AGRESIVA
'Eternal Foe'

Revolution, that is the only word to describe the Spanish onslaught brought on by the emphatic debut album 'Eternal Foe' by Madrid Thrashers Agresiva. Corroded by a bountiful load of riffs, grizzly vocals and neck-snapping drumming, 'Eternal Foe' sees the clashing of 80's style Thrash with the tenor of American Power Metal. Just like a horde of bulls on a rampage and the free-flowing attacking style displayed by Real Madrid, Agresiva set the tone for the expectations of Spanish Power Thrash Metal. From start to finish, a non-stop delivery of powerful vocals, brain-smashing riffs and quick-footed drumming is what is to be expected. Is this Spanish Metal album of the year? Might as well be!

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

HULDRE
'Intet Menneskebarn'

No joke, this is proper Eurovision material, no wait let's not stoop that low for a release that is a mish-mash of Eluveitie, Aperion and Arkona. Collectively playing a violin, guitar, bass, drum, a flute and a hurdy-gurdy is sextet Huldre from Denmark. Delivering their Danish myth-laden debut album 'Intet Menneskebarn' in a classical way, it won't take long before the major labels start sniffing this album out. Fuelled by the classics of Danish folklore and tales, this is a truly remarkable album and is sure to get the European Metal scene wake-up call, or at least could act as a wake-up call for anyone. Bouncy music mix with a tongue-twister of Danish lyrics and traditional Folk Metal vocals and result in a definitive piece of music.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DUBLIN DEATH PATROL
'Death Sentence'
MASCOT

For a band name which could provoke the Irish and Northern Irish, the septet from California, Dublin Death Patrol return with a vengeance with their face-melting second effort 'Death Sentence', quite literally one song down and you'll be signing your death warrant for enduring a luxury seldom ever done, simply classic Heavy Thrash Metal. Featuring the masterminds Steve Souza and Chuck Billy, they lead a valiant group of musicians on a quest to deliver epic sounds, and they have done. Scintillating riffs merge with brutal drumming and skull-crunching vocals and it is this sound that could shape the band forever, now if this album does not get in the top 20 on the billboard, I shall eat my speakers.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

ADJUST THE SUN
'Devouring Worlds'

So the debut album from Adjust The Sun is practically Scar Symmetry but adjusted to a different style. Strapping progressive elements to the embodiment of Melodic Death Metal and ending up with a unique sound in that both gender vocals come together, the guitars riff it out to the max and the drummer provides a technical level of musicianship, such is an apt description of the German's debut album 'Devouring Worlds', think of Gojira mixing with Scar Symmetry and you'll get the idea of what this sounds like. For the sextet this is a promising start but the only problem is keeping it up, only time will tell, but for now and especially 2012, witness the birth of a new force in the German Metal scene.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

MOLOCH
'Isolation Der Essenz' / 'Stiller Schrei des Winters (2002-2012)'
SABBATHID RECORDS / METALLIC MEDIA

2010 brought with it a cold and bitter wind blowing from the Ukraine across Europe, carrying with it the notes and despair of Moloch's album release 'Isolation Der Essenz', full of depression, ambience and raw Black Metal, this is the exact sound that is pillaging the airwaves for the last decade. With each song the raw sounds of the guitars and background drumming add a distinct yet peacefully irate sound and it is that sound that develops into something powerful and atmospheric. Firmly for fans of Darkthrone, early Mayhem and Carpathian Forest, Moloch is truly dark and ambient. But for the album 'Isolation Der Essenz' expect nothing less but a pure grim shock and mind-raping, for this album is as perfect as you can get to disturbing evil.

Moving forward to the present day and what we have here is a collection of the darkest, disturbing, raw and yet grim sounds Moloch has blasted out over the decade, from the ambient noise sh*t out on 'Philosophie Der Depression' to the rampant beats from 'Das Leben ist wie ein verwundeter Vogel der langsam von Himmel fallt'. This is a star-studded array of the best songs Moloch (Pr. Sergiy Fjordsson) has developed to date and is sure to please any Raw Black Metal / Ambient fan. With over an hour's worth of grim despair, utmost horror and Ukrainian genius, 'Stiller Schrei des Winters (2002-2012)' is without any doubt one of the finest compilations in the Black Metal sub-genre ever. Now for the modern Black metal fan who finds bands like Dimmu Borgir, Cradle Of Filth and Watain kvlt as f*ck, wait till Moloch robs you of your senses, resistance is futile, the magician from Eastern Europe has spoken.

