 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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 ZARRAZA 'Rotten Remains' INDEPENDENT 'Rotten Remains' is the third EP by Kazakh Groove Metal maestros and the last release to have bassist Evgeny Hablack on-board; he helped out with the band's debut album 'Necroshiva' before being recruited full-time. None the less, the output on this EP is raucous, riveting and relentless right throughout. To think they come from Kazakhstan would bewilder some, not just for geographical reasoning, but the finesse and quality exhibited here, you would easily imagine them to be from the USA or Europe - a testament to how far the Kazakh Metal scene has come. Even more so this is a form of Groove Metal beyond your expectations, it has elements of Thrash Metal, Metalcore, it's almost as if DevilDriver had a fling with 5FDP and gave birth to Zarraza. If this EP is not a statement of intent from this quartet, then I don't know what is. Download This: "wRRong Song" - Click to listen For Fans of: DevilDriver, modern Sepultura, 5FDP [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  LANDMINE 'Pioneer's Destiny' INDEPENDENT Landmine's debut EP 'Reject The Destiny' was an almighty surprise four years and now they've delivered an even bigger surprise in their debut album 'Pioneer's Destiny'. The South Korean Heavy / Power Metal unit exercise their limbs and flex their muscles with greater oomph and attitude with this effort, coursing throughout the album is a ferocious onslaught of whipping riffs, blazing drums, cracking basslines and veracious vocals, culminating together to deliver the ultimate listening experience you will never hear elsewhere. They may have taken a step back from leaning more towards full-on Power Metal and taken a delicate balance of Iron Maiden vs. Sonata Arctica in their repertoire, but this quintet have found their sound and with it, put themselves in prime position to be the metal band to put the South Korean Metal scene on the global stage. Download This: "Slow Fading Yesterday" For fans of: Iron Maiden, Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FLAT EARTH SOCIETY 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' ART GATES RECORDS For a band who has only been going since 2018, you would have thought with their debut album that their following was pan-European if not international, well it won't be long before this comes to fruition. This quintet have mustered together a wide-range of sounds that clearly simmer throughout the album like a smothering of BBQ sauce sinking into a rack of ribs; both leaving you savouring for more. 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' by Spanish Progressive Metalcore troupe Flat Earth Society is nothing to be choked at, for it will choke you with the constant barrage of cranial-crunching vocals, barbaric drumming and down-right dirty riffs. Rest assured you will have a flat head through headbanging, let alone a flat earth society. Download This: "CC Chain" For fans of: Asking Alexandria, Periphery, Slipknot 'Friends Are Temporary, Ego Is Forever' is out now. [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE A.X.E. PROJECT 'Future.Imperfect' ART GATES RECORDS You would think that for a band who has been going 18 years would have nailed out a perfect sound, well in the case of The A.X.E. Project, you would be half right. Despite 'Future.Imperfect' being their third album and full of juicy riffs, ambience and darkened sorrow, the vocals are a tad engulfed by the music itself at times; not to mention the fact that the new female vocals just don't cut it in two thirds of the album, there is no real power present and often relies on the male vocals to back them up. Having said that, there are a few tracks (such as 'The Great Beyond') which are perfectly balanced and so the Bulgarian quintet should harness those from now on, otherwise like the album suggests, their future will become imperfect. Download This: 'The Great Beyond' For fans Of: Dark Gothic Metal... basically. 'Future.Imperfect' is out 20th March, 2020 [6.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BORN IN EXILE 'Transcendence' ART GATES RECORDS Catalonia (sorry Spain) has had a long history of providing some top-notch metal bands and Born In Exile are no exception, their own unique twist on the Melodic Progressive Metal blend brings together lashings of Metalcore and Heavy Metal, which culminate in a blistering wall of sound designed to rip the flesh off your bones. 'Transcendence' is this quintet's second album and damn does it brutalise in epic fashion, honestly if your looking for your next successful Melodic Progressive Metal act then Born In Exile should be your first port of call. Vocals fluctuating from the realm of Bruce Dickinson to that of James LaBrie and before you say it, yes they are female vocals... so what?!?!? Kris Vega has enough power to match her band-mates and deliver arguably one of the most exciting yet ambitious Spanish Metal releases this year so far. Download This: "Herd Of Deception" For fans of: Battle Beast, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden 'Transcendence' is out 6th March, 2020 [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MERIAL 'Hatecraft' INDEPENDENT Let's be honest, you do not need flashy riffs or bamboozling drumming to sound epic when playing Black or Death Metal, sometimes all you need is a good old raw feeling and that's what Merial are all about. This Death / Black metal trio from Armenia hone is on the old-school style with aplomb and without a doubt craft a sound that's orgasmic to the ears. Granted it's been done before countless times, but if you're going to be the next band to play a certain way... do a bloody good job of it. Ploughing through 'Hatecraft' and you are treated to mid to fast pace bestiality on all fronts: drums, vocals and guitars, proving the point that the Armenian Metal scene is extreme at the very core. Download This: "Dead Sea" - https://merial.bandcamp.com/track/dead-sea For fans of: Satyricon, Carpathian Forest, Dissection [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ORINOCO 'What A Relief' INDEPENDENT Deathcore, one of those metal genres that divides peoples opinions more than a virus replicates itself. But that does not mean it's a genre that cannot be bent to suit your own taste, just ask Illinois natives Orinoco as their latest EP 'What A Relief' draws in Sludge and Doom Metal elements into the mix. No there are none of those cheesy breakdown, riff-riff, breakdown cliche patterns thank the lord, but what you do get is a splattering of refreshing Deathcore that resonates in the same realm as The Browning; experimental and yet damn right filthy at it's very core. It might be high time for Orinoco to turn to the record labels for potential signing because with their new EP 'What A Relief' being a blazing marathon, record labels would be drooling at their feet because of. Download This: "Sheets" For Fans of: The Browning, early-Whitechapel, Black Tongue 'What A Relief' is out via an Independent release on 1st March. [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  WRATHFUL 'Open Chest' INDEPENDENT It's only taken 8 years for the Venezuelan Death Metal outfit Wrathful to deliver their first release, their debut album 'Open Chest' spews out raucously raw old and modern-school Death Metal with low-fi vocals, distorted riffs and solid drums. Whether you're into the faster or slow style of Death Metal, tis album has a song that will tickle your fancy for it has a wide range of different compositions. With every second passing, it's menacing nature only grows in stature and positions itself to take your soul completely. That said, it's by no means a ground-breaking album nor is it a run of the mill release, it does the job well, is flawless and thus cannot be disregarded as such. Download This: "The Eve" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Suffocation [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  REDUCED TO ASHES 'Aversion To Light' INDEPENDENT Reduced To Ashes are a Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit from North Macedonia and they have dropped their debut album 'Aversion To Light', to summarise the album in one word would be to call it 'sick'. The constant flitting between melodies and dirty chugging is so smooth, it rivals that of a calm lake, effortlessly drifting across the surface in spectacular fashion. 'Aversion To Light' could be the album to put the North Macedonian Metal scene firmly on the map and show the world that a promising band in Reduced To Ashes exists. Unrelenting pace, juicy riffs, blood-curdling vocals and a sweet-as production, 'Aversion To Light' should be your next listen because it deserves the attention, there are no excuses. Download This: "Lament" - click to listen For fans of: early In Flames, Bleeding Through, Spoil Engine [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE QUANTUM POSSESSION
