CHRONOLYTH 'Atrophy' INDEPENDENT / ROCKET DIST. Australian Metal is witnessing some sort of renaissance as it sheds its past deluge of Metalcore exports and swings to another position in the Extreme Metal scale. Hail the new beast from down under Chronolyth with their cranial-crushing second album 'Atrophy', by merging together the grit of Death Metal, danceable freedom of Groovy Metalcore and elegance of Melodic Metal, this five-piece assemble a sound of algorithmic proportions that is certain to leave listeners in a pile of their own crap. By challenging the conventional norms, Chronolyth have found their feng shui to unleash upon the world with. Big things are expected from this band of brothers, we could yet see them become the next hottest export from the other side of the world... Europe Chronolyth has you in their sights. Download This: "Revenants" For Fans of: DevilDriver, Lamb Of God, Killswitch Engage 'Atrophy' is out 29th April via an Independent Release / Rocket Distribution [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON LIGHTLESS MOOR 'Hymn For The Fallen' WORMHOLEDEATH Italy's Gothic / Doom Metal maestros Lightless Moor emerge out of the shadows with their second offering 'Hymn For The Fallen'. Continuing and improving their sound that they established on their debut album 'The Poem - Crying My Grief To A Feeble Dawn', this sextet clearly had vision in sight as this latest effort offers itself as the musical form to a dark poetic work, perhaps as sorrowful and touching as Shakespeare's Macbeth or Romeo & Juliet. Lurching over the hour mark, there is plenty on this album to keep listeners occupied with and unusually for a Doom-based album, none of the songs are extremely long. 'Hymn For The Fallen' is the latest example of the Italian Metal scene's love affair for Gothic and Doom Metal sounds, or let's call it 'Dark Metal'. Such beauty and dramatics have never entwined like this before. Download This: "Qualcosa Vive Attraverso" For Fans of: Draconian, Theatre Of Tragedy, Octavia Sperati 'Hymn For The Fallen' is out 9th June via Wormholedeath [8] RHYS STEVENSON MIDNIGHT ETERNAL 'Midnight Eternal' INNER WOUND REC. This is the sort of music you would expect to hear at Disney World Florida, you know? The Fantasia of the metal world is here with New York harmonisers Midnight Eternal unleashing their infectiously delightful self-titled album. With the vocals and keyboards wallowing in the upper echelons of Power Metal and the guitars and drums providing the symphonic infrastructure for this insanely perfect debut album to glide on through. 'Midnight Eternal' comes complete with arousing dynamics, theatrically-electric atmospherics and a sound that Midnight Eternal can call their own. In fact, it might as well be said that Midnight Eternal are the United States' long-term answer to Finland's Symphonic / Power Metal powerhouse Nightwish, may this American quintet's rise to international recognition begin. Download This: "Repentance" For Fans of: Delain, Sonata Arctica, Nightwish 'Midnight Eternal' is out 29th April via Inner Wound Records [9] RHYS STEVENSON DARKESTRAH 'Turan' OSMOSE PRODS. Considered to be the only currently active metal bands from Kyrgyzstan, Darkestrah have been residing in Germany as expatriates of late and although this means a cultural shift, it has not deterred them from unleashing albums with folk-laden Epic Black Metal as their adopted sound. 'Turan' is the quintet's latest offering and it comes brim-loaded with six tracks averaging out at eight minutes long, it does not get any less epic than that. Because the exoticness of the album cannot be ignored, it has a certain vibe to it that gives Darkestrah their own unique identity irrespective of cultural heritage. For those who prefer their Black Metal songs to be emphatic, valiant and above all adventurous, then 'Turan' is your next album purchase because seriously, not even the Black Metal greats could pull of an album as authentically outstanding as this one. Hails to the kings of the new wave of Kyrgyz Black Metal. Download This: "Erlik-Khan" For Fans of: Arbor Mortis, Arkona, Bal-Sagoth 'Turan' is out 29th April via Osmose Productions [8] RHYS STEVENSON FORGED IN BLACK 'Fear Reflecting Fear' INDEPENDENT The boys from Southend (Sarfend to those natives of the coastal town in Essex) leave their bunker with another EP in their hands, this time 'Fear Reflecting Fear' is their latest offering and in short might as well be a cornerstone in the band's career. They never stopped chugging away this lot, in fact this EP pretty much picks up from where they left off since their last EP 'The Tide' blew away the British Metal scene. If this is what Forged In Black are going to sound like in the future, then this will surely result in them scoring a slot on the RJD stage at Bloodstock. Hell-bent on creating their own sound, which they've managed to do, satisfactory is never good enough with this lot and thus having pulled all of the stoppers out, have crafted an EP that will shake the very foundations