 DUSK OF DELUSION 'Watch Your 6' FANTAI'ZIC Conceptually the second album by Dusk Of Delusion is wonderful, musically though at times it slacks badly. There are some really amazing elements that work wonderfully, but there are some elements which in all honesty shouldn't have even be used. Granted they're a Nu / Alternative Metal band and those genres demand countless influences and sounds, but at times during some of the songs the elements clash too much and arguably becomes a clusterf*ck. 'Watch Your 6' is a conceptual work regarding the First World War and delivers stories from all fronts, with songs in Russian, French, German, Serbian and English, with that in tow the album is rather brutal and unrelenting, but it falls short of being extraordinary and just about ticks the boxes of being listenable, they're on the right path, just. Download This: While He Sleeps For fans of: 36 Crazyfists, Slipknot, 5 Finger Death Punch 'Watch Your 6' is out now via Fantai'zic [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  VIROCRACY 'Irradiation' BLACK SUNSET / MDD If you're looking for your next successful Death Metal export from Germany, then stop at Virocracy. For a band who has been around since 2018 and only dropping their debut album this year, you would have thought they would be seasoned pro's given the unforgiving brutality 'Irradiation' comes loaded with. Lead by the savage Anika Ov Moseberg (who might as well be a reincarnation of Angela Gossow; truth be told), Virocracy have nailed every criterion of what makes a debut album a statement album, it is sure to give them considerable attention across Europe and festival slots next year... you read it hear first, Virocracy are leading the next wave of German Extreme Death Metal. There is not one song on this album that offers any kind of weakness, it's designed to crush your cranium with maximum effect. Download This: Initio For fans of: Arch Enemy, Suffocation, Gojira 'Irradiation' is out now via Black Sunset / MDD [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ELCROST 'Benighted & Unrequited' INDEPENDENT Ask anyone about the Extreme Metal scene in the Far East and they'll tell you how dark, atmospheric and unforgiving it really is. Elcrost are a living proof of this as this trio's debut album is laden with atmospherics that are so unnerving, they leave you wincing in pain whilst the crackling vocals, barbaric riffs and seismic drums leave you in wonder as to what hit you. 'Benighted & Unrequited' is a raw journey through the darkest metal known in the Vietnamese Metal scene and sets itself apart as arguably one of the most darkest releases to emerge from said scene. If you think China has an impressive Black Metal scene, then just check out Elcrost for they are the band that Vietnam has long been craving. Download This: The Worm For fans of: Urgehal, Carpathian Forest, Naglfar 'Benighted & Unrequited' is out now via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  CORROSIÓN 'Matar Para Vivir' INDEPENDENT Sung exclusively in Spanish, the debut album 'Matar Para Vivir' by Uruguayan Death / Groove Thrashers Corrosión is laden with slickness so slick, it will let your senses slide into complete dysphoria. Granted it's nothing new in terms of the sound, but it does offer a refreshing reminder of the power conjured up in the Death / Groove / Thrash crossover genre. The only relative downside is the production level as it seems a little too raw for it to be considered a globally-worthy release, that said it will certainly satisfy those who love their metal unpolished and heavily dirty. Time will tell as to whether this Uruguayan unit salvage bits of the wreckage in time for their possible follow-up. Download This: Zapatos de cemento For fans of: DevilDriver, Sepultura, Machine Head 'Matar Para Vivir' is out via an independent release [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  SVENGALI 'Sayonara' INDEPENDENT Svengali return locked and loaded with their second album 'Sayonara' with two new members in vocalist Adnan Mryhij and drummer Joshua Saldanha, boy what a force they have become. If you think you know Metalcore, think again, Svengali will impale your body for breakfast and spit-roast you for dinner with this new effort, it's like letting off an atomic bomb. The great thing about this release is that there is something for everyone, there are fist-punching anthems and there are toned-down metallic ballads (core style), but none of those cheesy, flashy riffs, lame bridges or uber predictable breakdowns; basically 60% of most Metalcore bands these days. It goes without saying that Svengali are the next best band to emerge from the Emirati Metal scene; even though by nationality the band comprises of Emirati, Jordanian, Lebanese and Iranian musicians, effectively becoming a part of the 'New Wave of Middle Eastern Metal'. Download This: This Is Kombat For fans of: Whitechapel, Hatebreed, Miss May I 'Sayonara' is out now via an independent release [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ZIFIR 'Demoniac Ethics' DUPLICATE RECORDS Veterans of the Turkish Black Metal scene Zifir hold nothing back with their fourth album 'Demoniac Ethics' as the darkness seeps through this raw and atmospheric opus. It's not exactly a secret that Turkey has a rather potent and bleak Black Metal scene, brimming with bands of all eras and yet Zifir, a trio that has been going for 14 years haven't given up at all. This shows in the brilliance exhibited with this latest effort, an echo of the first wave of Norwegian Black Metal albeit in the vein of Turkish attitude. 'Demoniac Ethics' no doubt will tickle the senses of those who prefer to have their Black Metal filthy, raw and atmospheric; even pleasing the elitists (such a thing still exists sadly), rest assured Zifir are not going anywhere anytime soon and will almost certainly conjure up another slab of Turkish Black Metal for people to savour. Download This: Spirit of Goats For fans of: Immortal, Carpathian Forest, Naglfar 'Demoniac Ethics' is out via Duplicate Records [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  YMYRGAR 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' INDEPENDENT Tunisian Pagan Black Metallers Ymyrgar unleash their second offering in 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots', 6 years after their debut album graced planet metal. This time it's bigger, it's bolder and it's double the length of their debut album and so thus more to cheer about. In all honesty this should give them some considerable attention across the region and into Europe as it's a big step-up since their debut. There is something for everyone on this album, whether you're into the Pagan style of Black Metal or prefer Folk Metal tunes that have enough bounce to give you a spring in your step, 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' has it all. Let this septet take you on a magical journey through the dark nights of the Tunisian sands and across the folkloric streets of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. Download This: Throne of the Damned For fans of: Arkona, Arallu, Barbaros 'Where The Oak Drowns Its Roots' is out via an independent release [8/10 RHYS STEVENSON  ABSENTATION 'Antimatter Rites' INDEPENDENT Originally from Syria, the now Germany-based one-man project Absentation (Salah Alghalayeeni) has unleashed his 4th album 'Antimatter Rites' a year after his critically-acclaimed 3rd album 'The Intellectual Darkness'. Absentation brings more of the tantalising and brutalising style of Death Metal we have grown accustom to with this Syrian musical genius. 'Antimatter Rites' is full of juicy riffs, outrageous drumming (although at times it does sound like a drum machine was used; it's that fast) and an unsteady atmosphere that is sure to make you feel sick to the stomach. Expect nothing more than a full smack to the face with this album, if you expect anything less then prepare for your ears to bleed internally outwards... it is not for soft people, word. Download this: The velocity of relativity talisman For fans of: Modern Death Metal, Scarab, Aborted 'Antimatter Rites' is out via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  UTEN HÅP 'Lys' INDEPENDENT Since 2017, the one-man Black Metal project Uten Håp has pumped out 1 album, 6 splits, 1 compilation and a whopping 15 EP's, the latest being 'Lys', a three-track atmospheric black metal work of art. Originally hailing from the Norwegian archipegalo of Svalbard, musician Danthor Wildcrow relocated to Spain and carried on with his Black Metal projects including Uten Håp which should carry on, because as this latest EP goes, the musical creative spark is still well and truly alive. 'Lys' is in the vein of the 'True Norwegian Black Metal' sound and rarely deviates, keeping true to an authentic sound and one that will resonate with this musician for many years ahead. Download This: Falling In Fear For fans of: Raw Black Metal, True Norwegian Black Metal 'Lys' is out via an independent release [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  THE FALLEN PROPHETS
'Relentless Killing Motivation' MMD RECORDS Grab hold of your guts, wrench them until you yourself vomit them out and then digest yourself from the inside-out, because if you don't then The Fallen Prophets will. This South African outfit are not to be taken lightly as shown on their second album 'Relentless Killing Motivation', it comes with a mosh and headbang warning, said activities are expected instantaneously for the vicious form of Melodic Death Metal / Deathcore this horde produces demands it. Embrace the chug-a-thon, chill to the freely-flowing vocals and be captivated by the machine-gun drumming, this is no run of the mill music, hell no, this is the new face of South African Metal... Seether? Your time is up. With 'Relentless Killing Motivation', The Fallen Prophets may well have booked themselves European festivals for next year... Download This: Stench of Death For fans of: Whitechapel, Born Of Osiris, Hanging The Nihilist 'Relentless Killing Motivation' is out via MMD Records [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON
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 NAFRAT 'Abnegation' BRUTAL INFECTION Singapore has a long standing history within the extreme metal community, it has been producing top notch bands for the past two decades. One of it's exports Nafrat re-emerge fresh from their 10 year slumber with their second unforgivable slice of no-bullsh*t Death Metal in the form of their new album 'Abnegation'. By taking elements from the old-school faculty and bolting on modern elements, the Singaporean quartet remind listeners as to why the South-East Asian Metal scenes are as brutal as they are. Demanding your attention at every passing second, this album will sit well with those well and truly seasoned with the genre, but moreover would provide a platform for those getting into Death Metal to explore it further. 'Abnegation' is one Death Metal album for the ages, gripping, tense and outright ferocious. Download This: "Iconoclasts" - click to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Modern Death Metal, Rudra [8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  MORS SUBITA 'Into The Pitch Black' INVERSE Just like being smacked in the head with a metal pole, Mors Subita's third effort 'Into The Pitch Black' comes slamming down on to your senses and leaves you left for dead. The strong opening track 'As Humanity Weeps' sets the tone for the album and arguably is the strongest track on the album. Throughout the album this Finnish outfit romp throughout. Bolting together the Modern Metal sound (with Industrial in tow) with the underlying current of Melodic Death / Thrash Metal, Mors Subita once again prove themselves to be the dark horse of the Finnish Metal scene. 'Into The Pitch Black' is loaded with aggression, slick swift elements, an electric atmosphere and a sound that is potent enough to leave you in a coma. For a band who has been going 19 years, they aren't giving up just yet not by a long shot as demonstrated on this album; if Scar Symmetry and In Flames are up your street, then Mors Subita is the mansion at the end of the road. Download This: 'As Humanity Weeps' For Fans of: Scar Symmetry, In Flames, Asylum 8 [9/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASTRAY VALLEY 'Unneth' WORMHOLEDEATH Modern Metal seems to be the in-thing of late, it seems that the metal style cannot be shaken off and has arguably become the best thing since Nu Metal (was Nu Metal good though?). Escaping the claws of generic sounds is Spanish quartet Astray Valley, whose latest album 'Unneath' is laden with so much aggression you wouldn't know how to mosh to it. This quartet are young and full of energy, however they are also set to become the next successful Spanish Metal export having already hooked up with the likes of The Agonist for example. By lashing together elements from Metalcore, Alternative Metal, Melodic Metal and Groove Metal, Astray Valley are destined to go places with this rather unique and disturbing sound. 'Unneth' is one album that every fan of hard, abrasive metal should have, it's got more brutality in it than the Saw franchise ever delivered. Download This: "Waters Of Skylah" For Fans of: Butcher Babies, In This Moment, Jinjer [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ACEFALO 'Sin Piedad' INDEPENDENT Sometimes the old ways are the best ways and Argentina's Acefalo have demonstrated this very well through their debut album 'Sin Piedad'. By harnessing the old-school Thrash Metal style and adding a side serving of grit and sweat, this quintet deliver a sound that echoes the early days of Slayer; full-on fast-paced Thrash that leaves your neck aching for days to come. Singing in their native Spanish, Acefalo know how to create an infectious sound that will make Thrash diehards weak at their knees; through the unrelenting drum-thumping, riff barrage and vocal onslaught. Granted it's nothing new, but it's worthy of utmost attention and once again, sometimes the old ways are the best ways. If you're seeking thunderous Thrash Metal then Acefalo will provide you with the best fix available. Download This: "Apostoles De La Crueldad 1" - click to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Machine Head, Nuclear Assault [7/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BLOODSHED 'Scoundrel' U-ORIES Could you blame Vietnam's Bloodshed for using pig squeals in their gruelling and gritty form of Death Metal? Not really, seeing as the extreme forms of metal out in the Far East are ultimately in their own league. Digesting their debut EP 'Scoundrel' is like sinking your teeth into a gourmet burger, its full of flavour and warrants finishing to enjoy the full array of ingredients. It comes together lashed with a sizeable dollop of unintelligible vocals, thick riffs and battering drums, overarching all of this is an innate sense of aiming to craft a signature sound and whilst it's evident Bloodshed tries their best, the result is merely a cry for help or raising the white flag to surrender the generic pig-squealing Death Metal formula. Download This: "Scoundrel" - click to listen For Fans of: Prostitute Disfigurement, Suffocation, Visceral Bleeding [5.