'Descent Into Darkness' INDEPENDENT Like most Central and South American Deathcore bands, there is more emphasis on the high-pitch end of the growling spectrum instead of the down-right dirty end. Just ask Mexican cartel The Quantum Possession whose second album 'Descent Into Darkness' is disgustingly brutal it's almost criminal. Deploying Deathcore in the middle and slapping elements of Death Metal, Technical Metal and Melodic Metal on top, The Quantum Possession defy the rule of logic in spectacular fashion and as a result create an album designed to smash your cranium with immense pressure. The vocals might need some work though in terms of purification and making it sound less raw, otherwise this album kills and is designed to leave your ears bleeding profusely... Download This: "Shall Last Forever" - click to listen For fans of: Whitechapel, Oceano, Latin Deathcore [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  TALBOT 'Magnetism' INDEPENDENT Light a bong and chill out to the thick distorted sounds of Talbot and their third album 'Magnetism', for the Russian-Estonian duo this is a well put together effort that puts you at ease, through it's ethereal and atmospherically charged sound, this is an album worth of a double listen. The finely balanced mix of Stoner and Doom Metal is clear as daylight and has left no room for error, the vocals in fact are split between growling and clean styles and are both engulfed by the thickened sound produce by the guitars and drums. Estonia rarely gets a look in for metal bands albeit Metsatoll as their best export, but for those metalheads willing to explore, Talbot is a prime example of what keeps the underground ticking. Their latest effort 'Magnetism' will surely gather some fan attention from outside of Estonia. Download This: "Infra" - Click to listen For fans of: Huntress, Kyuss, Electric Wizard [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AFTERLIFE SYMPHONY 'Lympha' REVALVE Italian quintet Afterlife Symphony return with their third effort 'Lympha' and they deliver what you would expect, in that there is a lot going on throughout this album that is very typical of the Symphonic Metal style. That does not mean that it follows the same pattern as Nightwish, no in fact the album draws in elements from the Gothic and Melodic Metal styles and yet retains a sort of operatic feel. It's the sort of music that you could expect in a fantasy film like the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, full of suspense and fluctuating atmospherics at every turn. However, even though 'Lympha' might not set the world alight it will certainly strike a chord or two with fans of Symphonic Metal and bands with female vocals. Afterlife Symphony certainly seem to have found the sound that will carry them forward, here's hoping they can build on this and not fall backwards. Download This: "XXI" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Epica, Therion [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  STORM 'Zodiac' TIN IDOL PRODS Hawaiian Gothic / Power Metallers Storm deliver their third opus 'Zodiac' and it continues the bands exotically-charged style of metal that befits the laid back nature of theirsurroundings; even though Hawaii is nowhere near the US mainland (Hawaii is closer to Kiribati, is there a scene there?). 'Zodiac' delivers a punch with Sandy once again leading the front-line with her Suzi Quatro-esque style of rock / metal vocals, whilst the music as a whole delivers an Iron Maiden like sound, thunderous and unrelenting in every aspect. Sticking to the theme of the zodiac signs, each song depicts the traits of each sign and so what does Storm say about you? There is a song on this album for everyone as there is so much variation both lyrically and musically, it's like a Chinese buffet in that where do you start? But one thing is for sure, you will feel contented after gorging on this awesome effort. Download This: "Aquarius" (or your own sign) For Fans of: Iron Maiden, School of Rock enthusiasts, Suzi Quatro, Battle Beast [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AWRIZIS 'Dreadful Reflection' METALGATE It's amazing what a few member changes can do to a band's productive output, in Awrizis's case it's not for the better. Having switch members in the vocals, drums, and guitars department, the anticipation of how this Czech unit would fare was steadily building since their debut album back in 2013. The new album 'Dreadful Reflection' might as well be a direct attack upon themselves, because whilst the music is a decent effort, the overall finesse is as entertaining as yawning your head off. The aggression that once was a musical threat now seems to have gone on holiday; but returns on some songs, at times the music is rather cliche but somehow delivers a respectable pulverising blow, but overall the album is nothing new, nothing special and as said a decent effort... it just flopped at the change of members. Download This: "Burn The Flame" For Fans of: 5 Finger Death Punch, DevilDriver, Lamb of God [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VANFREJD 'I' INDEPENDENT Hailing from the Åland Islands, an archipegalo off of the Finnish coast is what could be argued as the one-man project Vanfrejd; although one cannot be sure as the info on the band/project is as useful as a dead battery. However, the debut album by this Black Metal entity is a strikingly good one, for the lack of physical presence the album justifies the band/project's existence. 'I' delivers the classic rampaging riffs, raucous vocals and blazing drums that we've all come to know from the generic Black Metal style. It will definitely please those die-hard fans of Black Metal, but for the wider metal music followers it might not be their cup of tea. All in all it's a decent effort but until Vanfrejd becomes more active socially it more than likely will be confined to history as an undiscovered release. Download This: "Tomhet" - Click to listen For Fans of: Mayhem, Immortal, Finnish Black Metal [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  PSICOSIS 'Toska' INDEPENDENT OK so it has taken ten years for Psicosis from Nicaragua to release their debut album, it's always an eyebrow raiser when a band takes that long before releasing a major release but damn the wait was worth it. Combining the Spanish language with the unmistakable brutal heavy force of Groove / Thrash Metal, this ten-legged beast have done justice to the long wait. Clunking bass and riffs meet Latin influences and are jointly crowned with vocals of Sepultura elk, and drums so tightly precise that you wonder if the drummer is a mathematician at heart. 