GMA - Vol139 - Omaaf, Enrager, Minority Sound, Two Neck Noose, O.H., Azoemia, Anime Torment, Syrus, Tatiana's Niovi, Effloresce

OMAAF
'Ethnospheric Decay'

Well this is rather different, mixing Progressive Metal elements with the sheer brutal force found within the Grindcore music vein, that is is exactly what OMAAF (Of Men and Angel's Flesh) has done on their debut 2012 EP 'Ethnospheric Decay', complex and tight riffs align the rest of the music to follow in scintillating fashion, in the end it's effectively djent grind - maybe a pioneering crossover genre? What 'Ethnospheric Decay' features is a 20 minute mauling of some of the craziest extreme metal you would find from the American plains of Alabama, it's so brutal even the tornadoes would be scared to touch down anywhere near the streets of where this band comes from.

Download This: "Architecture"

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

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ENRAGER
'Will Kill'

Emerging from the windswept lands of Catalonia, Spain, is quintet Enrager with their premier EP 'Will Kill' which was released last year and comes as another exciting release from this autonomous province. What you have hear is the general sound of the Heavy Metal infrastructure but of course with Mediterranean influences and this can be heard in the guitar solo's, especially on 'Freedom Winds', sadly the solo seems a little too long but for those who love solo's, then this is one to check out. If you like bands like Iron Maiden then you will be bound to love and enjoy 'Will Kill', songs like Kings Of Road can be likened to '2 Minutes To Midnight' and so therefore this release is a modern example that old school metal is not dying.

Download This: "Kings Of Road"

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

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MINORITY SOUND
'The Explorer'
METALGATE

Czech Electro-Industrial outfit Minority Sound make their welcomed return with their second album 'The Explorer', featuring more of their technically challenging cyber metal and more of their complex rhythms in tow. 'The Explorer' carries forward their signature sound once again influenced by and compared to the likes of Gothminister and Breach The Void; as Minority Sound now seem to have divulged into a more modern metal approach and included harsh vocals that would resonate from bands like Mnemic. It is notably heavier than their previous effort 'Analysis' and as 'The Explorer' sounds off across the European continent, the feeling that this band will explode further afield and become one of the Czech Republic's next greatest exports is vastly becoming a reality. With their synthesizer back drops and carnage-like production, Minority Sound has developed the Majority Sound.

Download This: "Binary Child"

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

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TWO NECK NOOSE
'Two Neck Noose'

There is a subtle sound of sensational music being emitted from Michigan and it spells death. Two Neck Noose are a Groove / Thrash mob with enough balls to make a Superbowl look like a state fair, seriously this music has enough grit to smash everyone's face in tenfold and that comes from their excruciatingly painful debut self-titled EP, lashing together the groove elements of DevilDriver and Lamb of God with the epochal elevation of mesmerizing Thrash Metal in the brutal kind. This is a band that will make waves in the times ahead and are sure to garner some attention from both sides of the Atlantic with their atomic bomb of insane metal music.

Download This: "Cyclical"

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

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O.H.
'Justice'

One might need brain surgery after dissecting the debut album by Bulgarian masochistic metallers O.H., their album 'Justice' is a totalitarian blast of fist-punching metal that takes the form of Groove / Death / Thrash Metal, effectively a cocktail for some rather nasty and grueling sounds that would scare anyone to death. Technical at many parts of each song and then that is followed up by segments of tantalizing brutality, somewhat not unlike Slipknot at some points ('psychosocial can be compared to O.H.'s song 'For Life' for example), but on the other hand far from Slipknot, it is one of those albums that has everything but the kitchen sink thrown in and so what you end up with is a furious piece of musicianship that is sure to boost this band's popularity.

