 MECHANIK WAR III 'Divine Annihilation' INDEPENDENT As raw and rusty as a combustion engine, Mechanik War III bellow out thick black smoke with their latest effort 'Divine Annihilation', this black smoke is full of chunky bass lines, harmonised vocals, ravaging riffs and drums so menacing, it churns your stomach endlessly. By bazooka, who'd have thought that cyber industrial Metal could take on such a militaristic and futuristic sound and image? Because this is exactly what the American quartet Mechanik War III have done, their latest effort 'Divine Annihilation' was designed to 'divinely annihilate' your eardrums whilst serving itself as the ideal soundtrack to a full-out nuclear war; if the next war is to be dominated by machines and cyber warfare, then this album will be the radio broadcast. Fear Factory eat your heart out, the next generation of cyber industrial metal bands is upon us with Mechanik War III. For fans of: Deathstars, Fear Factory, Sybreed Download This: "At War With The Nazarene" - click to listen ''Divine Annihilation' is out now via an independent release. [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SEMI-CIVIL 'Cult Of Masses' INDEPENDENT Breathing in elements of Whitechapel, Monuments and Emmure, it's hard to really ignore Semi-Civil despite their underwhelming underground status... granted they've only just dropped their debut single 'Cult Of Masses'; and probably are very new to the scene, but this stuff just blows! Whether you like your progressive metalcore / deathcore factions cliche or not, Semi-Civil have brought both aspects to the table - classic formulaic rhythms and vocals meeting unsuspecting time signatures and the unnerving style of breakdown - let the background synths rip your veins to shreds. The solo part though, in a strange way glides over nicely the rhythmic downtempo riffs and allow for the vocals to make a rampant return. It's early days, but if Semi-Civil keep on building their sound up and produce songs in this style, then give it a year or two and they'll nail a label deal. Download it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW9QvK5XUtw For fans of: Monuments, Whitechapel & Emmure. 'Cult Of Masses' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  GRANDE FOX 'Empty Nest' INDEPENDENT Greek psychedelic / stoner rock metal outfit Grande Fox return to deliver their 2nd effort in 'Empty Nest', which at it's core is a foot tapping soundtrack to your next drinking session... Jack Daniels at the ready! Riffs dominate the album like no tomorrow and leave no taste untested; there's the downright dirty and then there's the sexily snazzy, both oozing so much sensuality it's almost 'musica erotica'. What's really amazing is that the band clearly has no rulebooks for their own branded style of music... the album flits from the mesmerising sounds of Muse to the gritty notes of Black Stone Cherry, whilst simultaneously flirting with the heaviness of Van Halen and AC/DC... all the more of a reason to make 'Empty Nest' your next listening adventure. Download This: "Brutal Colors" - click to listen For fans of: Muse, Van Halen, Black Stone Cherry, Corey Taylor 'Empty Nest' is out now via an independent release. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SYMBTOMY 'Demo #1' INDEPENDENT Sometimes it's good to go back to where something began, back to the golden days, back to the bare basics. This is exactly what the Czech-British trio Symbtomy have done, here you will not find any flashy insane guitar solo's, nor anything that deviates from the old school death metal sound. Instead, you'll be greeted with the finesse that once emanated from within the 90's era of death metal - straight edge guttural gut-wrenching vocals, blazing and savage riffs, and thunderous drumming that made the Swedish style of death metal so formidable. 'Demo #1' is a tour-de-force and a spectacle to behold, it's a brilliant start from the trio in Symbtomy and provides a foundation for more of that good stuff to built on. Check the demo out here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrTIldYmBK0 For fans of: Unleashed, Entombed and Dismember 'Demo #1' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODY SKIES 'Demo' INDEPENDENT Not much is known about Bloody Skies, the melodic black / doom / death metal duo from Albania, other than they formed in 1995 and have just released their debut demo... it has taken a very long time for them to emerge out of the shadows but alas here they are. What is quite refreshing about their sound, is that they've incorporated elements of traditional Albanian music and as such, made their own unique blended style. The demo, is exceptionally raw (at least the start and then reaches a more polished sound), thereby sticking true to the path of honing ones craft. The downside naturally is that you have to crank up your speakers to hear it (be warned it gets louder), just a minor inconvenience for the brilliant musicianship presented herewith, sure it's not going to break ground and become an overnight sensation, but it will do well to satisfy those seeking true underground extreme metal. Download This: "Why Care At All" - click to listen For fans of: My Dying Bride, Woods Of Ypres, Catamenia 'Demo' is out now via an independent release [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ILDARUNI 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' BLACK LION RECORDS Shamanic yet grandiose sermons await on the debut album by Armenian pagan black metal conjurers Ildaruni. 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' takes the genre to a lands unexplored with the blending of Armenian folklore and the utilisation of musical scales found within that part of Western Asia. The quintet have delivered an album that is a thorough romp through their homeland, skirting the modern Yerevan and diving head-first into the ancient pasts of extinct cities such as Ani (now in modern Turkey), one that should be embraced both lyrically and musically. This is not nationalism, this is bringing to the fore a folklore that seemingly is forgotten by the world, nay lest it be known that Armenia is considered one of the oldest countries in the world. The new wave of Armenian metal is upon us as Ildaruni alongside The Adana Project become flag-bearers of the Armenian metal scene. Download This: "Exalted Birth" - click to listen For fans of: Kroda, Ruins Of Faith, Melechesh 'Beyond Unseen Gateways' is out via Black Lion Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  INDIGNACION 'Amuyta Lakharu' INDEPENDENT