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  KRUMMHOLZ 'Rooted In Despair' INDEPENDENT It's rare to find Black Metal in Sub-Sahara Africa let alone Atmospheric Black Metal, but Uganda-based trio Krummholz aim to change that and having released their debut EP 'Rooted In Despair', it would seem they've found their sound to march on with. Full of magical harmonies and riveting metal elements, this is one EP any metal fan should have in their collection because it's sound is so mesmerizing, it puts the Scandi-bands to shame. 'Rooted In Despair' comes in a 20-minute two-track onslaught that is almost guaranteed to keep you awake whilst listening to it. It would be fair to say that with this EP now in the wider world, that the dawn of 'True African Black Metal' is upon us, it's majestic sound is enough to satisfy anyone's musical thirsts. Download This: "To Father Worlds in the Bones of Ancient Solitude" - click the link For fans of: Windir, Winterfylleth, Carach Angren [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ARTEMIS BLADE 'As Above… So Below' INDEPENDENT It's always fascinating whenever a band splits only for some of the members to form a new band, because at times they'll carry forward influences on from their previous outfit to their new one. Australian Melodic Death stalwarts Artemis Blade have done just that with their debut album 'As Above… So Below', having been a Thrash Metal band in The Blackened Beneath beforehand, it's clear some of these elements have seeped into their new music. Despite this the vocals are inhaled mostly but are savage enough to keep your attention from swaying away and if that's not enough, the three guitars, bass and drums will staple your ears to the speakers so hard that it won't be the staples that'll make your ear bleed, but the sharpness of Artemis Blade carving right through your senses. Download This: "The Fall" - click to listen For fans of: Silent Descent, Scar Symmetry, In Flames [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  ASYLUM 'Domination' GSD PRODUCTIONS Prior to slaughtering the Wacken faithful this year by winning the Metal Battle Caribbean heats, Surinamese Groove / Metalcore outfit Asylum dropped their debut EP 'Domination'... and f**k does it kick some ass. Creating such a glowing effort in a relatively small metal scene is not easy, but Asylum have done just that, presenting a release that's guaranteed to smack a few jaws hard. Having been around six years, the wait for this release was worth it as the quintet summon every fighting spirit within their grasp to present metal so attention-grabbing, you would be a bloody-minded fool to ignore this promising outfit. Sure for some it's stripped bare and has no flashy riffs or trickery that the likes of Lamb of God might wield, but 'Domination' is one hell of a ride... free at that. Download This: "Dis Na Mi Kondre" - click to listen For Fans of: Lamb Of God, Fear Factory, DevilDriver [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  AOHEN '失魂 (Lost Souls)' INDEPENDENT It goes without saying that the Asian Extreme Metal scene is by far the best to have ever existed and Taiwan's Aohen make that point loud and clear. Dropping their latest demo '失魂 (Lost Souls)' this year, the Doom / Death Metal stalwarts waste no time in delivering such raw and energetic music, yeah sure it's a demo and yeah their fifth demo in a row, but who cares? '失魂 (Lost Souls)' is a two-track dynamic force that exhibits thick distortion, raw vocals and riffs so fluid they make your urine seem viscous. With some dabbling in Black Metal along the way, this quartet know how to hone their craft and whilst it might not be groundbreaking, it certainly adds up for a refreshing listen. Download This: "失魂 Lost Souls" - click to listen For Fans of: Myrkur, Amorphis, My Dying Bride [7.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON  BURST
'You Must Die' INDEPENDENT It's always amazing to find bands from the most far flung lands and yet to discover their music to be as professionally done as you would find in the leading metal scenes. Entering the fray are Burst, a Death / Grind band from the Pacific island of New Caledonia whose debut album 'You Must Die' is a tour de force. All across the fourteen tracks, listeners are subjected to a barrage of double bass drums, thick and heavily distorted guitars, topped by some rather neat and brutal vocals. With songs exclusively in French and English (although it depends if you call it audible), this outfit are sure to garner attention from outside of the French island dependency. If you're digging and looking for something exotic, then Burst's 'You Must Die' is your first port of call. Download This: "Bastard Extravagansa" - click to listen For Fans of: Deathbound, Carcass, Cattle Decapitation [8/10] RHYS STEVENSON  DIABOLIZER 'Apokalypse' THIRD EYE TEMPLE It would be safe to say that Diabolizer are tastier than Turkish delight, although the latter is just more savoury. 