'Toska' is one album that will certainly gain considerable attention across the Central American Metal scenes and reinvigorate the whole Latin Metal style. Download This: "Dominacion" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Sepultura, Brujeria, Ill Nino [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ABSENTATION 'Ascending To Desolate' INDEPENDENT Whilst the war and conflict ensues on the streets of Damascus, Syria, a thriving underground metal scene takes place an Daesh in their music. Absentation are a Death Metal duo and are arguably one of the most exciting metal bands to emerge from the Middle East. Their debut album 'Ascending To Desolate' is a full on Death Metal-epic, with nods to the old-school style with some modern bits thrown in here and there, the slight downside is the production - over exerted and thus somewhat ruins the album, but overall it packs a furious punch that will leave you with piss-sodden pants. They hold much promise in these dire times and can be seen as a band being picked to play Wacken in the next few years. Absentation are flying the flag for the Syrian Metal scene. Download This: "Absent-nations" - click to listen For Fans of: Napalm Death, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CROW BLACK SKY 'Sidereal Light - Volume One' INDEPENDENT When it comes to the South African Metal scene, in specific the extreme side of it, there are numerous bands who know how to smash out a brutalising and powerful opus. Just ask the Melodic Black / Death Metal trio Crow Black Sky whose second album 'Sidereal Light - Volume One' is a tour-de-force. Sure it has been eight years since their debut, but the craftwork that has gone into the album is enriching and rewarding as a result. If Winterfylleth were a South African band they would be called Crow Black Sky, the ferocity and atmosphere conjured up is beautiful (can Black Metal be beautiful?). However some might not have the patience to listen to four tracks that on average last over eight minutes long, but the patience is worthwhile and for those who will take up the challenge, rest assured they will not be let down. Download This: "Lightless, Lifeless" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Shade Empire, Wildernessking [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ATROFIA 'Programado Para El Caos' INDEPENDENT If you fancy a bounce on your chair like a pogo stick, a bop of the head or a jiggle then look no further than Cartoon Network. if you fancy a chance to ruin your chair, fling your head around or act like a thing possessed, then tune into Atrofia's highly anticipated debut album 'Programado Para El Caos'. It comes loaded with insanely fast Thrash Metal, mixed with the Spanish language and a feeling that the drummer is tanked up on red bull. Seriously this album is a romping marathon of which is hard to keep up with, especially when air drumming or doing the air guitar. It seems that this Panamanian outfit have their craft sussed out, for every second it does not disappoint and leaves you quenching for more. Think Panama is only famous for the canal? Think again. Atrofia is set to place Panama's metal scene on the world stage. Download This: "Et Gran Final" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Kreator, Holy Moses [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  WASP STING DANGER
'Wasp Sting Danger' INDEPENDENT Ever been stung by a wasp? Ever been prodded by the wasp's pointed arse? South Korean Crossover Thrash / Hardcore merchants Wasp Sting Danger are here to warn you of the consequences of being violated by the wasps through their own brand of humour, human nature and barminess. Dropping their debut EP, this quintet know how to belt out a song or two, songs that ultimately will leave your hearing impaired, senses rearranged and genitals with a massive hard on. It's not often a South Korean Metal band garners attention outside of Asia, but damn if they carry on with this style of metal and their attitude, attention will come their way in the form of a label signing, if not festival slots overseas... this music is the absolute nuts! It's the dogs bollocks.... ever seen bollocks stung by a wasp... let's not go there. For Fans of: Brujeria, Corrosion of Conformity, Municipal Waste Download This: "Hate You" - Click to listen [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THICKET 'Tides Of Pestilence' INDEPENDENT Drawing your attention away from Disneyland and into the realm of the sun-baked streets of Orlando, Floridian Groove Thrashers Thicket mean no harm when unleashing their third EP 'Tides Of Pestilence'... just the average bloodshed is to be expected. Laden with enough potency to spark off a mass brawl at your local venue, 'Tides Of Pestilence' comes loaded with radiant riffs, gritty vocals and unrelenting drumming. As prickly and sharp as their moniker suggests, this fearsome Floridian foursome are one of the latest hidden gems to be unearthed and thrust into the limelight, if you like your metal to be down and dirty then Thicket are your band. Download This: "Unleash The Beast" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Municipal Waste, Ektomorf [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  HEISENBERG 'The Empire Business' AMPUTATED VEIN There are bands who will indulge and in film and TV culture, for example the Ned Flanders Metal band Okilly Dokilly and Star Wars metal band Galactic Empire, however, with one of New York's latest and hottest properties you would only have to realise that you're not in danger and that they "are" the danger. If this does not trigger any brain cells to click, then perhaps when you hear this trio's new EP 'The Empire Business', you would have to prepare yourselves for they are the guys who knock hard. Enter Heisenberg, the Breaking Bad addicts armed with more meth than Jesse could muster and more brutality than Gus Fring's death, by bolting the Brutal Death Metal and Hardcore genres together this leviathan of insanity conjure up a release that's sure to get social media buzzing (literally). Download This: "No Lives Matter" - Click to listen For Fans of: early-Whitechapel, Suffocation, Prostitute Disfigurement [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  VINTERSEA 'The Gravity Of Fall' INDEPENDENT Despite how Nordic their name sounds, Vintersea hail from the Pacific state of Oregon and they come armed with a sound that is sure to get record label antennae twitching. Formed from the ashes of their previous moniker Asterion, this quintet replaced their ex-bassist with Duncan McCue and with this line-up are certainly solid throughout the entirety of their debut album 'The Gravity Of Fall'. By constructing a sound that consists of a finely balanced mix of Progressive and Melodic Death Metal, this is a strong step towards international exposure. Don't let their vocalist fool you, she is no angel when it comes to her death growls; echoing comparisons with the likes of Angela Gossow. Vintersea as a whole are a band to watch, they are sure to go far. Download This: "Skies Set Ablaze" - Click to listen For Fans of: The Agonist, Arch Enemy, Scar Symmetry [8] RHYS STEVENSON  ENDLIGHT 'Darker Than Dreams' INDEPENDENT Endlight are not your run of the mill Symphonic Metal band, not by a mile. The Colorado outfit amass a myriad of elements that entwine into something rather sonically captivating, that it is simply hard to switch the music off. 'Darker Than Dreams' is this sextet's first EP and it follows off the heels of their debut album 'The Treacherous Fall', since then they've a change in both the male and female vocal duties and so thus providing a fresh take on Endlight's direction. For those with enough spare time on their hands, their three-track EP is worth the listen even though two tracks last out for around eight minutes. By using the flute as the backdrop for the Folk Metal side and traditional metal instruments for the Melodic Death Metal side, Endlight look set to develop their own sound. Download This: "Frost On The Wind" - Click to listen For Fans of: Eluveitie, Scar Symmetry, Wintersun [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  IRRA'S ONE 'Breaking Out' INDEPENDENT Another interesting outfit to emerge out of the Sunshine state aka Florida, Irra's One have dropped their debut EP 'Breaking Out' with an interesting take on Thrash Metal by using that metal style as a foundation and bringing in Hardcore influences to add some extra beef to their already bullish sound. Clean and mauling vocals lead the charge whilst the crackling riffs and distant drums add rumbles of thunder as this quartet produces a release that spits fire and demands attention at all costs. They might have only just started out, but if they can refine the production, bring more emphasis to the drums and guitars, then we could have a really exciting export on our hands. Download This: "Shipwrecked" - Click to listen For Fans of: Hatebreed, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies [7] RHYS STEVENSON  DARK HAVEN 'Dark Haven' INDEPENDENT Melodic Death metal comes in more shades than 50 shades of black, sometimes erotic but at the best of times the genre is binding and constricts your senses with expert precision. So when bands like Dark Haven dabble in this fragile of genres, they use the core embodiment to their advantage and sprinkle elements of Modern Metal, Metalcore and a dash of Thrash Metal, carving out a sound that will appeal to a wide range of metalheads. 