Download This: "For Life"

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

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AZOEMIA
'Forced To Devour'

What is this music, no seriously what is this thing called music? It is practically a Death Metal instrumental, the vocals are an abomination and frankly do not even reach a decent level. The music itself is a brutal cast iron ingot that resembles the solidarity of the production, but the vocals, well you would find Justin Bieber singing much better than this. It is a shame to say but Azoemia's 'Forced To Devour' is one nothing special and two a sheer shock to the Spanish metal scene, if this lot are to get anywhere in future they must work on the vocals, otherwise they will become a disappointment in the international metal scene. Death Metal you're at least meant to hear some of the words, all one can hear is muffled microphone.

[4.5] RHYS STEVENSON

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ANIME TORMENT
'Deathwish'
CECEK

No doubt this band is sick, Czech Death Metal warriors Anime Torment made their explosive start heard all around as they dropped their debut album 'Deathwish' last year. Full of the magic stuff one would expect of a Death Metal band, this is a sheer force of brutality that cannot be ignored easily. Frenzy drumming is just the start of it as the riffs role off the production line like no tomorrow and the vocals deliver that almighty blast that no atomic bomb could equate to. Simply put, Anime Torment are sure to conquer Europe in the times ahead and with number one firmly under their belt, number two should be as easy as pie for the five-piece. The question is, will this lot finally push the Czech Metal scene even more forward than the older bands?

Download This: "Lovers"

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

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SYRUS
'E-Race-D'

This is a post-humorous review seeing as Syrus split up this year. 2012 was the last year of releases by the Austrian Thrashers and their last release was their second demo 'E-Race-D', basically it's a generic Thrash metal album with nothing too special about it. it does what it was designed to do and that was create a musical atmosphere for fans to wreak havoc in, but also what 'E-Race-D' does is it offers an insight into the band's short lived history. Perhaps they should have called it 'Erased' instead, for the obvious reasons stated.

[5.5] RHYS STEVENSON

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TATIANA'S NIOVI
'Breath Of Light'
RAVENHEART MUSIC

Making her welcomed return with her band is Greek singer and musical maestro Tatiana Manolidou of whom has dropped the latest release from which contains the band's newest works, entitled 'Breath Of Light' this symphonic melodic journey twists and turns at every corner as the album winds its way through the angelic heavens of Tatiana's vocals and the sensational dramatics experienced from the outburst of delinquent music. Much like Tarja Turunen, Tatiana Manolidou carves through the night with a piercing display of powerful rock / metal ballads and sensational music, given Greece is going through tough economical times, this is a soundtrack that would lighten up anyone's mood, regardless if they like metal or rock music, or not.

Download This: "Ring Of Darkness"

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

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EFFLORESCE
'Shades Of Fate' + 'Coma Ghosts'
INDEPENDENT / GENERATION PROG

Take a step back in time to 2009 and the first release by Bavarian Progressive Metallers Effloresce had taken shape, this is the EP 'Shades Of Fate' and it totals out at 30 minutes with around 10 minutes a song so for those who love their metal to take them on a lengthy adventurous journey, this instantly is one for you. You know if you had to make a long car or train journey this EP may as well cover most of it, simply not only due to the length of the songs but more so the fact you have the urge to replay them, they are that good. Sumptuous female vocals take the EP to greater heights whilst the music itself provides a solid background for the listener to enjoy. Overall a solid start to the band's career and the next release, which coincidentally was released last year is their debut album entitled 'Coma Ghosts'.

'Coma Ghosts' is in essence a doubled version of the 'Shades Of Fate' EP whereby there are now six songs and on average just below 10 minutes each, so again another essential to listen to on long journeys. What makes this album more impressive than the EP is the greater assertiveness in their  music, for example the vocals are more sharper, the music is more direct with a greater sense of ebb and flo and overall the entire release is an emphatic journey through the complex minds of these German musicians, sure the band have now found their signature style, the only downside is that some fans may be a little put off by the song lengths, however for those that wait the time waiting is well worth it, simply put if this band does not get major international attention within the next year or so I will eat my speakers.

Download These: "Sear" + "Crib"

[7] + [8.5] RHYS STEVENSON