[7.5] / [8] RHYS STEVENSON

BLOOD FEUD
'Hiding Behind The Light'

Hailing from Iceland, Technical Deathrash merchants Blood Feud emerge on the scene guns blazing with their emphatic debut album 'Hiding Behind The Light'. Mixing intricate riffs with the bulldozing sound of rampant bulls driving the drums and vocals so rotten it makes gangrene look like fruitcake. Clear-cut sounds definitely come from influences such as Kreator (through the drumming and vocals) and Children of Bodom (through the melodies created and the riffs). The only backlash of this album is the clarity of the vocals, hard to sing along to but then again it is ironic in that it adds to the ferocity of the album, so effectively by having a backlash, Blood Feud have also created a benefit to the album, in fact it would be surprising if they don't get sniffed out by a label with this epic being unleashed. Blood Feud with their album 'Hiding Behind The Light' are flying the flag high for the Icelandic Metal scene.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

MISGUIDED AGGRESSION
'Flood The Common Ground'
LAST MAN STANDING MUSIC / YEAR OF THE SUN

Now you can not exactly dub this band as Lamb of God version 2, but you can say they are heavily influenced by them. So when Canada's Groove / Metalcore quintet emerge on the block with their 2011 release 'Flood The Common Ground', it is quickly gobbled up and spewed out across the cyber-world as possibly the next big album of the year. Pounding riffs mixed with the thickened vocals that sound not unlike Randy Blythe and the menacing double-bass drumming which drives the album into the unknown. For the record the guitarist is also called Randy, whether this is coincidence or fate it is undecided, but what is decided is that Misguided Aggression will soon become a band on everyone's lips, the cards have been dealt, the next move will hopefully be their ace of spades.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

ACID DEATH
'Eidolon'
NOISEHEAD

Sometimes bands come out with the idea that they can deliver complex, brutal and fast metal all in one package at once, however few get it right, one of those bands is Acid Death. Coming out of the grave last year and releasing their third album (despite inactivity) and what a return this is, forging the fast slick sounds of Prog Metal with the harsh brutality of Deathrash, the Green quartet emerge as a new reformed band, with their slate clean and their music dirty as a bog, this could be the band of the year in the Greek Metal scene. Pounding drumming come with a host of savage riffs and guttural vocals to produce a fist-punching slab of genius.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

OSMIUM GUILLOTINE
'Subhuman'

You know at first it can't be helped that to think this release is going to be a low-production with utter trashy recordings and failure written all over it, but then after the first track, the 2012 EP and third EP overall, 'Subhuman' wakes up and delivers the Heavy Metal D-Day. This is Essex quartet Osmium Guillotine, a combination of Iron Maiden and Venom and a hue of a Anglo-Saxon Paganism feel to them (for some odd reason), resulting in a classic sound rejuvenated to modern standards, albeit this isn't your one millionth 'core' band. Riffs so rough it would make your grandma break-dance in her latex leotard whilst your grandpa moshes with his band of merry men, it's that kind of release that gets you off your ass and wakes you up, unless of course your a 'Subhuman'.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

LA CORRIVEAU
'Soul Possession'

When Quebec Thrash maniacs La Corriveau spewed out their first offering 'Soul Possession', it became clear that they base their lyrics around dark topics pertaining to murder and religion. Interestingly their band name derives from the legendary Marie-Josephte Corriveau, famously known as a "husband" killer during the 18th century. Quite apt for this band that perform Thrash Metal with modern influences such as the breakdown and growling vocals found in Hardcore, so this could be Thrashcore reborn. Their debut album 'Soul Possession' comes with a feast of juicy riffs, rotten vocals and a fruity atmosphere, much in the sound of Evile and Biohazard meshed together, but one thing that remains a fact is that La Corriveau will be a popular band amongst the modern metal fan, without any doubt whatsoever a band to keep an eye out on.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ALL THIS FILTH
'11 Past'

Sometimes it can be risky to release a debut album without an EP or demo before it; sometimes it pays off, on this occasion it pays off. Enter All This Filth, the Perth quartet with more balls than a bull with huge cojones and on marijuana, that said the album '11 Past' has a downfall on the twanging on the bass guitar being a little sloppy on parts of the album, but an overall view is that it's a bare minimum two minutes of negativity, for songs like 'fatal mistake' have that bass error on it but the rest of the song is a monumental piece of musicianship, as is the album itself. Fusing Groove elements to Deathrash Metal in the style of Lamb of God-cross-Nervecell, All This Filth produce a mouth-watering debut and are clearly set up to make tracks; shame about the bass though, might need more cowbell.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SIDHE
'She Is A Witch'