'Dark Haven' is the band's second album and comes out after seven years since their debut, it might well be a long time but it's truly worth the wait. Echoing the early days of In Flames and having dollops of The Haunted and Mnemic in their locker, Dark Haven are that shadowy band lurking in the depths of down-town California. Download This: "The Seven Gods" - Click to listen For Fans of: early-In Flames, Omnium Gatherum, The Haunted [8] RHYS STEVENSON  AT REST 'The Perversion Of Morality' INDEPENDENT It's nice for once to hear a Deathcore band that isn't all about how br00tal they can sound and how many breakdowns they can fit in between verses. New Jersey's At Rest certainly echo the early days of The Black Dahlia Murder and employ a Melodic Death Metal overtone to coat their gruelling style of masochistic Deathcore. Seeming to have made a comeback from the grave, this trio (presumably was quintet) have dusted themselves off and have delivered a polished jewel that certainly packs a punch. What is missing here and could add a haunting feeling is a keyboardist, especially during the breakdowns and interludes in the songs themselves. Other than that this is a solid EP that should not be taken lightly at all. Download This: "Undressed For Death" - Click to listen For Fans of: Born Of Osiris, The Black Dahlia Murder, Veil Of Maya [8] RHYS STEVENSON  DREAMING DEAD 'Funeral Twilight' HAMMERHEART Gloominess and horrors aside, Dreaming Dead are coming for your souls with their devilishly epic new album 'Funeral Twilight' which sees the Californian quartet mash together element of Black Metal with a solidified Melodic Death Metal base. Through the barbaric nature of their sound and the viciousness of their lead vocalist Elizabeth Schall, Dreaming Dead are treading on new territory as we know it and with this effort it was evidently clear as to why they were snapped up by Hammerheart. If you think you know Melodic Death Metal, then you've not done your homework for this outfit defy all what you would expect and instead re-write the rulebook, heck what bloody rulebook? 'Funeral Twilight' is not for the faint of heart, but is for those who love the darker side of metal. Download This: "No Masters, No Slaves" - Click to listen For Fans of: Once Human, Arch Enemy (Gossow-era), The Agonist (Gluz-era) [8] RHYS STEVENSON  HANAL PIXAN 'U k'aayo'ob K'ujo'ob' INDEPENDENT Whenever a band sings about their culture or sings in their own native language or an indigenous language, there is a sense of uniqueness surrounding the band's music output. Belizean Black / Doom Metallers Hanal Pixan are no exception, they sing in the local Yucatec Maya language of which descends from the Ancient Maya civilization and is spoken in the Yucatan Peninsula and Belize. The trio's debut album 'U k'aayo'ob K'ujo'ob' sounds like a tribal ritual of the bestial nature, and the language sits well with the extremity of Black Metal, there's no beleaguering shrieking vocals nor any desire to play as fast as possible. In fact it could be said that Hanal Pixan are leading the Belizean Metal scene to newer heights with their pioneering sound of Mayan Metal. Download This: "Máasewal" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Mayhem, Vale Of Amonition, Bestial Black Metal. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PESTIFER
'Execration Diatribes' LAVADOME PRODS. Menacing at every second, that is how Death Metal should be right? Not exactly, you see Portugal's Pestifer do more than just unleash a brutalising splattering of Death Metal, they drive it through your pitiful brain and deep into your thalamus rendering your muscular self completely useless... well they do say Death Metal is not for the weak (just ask Suffocation). Anyway 'Execration Diatribes' is the long-awaited debut album by this trio and comes eight years after their well-received premier demo 'Brutal Eruption of Chaos'. It's laden from beginning to end with seismic drums, horrifically-executed vocals and bludgeoning riffs, leaving the listener in complete suspense and trying to understand what the hell has just ripped their cranial structure apart... gee it's heavy stuff all right. Download This: "Dark Dimensions" For Fans of: Acrania, Unleashed, Modern Death Metal. [8] RHYS STEVENSON  RANTERIO 'Agonía' INDEPENDENT Ranterío's debut album pays homage to the Groove Metal style as it ticks all the boxes required to befit that style, moreover it's signed it's own disclaimer as an album that will give Ranterío attention from overseas. The language barrier might pose an issue as they sing in Spanish, but by letting the music do the talking it's evident Ranterío have done their homework. Gritty riffs lead the forward charge whilst the drums provide the artillery fire, the bass is as heavy as Argentinian red wine and the vocals are as slick as Lionel Messi's dribbling... what more could you want? Ranterío are set to become a band to keep an eye on as they aim to break-out of the Argentinian Metal scene with ease and being trouble-free. Download This: "Odio" - Click to listen For Fans of: 5 Finger Death Punch, Black Stone Cherry, Pantera [8] RHYS STEVENSON  CERNUNNOS 'Leaves Of Blood' INDEPENDENT Skiltron and now Cernunnos, some might think why on earth is an Argentinian Metal band playing Folk Metal in the Celtic style? It's a valid question, but one plausible explanation is the vast Irish community that resides in Argentina and thus generations back might have hailed from the Emerald island. But accounting for Cernunnos' impressive take on the Celtic Metal style, it's clear that this sextet are set on scoring their own sound by wallowing through Heavy Metal, Melodic Metal and Melodic Death Metal and almost successfully becoming Argentina's answer to Eluveitie. 'Leaves Of Blood' is certainly an album that will enthral listeners for hours, but is also one that could easily carry this musically-sound lot across the Atlantic into Europe. Download This: "Birth Of Galatia" - Click to listen For fans of: Skiltron, Eluveitie, Waylander [8] RHYS STEVENSON  INSULTERS 'Metal Still Means Danger' UNHOLY PROPHECIES Grim and bleak in every aspect, you would think that Insulters have been rampaging around for a very long time given the maturity of their Blackened Thrash assault style, you'd be wrong. Having only been beating around the bush for nine years, Catalonia's Insulters make their welcomed return with album number two, called 'Metal Still Means Danger'. Whilst the album title might not exactly tie in with the chosen metal genre, it does still ring true when contested as a fact - metal is a brutal genre that probably wouldn't appeal to the sheep in the pop music world, that is those who follow pop music en mass and are afraid of deviating away from commercialism. 'Metal Still Means Danger' is definitely a solid album and whilst consisting of raspy vocals and low-tuned guitars, it still packs a punch. Download This: "Forged In Hell's Fire" For fans of: Absu, Deströyer 666, Carpathian Forest [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DEVIL GONE PUBLIC 'Smokehound' INDEPENDENT For a band who has had the blessing of Brian Johnson (AC/DC) being their mentor, later split-up and then reformed, some surely were going to question the band's odds at a successful comeback. Well the answer is in the form of 'Smokehound', the band's debut album which comes glazed over with Southern Metal grit and brutally tantalising grooves, infectious enough to make you want to renew your life insurance. Devil Gone Public may hail from Florida, but their music is no Disney fairytale and the alligators cannot even chomp through this heavy sh*t. Instead your met with a sound with such force, not even the hurricanes can muster such heavy brutality, but one thing is for sure, Devil Gone Public could easily push themselves to be the next export out of the United States. Download This: "Poison The Well" - Click to listen For Fans of: Rage Against The Machine, 5 Finger Death Punch, Mastodon [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SLITEN6IX 'Hiraeth' INDEPENDENT Bolting together the grim and dank nature of Black Metal with the violence and abhorrent embodiment of Hardcore, Sliten6ix shed their Deathcore skin and emerge as a newfound entity, one with a horrific mauling in their vision, this comes in the form of their debut EP 'Hiraeth'. A thick, distorted mish-mash of