Often when people read the genre death metal / grindcore, they think of blast-beats galore and rampaging riffs, however if you ask Bolivian outfit Indignacion about this, they'll respond with 'we will dictate the pace OK?', just take for example their second album 'Amuyta Lakharu', it is so unorthodox and so unpredictable that you cannot headbang to it; well you can try, but be prepared for severe neck-ache from the ever-changing pace of the music. Featuring what could be called radio clips, the album addresses environmentalism, the current COVID pandemic and humanity's destruction of planet earth and could arguably seen as a protest soundtrack, but whether that is or is not the case one thing is for sure, the album is very well put together.... open the pit up. Check out the album here:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vLYfcYaiU8 For fans of: Napalm Death, Gorguts, Psyopus 'Amuyta Lakharu' is out via an independent release [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BESTIA ATER 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' INDEPENDENT Legends of the Bulgarian metal scene come together to form Bestia Ater, a bestial death metal band who are full of ferocity and resilience, so much so their debut album 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' arguably pays homage to the immeasurable seriousness of the Bulgarian extreme metal scene. Very much tuned to the Gothenburg / old school death metal sound, 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' takes death metal back to it's roots and has no flashy guitar solo's, no fancy elements, just pure filthy rotten guttural vocals, precise percussion and riffs designed to shred your senses to pieces. You have been warned, prepare your hearing for total annihilation at the hands of this leviathan called Bestia Ater... open the pit up. Download This: "Haures" - click to listen For fans of: Unleashed, Obituary, Morbid Angel 'Anno Bestia Chrysallis' is now out via an independent release [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DENGEL 'Promised 重啓.應许' INDEPENDENT / MORT PRODUCTIONS Stamping their authority on the gothic metal style with their own unique take on the genre, is Chinese sextet Dengel. Their debut album comes 14 years after the band's debut EP and the wait could well be justified, the sensational balance between the oriental flavours in both the music and lyrics, as well as the full force of darkness bestowed on each song, ultimately positions Dengel in a league of their own. This is a refreshing take on the overtly saturated gothic metal style and ultimately paves the way for 'Oriental Gothic Metal' to be born, the various elements found scattered across the entirety of the album is enough to satisfy everyone's tastes - there are elements of symphonic metal, melodic metal, HIM's 'love metal' and of course classic Chinese music... Dengel are flying the flag for the Chinese metal scene. Download This: "Wandering Soul" - click to listen For fans of: Within Temptation, HIM, Lacuna Coil 'Promised 重啓.應许' is out digitally via an independent release / physically via Mort Productions. [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TROBEROTH
'Fallen Angel' GRIMMDISTRIBUTION If you're searching for something that goes beyond breakneck speed, has the thunderous sound of a volcanic explosion and enough power to keep your brain charged for 24 hours, then look no further than Troberoth and their 2nd album 'Fallen Angel'. The Costa Rican quartet have busted guts and sweat profusely to deliver an album that puts the greats like Slayer and Metallica to shame, it comes laden with machine gun-like drums, vocals so brutal they make your last hangover rather pitiful and riffs so barbaric, they make the dark ages look tame. Overall this album is the perfect example of how modern thrash metal should be done, it does not get any better than this... the album may be called 'Fallen Angel', but Troberoth is the 'Rising Devil' of the Costa Rican metal scene... open the pit up. Download This: "My Will Is Gone" - click to listen For fans of: Power Trip, Vektor, Gama Bomb 'Fallen Angel' is out now via GrimmDistribution [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON
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 EVIL REBORN 'Throne Of Insanity' SATANATH Stamping their authority hard in their own backyard, Venezuela's Death Metal newbies Evil Reborn have issued a statement of intent with the release of their debut album 'Throne Of Insanity'. Designed to keep you dancing on your toes like a metalhead doing ballet, this filthy-rotten slab of musical creativity will certainly keep you hooked from start to finish. By throwing modern Death Metal vocals, bone-crunching riffs, trailblazing drums and ballsy bass elements into the mixing pot, what comes out of this magical music transformation is a menacing, unrelenting and uncompromising cocktail that will certainly knock you out in one fatal punch. Forget those who think Death Metal is all about double bass drums and growling, Evil Reborn have devised a new rulebook... their own rulebook, so bloody study it! There are no excuses. Download This: "Possessed Angels" - Click to listen For Fans of: Aborted, Prostitute Disfigurement, Abhorrent Decimation 'Throne Of Insanity' is out now via Satanath Records [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  WHISPERED 'Metsutan - Songs Of The Void' REDHOUSE FMP / INVERSE Funny isn't it how Babymetal emerge on the scene and most metalheads freak out, Whispered gain attention outside of Finland and no one bats an eyelid. The self-proclaimed purveyors of 'Samurai Metal' carve out their third offering with such precise ninja-skill, the shamanic powers the members herewith possess must ultimately be accounted for as influencers on this dramatic release. By mixing together Power Metal harmonics with epic melodic death metal, and sprinkling it with Japanese music sounds, Whispered have arguably developed their own sound that could well become inspirational for bands further down the line. 'Metsutan - Songs Of The Void' is an anthemic album that will certainly go down in metal history as one of those albums that defied logic, defined a music genre created from the love of anime and manga and also brought some folk metal influences into the affray. Simply magical. Download This: "Strike!" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Children of Bodom, Grailknights, Wintersun 'Metsutan - Songs Of The Void' is now out via Redhouse FMP / Inverse Records [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ENTHEAN 'Priests Of Annihilation' INDEPENDENT Whenever a band decides to create a new style or attempt to place a new derivative on an existing genre it can go one of two ways. Either it's successful and a new movement is born, or it can fall gracefully and be lost in metal history. So when you take South Carolina's Enthean into account, they sit precisely (and in a contradictory sense) between the two, sure mixing Technical Metal with Black Metal and dabbing it with Death Metal and Symphonic Metal influences might sound epic, but when actually hearing it, damn that sound is the nuts. 'Priests Of Annihilation' may well be this band's debut album, but in order for them to garner any greater attention they must harness this sound and refine it a bit. At times there seems there is too much going on, but overall it's a solid effort that should spark off a movement for the newfound Technical Black Metal caricature. Download This: "Dysthanasia" - click to listen For Fans of: Abigail Williams, Gorguts, Dimmu Borgir [7] RHYS STEVENSON  OLD CORPSE ROAD 'Of Campfires & Evening Mists' CACOPHONOUS REC. British Black Metal is in a newfound renaissance period with it establishing it's own sound and outlook, leading this epic shift are a handful of bands and one of them, Old Corpse Road, are preserving traditional British folklore without touching the topic of nationalism. Some might confuse folkloric metal bands with the nationalist movement, but not OCR who like Winterfylleth use a far more historical approach. OCR's second album 'Of Campfires & Evening Mists' is a tale that even the most religious druids and bards would adorn to, let alone the Old Corpse Road taking it's name from the actual area where corpses were taken for burial, grim huh? 'Of Campfires & Evening Mists' is a treasure to behold and is an album that will appeal to all fans of Extreme Metal. Full of atmosphere, chilling elements and beautiful sounds, you will be blessed by enduring this album in it's entirety. Download This: "Herne Of Windsor Forest" For Fans of: Cnoc An Tursa, Winterfylleth, Fyrdsmann [8] RHYS STEVENSON  ELDERBLOOD 'Messiah' OSMOSE PRODS. If anyone has worked out why the Ukrainian Metal scene is so damn good at producing Extreme Metal, then please let us know because Elderblood may well have just snatched 'Ukrainian Metal release of the year' with their latest effort. 'Messiah' is the band's second album and it carries on their infectiously sexy blend of Symphonic Black Metal and bleak atmospherics in such a way, BDSM will become inferior to this constricting release. Prepare your ears for some serious puncturing as the blitzing of the drums, rampaging of the raucous riffs and vomiting of the venomous vocals smash your senses to pieces. 'Messiah' is a fantastic work of art to behold, one that will give the band their well earned international recognition as not only a band to watch but also Ukraine's answer to Dimmu Borgir. Download This: "Devil In The Flesh" For fans of: Khors, Dimmu Borgir, Shade Empire [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DEAD LABEL 'Throne Of Bones' NUERRA Dead Label are a band you should not take lightly, in fact they're positioning themselves as one of the most exciting metal bands to emerge out of Ireland since Waylander and Cruachan made waves. Mixing together a sharp array of metal styles from Thrash Metal to Death Metal and Metalcore to Prog Metal, this enables the cauldron to brew a sound that most would describe as apocalyptic, and we'd agree with them. 'Throne Of Bones' is the trio's second offering and it does well to punch you f*cking hard in the face with very little remorse, in fact if you tried to resist it's magic you might as well defect to listening to teen pop as a source of comfort, because Dead Label as said are not a band that should be taken lightly, because their music is certainly on the heavy side. Download This: "Exhume The Venom" For Fans of: Machine Head, Threat Signal, Skreamer [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SOULS OF DIOTIMA 'The Sorceress Reveals - Atlantis' ROCKSHOTS Diotima was a female philosopher and just like her, the band Souls Of Diotima are full of elegance, grace and wisdom when it comes to making music. Their third album carries on their dramatically theatrical sound and instils a fast and romantic atmosphere, which becomes guided by the virtuosic nature of the guitarists as they lead the charge. Truth be told, the Italians have got the knack for creating epic dramas and as such when relayed through metal, emphatically rivals the likes of Therion and Apocalyptica for musical suspense. 'The Sorceress Reveals - Atlantis' may well be the band's third album, but it's sincere maturity might as well make the album the band's tenth because it's well refined, polished and enjoyable. In fact it's a great album to keep you awake by, because there is not one second which makes the album dull, it's full of goodness. Download This: "Tears Of Fury" For Fans of: Therion, Theatres Des Vampires, Fleshgod Apocalypse 'The Sorceress Reveals - Atlantis' is out 10th June via Rockshots Music [8] RHYS STEVENSON  OBSOLETENOVA 'Oracle Demo 2016' BRUTALREIGN PRODS. Here comes another band from China's ever-strengthening Extreme Metal scene, hailing from Guangdong Province is Obsoletenova, a three-piece Technical Brutal Death Metal ensemble whose mish-mash of flash riffs, pulverising drums and epic pig squeals coalesces together to deliver a sound that's heavy enough to leave your bones crushed to dust. This may well be a demo, but damn the 'Oracle Demo 2016' certainly carries a punch and then some, in fact I would be shocked if they aren't invited to play outside of China within a year from now because this material would make even the most sick bands like Nile and Suffocation weak at the knees. Having released their 2016 demo which sold out immediately, clearly Obsoletenova are on to something and have considerable attention, good enough to make them a band to watch this year. Download This: "Absolutely Solitary Monarchy Is Terminated Under The Slam!!" - Click to listen For Fans of: Suffocation, Nile, Fleshgod Apocalypse [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  CHERNODEATH
