "Only One" For Fans of: Metallica, Gama Bomb, Dublin Death Patrol [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FANTHRASH 'Apocalypse Cyanide' Perhaps Fanthrash were bored, or perhaps they thought they'd unleash another EP. 'Apocalypse Cyanide' marks another chapter in the Polish Thrash merchants career and with it comes another slab of average standard Thrash Metal. Sure it is fast and well orchestrated, but the overall impression that is left is one of 'what did I just hear and are they for real?' Not saying it is totally uninspiring nor at all lame, but there is something missing with this release that would seem to be the key to giving Fanthrash that exposure needed. 'Apocalypse Cyanide' is therefore one of those releases that sits on the fence, between success and failure, however it is up to you to decide where this battle shall end. Download This: "Vitality" For Fans of: Thrash Metal. What bands, you decide. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ETHEREAL ARCHITECT 'Monolith' Texan Progressive Metallers latched onto what they wanted very quickly and in doing so deliver an excellent second album. Granted it was released in 2012 and the music might have changed since then, but Ethereal Architect certainly set out their own style of Progressive Metal very well. 'Monolith' poises itself as the next step in the band's career and is sure to summon up a lot more interesting songs in the future. The great thing about the album is that it has such a wide vibrancy from start to finish, through having songs of the fast-paced galloping kind songs and some sitting in the more melody-based sector. Question is will their next release surpass this album with ease? Download This: "Bardo Becoming" For Fans of: Dream Theater, Symphony X, System Of A Down. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  GREAT GODS OF GREED
'Great Gods Of Greed' Self Destruct Records Demonstrating more than just the plucky general sound of Classic Heavy Metal takes a lot more imagination than you could possibly think, unless of course you're Great Gods Of Greed. Wallowing out of Los Angeles with guns blazing and the additional sun-stroke, this quintet delivers a belter-of-a-release in the form of their premiere self-titled album, and what a megalithic release it is having an hour's worth of 15 exquisite tracks. From start to finish, this five-piece serves up a broadened sound within the Heavy Metal vein, from the power of a Harley-Davidson found on 'All Out Warfare' to the more melodic-based 'Requiem Of A Madman, Great Gods Of Greed are great band to listen to and they've certainly shown it on their debut album. Download This: "Give Me My Meds" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Metallica [8] RHYS STEVENSON |
If you enjoy reading this content, please consider a donation DonateMetal III
3rd Chronicles of Metal Music Reviews © 2011-2022
Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
May 2021
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed