GMA - Vol202 - Overhated, Deadpoint, Dead End, Belhaven, Stormwolf, Le Géniteur, Nawather, Eshtadur, Storm, Acid Force

OVERHATED
'Into The Plague'
INDEPENDENT

Fresh off the beaches in the Dominican Republic is Death / Thrash horde Overhated with their premier EP 'Into The Plague' released last year. Some would expect to hear raw and low recording quality, whether you agree or not with that sentiment the organic sound mastered by this quintet is paramount to their scenes steady but growing metal scene. Granted it is nothing new and whilst originality prevails here and there on certain songs, the overall feeling is one of justifiable gratitude. It's an EP that should be taken seriously however not too much as to acknowledge that it is not an effort that warrants a label signing. However as blistering as the heat is out there, it is matched equally by the music of which constitutes bellowing vocals, gritty riffs and thunderous drumming. Hark the coming of age for the Dominican Republic Metal scene.

Download This: "Into The Plague" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Gojira, Darkane, Hatesphere

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DEADPOINT
'The Art Of Deception'
INDEPENDENT

Could Deadpoint prove to become Poland's long awaited answer to Lamb of God? You would think so. With the quintet's scintillating debut album 'The Art Of Deception' racking up some serious grooves and uncompromising brutality, you would need a damn good alibi to cover your reason for ignoring this album, in fact it would be criminal to turn a blind eye to said release and band. Already creating a buzz in their homeland, it is only a matter of time before Deadpoint arrive on your doorstep ready to blow the roof off of your local venue. 'The Art Of Deception' ironically sums up the album as a whole, at first you think it's another run-of-the-mill funked-up metalcore release, but when it kicks in you will suffer so much whiplash you would wish you had taken out medical insurance prior to listening to this musical apocalypse.

Download This: "Lapidus" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Lamb Of God, Machine Head, Asking Alexandria

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

DEAD END
'Dead End'
INDEPENDENT

At first 'Dead End' seems to be heading to become just another average Heavy / Thrash Metal release, but it takes time for the real deal to kick in. 3 songs in and you're thinking more optimistically for the release, it is this slow wait for anything convincing to happen that hampers the EP as a whole. When it does pick up the pace, 'Dead End' is an EP that should be viewed with interest as it has promise among the pitfalls, sure first releases are not always the best, but there is enough potential riding on this EP that should enable the band Dead End to deliver a better follow-up release. Swiss Metal has suffered a slight setback in recent times and whilst bands like Dead End try to reinvigorate it, with this effort it is clear we might have to wait slightly longer for something magical to arise.

Download This: "One Of Them" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Evile, Metallica, Gama Bomb

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

BELHAVEN
'Sage Of Hope'
INDEPENDENT

Poland's love affair with Symphonic Metal continues as the latest army to join the ranks emerges from the shadows, Belhaven are here with their premier EP 'Sage Of Hope' and they aim to reap your soul. Expect soaring harmonics combine with elegant vocals and be mashed together with eccentric music elements, sure it's near enough the same working formula devised for most Symphonic Metal bands nay releases, but it works. 'Sage Of Hope' is a delightful listen for those who are adventurous enough to try something new and will certainly provide Belhaven a starting point to build a career upon. Whether they took their name from a Scottish village remains a question needing answering, but the answer to whether they will be popular and successful is clear, keep up this effort and they will reach that point with ease.

Download This: "Nightguide" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Within Temptation, UnSun, Amberian Dawn

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

STORMWOLF
'Swordwind'
INDEPENDENT

Modern Heavy Metallers Stormwolf kick off their career with a bang, by formulating a set of winning songs to slot into their debut album 'Swordwind', the Italian quartet deliver a romping stomp across various pitches, tunes and sounds. Majestic with every song, 'Swordwind' comes into its own with  flirtatious riffs, riotous vocals and emphatically insane drumming. You get the feeling that Stormwolf are set to breathe life into a volatile yet over-populated metal genre, well by bolting melodic and Gothic metal influences onto the heavy metal sound, they have certainly got their eyes set on the future. 'Swordwind' is a treasure to behold, with some songs sounding as if they came from the soundtracks of 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' e.g. 'Marathon' (2:28-2:40) and 'Lord Of The Rings' e.g. 'Thasaidon', overall the sound is magical, it's sexy and most of all it's clearly done with creativity in mind. Let the Stormwolf roam across planet metal freely.