'Demo-lition Thrash' INDEPENDENT Chernodeath hail from Guatemala, yeah you can picture it now, second-hand instruments and low-fi studio's, but let's not forget that the passion is 101% real. Dropping their first demo, the three-piece Thrashers get it perfect on the guitars and drums, but the vocals need far more presence. Generally speaking however it's a pretty decent attempt for a band from a country whose crime rate is beyond astronomical. No wonder metal thrives in the underground here as a means of dealing with societal pressure, poor justice and high corruption levels. Chernodeath certainly have earned the right to carry the flag for the Guatemalan Metal scene. As for the demo, well we only hope they sort the vocal issue out but also carry on believing in metal music. Download This: "Cujo Terror" - Click to listen For Fans of: Raw Thrash Metal, Slayer [7] RHYS STEVENSON  DEVILDRIVER 'Trust No One' NAPALM Even with half of the original line-up no longer playing a part of DevilDriver's future, the formula devised by Fefara and co. since day one, which involves infusing unstoppable groove elements with their mesmerizing slice of Melodic Death Metal, carries on cooking some serious material, which in the drug world would equate to a well-deserved snort of meth. But if these guys were to break bad, it would not be on this new album, in fact 'Trust No One' is so damn good, it's criminal! Fans of DevilDriver will not be disappointed (when have they?) as this album will set their summers up nice and proper, what with the music demanding imminent headbanging and the artwork graphically representing the cliche 'a wolf in sheep's clothing', to 'Trust No One' is to acknowledge the dark truth that everyone, even yourself, has a dark side (not a Star Wars reference by the way). All in all, one word can sum up this entire album... 'Fuck!' Download This: "Bad Deeds" For Fans of: Pantera, Lamb of God, Chimaira 'Trust No One' is out now via Napalm Records [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SUBLIMINAL FEAR 'Escape From Leviathan' INVERSE In this day and age of modern machinery, technical developments and cybernetic nexus', the whole movement of Modern Metal takes centre stage as it expresses a forward thinking notion rather than reflecting on the 'has been and done' sounds of early metal genres. Leading the new wave of Italian Modern Metal is Subliminal Fear with their infectious blend of Melodic Death Metal, Groove Metal and Electro Metal, following a sprinkling of Industrial and Progressive Metal influences. So imagine it, a full-on heavy blow to your cranium as the imminent result of switching on 'Escape From Leviathan', the third album by this sensational quintet. Connect yourself with the world of digital reality and let the matrix of this band's music surge through your ears, down your spinal cord before shooting up into your brain like a lightning strike from the skies. Soar into the upper echelons of Modern Metal with Subliminal Fear's 'Escape From Leviathan' and embrace what could be called the renaissance period of Italian Metal. Download This: "Nexus" For Fans of: Amaranthe, Sybreed, Mnemic, Scar Symmetry 'Escape From Leviathan' is out now via Inverse Records [9] RHYS STEVENSON  EPIDEMIA 'Leprocomio' SATANATH The exploitation of South American Metal continues with Ecuador throwing their next band out to the international press. Ok so it has been ten years since Epidemia dropped their debut album 'Mutilador De Cuerpos', but they've had a line-up change and two-year hiatus so it's excusable. But they've come back in style with their filthy-rotten second album 'Leprocomio' which compromises of epic blastbeats, chunky riffs, stomach-churning vocals and a raw production sound that epitomizes the lesser equipped underground metal scenes in terms of the quality of equipment and studios available. 'Leprocomio' however stands on it's own two as a decent and respectable slab of gore-rotten Death Metal, whilst it is in the Spanish language this should not deter die-hard Death Metallers from sinking their teeth into this decent effort. Download This: "Agonistes En El Inframundo" - Click to listen For Fans of: Obituary, Cannibal Corpse, Dying Fetus 'Leprocomio' is out now via Satanath Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HECKTIC 'Crossroads' INDEPENDENT Whatever the lads in Hecktic were drinking when they recorded their premier EP 'Crossroads', it certainly helped them craft a good start to their career. Rest assured you will not fall asleep from boredom with this effort, there are twists and turns at every unsuspecting moment. Take for example their song 'Kill The Core', there's a section where some Balkan influences creep in on the guitar playing and whilst throughout they shred, growl and give the drumkit mechanical pain, Hecktic's focus never slips, never. For the Bulgarian Metal scene, which tends to be ignored by the West, 'Crossroads' is the rallying cry for all musicians within said scene to support Hecktic in becoming a force to be reckoned with. If Testament and Machine Head were to ever have any offspring, Hecktic would be their first. Download This: "Kill The Core" - Click to listen For Fans of: Testament, Machine Head, Sylosis [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SOULCRUSHER 'Death Rides Tonight' INDEPENDENT Along with Brazil and to a certain extent Argentina, Chile is one of the most successful and vibrant metal scenes on the South American continent and it's latest offering, Soulcrusher, aim to point out that the underground is sometimes the best place to stay. Their second demo released this year, 'Death Rides Tonight', is a slick mix of old-school Thrash Metal with Black Metal vocals, so you know none of the fancy stuff, no polished sound, just simply a pure DIY sound emerging from this quartet's musical unity. Embrace it's unrelenting speed, raw ferocity and sharp atmospherics as 'Death Rides Tonight' offers itself as an excellent example of what lo-fi metal is all about. Think Slayer meets Carpathian Forest, yeah you get the idea, so unless you're a fan of the extreme side of metal, best to stay away. As for 'Death Rides Tonight' as a whole, quite frankly one of the songs should be featured on a metal compilation called "Now that's what I call underground". Download This: "Madness" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Carpathian Forest, Deströyer 666 [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  IMPUNITY 'Raíz Ennegrecida' INDEPENDENT It comes to something when Colombians sing about socio-political issues and bid for freedom, it seems that the correlation between anger against oppression and a country's level of corruption is becoming more and more evident. But for the trio known as Impunity, metal is more than just music, it is in fact a vehicle to deliver a personal statement and some. In this case anger, discontent, injustice and flipping the middle finger to a fragile and unstable system; no wonder Colombian Metal music is extremely underground. Five years have passed since their inception and the wait for their first album release has been worth it, hands down. 