'Apokalypse' is the Turkish Death Metal quintet's premier album and bloody hell does it slay, it's unrelenting pummelling of ferocious double bass drums coupled with unforgiving vocals and a guitar atmosphere that's sharper than barbed wire. Masochistic in it's production and clean in it's sound, 'Apokalypse' is one album that demands respect, it's filth and corroded smacking of extremity means you should bow down and suck off your genitals, you will find nothing more grim than this album, period (no pun). Hark the new wave of Turkish Death Metal, a sound so brutal you will need clean underwear after submitting yourself to this wondrous work of art. Download This: "Condemned To Burn In Hell" For Fans of: Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Unleashed [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PLECTOR ALIQUEM CAPITE 'The End' HAMMERKRIEG PRODS. Delivering their latest effort in the form of an EP, Sri Lanka's Plector Aliquem Capite hold no bitterness back, resulting in the deliverance of a rather coarse, raspy and low-fi production certified to appease to those who love not only Extreme Metal, but also (you guessed it) exotic metal. Let's hope that 'The End' EP is not 'The End' for this bestial bunch, because their bizarre-yet-interesting EP release here is one that is hard to come by, it's indescribable to say the least. Unorthodox on every level, this EP might be brushed aside by the elitists as not a 'pure' Black Metal release, but for those with no such naivety, the listen will be a certified delight. By combining artificial atmospherics with old-school Black Metal, you might get a headache but damn it is worth it. Download This: "Hypersomnia" For Fans of: Gorgoroth, Taarma, 'Raw Black Metal' [7] RHYS STEVENSON  NEUROTECH 'In Remission' INDEPENDENT Slovenia's Neurotech has never been a let down when it comes to putting out new music and the one-man project won't start now. Dropping his fifth album under this moniker, Wulf carries on the harsh industrial symphonies he masterminded at the very beginning. 'In Remission' is a transcending journey across cyberspace and the cybernet, riding the very data connections that makes this album so synthetically electrified, so much so you would need a ravepit to encompass a growing moshpit... welcome to the new wave of Cyber Metal. Lacing together the harmonies of symphonic metal with Industrial / EBM beats, Neurotech's music is designed to tap into your cranial infrastructure, probe your mind and download you into the musical matrix of which herewith is presented. Download This: "The Last Hope" - Click to listen For Fans of: The Kovenant, Eisenfunk, Within Temptation [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  DISTRICT UNKNOWN '64 (Single)' INDEPENDENT It's very rare GMA reviews singles, but we give the exception to a select few. One of the latest privileged bands is Afghanistan's very own District Unknown. Their latest single '64' may well be in response to the Taliban attack back in April 2016 where 64 innocent Afghan civilians lost their lives, politics and war aside the single is drenched in gloomy doom atmospherics whilst the forefront sound is a combination of Progressive and Groove Metal. The single delivers a trance feeling to it, the dramatical musical representation of the eternal struggles Afghans face, but also the sound taps into their heritage and enables subtle whiffs of traditional Afghan music to flow into the guitar riffs. Overall this single is a statement of intent from the founders of the Afghanistan Metal scene, one that should not be brushed aside. Download this: "64" - Click to listen For Fans of: Sigh, Kylesa, Huntress [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  SLOT 'Septima' SLIPTRICK Modern Metal's latest product is made in Russia. Drenched in vodka and as ice-cold as the Siberian tundra, five-piece force Slot return with their latest infectious offering 'Septima', a bulldozing album with enough rampaging spirit to kick any moshpit into shit-faced brutality. Singing in their native Russian does not hold this unit back from conjuring up something magical, you know it's this sort of music that glimmers in originality, there are very few comparable bands; if you dig deep into the Russian Metal scene then the closest compatible band would probably be Save. As for Slot, well they will certainly notch up huge interest from Eastern Europe, some might argue they should sing in English to break into the international scene - Rammstein didn't, so why should Slot? Embrace yourselves in this beast from the east. Download This: "Reincarnation" For Fans of: Korn, Static-X, Save. [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  EFFIGY 'Eugenics' INDEPENDENT Effigy hail from Bosnia-Herzegovina, a metal scene that deserves more attention because when you take for example the brutal strength shown on their premier EP, you begin to think why weren't they snapped up by a label earlier? 