Production could be better, the sound level as soon as the album kicks in is below powerful, so a little advice to listeners, turn it up a bit, that's better. Coming onto the critical part of the debut album 'She Is A Witch' by Italian Gothic Doomsters Sidhe, the vocals are a little bland and whilst the music itself gives a decent enough bleak atmosphere to draw in the Doom Metal feeling and the melodies coming in slow and smooth from the drums, the guitars however tend to strike anything close to Gothic Metal, shame about the vocals (but they are droned out from time to time by the guitars and so become hard to hear), however it is a fair attempt at a good start and with proper tweaking could vastly improve.

[5] RHYS STEVENSON

GRRIZLI MADAMS
'sntntn'
ZALOZBA RADIA STUDENT

Slovenian trio Grrizli Madams have re-united and come back as a Stoner Metal band to unleash their furious debut album 'sntntn'. Formed in 2003 as a Thrash Metal machine, the trio have changed their tune and come back with a rather instrumental release, fact being it is instrumental. Falling under the sort of easy-listening bracket and ideally giving the listener a change of sound every minute or so, from delinquent melodies to full on Heavy Metal, this is an album that's worth a listen to by any metal fan, let alone the fact its just under forty minutes of instrumental music, it will be interested to see where the guys go on from here.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DEAR SINNER
'Dark To Light'

If bringing symphonies into the infrastructure of Gothic Metal was daunting enough it certainly was not for Thailand's Dear Sinner. The quintet comprising of two females and three males, conjure up a magical, majestic and totally operatic style to the genre dominated by Within Temptation and Epica, of who both can be related to the band's first EP 'Dark To Light'. Harmonious vocals become entranced by the versatility and extreme composition of both the drums and guitars as Dear Sinner take the listener on a journey across the lands of South-East Asia, over the countryside and into the beauties found in their homeland. For the Thai quintet this is a valiant effort and is sure to turn a few heads across the Global Metal scene. It will be interesting to see how they get from here to their next release and how the Thai Metal scene will react to their progress, but more so how the band are gracefully flying the flag for the Thai Metal scene so high.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

HOLLOW DEMISE
'Hollow Demise'

Considered to be the next band out of South-east England to grace the nationwide press, Hollow Demise are an eight-legged killing machine, playing Death Metal laced with the rapid-fire of Thrash Metal to deliver a two-track sampler of epic proportions. In the sound of Dew-Scented and Hatesphere, the four piece take no prisoners in handing over a face-melting taster of what they can do, will do and hope to achieve by doing what they do, that is create music that will make anyone cry. Hollow Demise will duly be on everyone's lips and as they smash the scene apart, bear in mind that resistance, is futile.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

ABSENCE OF THE SACRED
'Come Hither O Herald Of Death'
SONIC BLAST MEDIA

It is quite common these days for bands from Singapore to absolutely demolish the studios with their genius and outstanding compositions and Absence Of The Sacred is no different. The quartet delivers a wave-after-wave attack of solidified Death / Thrash Metal music with their blitzing third outing 'Come Hither O Herald Of Death'. Capturing speed on the drums, emphatic riffs and solos and vocals heavy and deep enough to make the metropolis of Singapore City shake with absolute fear. This is a thunderous release with enough brutality to smack any poseur into next Tuesday, but for Absence Of The Sacred, they are taking the Singaporean Metal scene to new levels whilst proudly flying the flag. 'Come Hither O Herald Of Death' is for fans of Morbid Angel, Slayer and Hypocrisy; check it out if you dare!

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SIGHISOARA
'Lost In Transylvania'

The sophomore album but Sighisoara took twelve years to drop, but boy was it a worthwhile wait, even if the CD drive got covered in dust, it just adds to this timeless classic of a modern age. For the Slovakian sextet, their second album brings out a beautiful and powerful combination of Doom Metal atmosphere and Gothic Metal music. From start to finish, the ten track opus delivers just under an hour's worth of pure solid grim and cold music in emphatic fashion, with a delinquent serving of raw riffs, low-pitched vocals and a dark atmosphere; this will be a hard album to follow on by and is for fans of Paradise Lost and Mercyful Fate.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

AT THE LAKE
'Mäyä'