of the Thrash Metal hall of fame with newfound vigour. Mixing Thrash Metal with elements of Speed Metal, Heavy Metal and a pinch of Power Metal in terms of Stoz's vocals is what Forged In Black does best, long may it continue. Download This: "Fear Reflecting Fear" For Fans of: Judas Priest, Helloween, Grand Magus 'Fear Reflecting Fear' is out 29th April via an Independent Release [8] RHYS STEVENSON NEMESEA 'Uprise' NAPALM Nemesea are probably and arguably one of the most underrated Gothic Metal bands from the Dutch Metal scene, whilst their fellow countrymen Within Temptation, Delain and Epica run riot across planet metal, Nemesea are left picking up the pieces... not any more. With their latest album 'Uprise', they take the bold step and switch to an electronic-influenced sound which is already blessed with the majestic vocals of Manda Ophuis since day one. Whilst it might not appeal to some fans of Gothic Metal / Rock, it certainly will bring a new horde of fans to like the band. Nemesea are set on making a metal music revolution and boy with 'Uprise' as bloody infectious as it is, they've certainly gone the right way at setting up the blueprint for a new take on the already saturated Gothic Metal style. 'Uprise' and join Nemesea on their newfound quest for undiscovered music dynamics. Download This: "Time To Make It" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Amaranthe, Jesus On Extasy 'Uprise' is out 29th April via Napalm Records [8] RHYS STEVENSON RAVENIA 'Beyond The Walls Of Death' INNER WOUND REC. Enter the emergence of 'Symphonic Film Score Metal', a combination of Symphonic Metal music at the very core, glazed over with elements found within film scores as dramatic as Williams' Star Wars overture or as adventurous as Two Steps From Hell. Arguably considered the successor to Apocalyptica in terms of realizing the erotic relationship between metal and classical music, Ravenia is a force to be reckoned with. Lead by the elegant Armi Päivinen and her fellow suitors of whom provide the sheer sensational dynamics as a dramatic backdrop, simply through the utilization of guitars, drums, violins, a viola, cello and a contrabass. With 'Beyond The Walls Of Death' being the debut album from the Finnish nine-piece, they could easily be snapped up to pen the score for the forthcoming 2017 film 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales'. Seriously if you're looking for something new within the Symphonic Metal style, you've found your band. Download This: "We All Died For Honor" For Fans of: Tarja-era Nightwish, Apocalyptica, Hans Zimmer 'Beyond The Walls Of Death' is out 29th April via Inner Wound Records [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON INNER BLAST 'Prophecy' NORDAVIND Ten years since their inception and four years since their debut EP, Portuguese Gothic Metallers Inner Blast finally stamp their authority on the ground with their debut album 'Prophecy'. Whilst what they're doing is not really new, it does however serve as a delightful listen, you know? It's the kind of album that sits in the middle of what's new and what's old, it's neither groundbreaking nor cliche. But it has everything covered, there are some slow ballad-style songs and then there's the bouncy, joyful songs that would almost certainly brighten your day. This may do well in the Iberian, Italian and French Metal scenes, possibly also the British, but unfortunately it lacks that snapping point that otherwise would give it greater prospects. 'Prophecy' might not be a blast, but it will have you hooked to a certain extent, that's for sure. Download This: "Darkest Hour" For Fans of: Khael, La-Ventura, Shear 'Prophecy' is out now via Nordavind Records [7] RHYS STEVENSON DEVOLTED 'Broken Kings' INDEPENDENT Chugga-chugga goes the riffs on this insane beast-of-an-EP, 'Broken Kings' is the second EP by Dublin's Devolted and it is loaded with enough Heavy Thrashed-up Metal to make you choke on your own spit, or was that cum, or period juice? Whatever sickening description you can slap on this fine example of Irish Metal, the matter of the fact is that it will give you an orgasmic reaction so erotically disturbing, you would have put the red light district out of business. Thundering vocals come together hand-in-hand with rapid-fire riffs, dangerously violent drums and an atmosphere worthy of a pint of Guinness... or two. After indulging yourself in this release, you can easily imagine them becoming an instant hit across the Irish Sea in the UK, who doesn't love a bit of Thrash Metal right? 'Broken Kings' should belong in your collection for your journeys across the lands, it's gallant pace serving as the ideal soundtrack for said activity. Download This: "God Of Light" - Click to listen For Fans of: Savage Messiah, Gama Bomb, Evile [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON 350TERIC