shrieking, chaotic riffing, hellish drumming and an atmosphere so heavy it makes your last hangover seem weak compared to this beastly release. Sliten6ix are a force to be reckoned with and given this effort, they are sure to garner some wider attention, not to mention support bands like Denmark's Hexis in their wake. Sliten6ix are flying the flag for the Cambodian Metal scene. Download This: "Lesser Than The None" - Click to listen For Fans of: Hexis, She Must Burn, Black Metal / Hardcore [8] RHYS STEVENSON  EXENEMY 'The Choir Of The Martyrs' INDEPENDENT Exenemy are perhaps the East Asian Power Metal band we've all been waiting for, hailing from Bangladesh this majestic sextet dive in the deep end and amass a sound that's of the Sonata Arctica league. Dropping their highly impressive debut album 'The Choir Of The Martyrs', the Bengal boys of down-town Dhaka don't hold anything back and thus have served up a rather infectious, if not outstanding metal release that will take something special to succeed. Exenemy have the potential to go far with this effort and yet we might just see them make Wacken Open Air someday; they are that good. This Saudi-Bangladeshi outfit (keyboardist Mashuq Haque is Saudi Arabian) are riding high on the tides of euphoria and are clearly the one to watch from this part of the world for 2017. Download This: "Victory Serenade" - Click to listen For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Powerwolf, Sabaton [9] RHYS STEVENSON  SHADOW OF INTENT 'Primordial' INDEPENDENT Deathcore is one of those genres that either one you love or hate, and two either is too damn cliche for it to make a statement or is seismically groundbreaking when produced. Suffice to say Shadow Of Intent have waltzed away from the cliche trap with their melodic, flashy onslaught of technical riffs, harmonious melodies and brutal underbelly. Considering 'Primordial' is the American trio's debut album, this is sure to get them noticed and snapped up by a label at some point in 2017, simply because the music that has come out of their mixing pot is a breathe of fresh air. There are no generic breakdowns and the brutality and melodic nature have been balanced so finely, it remains to be seen where they go on from here - the next album will have a lot of expectation riding on it. Download This: "The Shaping Sickness" - Click to listen For Fans of: Whitechapel, Rings Of Saturn, Fleshgod Apocalypse [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  THE EXILED MARTYR 'Stagnant Waters Breed Life' INDEPENDENT There's something breathing in the Arizonan desert, it's enraged with fury and inflamed by the streets of down-town Phoenix and it's ready to slay your soul, it simply has to be The Exiled Martyr. Here is a quintet with enough sensationalism in their music to cause a major blackout, by bolting together the flattering technicality of Progressive Metal with the monstrosity that embodies the Melodic Death / Metalcore crossover genre, the result is a magical masterpiece. 'Stagnant Waters Breed Life' is this band's debut album and it's one tight motherf*cker, deploying a mixture of clean, djent and melodic riffs at regular intervals in-between the drumming chaos and vocal assault, The Exiled Martyr have enough potential to gain considerable attention across the United States. Download This: "The Illuminist" - Click to listen For Fans of: The Black Dahlia Murder, Unearth, After The Burial [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  IONIC BOND 'Amavashya Lore' INDEPENDENT When you think of metal scenes in Asia, Bangladesh is one of many that you don't tend to think of and thus sadly doesn't gain a great deal of attention. But when bands like Ionic Bond enter the fray, you cannot deny that the scene is buzzing with talent as this twelve-legged leviathan of Modern Melodic Death Metal comes blazing out of the studio with their debut album 'Amavashya Lore', a twelve-track onslaught of pure inspiration, determination and above all passion for metal music. By mixing Modern Melodic Death Metal with Neo-Classical and Folk influences, perhaps it's the bands music that is the ionic bond between these two dynamic styles of metal music. Either way their debut album is groundbreaking and should hopefully serve as a platform for them to leap from into the wider, deeper pits of planet metal. Plus their Eluveitie cover is f*cking epic! Download This: "Crush The Iron Dome" - Click to listen For Fans of: Eluveitie, Children of Bodom, early-In Flames [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BEYOND FORGIVENESS
'The Ferryman's Shore' INDEPENDENT Gothic Folk Metallers Beyond Forgiveness unleash a 30 minute or so debut EP that flourishes as it passes, 'The Ferryman's Shore' takes you on a journey through delinquent harmonies, graceful symphonies and gritty angelic vocals that all entwine to make a sound that ticks all the boxes of being epic. To many this might be a sound that is too cliche within the 'female-fronted' (that tag should be dumped) symphonic metal world, but it works, and with that in mind Beyond Forgiveness certainly know their craft as they deploy the whole beauty and the beast aesthetic with heavenly female vocals crashing against bearish, grizzly vocals. All in all this EP is a delight to listen to, it might not be the best the band can offer, but it's a positive start. Download This: "Perserverance" - Click to listen For Fans of: Midnattsol, Lyriel, Epica [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  FRISSON 'Exit Denied' INDEPENDENT When listening to the debut album release by Frisson, you would have to make your choice on what genre they are because they seem to wander through numerous styles, from Death Metal and Hardcore to elements of Black Metal and Thrash Metal... so let's call it extreme metal. 'Exit Denied' is a raw and brutal release that will appeal to a wide range of tastes, in fact it's a decent release from a scene that lacks in exposure... it's not easy hailing from Kosovo. Wherever the future takes these lads, one thing is for certain, they are flying the flag for the Kosovar Metal scene. For the record, Frisson is French for shivering and shivering is what you will do when finishing listening to 'Exit Denied'. Download This: "Madness" - Click to listen For fans of: Extreme Metal [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SECTASYS 'Brotherhood Of Chaos' INDEPENDENT Without a doubt one of the tightest, most extreme metal bands to emerge out of the South American continent. Hailing from Venezuela is Sectasys, a Blackened Death trio of whom have summoned the darkest curses known to man to magic up 'Brotherhood Of Chaos', an album designed for those who love their metal to be fast and heavy, not weak and pathetic. From start to finish, this album is unrelenting in every aspect and as the chaos pursues, so does the thirst for more from this band. Think early Behemoth come cascading down into Immortal whilst simultaneously flirting with Carpathian Forest, well, you get the idea... complete chaotic carnage with enough brutality to crush your mind to pieces. Download This: "Destroyers Of Humanity" - Click to listen For Fans of: Behemoth, Carpathian Forest, early-God Dethroned [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LIBERTAD O MUERTE 'En Carne Viva' INDEPENDENT Modern Metalcore meets Modern Melodic Death Metal once again as Libertad O Muerte drop their second album 'En Carne Viva', one year after their debut saw light. Exclusively singing in Spanish, this quintet from Uruguay hold nothing back when it comes to music creativity and it shows on their latest effort, it's none of that flashy stuff nor is it swishy, in fact this album is completely brutal and demands your immediate attention. If you think you've heard Melodic Death/ / Metalcore in it's entirety, think again for Libertad O Muerte feed their style with some groove elements as well to keep it bouncing along tickety-boo. 