'Raíz Ennegrecida' is around 20 minutes long, so for some it's more of an EP, but what the hell, this music is as brutal as someone smashing your head against a brick wall, with the sole exception being that no blood will be lost because of the music. Download this: 'Títere En Utilería' - Click to listen For Fans of: Destruction, Deathchain, Slayer [7] RHYS STEVENSON  INCEPTION 'The True Face Behind The Smile' INDEPENDENT Make it past the first track and you will be listening to the proper music by Costa Rica's Inception, sure this stuff is nothing and new and has been recycled by more bands than pop musicians have copped off one another, albeit for those using autotune. 'The True Face Behind The Smile' is Inception's debut album and as you would expect from a band indulging in Old-School Heavy Metal, it's full of melodicism, harmonics and upbeat atmospherics, nothing more. Granted for those who love this style of metal, they will not grow bored of it but for the average metalhead it might fail to keep their attention. Kudos for them standing up and defending a style that is on the fading away path, because the old styles are becoming weighted down by the ever-growing modern styles of metal. It might necessarily propel them to international recognition, but heck the album is worth investigating. Download This: "Another Chance" - Click to listen For Fans of: Diamond Head, Heaven & Hell, Black Sabbath [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PORKO DIO 'Unrest' INDEPENDENT Two EP's in and Croatian Death Grinders Porko Dio demonstrate that they're focused on creating music designed to make you cry for your mummy. It's fast, it's brutal and it's sickening to think that this music doesn't come with a health warning, let alone parental guidance giving it's violent nature. Violent nature?!?!? This is full-on metal bitches, and do you think that Porko Dio want their music restricted? Hell no. By letting their insanity be unleashed upon their music, their versatility outwits the likes of Luka Modric, their creativity demands great attention and of course they demand in return utmost respect for dropping an EP so potent, not even sniffing sulphur dioxide is as brutal as this. Whether the title of the EP is a political statement describing Europe and it's migrant crisis is one big question, but the answer probably lies within the unruliness of their music. Download This: "More Than Ourselves" - Click to listen For Fans of: Deathbound, Napalm Death, Carcass [8] RHYS STEVENSON  OROBAS 'Arise In Impurity' SYMBOL OF DOMINATION PROD. Another slice of bestial Blackened Death Metal is here with Bangladesh's Orobas stepping up to take the bullet. Armed with their debut EP just one year after their formation, Orobas waste no time in constructing a decent first-time effort to kick their career off with. 'Arise In Impurity' is the band's premier EP and whilst the music predominantly resides within the old-school Black Metal style, the vocals remain firmly rooted in the Death Metal style. Aside from the main three tracks and intro, Orobas have included a cover of Venom's 'Black Metal', which isn't half bad except cover's are too common these days and it makes as a poor excuse just to release the EP instead of recording another song in its place. 'Arise In Impurity' may not be innovative or anything new, but it certainly is a decent listen if your up for checking it out that is. Download This: "Bad Blood Hunter" - Click to listen For Fans of: Impiety, Bestial Warlust, Arallu [7] RHYS STEVENSON  ALCOR
'焦土之上 (On The Scorched Earth)' MORT PROD. What with flying, rocket-propelled llamas on the artwork of their debut album, you would instantly think that the music is going to be just as (or possibly more) insane as the artwork as a result. Well you'd be correct to think that assumption, by using their native Mandarin language in their lyrics and bolting it onto old-school Thrash Metal, the result is a chaotic, explosive-yet-entertaining work of art. I am of course referring to Alcor's debut album '焦土之上 (On The Scorched Earth)'. Chinese Metal has come a long way since it's founder Tang Dynasty made it's debut, it's gotten heavier, darker, faster, basically it's become its own powerhouse and is one scene that is set to lock horns with the West. Musically it's nothing new but taking an overall perspective, there is something that makes this album distinguishable and its not the language difference, whatever it is here's hoping Alcor use it to their advantage all the time. Download This: "秩序與混亂 Order & Chaos" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DARKEND 'The Canticle Of Shadows' NON SERVIAM A decade has passed since the birth of Italian Symphonic Black Metal conjurers Darkend and with their third effort comes a thunderous yet gratifying explosion of furious speed, elegant harmonies and ear-crunching power. 'The Canticle Of Shadows' is the ideal soundtrack to your own murder, it's full of dynamic suspense, on-the-edge of your seat dramatics and uncompromising menace. Whilst not leaning towards the more Symphonic-based incantations spewed out by the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Darkend offer a new, refined and extreme perspective of this sub sub-genre. With the songs averaging at around 7 minutes long a-piece, you would need utmost patience to enjoy it to the fullest, that said for those who wait the magic laid herewith is spellbinding and awe-inspiring. Download This: "Of The Defunct" For Fans of: Shade Empire, Opera IX, Twilight Ophera 'The Canticle Of Shadows' is out 25th April via Non Serviam Records http://www.facebook.com/darkendofficial  HORRICANE 'Synthetic Forms' INDEPENDENT Veterans of the Estonian Metal scene, Death Metal conspirators Horricane let the handbrake down on their latest offering 'Synthetic Forms'. What is to come is an onslaught of some truly refined old-school Death Metal tinged with modern elements that consequently leaves the sound straddled between the two. In addition to the three straight-edge Death Metal songs is a techno-upbeat version of the song 'Synthetic Forms' that quite frankly could pose as a rather unique sound, if you like call it 'Technodeath Metal'. However good the 'Synthetic Forms' EP