GMA - Vol184 - Raunchy, Ovif, Hecate, Armageddon Rev 16:16, Bones, Black Track, Antoinette, Neolith, Mortal Strike, Tartarus (USA)

RAUNCHY
'Vices.Virtues.Visions.'
MASSACRE

Twenty years in and the Danish battalion known as Raunchy have once again amassed an array of sounds that befit the Raunchy signature displayed across all five previous albums, and now their sixth opus 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.'. Welcoming on board is vocalist Mike Semesky (ex-The HAARP Machine), who adds a lighter approach to the music whilst unleashing another barrage of unforgiving epics, this album is a sure contender for Danish Metal release of the year. Just like a cake, Raunchy have carefully balanced layers of ingredients that all come together to deliver a delicious-yet-sumptuously indulging album. They may call it 'Modern Metal', but we call it 'The New Wave of Nordic Modern Metal' and with 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.' now firmly presented to the global masses, this could be Raunchy's finest hour. Let's just say they got the right man at the right time.

Download This: "Anesthesia Throne"

For Fans of: Sonic Syndicate, Mnemic, The Interbeing

'Vices.Virtues.Visions.' is out now via Massacre Records

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

OVIF
'Démence'

Quebecois Thrash Metal duo Ovif made their return known with their second album 'Démence', now whilst some songs are in French and others in English, don't like this put you off. 'Démence' is one of those Thrash Metal albums that is sensationally fast, rough and more raw than blood-red meat. Make no mistake about it, they are truly a unique dynamic duo who would appeal to any Thrash Metal fan. With 35 minutes worth of pure headbanging and moshing at the helm, you would have to be rather stupid to dismiss this release after the first track, in fact it's heaviness is only challenged by it's level of eccentricity present. 'Démence' is a beacon within the Quebec Metal scene and serves this duo well as a solid platform to release their next venture upon, classic Thrash Metal is right here and right now it yearns to claim your neck.

Download This: "New Reign" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, 'Brutally fast Thrash Metal'

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

HECATE
'The Order Of The Black Light'
WINTERWOLF

Arising from the sandy streets of Cairo, is Egyptian Black / Death Metal duo Hecate with their phantasmagorical debut effort 'The Order Of The Black Light', with it comes a savage shredding of raucous riffs, venomous vocals and ballistic bass playing, all marred by the velocity expressed through the drums. Egypt in the last 10 years has seen a fair few acts break out internationally, from Scarab to Zatreon and now beckons the turn of Hecate. The atmosphere expressed on this release is so scary, it sends chills down your spine and as a result removes all of your defenses, thus leaving you totally exposed to the might of this outrageously powerful debut. 'The Order Of The Black Light' is sure to garner the duo attention in the worldwide underground scenes, Egyptian Dark Metal will never be the same again that is for sure, expect great things from this understanding duo.

Download This: "Mighty Warrior" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Belphegor, Infernal War, Naglfar

'The Order Of The Black Light' is out now via an independent release

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

ARMAGEDDON REV 16:16
'Sundown On Humanity'
PITCH BLACK

Well it only took 15 years to make a debut album, so surely Armageddon Rev 16:16 should lay their instruments to rest, pack up and go home? Not quite, simply because the level of professionalism riding on 'Sundown On Humanity' is so honorable there must be a follow-up album in the pipeline because this effort certainly warrants it. This Cypriot quintet ensure that their island nation remains firmly bolted to the international metal scene map and simultaneously ensures that their fabled start to a new career lifts off on a positive note. 'Sundown On Humanity' keeps you occupied for a certain amount of time, except at times it does get rather boring, but overall its an album worth checking out. Lashing together the epic elements found within Power Metal with the more adventurous Progressive Metal sound, 'Sundown On Humanity' is a gem to be treasured.

Download This: "Hypocrites Of Destruction" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Testament, Iron Maiden, Manowar

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

BONES
'Awaiting Rebirth'
BLOOD HARVEST

That sound of Old-School Death Metal never losses it's charm, in fact it's bands like Bones who keep it going! Hailing from Belgium, this quartet unleash a crushing barrage of cranial torture so brutal, it makes your last hangover seem light. 'Awaiting Rebirth' is the premier EP by Bones and with it comes a 16-minute journey through unrelenting riffs, raw musical elements and enough bollocks to make your testosterone levels appear to be lower than your left foot. The only downside to the EP is that it lacks diversity as at first the songs all sound the same, but after closer inspection you begin to sift out the close-comparisons and discover different elements in each song. With riffs as thick as molasses, vocals as arousing as your last erection and drums so demeaning they will have you for breakfast, 'Awaiting Rebirth' is a true testament to the classic Old School Death Metal sound.