'Undertones' INDEPENDENT Благој Цилаков (Blagoj Cilakov) is the mastermind behind the Progressive / Djent project 350teric (Esoteric) and he has conjured up his sixth album in the project's 7-year history. 'Undertones' is the latest offering by this Macedonian virtuoso and despite it being completely instrumental, like his previous releases, the music itself talks in it's own form of lyric. With multiple music layers binding this sound together, it's no surprise that listeners would become completely entranced and attached to the wizardry displayed herewith. Majestic and mesmerizing in every aspect, this is perhaps the finest instrumental release the Balkans has ever produced across the entire music spectrum. 'Undertones' lasts a respectable 35 minutes, and so with the variation in tracks clearly evident, listeners will not be stuck for lack of interest as not only is Progressive and Djent Metal present, there are Metalcore elements here and there as well. Download This: "Autumn Limbus" - click to listen For Fans of: Progressive / Djent Metal, instrumental music, Metalcore-tinged metal [8] RHYS STEVENSON
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THE ERKONAUTS 'I Did Something Bad' ERKONOS You would find more solace and entertainment in watching paint dry than subjecting yourself to this extremely dismal debut album by The Erkonauts. Despite all of the Swiss quartet's best efforts, 'I Did Something Bad' does not carve itself out as a decent release, it lacks atmosphere, dwells too much on trying to become the next Dream Theater and ultimately weeps at the seams. Let's hope this album is short-lived and that the band pick up the pieces and redesign their blueprint, whether the album producer thought to themselves 'I Did Something Bad' is one possibility, the other being the thought belongs with the individual musicians. Check out if you dare. Download This: "Nola" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Dream Theater, Periphery, Prog Metal [5] RHYS STEVENSON CENTRATE 'Tiger Force' INDEPENDENT Cometh the modern wave of Teutonic Thrash Metal, sure Centrate's 'Tiger Force' is nothing new in terms of bringing something fresh to the over-saturated Thrash Metal style, it does however accomplish what it was created to do, that is deliver insanely heavy Thrash Metal. 'Tiger Force' is a four-track EP that glimmers with seismic drumming, maniacal riffs, ferocious vocals and an attitude that combined together sticks a few fists up your anus, knuckleduster in-tow. For the seasoned Thrash addict, this EP will tickle your taste-buds without leaving any desire to turn it off, meaning it might not appeal for those who love a wide array of metal. It is however a decent effort. Download This: "Tiger Force (promo)" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Holy Moses, Slayer, Tankard [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON PROFUNDAE LIBIDINES 'El Viaje Definitivo' INDEPENDENT If you wish to be detrimental towards Profundae Libidines' second album 'El Viaje Definitivo', you can be. Because it strides the boundary of being insanely weird and insanely shit, point being it has too many influences fighting each other to gain supremacy over the entire release. The only decent aspect of this release besides it's creative artwork, is the intuitive-sounds developed on the release through the use of a violin and fret-less bass. France has a rich heritage in underground Black Metal, but unfortunately this album does not stand up to it's former pedigree and thus will be left to rot in the abyss of decaying metal releases. You could be slightly more detrimental by admitting it's stabbed the Avant-Garde / Black Metal partnership in the heart. Download This: "El Viaje Definitivo" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Avant-Garde / Black Metal, Andy Warhol, 'strange music' [4] RHYS STEVENSON PRAVIA 'Pravia' INDEPENDENT Behold the purveyors of 'Pagancore', Pravia are Poland's latest export and they come in the form of a five-piece Pagan Melodic Death Metal / Deathcore outfit. By wielding together the grit and brutality of Deathcore, with the flashiness and eccentricity of Melodic Death Metal and lashing it together with the Slavonic perspective of Pagan Metal, Pravia are set to become hot property within the year ahead. For added flavor, if they added some folk instruments native to their Polish and / or Slavic heritage, then the added dimension will certainly hoist them up as a genre innovator. In fact due to the sheer excitement reverberated across this release, 'Pravia' might as well be 'Polish Metal release of the year' for this in all sincerity carries all of the hallmarks of a band destined to achieve great things. Download This: "Forest Brethren" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Eluveitie, Arkona, Heaven Shall Burn [8] RHYS STEVENSON LAPPALAÏNEN 'Kraken's Awakening' INDEPENDENT Once again the whole 'we are not Nordic but let's do Viking Metal anyway' attitude comes to the fore with France's latest export Lappalaïnen. The difference being, it seems this bard sextet want to merge both Celtic Metal and Viking Metal together, so far it seems to be paying off but for how long? 