Download This: "Marathon" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Kobra & The Lotus, Sister Sin, Iron Maiden

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

LE GÉNITEUR
'Les Pantins Du Péché'
INDEPENDENT

'Les Pantins Du Péché' (trans: 'The Sin Of Puppets') is the debut EP of French Death / Thrash newbies Le Géniteur (trans: The Progenitor) and whilst you might hope for something spectacular, you will be left slightly disappointed. Irrespective of the language differences, the power is not there and it at times loses focus, that is, there is no clear direction as to where it is actually going. You know, you might find more entertainment and solitude in watching paint dry, ironically bide your time and there are some glimmers of hope that the band know what they are doing (but you have to wait till the fourth track). So whilst 'Les Pantins Du Péché' may do well in the local and regional scene in France, it lacks that potential ability to make a European if not national name for itself. There is far too much emphasis on the guitar riffs, very little composition from the drums and the vocals are too muffled, other than that good job.

Download This: "Extremum" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Machine Head, Deathchain, Possessed

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

NAWATHER
'Wasted Years'
M & O MUSIC

Making your feelings and emotions heard is not always easy, but perk up your ears and hear the sounds of traditional Middle Eastern folk music collide head on with Progressive Metal and immerse yourself in the world of Nawather, Tunisia's latest export. Hot on the heels of fellow countrymen Myrath, Nawather take a unique root through the combining the vocals of Tunisian Raouf J Occulta and Omani Ryma Nakkach together. Perfect for Arabian nights, Nawather's 'Wasted Years' gives itself as a huge testament to Tunisia's flourishing metal scene. Some might argue that the 'Oriental Metal' movement is too narrow and that they sound too alike to Myrath, but this simply is not the case. Aside from the fact they sing in both English and Arabic, Nawather have their own sound envisioned and they will realize this with ease. Watch this group with utmost interest.

Download This: "Daret Layyem (دارت الايام)" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Orphaned Land, Myrath, Sand Aura

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ESHTADUR
'Oblivion'
REBELSIGN

Not letting go of their ascent to international recognition, Colombia's rampaging horde Eshtadur delivered their first EP and with it comes another horrific slab of Melodic-infused Black / Death Metal. You know to think that Colombia alone is infatuated with Extreme Metal, becomes immediately apparent when you have the likes of Eshtadur who unleash such an accentuating and distinguishable sound that sets them apart from their influential peers. Unrelentingly fast, uncompromising at it's best and without a doubt mind-blowing at it's absolute peek, 'Oblivion' is a truly magnificent release that proves Eshtadur have what it takes to raid Europe and then some. Unpredictable throughout the EP, there are twists and turns at every second, thus giving the EP a unique feel to it, one that demands your attention. If you don't check this EP out, you are no fan of Extreme Metal. Fact.

Download This: "Heavens To The Ground" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Ihsahn, At The Gates, Behemoth

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

STORM
'Medusa'
TIN IDOL PRODS.

Following up from their promising start, Hawaii's premier Gothic Metal band Storm make no mistakes in unleashing another sensational album. 'Medusa' devotes itself as a conceptual album about the ancient creature spoken of in Ancient Greek mythology. With Eric Barker taking over keyboard duties, Storm found the missing piece that they lacked on ' Storm's a Brewin' ', giving greater atmosphere and prominent presence. By ingeniously mixing together storytelling with metal music, the Hawaiian horde manage to bring a new dimension to the metal music world, in fact Storm deserve all that comes their way in 2016 because with this effort, they will place Hawaii on the map just as 36 Crazyfists did for Alaska. 'Medusa' is essentially a Gothic / Power Metal album that opens and frees the mind from the shackles of the ever-narrowing corridor of Gothic Metal adventurism.

Download This: "The Curse" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Within Temptation, Pythia, Seraphim, Epica

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

ACID FORCE
'Towards The Nuclear Load'
INDEPENDENT

Punk n' Thrash is not exactly a new concept having buried it's roots over the years, but it still lives on with fresh and exciting band emerging to lead it on. One such band is Slovakian quartet Acid Force whose premier EP 'Towards The Nuclear Load' dwells within the Old-School Thrash Metal era with Punk influences in-tow. Whilst yes it is nothing new it certainly does the rounds and features a host of songs designed to get a mosh-pit started without prior warning. Sadly it does not carry the warrant of immediate appraisal nor does it do the band injustice, 'Towards The Nuclear Load' despite it being a decent Thrash EP just does not cut it completely. At times it desperately tries to avoid being 'Slayer-like' and whilst it does this, it ironically does fall into that trap at certain sections, leaving the EP in a questionable state.

Download This: "Ammunition" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Slayer, Nuclear Assault, Anthrax

[7] RHYS STEVENSON