When two sub-genres clash together they usually produce a contrasting sound, however when Symphonic Metal and traditional Eastern European Folk Metal come together, it produces a melodramatic and undisputable sound that can only be referred to as heavenly. Such a release comes from Poland's sextet At The Lake and their sensational debut album 'Mäyä', with that epic 'Disney - Epcot' feel to the album, this is a delightful and perhaps easy-listening piece of music that entrances the listener in a blanket of majestic panache and relentless power, with huge bellowing vocals, Apocalyptica-style symphonies and Celtic and Slavic atmosphere, this will be a hard act to follow and would be surprised if it doesn't make Polish Metal album of the year, everything is here: power, beauty and the heart of metal music. At The Lake will without any doubt be a band to watch out for and is for fans of Within Temptation, Dalriada, Eluveitie and Apocalyptica.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

REMNANTS OF THE FALLEN
'Perpetual Immaturity'

Hailing from South Korea, Melodic Death / Metalcore outfit Remnants Of The Fallen make no mistake in blasting holes through the sound-proof wall with their second EP 'Perpetual Immaturity', in the style of The Black Dahlia Murder and Bleeding Through, the quintet from Seoul emerge as the next breath of fresh air from the Asian continent and are sure to cause a massive storm in the Asian Metal underground. This five-track EP oozes with juicy riffs, mesmerizing blastbeats and deafening vocals, this all combined give the feeling of being smacked in the face by a two ton ball. It's heavy, it's ugly, it's metal and it's here to murder anyone's senses, Remnants Of The Fallen are flying the flag for the South Korean Metal scene.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

DESDEMONA
'Endorphins'
DANSE MACABRE

Now, for a band that shifted from playing Gothic Metal to Electro-Industrial Metal, it hasn't changed the output that is given by Poland's Desdemona. Making their fourth album 'Endorphins' come to life after an eight-year wait from 2004's 'Version 3.0' is a wait worthwhile. 'Endorphins' takes the influences from bands like Pain, Oomph!, Beauti Mortui and Eisenfunk and mashes them together, by creating trance-like beats, harsh vocals and eccentric drumming and riffing, Desdemona have certainly upped their game and proven that the electronic music scene in Poland is not dead. If anyone has got a party coming up, this is the soundtrack of a lifetime, guaranteed.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

REFUSAL
'Grasp'

Not every band sounds great or bad on their first lot of demo's, yet when Refusal step out of the shadows to release 'Grasp', the overall reaction is, well, dead. 2012 saw the band's sixth demo (surely an album should be here somewhere?) 'Grasp' being released and it has proven to be an excellent piece of Death Metal. Sure the drums lack presence here and there and the vocals seem to have overall control over the music, but in a general perspective it is a decent-enough release, just don't count it as a failed attempt. There is some work to be done, some tweaking, but none the less Refusal will come back strong.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

OVERLOAD
'Overload'

What happens when you mix Lamb of God, Black Label Society and Trivium together? You get a chock load of riffs, snazzy breakdowns and ghastly vocals; this pretty much sums up the self-titled debut EP by Overload. Hailing from Poland, the quartet do much more than mash up a handful of sub-genres, they develop their own death-destruction, sure the music has clear influences and some sound a little nicked already, but uniquely there is individualism present on this release. The only downside is the production, but that can't be helped nor can it be remarked on, turn up past 13 and let the speakers drown the listener in a gruesome wave of audio blasting.

[6] RHYS STEVENSON

NONAMEN
'Permission'

Metal music can be mixed with any other instrument and musical style and so when Polish quintet Nonamen make their debut with their EP 'Permission', it would seem that they have mixed with neo-classical influences, gothic and progressive influences. From the heavenly vocals of Edyta Szkołut to the atmospheric touches delivered by violinist Agnieszka Reiner, Nonamen exclusively play music that can join alliance with bands like Amberian Dawn, Therion and Apocalyptica, but for the EP itself, this could be a genre-breaking release, ideally 'atmospheric progressive metal', with fiery riffs, powerful drumming and elaborate all round musical performances, Nonamen are set to change the course of the Polish Metal scene.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

BOW PROMETHEUS
'Treachery'
SWIMMING WITH SHARKS

Deathcore, it's a genre that has awashed the Metal music scene since its birth with tons of bands who strangely sound the same, but when bands like Bow Prometheus escape the yellow brick road, things can turn right nasty, nasty in that Deathcore has a new sound, Symphonic Deathcore. Enter the fourteen-legged machine Bow Prometheus, fusing together electronic symphonies with the harsh brutality of Deathcore smackdowns, this Texas masterpiece is sure not to disappoint in times to com and especially with their debut EP 'Treachery' now out, the storm has well and truly formed and is ready for impact, taking cover is very much advised.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