'Kraken's Awakening' brings to the table a bouncy, LOTR anthem-like sound to the forefront and will surely appeal to the Folkloric Metalheads worldwide. Whilst perhaps not as majestic as their opposite numbers like Eluveitie and Tyr, they however are much akin to the likes of Nightcreepers. Fast, bouncy and highly energetic is what 'Kraken's Awakening' can be summarized as, just wait for the second coming as it will need to be something special to beat this effort. Download This: "Riding On The Load Of Hay" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Eluveitie, Nightcreepers, Tyr [8] RHYS STEVENSON BUKO 'Elefantes' INDEPENDENT Madrid shook heavily on the grounds as the Spanish quintet Buko emerge out of the pits with their highly anticipated debut album 'Elefantes'. Smothered by the Spanish language, this Heavy / Groove Metal release comes laden with Death Metal influences from the American kind. Despite it's lack in breaking the ice, that is making it an instant it, Buko's 'Elefantes' will certainly delight anyone who listens to it. There's a lot of influences roaming around this album and to pigeonhole it into one genre is practically asking for suicide, but with the evident 5FDP groove, DevilDriver Death Metal pinching and Avenged Sevenfold Heavy Metal riffs, Buko's 'Elefantes' is a truly unique release, rest assured. Download This: "Huérfanos" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Five Finger Death Punch, DevilDriver, Avenged Sevenfold [7] RHYS STEVENSON DEPRESSED 'Afterlife In Darkness' INDEPENDENT If you asked for raw Death Metal put your hands up, otherwise sit down, shut up and listen to perhaps the most rawest Death Metal emerging out of Brazil over the last decade. 'Afterlife In Darkness' serves as Depressed's long-overdue debut album, which comes a whopping sixteen years after their first demo back in 1999, and boy was the wait worth it. Vocals so guttural that they will bleed your brain dry, whilst the riffs rip into you like barbed wire caressing your skin and the drums just simply, finish you off. Granted this band might be short-lived, but for the underground fetishist and the metalheads who dig exotic metal, then 'Afterlife In Darkness' is for you. Brutal, snazzy, erotic and completely 100% Brazilian. Download This: "Reborn In Hellfire (Live)" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Krisiun [7] RHYS STEVENSON IRONRAT 'Monument' VOLTAGE If they had better studio quality then the album would be pretty decent, but ignoring the said flaw the album still is a delightful listen. Of course taking seven years to drop a debut album you'd think that Yorkshire's Ironrat would want to make it as gorgeous as possible, sure it might not be smelling of sweet roses but it certainly doesn't stink of sweat either. Whether the passion boiled down prior to the recording or the band were high off their tits, 'Monument' is still a rampant Stoner / Groove Metal album that carries all the hallmarks you would expect from a said-genre album. Funky, heavy and gritty, now the question is where's the sex? Unless you can give CD's oral, you can give CD's oral, right? Download This: "Feed The Pigs" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Machine Head, Monster Magnet, Electric Wizard [7] RHYS STEVENSON MINDPATROL 'The Marble Fall' INDEPENDENT Mindpatrol is the Derren Brown of the metal world, full of magical trickery, progressive illusions and a shadowy atmosphere, after all their second album 'The Marble Fall' plays into the minds of the listener, developing a world beyond mere imagination. With at least an hour's worth of listening to cascade through, at every turn there is a musical element you was not expecting and it is this that places Mindpatrol's 'The Marble Fall' as a huge contender for not only 'Luxembourger Metal release of the year' but also 'European Metal album of the year'. There is no doubt that the Luxembourg Metal scene is shaking at it's very foundations, with Mindpatrol being the latest band to emerge from this tiny nation. Mindpatrol are a band to watch out for in 2016. Download This: "Tabula Rasa" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Born Of Osiris, Cypher 16, Periphery [9] RHYS STEVENSON DEEP RIVER ACOLYTES
'From The Voids Of Chaos' INDEPENDENT Wave your head from left to right and back again to the tune of Deep River Acolytes' premier EP 'From The Voids Of Chaos' because this Heavy / Doom Metal monster demands you to do so. Hailing from the cold north of Finland, this quintet do not fail to impress nor serve up a delightful release. Well stretching out at nineteen minutes across three tracks, your attention won't drift away too soon and in fact this EP sort-of pays homage to the founders of Heavy / Doom Metal, Black Sabbath. Whilst they may not be as illustrious as the sadly-splitting band, nor as inventive, Deep River Acolytes certainly know how to start off on the right foot. They may just yet become your new favorite Finnish Metal export, if not one to watch out for in 2016. Download This: "Dwellers In The Mist" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Black