GMA - Vol 224 - Dusk Of Delusion, Primordial, Francis, Augury. Barbarian Prophecies, Killibrium, Last Days Of Eden, Dead Of Night, Vale Of Amonition, Cartagena

DUSK OF DELUSION
'Funfair'
FANTAI'ZIC

To be inspired by established bands is one thing, but to try and emulate their sound is a no-no. Regrettably it seems France's Dusk Of Delusion have fallen into that trap, their debut effort 'Unfair' is predictable at it's best and sure whilst it carries the hallmarks of Slipknot and Korn as the bands that spring to mind imminently, the sound is too much of a likeness to said bands albeit the snippets of audio dialogue which somehow (no idea how) deters the attention away from the mimicking going on. In fact, there is far too much Corey Taylor going on here and this is what will leave the album undetected because said vocals, said artist, are established, period. Unless Dusk Of Delusion come up with a new formula for future releases they will always remain in second gear, welcome to the 'funfair'? Horror show more like.

Download This: "Casanova"

For Fans of: Slipknot, Drowning Pool, Korn, Stone Sour.

[4/10] RHYS STEVENSON

PRIMORDIAL
'Exile Amongst The Ruins'
METAL BLADE

Although they have been going for a vast number of years, Ireland's treasured sons Primordial have not lost any of their unrelenting energy that makes their albums all so great. Four years on since their previous album and the Celtic / Black Metal crew drop their new effort 'Exile Amongst The Ruins' with a ferocious onslaught of folk-laden beats, aggressive and enchanting vocals, and riffs so refreshing, so striking, that they take you by surprise. Now, some might be turned off by the length of the songs but for those who are bold and brave enough to vanquish the thirst for something extraordinary, the experience is rewarding in every aspect. Drafting in Doom Metal elements one some of their songs once again, Primordial drive into the ground the stake of which establishes them as one of the greatest Irish Metal bands of all time; it would take something spectacular to unseat this enchanting release.

Download This: "Where Lie The Gods"

For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Cruachan, Cnoc An Tursa, Skyclad

'Exile Amongst The Ruins' is out 30th March via Metal Blade Records

[8/10] RHYS STEVENSON

FRANCIS
'A Million Years Of Loneliness'
SLIPTRICK

Moldova might be a small country in the far flung corner of Europe, but it's metal scene is ramping and shaping up to be one that can challenge the Western elite. Entering into the fray is Francis with their Modern Metalcore / Melodic Death entwined sound, a sound that will capture the attention of many across the continent and into the global metal community. 'A Million Years Of Loneliness' is the group's new album and it comes fitted with an explosive form of musical armageddon as it twists and turns into a multitude of pitches, rhythms and atmospherics that will leave you jaw-dropped. Judging by this album it seems that Francis are set on creating their own definitive sound and aren't easy to pigeon-hole, thus making them probably the most exciting modern metal band to emerge in 2018... watch this space with sincere intent.

Download This: "Nothing Changed"

For Fans of: Arch Enemy, Dead By April, Nightwish

'A Million Years Of Loneliness' is out 27th March via Sliptrick Records

[8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON

AUGURY
'Illusive Golden Age'
THE ARTISAN ERA

Nine years have passed since Augury dropped their second album and it is not really for the better, their latest effort 'Illusive Golden Age' musically is fine, vocals are OK (they are hard to understand for Death Metal standards), but overall? The expectation fell short of 'oh my god'. The album does well to stand on it's own two but it lacks the ability to shift out of third gear into fourth, and whilst it flits between the two genres it lacks organization is rather all over the place despite admitting the music is fine; production wise it's fine, but piecing together it lacks organization. I just wasted time on listening to this arguably decent effort, I just wish it could have sounded better...

Download This: "Carrion Tide"

For Fans of: Progressive Death Metal, Canadian Tech Metal, 'wtf' metal

'Illusive Golden Age' is out 30th March via The Artisan Era

[6/10] RHYS STEVENSON

BARBARIAN PROPHECIES
'Origin'
BASE RECORD PRODS / HECATOMBE

Heavy Black / Death Metal crew Barbarian Prophecies return with their fourth album 'Origin' and armed with a new vocalist, this is probably the strongest effort they have ever made. A non-stop thundering of raucous riffs, vomiting vocals and destruction drums pave the way for this album to lay waste on your senses with a sense of gratification at the very end. The funny thing is you would not think the vocals were female, such a brutal demonic force resides within Chousa's vocals, so much so they can easily challenge even the most guttural-singing of Death Metal vocalists. This effort shall create waves across the wider Spanish Metal scene, but even so it will strike a chord in the extreme metal community, this is an album to cherish.