'Eugenics' is your generic slab of modern Death Metal, but don't be put off by that sentiment because the sound itself is far more complex than that. Filthy rotten vocals lead the battle charge whilst the drums supply the artillery fire, the guitars meanwhile add the final blow and thus ignites the atmosphere with sheer brutal elegance. This band may have come from a country still divided, but their music whilst it speaks words, will not split any Death Metal fans up, it's too cute for that. Download This: "Repulsion For Creed" - Click to listen For Fans of: Aborted, Vallenfyre, Abhorrent Decimation [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  VOLUPTUARY 'Hóa Thân' INDEPENDENT Could this ultimately be Vietnam's long-awaited answer to Six Feet Under? Because f*ck, this is really heavy as hell. Voluptuary's premier album 'Hóa Thân' primarily sits on the fence between Groove and Death Metal, but secondarily has subtle injections of Progressive Metal to bolster the sound to a greater level. Vietnamese Metal is extremely underground, yet with this effort, we could be listening to the first ever metal band from Vietnam to be signed by a Western label - they deserve it with this effort. Sure some might find it tricky with the language difference, but truth be told the aggressiveness layered over it is really menacing. 'Hóa Thân' means 'incarnate', and what Voluptuary have done here is incarnated a sensational album out of the ashes. Download This: "Vách đá" For Fans of: Six Feet Under, DevilDriver, 5FDP [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PHERETRUM 'Still Being Maggots' INDEPENDENT It only took 6 years for Pheretrum's debut album to finally come out, of course between the band's inception and this album dropping there have been a handful of demo's, the wait for the album was worth it. 'Still Being Maggots' is a healthy and juicy slab of Death Metal designed to keep you on your twinkle toes, prancing and headbanging about the bedroom whilst you douse yourself in beer and wishing you were having sex at this breakneck speed; poor significant other. Uruguay has generally had a decent history with Death Metal and this album is no exception, but rather an example of how heavy this shit gets. 'Still Being Maggots' is a delight to behold, just like a chocolate cake, it's full of savoury goodness. Download This: "Mass Acceptance" - Click to listen For Fans of: Modern Death Metal [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  LAXSID
'Šañãm' INDEPENDENT For the disturbed and those who prefer eerie and weird music, you're reading the right review. Laxsid, a one-man project from Syria (now located in Brazil via Saudi Arabia) is not your typical Ambient Black Metal outlet, in fact there is very little Black Metal in the new EP. 'Šañãm' if you like, is a collection of weird and deranged sounds, sure whilst the ambiance might derail your nerves and send you insane, for those expecting guitars, drums and vocals, you will be met with disappointment. In fact let's call it simply 'Ambient', very little metal involved and yet after listening over and over again, the desire to enjoy the music sits between 'sod it I'm giving up' to 'lets fall asleep to this'. 'Šañãm' is a decent EP, but it lacks a place in this world, if such a place exists.... Download This: "Converted To Knowledge" - Click to listen For Fans of: Ambient Music, Instrumentals, Computer Music. [6.5] RHYS STEVENSON  ENVINYA 'Inner Silence' MASSACRE No wonder they got signed when launching their debut album this year, Germany's Envinya delivers a stellar sound that incorporates elements of melodic metal in both the guitar solo's and majestic vocals as well as dabbing the tracks off of their debut album with evident emphatic atmospheric feelings. 'Inner Silence' is the debut album by this Melodic Heavy Metal outfit and boy does it rock, what with the vocals being powerfully delivered by both Mery Díaz and Thomas Knauer, you get the feeling that this six-piece could easily break out into the European metal circuit. As for the album 'Inner Silence', it's one of those releases you have to replay again and again to fully appreciate the music, but with that comes extra satisfaction, make no mistake Envinya are going places. Download This: "Inner Silence" For Fans of: Evanescence, 3 Inches of Blood, Lordi [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON  TAVÚ 'Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii' Tavú is another prime example that the Puerto Rican metal scene is comfortably in full throttle and is ready to make a statement on the international circuit, fusing together progressive and groove elements to the underbelly of each song on their second album 'Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii' whilst inducing pinches of Thrash Metal and Lamb of God style vocals. If you were expecting 'Clamor Victorium, Clamor Silentii' to become another album that is full of ideas and no satisfactory output, think again. Switching