Sabbath, Candlemass, St. Vitus [8] RHYS STEVENSON NAURRAKAR 'Epilog Lidstva' WEREWOLF PRODS. Well if anyone was to think that Black Metal always works best in the Western side of Europe, they'd be horribly mistaken. Hailing from the Czech Republic is the five-piece Satanic Black metal crew Naurrakar whose debut album 'Epilog Lidstva' spits acidic venom on many levels. Granted the band sing in the Czech language and as a result posing as a bit of a problem for non-speakers, but with such a vibrant and darkened atmosphere delivering such bitter crisp feelings it comes as no wonder that they are being monitored by fans and music industry personnel alike. From the start to the very end, 'Epilog Lidstva' bleeds grim and abhorrent Black Metal that will keep you screaming in your sleep till your very last breath. Think along the lines of the 1990's wave of Norwegian Black Metal and ideally Carpathian Forest and Gorgoroth, then you'll get a little indicator of what Naurrakar are like. Download This: "Dedicove Jaderneho Veku" For fans of: Carpathian Forest, Gorgoroth, Raw Black Metal [8] RHYS STEVENSON INNER REFLECTIONS 'Reset' France in recent years has picked up in the international metal scene, with that in mind it comes as no surprise that quintet Inner Reflections have released such a tantalizingly brutal album. Mixing together a ferocious onslaught of Thrash Metal, Metalcore and Djent, the sound that comes out is one that will keep anyone on their toes. You know if this lot were a brand of automobile, they would be a Mercedes-Benz SLR, beautiful on the outside, comfortable on the inside, bloody unpredictable in motion. 'Reset' paves the way for Inner Reflections to drive their own style of metal to the battlefield, the damning thing is the quality is a little about in the grey area, but besides that they have dealt justice with the compositions alone, their next release will be interesting. Download This: "Sworn Enemy" For fans of: Threat Signal, Meshuggah, Machine Head [7] RHYS STEVENSON KATASTROF 'Screams Of Silence' You have to admit that the Israeli Metal scene has been a little stagnant on the international stage in recent years and yet historically a number of bands have emerged to whip the world with their own metal sounds such as Orphaned Land, Salem and Melechesh. But burgeoning and wallowing in the deep sand pits of this historical land are Katastrof, a Melodic Death Metal hailing from Haifa Bay who with their debut album 'Screams Of Silence' plan to cause chaos across the Middle East. Take it like this, imagine the rhythmic grooves of Pantera crashing against the melodic solidarity and grit of In Flames and Amon Amarth together, this is what you will be posed with. Besides being named after the Swedish word for 'Disaster' and obviously being influenced by the Gothenburg sound and Floridian Death Metal arena, Katastrof are missing one thing in their world, a record label. 2014 is around the corner and so watch these guys with intent, they are sure to create waves in the coming months. Download This: "No Price" For Fans of: Amon Amarth, In Flames, Pantera, Slayer [9] RHYS STEVENSON CLAIM THE THRONE 'Forged In Flame' PRIME CUTS MUSIC Making their welcomed return to the international stage is Australian Melodic Death / Folk Metallers Claim The Throne, having dropped their fourth outing entitled 'Forged In Flame' the quintet deliver the goods in exceptional form. However to think that the closest drink most Australians seem to drink is Fosters, it bodes well that this bands lyrics revolve around battles and ale, whether you get drunk and then fight is open for debate. But what is not open for debate is how sensational this band are, make no mistake about it having supported Alestorm on a national tour, 2014 will be Claim The Throne's time to tour the world. With 'Forged In Flame' now firmly out in the open and having proven their worth as a band to watch, it could be said that their music was 'Forged In Flame', burning at your ears throughout. Bard folk melodies and drunken madness, what more can you want? Download This: "At The Ocean's Edge" For Fans of: Alestorm, Wintersun, Amon Amarth [8] RHYS STEVENSON ADAGIO FUNEBRE 'Of Grief & Insanity' LEVIATHAN MUSIC What could be considered the best Doom Metal band to come out of the Czech Republic since the inception of Silent Stream of Godless Elegy, quartet Adagio Funebre harness the cathedral's power and lashes together sombre atmospheric emotions with the cold bitterness of Doom Metal. Their debut album 'Of Grief & Insanity', although a little disappointing at places due to the lack of presence, musters up a classic sound that will appeal to many fans of depressive, sorrowful and macabre music, now whilst the songs at times are very quiet and as said the presence lacks here and there, the overall reception is that this release is one that signals intent but yet quite not manages to convince as the best Adagio Funebre can offer, even though it is a decent enough listen. For Fans of: Ghost, Silent Stream of