is, Horricane won't and should not become complacent, they still have a lot left in their locker and by letting it all out, can give them that much deserved kick towards greater European recognition. For a Death Metal release it satisfies the thirst for something intriguing yet falls short of groundbreaking albeit for the last track. Download This: "Starblind" - Click to listen For Fans of: Unleashed, 'Modern Death Metal' [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ETHS 'Ankaa' SEASON OF MIST A changing of the guard usually signals a change in direction of sound, but for Eths this rule does not apply, they won't allow it. Marching on across planet metal like an out-of-control tornado, France's most experimentally demanding and controversially challenging metal band Eths presents to the world their fourth album 'Ankaa'. Grinding out new and organically unique music is becoming more and more difficult, yet by pooling together Groove Metal, Nu Metal, Alternative Metal and Deathcore, Eths are questioning convention like never before. Not only could 'Ankaa' be considered a contender for 'French Metal release of the year', but also sparking a whole new wave of metal bands following this collated genre. Question is, why the hell they haven't they been playing at the UK festivals? Gojira are old-hat, Eths is the new shit. Download this: "Vae Victis" For Fans of: Whitechapel, Betraying The Martyrs, Lamb of God [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LIVEEVIL 'Blacktracks' METALGATE They cannot escape being compared to Pain and Deathstars and for a damn good reason, they're Industrial / Goth Metallers, of course this is referring to Liveevil. Returning with their latest 'Cyber Metal' offering, the Czech quartet have ensured 'Blacktracks' tops their previous efforts with enough room to spare for future albums. More uniquely you could slot them into the whole 'Dance Metal' movement pioneered by Rammstein as you tap dance to their infectious electronic beats, headbang to the ground-punching brutality displayed and rave so hard that you sweat your pants off and let your jewels swing back and forth to this momentous release. Or if you like, you could pigeonhole the whole album into one made up genre such as 'Modern Dance Metal' or 'Futuristic Cyber Metal', whatever you want to call it, it's too damn good to ignore! Download This: "Vibes" For Fans of: Deathstars, Rammstein, Pain, Eisbrecher [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HEATHEN BEAST 'Rise Of The Saffron Empire' TRANSCENDING OBSCURITY DISTRIBUTION Where freedom of speech is concerned, most of the time if what is being said is of a delicate or extremely controversial nature then it's best to say it through an alias. In Heathen Beast's case this is giving each member a unique name to hide their real identity, but what is not hidden is this trio's unique take on Black Metal. By incorporating various traditional instruments including the 'tabla' (Indian drums), 'sitar' (Indian stringed instrument), 'carnatic violin' (Indian classical instrument) and 'Shankh' (Conch), Heathen Beast might as well become purveyors of the First Wave of Indian Black Metal; call it that, or call it 'Hindi Black Metal'. 'Rise Of The Saffron Empire' is the latest effort by these Indian masterminds and with it comes all the exoticness of India mixed in a melting pot of grim, violent and political Black Metal. Out comes the harsh sounds, traditionalist elements and aspiration for innovation. Seriously if you're to look for new Black Metal releases to check out, Heathen Beast's 'Rise Of The Saffron Empire' should be top of the pile. Download This: "Swachh Bharat" For Fans of: ChthoniC, Rudra, Immortal 'Rise Of The Saffron Empire' is out April 25th via Transcending Obscurity Distribution [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HOLY DRAGONS 'Civilizator' PITCH BLACK Kazakhstan's most successful metal export Holy Dragons emerge from the studio once again to deliver their (gasp) 17th full-length album 'Civilizator'. Once again they deliver that winning formula that has gotten themselves to this position in the first place, a rampant and immersing sound designed to capture the attention of whomever listens to it. 'Civilizator' is a sharp reminder that this group are far from done and are vastly set on course to rival the might of Iron Maiden. For a band who hails from one of the more remote metal scenes worldwide, they certainly know how to make a buzz across planet metal. Riff after savage riff, each one of the twelve songs on 'Civilizator' is designed to open the pits up, headbang like crazy and guzzle beer as if it was out of fashion. You know, if Holy Dragons ever caught the attention of Iron Maiden, fuck, they would become a supporting act no problem. 'Civilizator' is a stab in the back, let it infect your nervous system and control your inner senses. Download This: "My Fear (Litany)" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Doro, Manowar [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FERIUM 'Behind The Black Eyes' INDEPENDENT For a band who is celebrating their tenth anniversary by releasing a second album, Ferium appear to come across as a band who have just started crafting works of mass destruction. Hailing from Israel, this Death Metal / Metalcore platoon separate themselves from the boys as men of pure and brutally precise musicianship. 'Behind The Black Eyes' is the band's second album and fuck, does it pack a punch, so much so you would need to don a crash helmet to save your skull from imminent pulverisation. Adopting a protagonist point-of-view, this album is sure to pierce the hearts of those whoever manages to grasp the meaning behind the complex lyrics. Guttural in one hand, brutal on the other, 'Behind The Black Eyes' is a true testament to the burgeoning Israeli Extreme Metal scene and if they are not signed by the end of 2016, then I'll eat my speakers. Download This: "Losing The Grip" For Fans of: Lamb of God, Burgerkill, Livarkahil 'Behind The Black Eyes' is out now via an Independent release [8] RHYS STEVENSON  CHARMCHARMCHU 'Majestic Brewing Order' INDEPENDENT Although Hong Kong now is a specially-recognized area of China along with Macao, the Metal scene there has grown immensely. The latest addition to the Hong Kong Metal scene are Thrashers CharmCharmChu, now despite the rather bizarre band name, the band's debuting EP 'Majestic Brewing Order' is of a socio-political nature and is sure to stir some emotions up in the higher echelons of the Chinese or Hong Konger Government. Full-on 80's style Thrash Metal is the preferred sound and whilst they sound more like Sepultura rather than Slayer at times (and vice versa), the fact they sing in their native Cantonese adds a rather unique dimension to their sound, that somewhat echoes their Taiwanese counterparts State of Emergency albeit with less aggression. 