'En Carne Viva' is a delight to listen to, may they make more albums like this. Download This: "Divide Y Conquistarás" - Click to listen For Fans of: Mnemic, The Agonist, Scar Symmetry [8] RHYS STEVENSON  NOVARIUM 'Omicron' INDEPENDENT With most Gothic Metal bands you tend to expect the vocals to be a battle between male growls and female harmonics, however Novarium seem to want to discard the whole 'beauty and the beast' aesthetic, and instead use the power of the music generated as a menacing sound to battle against the female vocals - quite an interesting take if one is being honest. This American quintet are challenging convention with their debut effort 'Omicron' (n.b. 15th letter of the Greek alphabet), taking a delicate balance of Nightwish style symphonies and slotting in influences from Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and Within Temptation along the way. To most this might seem another one of those cliche Gothic Metal releases, but this is a breath of fresh air, don't believe me? Check it out for yourself. I call this Modern Gothic Metal. Download This: "The Unworthy" - Click to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, Evanescence, Within Temptation. [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  EX ANIMO 'Neverday' INDEPENDENT If you turn your attention towards Eastern Europe, in specific the broader Doom / Dark Metal movement that seems to be rather a craze in this part of the world, you will find bands like Ex Animo taking the initiative to constantly reinvent this already overdone crossover genre. 12 years may well be a shockingly long time between their debut album and their second album 'Neverday', but the Ukrainian quintet have pulled out all the stops on this effort and whilst sticking 'mostly' to their guns. They've ventured into other styles of metal including Symphonic Metal and Gothic Metal at the foremost periphery. Just don't expect a lot of growling to take centre stage, instead let the atmospherics do the talking because boy, it's terrific, it's hounding and it's going to consume your senses. Download This: "Shattered Universe" - Click to listen For Fans of: Moonspell, Poisonblack, Paradise Lost [8] RHYS STEVENSON  EDGEFLAME 'Liberate Then Separate' INDEPENDENT This is more of a political statement in vendetta form rather than a Thrash Metal album, well when you consider Edgeflame to wallow in the 80's Thrash Metal sound, it fits. Mixing Speed and Heavy Metal as well and you have the complete package. For Turkey's Edgeflame, 'Liberate Then Separate' is more about making music and enjoying it rather than seeking something new and or to be superstars, it's a statement of intent that there is evident unrest within Turkish society - not to suggest that the middle finger should be raised at the state of modern Turkey, or at least ironically that is what Edgeflame seem to suggest. Instead it's a gentle nod to a much wider global issue. Download This: "Sledgehammer Of Time" - Click to listen For Fans of: Evile, Pantera, Testament [7] RHYS STEVENSON  NAWATHER 'Wasted Years' M&O MUSIC Ever since Myrath exploded onto the global stage with their unique style of Oriental Progressive Metal, fellow Tunisian metalheads have adopted similar styles with their music, Nawather are no exception. They aren't trying to be clones of Myrath, no way, instead they add a bit more grit and another take on the flourishing Oriental Progressive Metal style and this is clear with their debut album 'Wasted Years'. By mixing growling male vocals with clean female vocals, Nawather add an extra dimension to create their own sound - through the use of a Qanûn, rather than synthetically create the 'Arabic' vibes via keyboard; not that there's anything wrong with that, either way is something special. But it's fair to say that Nawather, Myrath and Persona are leading the 'New Wave of Tunisian Metal'. For Fans of: Myrath, Persona, Orphaned Land Download This: "Defnouna" - Click to listen [8] RHYS STEVENSON  INTRICATED 'The Vortex Of Fatal Depravity' PERMEATED If seismic activity was detected underneath the buzzing streets of Bangkok, you cannot blame mother nature for it, no not this time... the culprits would be Intricated. By unleashing a torrential, gruelling and disgusting slab of Slam / Brutal Death Metal, Thailand's Intricated are sickening enough to make you vomit and then some. When you consider 'The Vortex Of Fatal Depravity' is the band's debut album after 9 years since their inception, it certainly was worth the wait as the pig squeals, low-fi blastbeats and thick distorted riffs set destined course for pummelling your senses. The funny thing is though, Brutal Death Metal is so fixed on a particular formula it's hard to create anything musically different without treading over the same blueprints, either way 'The Vortex Of Fatal Depravity' is a heavy-hitting release. Download This: "Represent Existence" - click to listen For Fans of: Katalepsy, Suffocation, Dying Fetus [7] RHYS STEVENSON  OMNIFARIUM 'Vitiate' INDEPENDENT There was once a time where most people would have never thought of any metal music scenes happening in The Caribbean, nowadays the island nations and dependencies are embracing this global phenomena and it's bands like Omnifarium who are spurring it on. Having unleashed their first demo 3 years ago, the time had come for them to drop their debut EP and boy what a beast it is. Vitiate borrows influence from Old-School Death Metal as well as the Floridian Death Metal style, so mid-pace drums, chunky riffs and mauling vocals all combine to deliver a harmonised music onslaught. Omnifarium have not vitiated the Death Metal scene, no in fact they've pushed themselves right into the mix of it all, but also positioned themselves to be flying the flag for the Puerto Rican Metal scene. Download This: "Thorns Of Abomination" - Click to listen For Fans of: Shadows Fall, Suffocation, Morbid Angel  FROZEN GATE
'Behind The Dark Ice' INDEPENDENT Perhaps it might be apt that Frozen Gate does indeed hail from the city of Winterthur in northern Switzerland, because this horde of ice warriors have sculptured a rather bitter, brutal and atmospheric style of Symphonic Black Metal. 'Behind The Dark Ice' is a new edition to the whole 'Winter Metal' theme that bands like Wintersun, Wintersoul and Immortal Soul seem to use, in fact truth be told Frozen Gate are the bastard sons of Wintersun and Dimmu Borgir. On one hand you have the icy symphonies and on the other hand the fast-paced brutality combined with an almost adventurous undertone. It is early days no doubt, but Frozen Gate might yet just prove to be the Black Metal band to reignite the Swiss Metal scene and potentially befit themselves as an up-and-coming force in the underground. Download This: "Illuminate My Way" - Click to listen For Fans of: Behemoth, Wintersun, Dimmu Borgir [9] RHYS STEVENSON  TBOPTPIAS 'Caucasian Flagellation' INDEPENDENT Potentially hailing from Barbados, Tboptpias are veiled in secrecy and there's very little information about who is in the band, whether they are from Barbados or indeed if it's a legit band (think Rhanawa vs. Oriksha Shakpana). Either way 'Caucasian Flagellation' is a very interesting release as it binds together influences from both the Black and Death Metal genres and thus somehow develops it's own sound for Tboptpias to experiment with. With the raw and low-fi production adding a crisp and underground feel to it, this debut EP is one for the ages and will surely appeal to those who indulge in extreme metal from exotic locations... that is if they are from Barbados; we know Conrad are. Download This: "Cholera" - Click to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Vader, Impiety [7] RHYS STEVENSON  MEMORIAM 'Ravaged Approach' INDEPENDENT Cyprus does not exactly spring to mind when you think of metal music, yet this island nation in the Mediterranean has a bustling metal scene, full of hidden gems that will get your moshing before you book flights to this sunny and hot place. Memoriam so happens to be one of these gems, this ten-legged Melodic Death outfit certainly know how to deliver a cranial-crunching release, 'Ravaged Approach' is the bands debut EP and it gives generous nods to the whole modern style with Gothenburg elements in tow. 2017 could be Memoriam's year because this sort of sound will do well around Europe as Melodic Death Metal seems to be in demand of late, watch this band with vigorous interest. Download This: "Sated Bull" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Scar Symmetry [8] RHYS STEVENSON  CHEPANG 'Lathi Charge' INDEPENDENT Now based in the USA, Nepalese Grindcore merchants Chepang drop their self-titled EP with such force that you cannot just simply ignore it. Come on the band features two drummers for heaven's sake, and yet at times you can distinguish this easily from the forethought of them having just the one. Singing exclusively in their native Nepali, Chepang know their stuff as they bolt political and social lyrics with the grizzly sound of thunderous drums, tight riffs and vocals so thick that they're hard to understand - what more can you expect? Chepang take their name from the indigenous Tibeto-Burman tribe and the EP title comes from the Indian Media expression for 'baton charge'... yeah imagine being hit by a baton, that's what this EP will do to you. Download This: "Bidwa Ko Charam Sukha" - Click to listen For Fans of: Napalm Death, Tengkorak, Multinational Corporations [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SILENT TORTURE 'Your Creation' INDEPENDENT Revelling in the shadows of Old-School Death Metal, New Zealanders Silent Torture keep the style alive with their debut EP 'Your Creation'. With muffled growls at the helm, this ten-legged leviathan of bestiality slams down on the table an EP that spits vulgarity, hate and abhorrence. Whilst the core of the EP glimmers with the old-school sound, there's some parts which nick elements from the Modern Death Metal style and thus if you like, keeping both camps happy. 