Godless Elegy, Candlemass, My Dying Bride Download This: "The Meaning Of Life" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON QAFAS 'Mesonoxian Conspiracies' Bahrain has always been known for it's fairly active Extreme Metal scene, so it comes to as no surprise that one of it's products, Qafas, unleashes a torrent of darkened misanthropic, raw and essentially bleak atmospheric music in the form of the one-man projects first compilation entitled 'Mesonoxian Conspiracies'. Mixing together elements of Middle Eastern music to give it that Arabian nights feel, this is perhaps one of the darkest releases ever to come out of the island Kingdom. This is an essential release to have if you're a fan of Black Metal and or intrigued by the the ever-developing Middle East Metal scene. Given this solid sound and precise note execution, you are sure to see Qafas arise from the underground in 2014. For Fans of: Melechesh, Burzum, Aras (Iran), early Salem Download This: "Time Only Rotts Old Wounds" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON SIGHT OF EMPTINESS 'Instincts' Following from their well received second album "Absolution of Humanity", Costa Rica's Sight Of Emptiness up the volume and open full throttle on their much-anticipated third album 'Instincts'. By delivering a majestically captivating mix of Scandinavian Death Metal and melodic elegance, the sextet scrape out the barrels and use the power gained from 2013 to mold a release that will blow the global metal scene apart with such sheer force, earthquakes will quake themselves, and listeners will be entranced by this magical musical trigger. Enlisted with guest appearances by musicians such as Whitfield Crane and ex-Scar Symmetry's Christian Älvestam amongst others, 'Instincts' takes the listener back to the roots of this Hispanic group, connects melodic metal with the historical cultural aspects of Costa Rica's glorious surroundings and using their own 'Instincts', Sight of Emptiness unleash the finest metal album Latin America has seen since the days of Sepultura's "Roots". Download This: "Fearless (feat. Glen Drover & Christian Alvestam)" For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Gojira, Advent Of Bedlam [10] RHYS STEVENSON KILLERS LODGE 'Unnecessary I' Sometimes going down the classic original route is the best way, Italian trio Killers Lodge demonstrate this on their debut album 'Unnecessary I', with elements of Speed Metal and Thrash Metal creeping in behind the crux of their sound. What Killers Lodge have done here is revamped the classic 'bikers metal' sound and sped it up, through inducting an array of infectious riffs that are scratching away at your soul at every second, whilst the drums exhibit that classic mid-70's rock 'n' roll, Motorhead-esque sound, that in turn supports the viciousness of the vocals and manages to captivate the listener right throughout the album. Killers Lodge are showing the world that original Heavy Metal is not dead, thus If you're a fan of classic metal, then this album is for you. For Fans of: Motorhead, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Saxon Download This: "New Life" [8] RHYS STEVENSON STARBREEZE 'N7' Let's be honest, Russia's Starbreeze have nailed it when they play Symphonic Power Metal, or as they call it 'Space Symphonic Metal', effectively what you have here is keyboard symphonies, Power Metal vocals and electronic influences here and there to give Star Wars a run for it's money. 2013 saw the trio drop their debut album "N7" and with it comes a meteor shower of musical genius, from start to finish listeners can expect a barrage of sensational music. What makes Starbreeze that extra special is the sheer dynamics in the music, captivating and transforming the atmosphere so much that cosmic dust no longer exists. After you have listened to "N7" you can honestly admit to yourself that Starbreeze would be the ideal candidate to write the soundtrack for the upcoming Star Wars film. Rest assured, this is a solid start and it can only progress, watch this band with intent in 2014. Download This: "A Long Time After In Our Galaxy" For Fans of: The Kovenant, Nightwish, Dol Ammad, Sonata Arctica [8] RHYS STEVENSON OXYMORON
'Oxymoron' Back in 2012, India's Heavy Groove maniacs Oxymoron aimed to unleash sheer hell through their self-titled EP release. Whilst not including the grandeur of Groove Metal in the style of Lamb of God per se, the EP instead features a sound that tends to lean towards a cross between Pantera, Iron Maiden and Kreator, but don't expect anything completely face-melting as the music, whilst decent, does not deliver that convincing blow that you would at first expect. Given due it is a fair attempt and will serve the Indian quintet very well, but whilst that final cutting edge note is lacking in clarity and precise deliverance, Oxymoron will remain rooted within the underground. Again as said it is a fair attempt and will surely be developed upon. The vocals need the most work, they need to be less forced and more naturally produced, the