between the Spanish and English languages whilst the music itself does the greater talking, embrace yourselves in a matrix-like sound of aggressive and clean vocals that come coupled with skull-cracking riffs and ballistic drumming. Tavú may have been going 17 years, but with this new release it only seems like yesterday that they first emitted their 'Plutonic Hybrid Metal'. Download This: "System Without Honor" For Fans of: Lamb of God, The Devin Townsend Project, Gojira, Meshuggah [8] RHYS STEVENSON  BLACK INFINITY '666 Metal' SONGNAM What happens when you mix Melodic Death Metal, Gothic Metal and experimental metal with the flavors of the Orient, you end up with a sound that cannot be found anywhere else. Of course Vietnam's Black Infinity ticks that box completely as their debut album '666 Metal' released four years ago broods a truly authentic Oriental feel through the keyboards and riffs whilst the vocals differentiate across the eleven songs, venturing from totally aggressive to really soft and mellow, the latter found perfectly on 'Embracing Hearts' as Hưng Tiến Nguyễn delivers the vocals in the same style as Ville Valo of HIM. What is even more striking about the album is that after the previously mentioned song, comes a three minute classical piano track that to many Western metal fans would seem highly unorthodox and a little taboo to metal itself! But that's what makes Black Infinity and their triumphant album '666 Metal' all the more special, they're doing metal there way and not following any rules, Black Infinity are flying the flag for the Vietnamese Metal scene with their own style of metal... '666 Metal'. Download This: "Deathbed Illusion" For Fans of: HIM, Before The Dawn, Deadlock, Catamenia [9] RHYS STEVENSON  INHERITOR 'From Dust 'N Passion' STORM BLAZE ENTERTAINMENT When you come to think of globalization is just a mass worldwide spread of information, technology, culture and various other segments that play a part in everyday life, but when immigration comes into play a whole host of interesting results creep up. This goes for the Melodic Death Metal band Inheritor who hail from Colombia but have an American vocalist as the forefront, however going back three years and the quintet's debut album 'From Dust 'N Passion' was unleashed into the wilds of the Colombian music industry and with it comes a angelic form of brutal tranquility in respect to the sensational riffs and drumming acting as a solid foundation, whilst the classic beauty and the beast style vocals do the forward commands through the male vocalist growling and the female vocalist's singing harmony. 'From Dust 'N Passion' is a must have for anyone who loves music that contrasts itself from another part of the music itself. Download This: "Beloved Forsaken" For Fans of: Children of Bodom, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil [8] RHYS STEVENSON  LEAVE SCARS 'The Arrival' Belgian old school Thrashers Leave Scars drop a bombshell in the form of their debut album 'The Arrival', now lets be honest the only single great thing about this album is that it features everything you would expect from an Old School Thrash Metal album, full on face-melting riffs blending in with unrelenting solos and blisteringly-fast drumming, as well as brutal vocals that will leave your hearing in tatters as the Belgian five-piece smash your senses apart. 'The Arrival' is an apt enough album title as the arrival of a resurgent force in Belgian metal is truly on the cards. it may have taken eight years for the album to finally see the daylight, but f**k me they could not have done it any better. This warrants a Wacken slot next year! Download This: "The Son" For Fans of: Kreator, Metallica, Evile [8] RHYS STEVENSON  APE TO GOD 'Ape To God' It's not exactly a musical pun on Charles Darwin's theory of mankind evolution nor a dig at the conflict between science and Christianity, instead Ape To God is an interesting band. Ok, so their self-titled debut EP wallows in what I just said in as far as the artwork and song titles are concerned, but on the other hand there are no monkey chants or banana skins that cause the band to slip up, instead what you have here is a brutally solid example of perfectly executed Groove / Death Metal. Spewing out a tidal wave of gut-rotten vocals, doused with the acidic riffs that surge throughout this release like metal conducting electricity and the drums delivering wave after atomic wave of sheer power. It may not be 100% groundbreaking, but what could be on the cards here is Poland's next biggest export. Having two songs with the words simply switched around sums up their musical output, switching all the time and in doing so creating lush musical fusion. Download This: "Fire & The Straws" For Fans of: Debauchery, DevilDriver, Six Feet Under [7.5] RHYS STEVENSON  THRONE OF HERESY 'Realms Of Desecration' It is an inescapable fact that upcoming Death Metal bands in the Swedish abyss find it tough to make themselves known owing to the mass influx of said genre in said