'Majestic Brewing Order' is a beacon for the smaller Hong Kong Metal scene and is one that will please Thrash Metal fans thoroughly. Download This: "War Horse" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Sepultura, State of Emergency [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  GENETIC DISORDER 'Cosmic Terror' INDEPENDENT Emerging out of the underground with their own brand of Technical Thrash Metal is El Salvador's Genetic Disorder and their debut EP 'Cosmic Terror'. Whilst the vocals would be more akin to Math Metal in the style of Psyopus, the riffs belong to the Modern Thrash era and the drums from the likes of Slayer, such a mixing pot no? 'Cosmic Terror' covers societal issues, humanity problems and the future as the main topics, and with it comes a sound that would get even the most evil Dalek army moshing to this spectacular musical Armageddon. Hailing from one of the most underground metal scenes in Latin America is not easy, but they have their ideas in check and ready to unleash themselves upon the world, we say good luck to them! Download This: "Genetic Disorder" - Click to listen For Fans of: Psyopus, Slayer, Voivod [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PESTILENT REIGN
'The Zealot' INDEPENDENT After their debut EP established themselves in the Stuttgart Metal scene, German's Pestilent Reign make their filthy welcomed return with their second slab of skull-crushing, anal-fisting Death Metal. 'The Zealot' is a rampant face-punching music marathon that is guaranteed to carve your innards inside out, spewing your gore-rotted blood all over your squelching intestines as they flop out on the floor. Brutal and guttural as they come, Pestilent Reign are destined for big things with their loud and unforgiving maniacal production, with their latest effort well and truly up for grabs, it won't be long before some of the big boys pay attention. 'The Zealot' is a sharp contender for 'German Metal release of the year', you will not be forgiven for ignoring this band! Their music is filthier than your mums undergarments. Download This: "Ouroboros" - Click to listen For Fans of: Suffocation, Cerebral Bore, Abhorrent Decimation [8] RHYS STEVENSON  INSANIAM 'Neurotic Mental Storm' INDEPENDENT It may well be perhaps as chaotic as a mental asylum, but the debut album by Spanish Black Metal masochists Insaniam undoubtedly gives the band justification for being one of 2016's most anticipated extreme metal bands. As disturbing and mind-intrusive as the album title suggests, this finely tuned masterpiece explores the various realms of the Black and Death Metal styles, pinches ideas here and there and ultimately devises a sound that Insaniam could call their own. If you like, this is what Donnie Darko and the SAW films merged together would sound like in music-form, gore-infested, psychopathic, excruciatingly painful and chilling to the bone. This album is guaranteed to mess with your mind, so here comes the health warning, proceed with caution. Download This: "Infernal Waves Of Time" - Click to listen For Fans of: Carpathian Forest, Behemoth, December Wolves [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SLOWROT 'Baby On Board' INDEPENDENT Essentially Slowrot sounds like The Berzerker amped down a bit, whilst retaining some of the menacing brutality the band delivered across the period they existed. Hail the newcomers Slowrot with their unforgiving blend of fast riffage, gruelling vocals and cranial-crushing drums. 'Baby On Board' is this Australian trio's debut album and my god, does it unleash a torrential battering of face-punching, bone-crunchng, skin-munching and shit-dumping metal. With this effort they have perfected a sound that ought to turn heads there way, well you cannot get any more sickening than this, or can you? Whatever the future holds for this lads, they have the red carpet laid down in front of them. 'Baby On Board' is their wager, record labels come and get these lads, because with this effort they won't have to hang around long before being snapped up, you have been warned. Download This: "Lucifetus" - Click to listen For Fans of: Cattle Decapitation, Deathbound, The Berzerker [8] RHYS STEVENSON  DEgITx 'Forest Spirits' INDEPENDENT The latest effort by Belarusian instrumentalist DEgITX could easily lend itself as a soundtrack to a sci-fi film, perhaps maybe the forthcoming Star Wars films? Think ethereal, think cyber metal meets Power / Death Metal instrumental elements, you'll get the idea. 'Forest Spirits' is Alexey Kasyanchuk's third album in this project and by the sounds of it, he shows no signs of stopping any time soon. Take for example the tune 'Moonlight & Sunrise', it's clear he is aiming to create his own unique sound and quite frankly he does so, we dub it 'Sci-Fi Death Metal'. With a host of various guest musicians helping out, 'Forest Spirits' could well be a strong contender for Belarusian Metal release of the year. The effort is certainly there, the music is definitely real and the atmosphere is beyond imagination. Immerse yourself in the wondrous mind of DEgITx, open your mind up and enjoy. Download This: "Moonlight & Sunrise" - Click to listen For Fans of: The Kovenant, Black Comedy, Breach The Void, instrumental metal. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BLACK ROW '2016 Demo' INDEPENDENT Emerging from the depths of the Bolivian valleys is the all-female Thrashers Black Row, now whoever says that females cannot rock hard are lying to themselves. Females can't play metal? Bullshit. Black Row's 2016 demo has enough anger and ferocity on it to make you shit yourself so hard, your intestines will rupture with extreme pain. Equally as menacing as the likes of Slayer, Black Row's premier demo carries all the hallmarks of a truly epic South American metal band in the making. No punches are held back on this release as it goes balls-to-the-wall with every riff, pounding of the drum and erotic vocal line delivered, hell although some people would think of this as rather sexy, we think of Black Row as the sisters of Slayer, rather than just four females playing music. Some chicks are hell-bent for leather, some for sex, some possibly for glam, but Black Row are simply hell-bent for metal. Download This: "Estereotipos" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Anthrax, Cavalera-era Sepultura [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BOGOTAH 'Um Brinde Ao Fim Do Mundo' INDEPENDENT Brazil's answer to 5 Finger Death Punch has finally arrived in the form of Bogotah, the quarter from the sun-kissed streets of São Gonçalo have their dues in order as their debut album 'Um Brinde Ao Fim Do Mundo' sends out shocks through the air and then some. Singing in Brazilian Portuguese, Bogotah would have no issues breaking out into Portugal but might struggle elsewhere in Europe, that said look at all those Folk Metal bands and indeed Rammstein, so anything's possible. As for the debut album, well this will certainly satisfy most metalheads as it is rampant, rhythmic and as obvious as it is, groovy. Lyrically it speaks about political and societal issues, so whilst the ideas may resonate with Thrash Metal (and some elements of this are present in the music), the core resides in Groove Metal. Hotly tipped to become Brazil's latest successful metal export. Download This: "Eu Sou o Caos" - Click to listen For Fans of: Five Finger Death Punch, Pantera, Metallica [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  Khanъ 'Знамение' INDEPENDENT Experimenting can go well if gone about it the right way, however sometimes during that process the result may come up as something rather incomplete. Sure when talking about the debut album by Bulgarian 'Folkcore' horde Khanъ it is clear that the intention to create something rather unique is there, but there are a few songs that just fall at the wayside as they lose focus. However the overall thought of the album is one of positive feelings, because this sound might as well be truly authentic to the Bulgarians thus calling it their own. By weaving Metalcore with the tambura, Khanъ are able to make worlds collide just as Apocalyptica did with their cello's. 'Знамение' is the debut album by this group and it is sure to appease those desiring for something new and original. As for Khanъ, well they simply are the true pioneers of 'Folkcore', long may the subgenre continue. Download This: "Павле ми пие" - Click to listen For fans of: Krampus, Ego Fall, Metalcore, traditional Bulgarian folk music [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SEVENTH ARMY 'Artificial God' THANATOLOGY Chinese Black Metal is probably slightly darker than what resides in the Nordic nations, Seventh Army might as well back up that assumption with their debut album 'Artificial God'. By mixing together the harshened darkness of Black Metal with some rather snazzy industrial elements, this trio from Beijing position themselves as a rather exciting prospect. Having only been going eight months and now releasing their first album, it is clear Seventh Army don't plan to hang around and that their focus is extremely sharp. However this is no Aborym, far from it, this is their darker cousin. It's like as if you were comparing it to Star Wars where Darth Vader would be Aborym and Kylo Ren would be the Seventh Army. Granted it's as dark as the dark side, but it's anger and unpredictable being certainly relates to Kylo Ren. Download This: "Resistance" - Click to listen For Fans of: early The Kovenant, Aborym, The CNK [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LICANTROPÍA 'Inconsciente Mente' INDEPENDENT What is amazing about this release is the crispness of the guitars and drums, yet the vocals despite all the hard work and attempts to perfect them, lack that slight bit of clarity that otherwise would have pushed this premier EP high on the rating scale. Instead 'Inconsciente Mente' by Colombian Melodic Death Metal pilgrims Licantropía perches itself at the lower end of the high scale. Infectious melodies, tight-ass riffs and elegant brutality may well give this band the credit they deserve but in the end the vocals need refining and polishing. Hopefully their next release will herald this change and as a result, give the band that range of song-artillery they can take to fire upon the South American metal scenes. Wedged in the Swedish Melodic Death Metal style, the boys from Bogotá have the creativity to make it, but for now they just not quite there. Download This: "Unholy Shadows" - Click to listen For fans of: early-Sonic Syndicate, Dark Tranquillity, Amon Amarth [8] RHYS STEVENSON  INFERNAL ASCENSION 'Infernal Ascension' INDEPENDENT Hailing from Costa Rica, Infernal Ascension bring classic 80's Thrash Metal and sprinkle it with Black Metal influences ranging from the vocals to the evident corpse-paint. 'Infernal Ascension' is the band's self-titled EP and it holds much promise for this starlet group. Especially when the first track kicks off with a slowly increasing sound that eventually gives way quickly to unexpected murderous riffs and merciless drumming. Granted this is nothing new and probably won't evolve into something original in that sense, but clearly the lads have got their affairs in order and possibly could forge a respectable album out of this solid EP. Make no mistake, Infernal Ascension are not to be ignored for they will carry your soul on a plate to their rise to international stardom. Download This: "Metal Oculto" - Click to listen For Fans of: Aura Noir, Skeletonwitch, Sodom [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  LASHER ZOMBIE
'Belizean Carnage Collection' METAL MAYHEM Hailing from one of the most remote metal scenes in Central America, Belizean Death Metal conjurers Lasher Zombie return with their second studio offering five years after their debut. 'Belizean Carnage Collection' is a solid yet gritty slab of no-nonsense Death Metal that is designed to carve your senses in half, all done through the unrelenting drums clashing against the barbed-wire riffs, whilst the vocals deliver the raw and brutally aggressive stuff. 'Belizean Carnage Collection' might not necessarily be the album to set the world alight, far from it, but it does demand international attention from labels who specialize in said music genre; Comatose Music we're pointing at you. With this effort, Lasher Zombie reaffirm themselves as true leaders of Belizean Metal music; even though the first potentially noted band was Bestial Lust (1995), however with Lasher Zombie the scene has newfound glory. Download This: "Cruel Reality" - Click to listen For Fans of: Aborted, Death Suppressor (BZ), Vader [8] RHYS STEVENSON |
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