guitars are inch perfect but the drums need more experimentation in the composition. Download This: "Mirror" For Fans of: Pantera, Kreator, Iron Maiden [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON HUMANGLED 'Odd Ethics' ABYSS Italian Death Metal veterans Humangled made light effort of crafting their next release from thin air, their 2012 EP 'Odd Ethics' spews more and more of the organic sound they made for themselves over the years and delivers a fistful of guttural gluttonous music that signals more is to come from this five-piece monstrosity. Lets face it, even a legendary goalkeeper like Gianluigi Buffon could not save himself from being mauled down by this Tuscany armada, and that's putting it mildly. The thing is, although the muffled sound that exists on this release may put some people off, the general feeling is one of celebration as the underground champions once again a divine release of sensational music. It may be 'Odd Ethics' that Humangled employ, but boy does it work. The moral is, resistance is futile, this is the face of Italian Death Metal and it is not leaving anytime soon. Download This: "Deny Your Creed" [7] RHYS STEVENSON NEBULOUS 'Destroy To Build to Destroy Again' With lashings of technical music here and there, it is without question that Nebulous are amongst the new wave of emerging French Metal bands. Armed with their latest EP 'Destroy To Build to Destroy Again' released in 2010, the sextet have enough panache and creativeness to blow the entire metro system apart. Fusing together a thunderous explosion of gritty Death Metal and a brutal slaying of Hardcore, 'Destroy To Build to Destroy Again' is a release that is sure to appeal to many, as much as this band pummels the human senses into a pathetic lump of aged matter. In fact, Nebulous have similar comparisons to bands like Noein and Quintessence of Versatility, these three French Metal bands may prove to be the French industrial revolution, a revolution built to overthrow the titans of Europe. As for the band's EP, there is much more to come and boy Europe better be ready, especially when signing off with the pingu tune on 'Faintness' Download This: "Faintness" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON REPERIUM 'Deterioration' When bands mix different contrasting and complex elements into one sound that involves differences in tone, speed and brutality, the general results are dire and pathetic. Reperium defies that logic and amasses a style they can call their own and no one else owns this, this is heard on their latest track 'Deterioration'. Picture this, an ambient atmosphere behind djent / progressive musical elements and a blasting of Metalcore - cross - Deathcore on both the vocals and music. Complex eh? Reperium proves it isn't, in fact 'Deterioration' poses a threat on the over-saturated 'core' British scene, defying the rulebook and overused riffs, cliches, and elements that bands seem to cop onto these-days. Reperium are arming themselves to take this nation by storm, by watching the 'Deterioration' of the scene style of metalcore, may the true metalcore come back via this Liverpool armada. [8] RHYS STEVENSON RAJALLA 'Demo' Deep down in the frozen sewers of backstreet Helsinki a monster is born, that monster is Rajalla; a four-piece Thrash Metal machine. Armed with their debut demo, the Finnish group immerse the listener in the classic and modern style of the said genre whilst adding their own signature sound to it, that being singing in the Finnish language. So picture this, Evile or Holy Moses and adding to it the Finno-Ugrian language, this gives it a unique style and a more personal connection to the music, neck-savaging riffs cut open the titanium wall to allow a cascading sound of unrelenting blast-beats to pummel the atmosphere into total disrepair. To put it short and sweet, Rajalla are how modern Thrash Metal should be and to be quite frank, they are doing it their own way, and that is the spirit of Thrash Metal, breaking the rules. Download This: "Etsijä" [9] RHYS STEVENSON CHANGE OF LOYALTY 'Freethinker' SUBLIMINAL GROOVE Turn the clock back to 2011 and relive the moment St. Petersburg experience it's first ever earthquake, 6.66 on the Richter scale. The cause? A Teutonic, boulder-crunching explosion of progressive melodic metalcore unleashed by quintet Change of Loyalty. The Russian atomizers constructed their sophomore EP 'Freethinker' and unleashed it with such a force, the Kremlin had to evacuate for fears it would come crashing down because of the sheer immense force excruciating from the djent style riffs, merciless vocals and paralyzing drumming sequences, all of which equate to a audio wall blitz that takes similarities to bands like The Browning, Born of Osiris and Thy Art Is Murder. However, Change Of Loyalty have their own sound and after all are a unit that sums up as a genuine 'Freethinker'. If you thought you heard technically challenging Metalcore, think again. Download This: "The Last Word" [9] RHYS STEVENSON HEMORAGY 'The Thirst World