nationality, of course providing a twist on the musical brutality of Death Metal is key and Throne Of Heresy does exactly that. Unleashing hell through their EP 'Realms Of Desecration', the five-piece masochists crush the splintering whimpering of all of those 'trying to be hard and cool' unsigned Death Metal bands that wallow so apathetically in the music scene, not implying that they are all talentless or lacking in imagination, but more so implying that Throne Of Heresy shows how it should be done, furthermore there are evident whiffs of Black Metal murmuring in the background. Now just imagine a hornet swarm stinging your eyes out and then imagine being gutted by a python armada, that simply put is just the descriptive form of this music, in reality it is much, much harsher. Prepare for the oncoming storm... Download This: "Souls To Suffer" For Fans of: Bloodbath, Watain, "Filthy Death Metal" [9] RHYS STEVENSON  RETURN TO INNOCENCE 'The Ring Of Moon' METALGATE It's about time Western Europe woke up to the reality that they are no longer the greatest of metal producers, well not dismissing that the region delivers top notch acts, but for now pay attention to Return To Innocence of whose fourth album overall and first album since their relaunch glimmers in sensational musicianship. Pummeling out a carefully balanced mix of Doom Metal and Death Metal, this Czech ensemble assimilates the rulebook by crafting their own unique sound through the use of Death Metal vocals and drums, with an impending doom feeling arising from the delinquent symphonies and elegant keyboard notes, even though the album itself features two prominent musicians and ten other musicians delivering contributions on a whole plethora of departments, the music itself is one of a kind that you will never find anywhere else, come on 'Symphonic Doomed Death Metal'? Download This: "Blood-Related" For Fans of: Therion, Amorphis, Tristania [8] RHYS STEVENSON  PAST THE FALL 'Beggars At The Liar's Banquet' Bringing a whole new variation to the whole Groove / Thrash trend, new boys Past The Fall accentuate the genre to a whole new level with their tasty debut EP 'Beggars At The Liar's Banquet'. Armed with a plethora of riffs that builds up the suspense of each song with a feeling of total chaotic mayhem being developed, leads to a smashing sound that will as a result cause some hefty moshing. These London lads may be new on the block, but if they keep this effort up and display it on a greater level for their debut album, they could see a record label deal well within the next few years. 'Beggars At The Liar's Banquet' shines with potential and delivers a beautiful sound that will captivate a whole host of metal fans. Download This: "Injustice" For Fans of: Pantera, Alice In Chains, Metallica [8] RHYS STEVENSON  KIN BENEATH CHORUS 'Futuristic Composed' SPREADING DYSPHORIA INDUSTRIES Ever rarely do you find Death Metal / Hardcore / Deathcore bands that manage to separate themselves from the plethora of cloned bands out there, let's face it without a creative mind you are doomed to become one of those clones. Kin Beneath Chorus avoid that dreaded fate by unleashing a barrage of Death Metal / Deathcore with the occasional progressive and technical element here and there in unruly fashion, by dropping the A-bomb on the Greek Metal scene, their debut album 'Futuristic Composed' brews up an apocalyptic sound that will crush anyone's soul to death and bleed their ears dry. Showing that the economical state is not impacting on this band, they do more than just smash plates, they smash your face in with a musical blast that would make any hardcore kid cry like a wuss. The message is, Kin Beneath Chorus are taking their scene to newer heights and taking themselves to the European circuit armed and ready for assault, the massacre has only just begun.... Download This: "Split-Scree" For Fans of: Ease Of Disgust, early-Bring Me The Horizon, 'Insanely brutal music' [10] RHYS STEVENSON  TEODASIA
'Upwards' Making their debut album speak one more word than a fairytale story is Italian female-fronted metal band Teodasia with their luscious production 'Upwards' which binds together sexy symphonies, four melodic maestro's and a ton of epic, fantasy metal. Playing music in the combined style of Within Temptation - cross - Epica and layering it with their own twist of powerful ballads, booming musical compositions and an artwork to match the dramatics of the overall masterpiece. Delving into the finer details and you find the true passion that Italian Gothic Metal bands seem to have, and so moving into 2013 it is time for Teodasia to move 'Upwards' into the heavens, for this is the 'Symphoratic metal' (Symphonic Operatic) band the Italian Metal scene has been longing for. Download This: "Aurora" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Epica, Lacuna Coil [9] RHYS STEVENSON |
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Global Metal Apocalypse Archives
May 2021
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