Download This: "Blight Upon Sodom"

For Fans of: Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

BLACK TRACK
'Let The Thunder Roar / Werewolf Attack'
METAL WAYS

The truth about 'Let The Thunder Roar / Werewolf Attack' is that you have to either be insanely tired or stupidly drunk to make sense of it. Seriously if you're plain sober when listening to this, you would not fully appreciate the release. It's all over the place, just like Kim Kardashian's bum went viral, this music is enough to give you a viral infection, it's that disgusting. Of course the latest offering by Mexican Heavy / Speed Metallers Black Track is not a complete failure, but neither is it anything spectacular, ok maybe it has what metal fans would expect from a Speed / Thrash Metal release but it lacks that striking cord that says 'hey I'm a metal album'. The only true positive is that the release features songs from the band's second demo.

Download This: "Speed Force"

For Fans of: Agent Steel, Judas Priest, Motorhead

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

ANTOINETTE
'Renaissance'

Fresh from the pits of Wiltshire comes a 10-legged machine known as Antoinette, featuring two members of Sleep Inertia; who are also ex-members of The Dead Lay Waiting. With a tongue-in-cheek introduction on their latest EP 'Renaissance' - a voice message recording - this Post-Metalcore murder squad drop their best material without fault, tight-ass riffs course through the veins of this living, breathing release, whilst the sheer velocity of the atmosphere will make your skull implode with enough force, you will wince at every inclining millimeter. 'Renaissance' is a statement of intent that says Antoinette aren't messing around, so BMTH and Architects please move as Antoinette are destined to go places and become the new face of Modern Post-Metalcore. You have been warned.

Download This: "Conform / Control" - Click here to listen

For Fans of: Architects, BMTH, Miss May I, Underoath

'Renaissance' is now out via an independent release

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

NEOLITH
'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki'
NON-SERVIAM

Whilst Behemoth have left bands like Vader and here Neolith in a trail of dust, the inaugural truth cannot be more true, that is these three bands are just a handful of the Polish Blackened Death old guard. Waiting another five years for Neolith's fourth album may seem like eternity, but the wait was worth... just half of it. 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' albeit it being a solid yet respectable slab of mauling yet ferocious metal, just does not quite cut itself out as anything new. Ironically it offers a sound that is not visited all that often, with the combination of the eccentricity demonstrated by Behemoth and some rather harmoniously demonic keyboard elements, 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' provides itself as one of those 'neither here nor there' releases and so thus leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

Download This: "Are We The Lost Ones?"

For Fans of: Vader, Behemoth, Luciferion

'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' is out now via Non-Serviam Records

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

MORTAL STRIKE
'For The Loud & The Aggressive'

Firstly make sure that you insure your neck for any damage caused by the metal machine known as Mortal Strike, their unforgiving lashing of merciless Thrash Metal certainly will leave listeners weeping in excruciating pain. Let's face it if any metal music fan cannot take this music then they must have very soft ears, either that or they're Justin Bieber fans-in-secret. 'For The Loud & The Aggressive' is an honorary testament to what makes Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal. It features full-throttle drumming, flash riffs and vocals so gritty and dirty, you would consider this as an audible sex orgasm cocktail. Austria may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of neck-breaking Thrash Metal, but Mortal Strike are destined to change that, if you thought Thrash Metal couldn't get anymore sexy, it just did.

Download This: "MG 42" - Click here to listen to the live version

For Fans of: Evile, Kreator, Destruction

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

TARTARUS (USA)
"Untitled EP"

Tucked away in a tiny corner of Pennsylvania is a four-piece onslaught waiting to slay your sorry soul for breakfast. In recent times the amount of female musicians in Extreme Metal has been increasing and quite rightly so, with bands like Tartarus comprising of two males and two females who'd have thought this dynamic unit would be capable of delivering such an anal-fisting sound? Well, their debut 'untitled' EP slaps down on the table all of the hallmarks of a promising band and subsequent debut album. Murdering riffs marry up well with the thick bass elements, whilst the vocals pour into your ears like an icy flowing waterfall and the drums deliver a hallowing sound that will make you wet yourself. Overall the debut EP will appeal to fans of not only Black Metal and Death Metal, but also Doom Metal through the atmosphere developed. Definitely a band to watch (you have been warned).

Download This: "Blood & Honor" - Click here to listen.

For Fans of: Arallu, Fourth Autumn, Barbarian Prophecies

[8] RHYS STEVENSON