War' France has generally lacked a surmountable power of having many metal bands breaking outside their own country, Hemoragy is a perfect example why. The underground offers a plethora of exciting talent and boundless energy, something this French trio muster and put to use on their fourth album 'The Thirst World War', however there is one notable downside, the repetition of riffs are overused on some songs and so it becomes recycled in less than thirty seconds. Overall 'The Thirst World War' has a tongue-in-cheek approach to the Heavy Thrash metal vernacular, that is the musical language of the said genre. Some music lovers will find it appealing, others may downtrodden it to the very core, but it still warrants a place in the metal scene as a decent effort. Download This: "Turning Into A Lush" [7] RHYS STEVENSON ARAPACIS 'Netherworld' RAVENHEART Turn back time to the year 2011 and experience the Canadian Hard Rock / Heavy Doom Metal ensemble Arapacis dropping their third album 'Netherworld', featuring more of the same beautiful crafted music experienced on their previous album 'Consequences of Dreams', Arapacis prove once again they practice what they preach. Wallowing in the depths of early Doom Metal bands like Black Sabbath and adding a Progressive element to it, resulting in a slow and percussive sound that is thicker than the thickest Canadian syrup ever found. In fact, 'Netherworld' summons a sound so original it is quite surprising why this lot have not exploded over Europe yet. The great thing about 'Netherworld' is that it appeals to a wide range of tastes, from the classic rocking tune of 'Crisis' to the melancholic and chilling sermon 'Lords of the Clouds', 'Netherworld' is a soundtrack of epic proportions. Download This: "The Affliction" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON GHOST OF WAR 'Only Death Is Real' Forming the old guard of the Pennsylvanian Metal scene in the USA, veterans Ghost Of War emerge off the concrete streets of Gettysburg to unleash their majestic catalogue of sounds known as 'Only Death Is Real', their debut album is a sign that this band has a lot to offer. Offering a slice of power metal dashed with Heavy Metal grit is just the start of it for the band drives blistering paced drums to extreme speeds whilst the vocals fire lyrics out like a machine gun on automatic. As for the release in it's entirety, it's nothing new but it does not shun itself either, in fact 'Only Death Is Real' is a pleasurable listen to those who like their metal gritty, dirty and downright filthy. Sex, drugs and Ghost of War. Download This: "Absolute Nothing" [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON NOEIN 'Infection - Erasure - Replacement' LES ARTS BOURRINS It has come, the debut album by upcoming French band Noein. The Industrial Death / Modern Metal quintet serves up an explosive force that equates to the sheer power that an F5 tornado musters, whilst the music is a whole level more aggressive, faster and technical, there is no downside to this album, in fact they've developed rather dramatically since their premier EP 'The Initial Tale' dropped. Building up a more eerie atmosphere thanks to the intricate samples, cutting edge riffs, gut-wrenching vocals and a percussive beat that would get even the most hardened metal fans smashing faces in the inevitable mosh-pit. 'Infection - Erasure - Replacement' spits venom in every dimension, taking on board elements from Strapping Young Lad, Mnemic and Fear Factory, resulting in the scenario of it being apt to call Noein a French industrial revolution as they crank up a gear, electrify the ambiance and set themselves up with 'Infection - Erasure - Replacement' firmly grounded to take Europe by storm, if this was in book form it would be '1984' by George Orwell as this post-apocalyptic feeling of being suppressed with a revolution on the cards demolishes everything in its wake. Download This: "D-MOX" [9] RHYS STEVENSON CHASING IMMORTALITY
'New Blood' In the last year or so London has been a breeding ground once again for modern metal bands, first off The Defiled, then Despite My Deepest Fear and now the next wave led on by the mob known as Chasing Immortality. Fresh from the damp-ridden streets of North London, the lads have dropped their premier EP 'New Blood', perhaps a message to say they are the 'New Blood' of Technical Metalcore / Deathcore, a musical matrix that mauls any preconceived ideologies about this band being visually emo or similar. The Wall-cracking drumming infrastructure sets the tone for the guitars to shred shrapnel in the process of bleeding ears dry, whilst the merciless relenting anger channeled through the vocals are enough to make any hardcore kid cry for their mummy, or at the very least wish they'd had grown a pair of balls to match the testosterone coursing through this bands veins, that is the definition of 'New Blood'. Download This: "Her Lips May Poison" [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON |
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