'Your Creation' might not be unique in any shape or form, but it's certainly a delightful blast to unleash upon your neighbours - unless their elderly and then in which case may the zimmer frame moshpit commence (joke). Download This: "Blasphemy" - Click to listen For Fans of: Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, Obituary [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  LUCIFUGE ROFOCALE 'Serpent Insurrection' BLACKENDEATH For the uneducated, Lucifuge Rofocale according to the Grand Grimoire, is the demon in charge of Hell's government by order of Lucifer. In the metal world they are a truly decent Black Metal outfit from the darkened pits of Nicaragua. This time round the trio come armed with their latest offering of demonic and bestial sermons in the form of their premier EP 'Serpent Insurrection'. Traditional Black Metal riffs course throughout whilst there's a delicate whiff of True Norwegian Black Metal in the atmospherics department, both aided by raucous vocals and riveting drumming. Overall a solid EP release that will definitely appeal to the Black Metal loyalists and those passionate about metal from exotic lands alike. Download This: "Luciferic Enslavement" - Click to listen For Fans of: Immortal, Carpathian Forest, Taake [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LUCID NIGHTMARE 'Lucid Nightmare' INDEPENDENT Northern Ireland is one of those metal scenes that despite having a wealth of talent, rarely sees any of it's offspring fledge outside of it's lands if only for a few bands, Gama Bomb for example. So when the attention turns towards the underground and bands like Lucid Nightmare deliver their first effort, eyebrows are raised, because when you listen to their debut self-titled effort, not only is it raw and delicious, it's true to the underground sound. 'Lucid Nightmare' is a release that whilst evidently lacks the ability to convince that the band is the real deal, it does come as a consolatory pleasant listen, one that borrows influences from Black Metal, Thrash Metal and Heavy Metal without straying into either one too far. 2017 should have high hopes for this quintet, they're clearly onto something. For Fans of: Toxic Holocaust, Slayer, Venom Download This: "Hidden Victims" - Click to listen [7] RHYS STEVENSON  COMMUNAL GRAVE 'Solace in Violencia' ENFORCER The members who make up the Pakistani Extreme Metal band Communal Grave have come out from their own communal grave (ha-ha... no), well the previous incarnation split back in 2011 before a new visage emerged just last year (2015) and with it they set on delivering a solid 'welcome back' release. The result? A powerful punch-in-the-face courtesy of their rather ironical debut album 'Solace in Violencia' which eventually came after 10 years since their inception. By throwing Melodic Death and Thrash Metal into the mixing pot, this Karachi-based horde have conjured up a release that is sure to draw some attention their way as its potency is second to none... it's sheer magnificence is untouchable. For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, Kreator, The Haunted Download This: "Pull The Trigger" - Click to listen [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  RAGE MOB 'Unforeseen Disaster' INDEPENDENT Done in the traditional style of South American Thrash Metal, Rage Mob's first ever demo 'Unforeseen Disaster' is laden with chugging riffs, headbanging vocals and Teutonic drums, but even more impressive is the variety of style on this demo. From the fast to the slick, 'Unforeseen Disaster' is a demo that should be heralded by the Paraguayan Metal scene as one of the finest releases seen this year. By taking the Groove influence from Sepultura and adding the brutality of Slayer, this quartet are set to embark on something remarkable in the years-to-come. Sticking to true 80's Thrash lyrics, the band dives head-first into social issues, violent unrest and humanity's demise, how more fitting can this be? Download This: "Ritual Of Violence" - Click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Sepultura, Evile [8] RHYS STEVENSON  APU RUMI 'Puka Yaku' INDEPENDENT The self-proclaimed 'Andean Folk Metal' sextet known as Apu Rumi have stamped their mark on the Peruvian Metal scene with their ethnic take on the Power / Folk Metal style. By releasing their debut album 'Puka Yaku', which is entirely in the Quechua language; thus becoming the first metal band to do so, they've effectively created a new style of Folk Metal. Quechua so happens to be the native language of the Incas and so thus making this album and band rather authentic to Peruvian culture. Immerse yourself in infectious melodies, thunderous drums and riffs, harmonious and Amazonian atmospherics but also traditional Inca folk music. 'Puka Yaku' is a truly unique and mesmerising release that will set the trend for Peruvian Folk Metal in years to come. Download This: "Tanta Qarwa" - Click to listen For fans of: Mägo de Oz, Skiltron, Angra [8] RHYS STEVENSON  EXITUS
'Rot 'Em All' INDEPENDENT Hailing from The Philippines, the Extreme Metal trio Exitus bind together elements from Black Metal, Death Metal and Thrash Metal to once again conjure up another demo, 'Rot 'Em All'. Yet whilst it's only taken a year to unleash this beast, it's 15 years since the band's inception and so it makes you question what on earth have they been doing all this time? Sleeping under rocks? No idea. But the demo itself is not bad, it's not great, but it does well to pass the time. None the less Exitus will have their fair share of attention across the South-East Asian Metal scenes, but for the wider world? Questionable but certainly not wishful thinking. Download This: "This Metal Lust" - Click to listen For Fans of: Toxic Holocaust, Carpathian Forest, Immortal [7] RHYS STEVENSON  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  EPPING FOREST 'Lebabvoid' UNEXPLODED Eight to nine years have passed since Epping Forest delivered their unrelenting monstrosity known as 'Everblasting Struggle', and now the Portuguese Blackened Death maestros unveil their latest effort 'Lebabvoid'. What comes with it is a slapping of harmonious riffs, gritty vocals and an atmosphere that's very much akin to that of Behemoth kind. Dealing with the Sumerian myth this time round, this quartet amass together a sound that puts their debut album to rest, surpassing their first effort with ease and satisfaction. It might not be the prettiest release from the Blackened Death Metal style, nor was it intended to be, but it's certainly another successful release from the Portuguese Metal scene. Not for the faint-of-heart. Download This: "Demise: Twelve Times twelve Sars" For Fans of: Behemoth, Melechesh, Carpathian Forest 'Lebabvoid' will be out via Unexploded Records (date TBA) [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  INFERNO 'Genética Humana' NECROMANCE Spanish conquistadors Inferno finally drop their debut album eight years after their inception, by mixing Speed and Thrash Metal together and singing in their own native Spanish language, it's pretty safe to say that Inferno are your average run of the mill Spanish Speed / Thrash Metal band. Sure it's not easy being critical on an album which is not in the English language, but at times despite the effort it simply lacks that knack to ignite into a really epic release. Whether it's the fact they're from Ceuta, a Spanish city bordering Morocco or the fact it's taken so long for them to muster anything substantial up, the fact remains Inferno have found themselves in a rut, and sadly might remain there. Download This: "Cultura Del Egoismo" For Fans of: Slayer, Sodom, Gama Bomb 'Genética Humana' is now out via Necromance Records [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  AMBIVALENCE 'Hyena's Breath' PRC MUSIC Veterans of Ukrainian Death Metal Ambivalence make it four with their fourth album to date, the 'Hyena's Breath' must be rancid and vile as this music because the music is as rotten and sickening as a 'Hyena's Breath', see what was done there? The four-piece from Lviv explore the avenues of Groove Metal, Technical Metal and Death Metal to take the best of all three genres to create something rather brutal, something insanely non-understandable but moreover something delightful to listen to. Sadly this is the only release vocalist Dmytro Pliska will ever do, question is who did the drums? Line-up disputes aside, this is one for the ages and will surely be counted as the best album Ambivalence have ever mustered. Download This: "Swallowers" For Fans of: Aborted, Gorgasm, Spawn Of Possession 'Hyena's Breath' is out now via PRC Music [8] RHYS STEVENSON  AKOMA 'Revangels' MASSACRE Denmark's Akoma have been knocking around since 2004 and have finally dropped their debut album in the shape of 'Revangels', a majestic journey across the Danish lands, drifting under and over the Øresund Bridge and ending up in Silkeborg where the music emanated. The quintet's second EP 'The Other Side' laid the foundations for 'Revangels' to be built upon, upwards they went with it and thus as they became signed, 'Revangels' became their Massacre Records-debut. Distancing themselves from the overused comparison between Nightwish and their chosen genre, Symphonic Metal, Akoma branch out and embrace elements from the Gothic Metal, Alternative Metal and Operatic Metal styles. This album is highly captivating and is one certainly guaranteed to bring 'hygge' to the home, Akoma are flying the flag for the Danish Metal scene. Download This: "Hands Of Greed" For Fans of: Evanescence, Within Temptation, Xandria 'Revangels' is out 27th January via Massacre Records [9] RHYS STEVENSON  VICTORIUS 'Heart Of The Phoenix' MASSACRE Take out some health insurance, for your neck won't survive the ferocious onslaught that Victorius have laid out for you. Emerging out of the phoenix's ashes, Germany's Victorius are no strangers to the Power Metal vernacular and it's evident on their fourth album 'Heart Of The Phoenix', soaringly powerful vocals come colliding with emphatic riffs and thunderstruck drumming as the ten-legged leviathan lets rip with another juicy slab of true Power Metal. Join Victorius on a magical adventure as they aim to caress your mind and soul with such delinquent music that is almost Disney-esque, the sort of music that would give Germany their win at Eurovision 2017. Conchita Wurst might have begun to 'rise like a phoenix', but Victorius have come from the 'Heart Of The Phoenix'! Download This: "End Of The Rainbow" For Fans of: Sabaton, Sonata Arctica, Gloryhammer 'Heart Of The Phoenix' is out now via Massacre Records [9] RHYS STEVENSON  AFTERTIME 'The Fall Of Light' INDEPENDENT After five years of activity, you'd have thought AfterTime would have ironed out all the imperfections along the way, well that is true to a certain extent. Take their debut EP, the music is great, the vocals sublime, the atmosphere spot on... what is wrong? The production. Sure it can't be helped, but for a first-time effort it's pretty decent. No doubt their debut album will be finely tuned, that is not to say 'The Fall Of Light' is a disaster by any means, it just needs cleaning up a bit. Funnily enough AfterTime manage to escape the shackles of the Nightwish 'Symphonic Metal' comparison and wander their own path, what the future will hold will be interesting for this American quintet. Download This: "The Final Act" - Click to listen For Fans of: Within Temptation, Liv Kristine, Therion [7] RHYS STEVENSON  EX ANIMO 'Neverday' METAL SCRAP It's been twelve years since Ex Animo released their debut album and since then there has been a slew of members coming and going, yet they manage to deliver their next instalment in their career in the shape of 'Neverday', a dark, gloomy slab of Doomed Gothic Metal. But don't expect a host of thick, chunky riffs or depressing atmospherics, ironically the Ukrainian five-piece succeed in injecting an element of life or indeed positivity into the sound - almost the opposite to what Doom Metal is all about. Moreover they've seemed to find a vocalist in Yulia Zhukova who is more dynamic than her predecessor Anna Beliakova. Whether they will go one to search for album number three remains a question to be answered, but for now 'Neverday' stands strong as a productive release coming out of the Ukrainian Metal scene. Download This: "Aeons Of Sadness" - Click to listen For Fans of: My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Draconian [8] RHYS STEVENSON  SATRIAS 'Doomsday Prophecy' ENVENOMED MUSIC Resistance is futile when it comes to Satrias' second album 'Doomsday Prophecy', just like the title suggests this Ukrainian ensemble want to send a message of foreseeable destruction, some would misconstrue this as a political statement but those true to metal will know this is not the case. Here is a band who execute modern Melodic Death Metal with ease and relative comfort, there is little slack in their craft and as the album raucously plays, one can but imagine Satrias coming to conquer Europe with their musical arsenal. It's simple but effective and whilst at times might leave you wondering how they can move on from this, the answer is clearer than the question - they evolve. Overall 'Doomsday Prophecy' is a solid nod to the Melodic Death Metal style. Download This: "V Age" - Click to listen For Fans of: In Flames, Omnium Gatherum, Dark Tranquillity [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DEAD EDITION 'Network Failure' INDEPENDENT Get your funky groove on and smash those heads, because Dead Edition are coming to wreak havoc on your mind and body with their premier EP 'Network Failure'. Consisting of unrelenting vocals, flesh-searing riffs, bone-crushing drumming and an atmosphere so brutal, not even a mass murderer could stomach the monstrous chaos laid here before to bear witness. For a band with only three members, they sure know how to make their sound much louder and pronounced than you would imagine, in fact they make it sound like they're a five-piece band with the sheer energy displayed. 'Network Failure' should be enough to give the Ukrainian trio some attention, but they've set the bar high for themselves to succeed this EP with their future potential debut album... watch this space. Download This: "Crowdsoul" - Click to listen For Fans of: DevilDriver, 5FDP, Lamb of God [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KREIGEN
'Therion Of Wawel' INDEPENDENT Drums? Nope. Bass? Nope. Keyboards? Nope. Guitars? Check. Vocals? Lots of? Check. How weird is it to think that a band can only work on programming, various operatic vocal styles (baritone, soprano and tenor) and a guitar and yet somehow manage to balance the unbalanced equation out, and deliver a rather interesting EP? Well just ask Kreigen who've done just that with their second EP 'Therion Of Wawel' which comes out a year after their debut EP 'Fimbulwinter Tale'. It's a very weird concept that somehow works, it might not be conventional nor what one would expect but it certainly is a standout release from the others on planet metal in 2016, if not the past decade. Either way Kreigen are more than content to work more songs for future releases in this experimental form of Symphonic Metal. Download This: "Seven Stones" - Click to listen For Fans of: Therion, Avant-Garde Metal, Gregorian [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON |
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May 2021
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