Download This: "Path Of The Soul"

For Fans of: Behemoth, Death, Deicide

'Origin' is out 26th March via Base Record Productions / Hecatombe Records

[8/10] RHYS STEVENSON

KILLIBRIUM
'Purge'
INDEPENDENT

Upon hearing the debut EP by Death Metallers Killibrium, it's evident that the quartet know their craft extremely well and are perfectly capable of unleashing an unfathomable amount of extremity on the unsuspecting wider metal community. 'Purge' is a prime example of modern Death Metal should be done, no nonsense, no wishy-washy elements, just a straight and unchallenged stream of sheer ferocity marred by ballistic drumming, tight-arse riffs and vocals so brutal, they make your last shitting episode whimper at the gravity of this tantalisingly unmissable slice of Indian Death Metal. Honestly, if they are not snapped up in the next two years by a record label I shall question the activity of the metal music industry, Killibrium set to become the next big export from India.

Download This: "Purge"

For Fans of: Suffocation, Aborted, Behemoth

'Purge' is out now via an independent release

[8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON

LAST DAYS OF EDEN
'Chrysalis'
PRIDE & JOY MUSIC

If Eluveitie, Within Temptation and Sonata Arctica had a threesome, Last Days Of Eden would be the offspring. Folk Metal, Symphonic Metal and Power Metal all come together into a mixing pot to produce something rather magical, something refreshing and something that should be in your music collection. 'Chrysalis' is the third album by this Spanish septet, and boy does it deliver a sound that is astoundingly beautiful. Whilst the folk metal elements float vividly in the background and the guitars and vocals take control on most songs, the delicate balance of all three genres make this album a joy to listen to. With this effort as solid as it is, it's no doubt that their live persona will match the likes of Epica, they certainly have this album nailed on the spot and whilst the Symphonic Metal genre may be overloaded with female-fronted bands, Last Days Of Eden have proven they are more than capable of holding their own.

Download This: "Dead Man's Tale"

For Fans of: Sonata Arctica, Epica, Eluveitie, Within Temptation

'Chrysalis' is out now via Pride & Joy Music

[9/10] RHYS STEVENSON

DEAD OF NIGHT
'The Evolving Science Of Self'
PRIDE & JOY MUSIC

So what can you call Dead Of Night's music? Well it could be Symphonic Metal, it could be Gothic Metal, but let's go with 'Symphonic Cinematic Metal'. Set to release their fourth album in four years since their inception, Dead Of Night are a force to reckon with and are set to become the UK's long awaited answer to Nightwish. 'The Evolving Science Of Self' has the sort of sound you'd imagine hearing on a Disney soundtrack, 'Frozen' for example, because it's majestic and cinematic atmosphere lifts your senses high up in euphoria as the keyboard elements battle for supremacy against Briony's infatuating vocals, the guitars and drums content to take back seat, but the overall composition sits right in front of you as arguable one of the finest unsigned Symphonic Metal releases Europe has ever seen. Dead Of Night are destined to set planet metal alight.

Download This: "Set The Night On Fire"

For Fans of: Nightwish, Within Temptation, Ravenia, Epica

'The Evolving Science Of Self' is out now via Pride & Joy Music

[9/10] RHYS STEVENSON

VALE OF AMONITION
'Those Of Tartarean Ancestry'
INDEPENDENT

Being a metal band in a country where the scene rests on your shoulders is a heavy burden to have, but it is something that Vale Of Amonition have taken in their stride. Unleashing their sound of True African Doom Metal once again with their second album 'Those Of Tartarean Ancestry', the Ugandan duo have served up something that can be considered a romantic affair with the occult, the dark side of myth and homage to Black Sabbath's Doom Metal pioneering. The magical side to this album and the duo's music is they tell stories through their music, the atmosphere providing a dank, dark, eerie and unnerving feeling and through the guitar distortion, harmonious and deep vocals and the entrancing pace of the drums, Vale Of Amonition have once again delivered a masterpiece opus, one that will delight Doom Metal fans everywhere.

Download This: "The Most Of Merry Funerals" - Click to listen

For Fans of: Black Sabbath, Huntress, Ghost

[8/10] RHYS STEVENSON

CARTAGENA
'Roma Delenda Est'
INDEPENDENT

Since Myrath stepped out into the wider world of metal music, Tunisia has been spewing out bands left, right and centre. The latest export to emerge Cartagena, is no ordinary Symphonic Metal band, this is a band who wants to take you on a journey back to the Roman Empire times and the invasion of Tunisia; band name refers to the then capital of the Carthaginian civilization (now Tunis). By mixing together the traditional sounds of Tunisia and the wider Arabic world with Symphonic Metal, Cartagena deliver a stellar debut album that will give them the proponents to lay waste at the festivals they are playing at this year. 'Roma Delenda Est' is an album everyone should own because it is finely balanced, between traditional music and metal music it straddles the two perfectly. Cartagena are flying the flag for the Tunisian Metal scene.

Download this: "Motherland" - Click to listen

For fans of: Myrath, Persona, Orphaned Land

[8.5/10] RHYS STEVENSON