RESURRECTION OF THE GODS 3
COMPILATION
MORT PRODUCTIONS

If there is one thing about compilations it's that they bring a number of bands onto one CD and exposes them in the best possible manner and so when Chinese Metal label Mort Productions devised a series known as the 'Resurrection Of The Gods', this was to be an absolute onslaught of Chinese Metal. Here we have the third installment in the series, released in 2005 and featuring eleven bands on it from a wide range of sub-genres. This compilation is an essential release for anyone who is getting into metal bands from the Asian countries and especially China. Featuring bands such as Cut At Waist from Xi'anwho play a combination of Death Metal and Grindcore, Falling who hail from Hangzhou and play a mix of Gothic Metal and Black Metal to bands like The Last Successor who originate from Beijing and play an intricate style of Progressive metal with Power Metal added in, and bands like Wrath of Desport who perform straight edge Black Metal. The fact remains on this compilation there is something for everyone and whether the listener likes it or not, Chinese Metal is going to get even heavier as years go on.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

RESURRECTION OF THE GODS 5
COMPILATION
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Switching the attention from the third compilation to the fifth compilation, here we have the resurrection of the gods number five, released in 2008 and featuring twelve bands on it from a wide range of sub-genres. This compilation is an essential release for anyone who is getting into metal bands from the Asian countries and especially China. Featuring bands such as Narakam from Beijing who play straight-edge, no-nonsense Death Metal, Frosty Eve who hail from Beijing and play Melodic Death Metal, to bands like Frozen Cross who originate from Beijing and play a style of Power Metal with a ton of Melodic Metal on the side, but with female vocals in the sound and style of Within Temptation, and bands like Raging Mob who hail from Beijing and create in-your-face Thrash Metal. The fact remains that just like its previous versions, this compilation has something for everyone and whether the listener likes it or not, Chinese Metal has just got one whole level heavier.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

RESURRECTION OF THE GODS 7
COMPILATION
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Switching the attention from the fifth compilation to the seventh compilation, here we have the resurrection of the gods number seven, released in 2011 and featuring eleven bands on it from a wide range of sub-genres. This compilation is an essential release for anyone who is getting into metal bands from the Asian countries and especially China. Featuring bands such as Why Lazy from Henan _who play ballsy, gut-rot Metalcore, Skeletal Augury who hail from Beijing and play Melodic Death Metal, to bands like Frozen Cross who originate from Beijing and play a style of Power Metal with a ton of Melodic Metal on the side, but with female vocals in the sound and style of Within Temptation, and bands like Raging Mob who hail from Beijing and create in-your-face Thrash Metal. The fact remains that just like its previous versions, this compilation has something for everyone and whether the listener likes it or not, Chinese Metal has just got one whole level heavier.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

_CHINA RUNS BLOOD
COMPILATION
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Apart from the Resurrection of The Gods series that Mort Productions has done, the other cleverly done compilation is the 'China Runs Blood' compilation, this features more extreme metal bands. Covering all of the more vile genres from Death Metal to Goregrind and from Brutal Death Metal to Grindcore, listener's best avoid eating before listening to this release. Chock full of the most gruesome bands China has to offer and features three quarters of an hours-worth of pure solid, unrelenting and disturbing riffs, blastbeats and gut-rotting vocals. The fact now remains that this compilation has something for everyone who is a fan of Extreme metal and whether the listener likes it or not, Chinese Metal has just got even more disturbing.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

LYCANTHIA
'Oligarchy'

Full of melodramatic music and outrageous darkness is what is best to describe Lycanthia's sophomore album 'Oligarchy' as, but the only downside is that there is really too much going on, for example the harsh male vocals on top of the female high vocals doesn't sound good, and maybe alternating the vocals would. The music itself is fairly good for a Doom-laden Metal album but still the guitars lack any real presence, ironically giving it an even more raw presentation, even though the drums and the keyboards steal the show. However no matter what the negative parts of the album are, the good points are that it is very dark, gothic and beyond extreme, something which lacks in some bands these days.

[6.5] RHYS STEVENSON

ILLUMINATA
'A World So Cold'
NAPALM RECORDS

Making their return with their second album is Austrian Melodic Power / Gothic group Illuminata, the three male and three female ensemble bring to the masses 'A World So Cold' released in 2011. This sees the sextet signed to Napalm Records and also brings their delightful and majestic sounds to the table once more, epic symphonies, luscious vocals and powerful music come together to take the listener on a magical journey through the wispy clouds and wintry mountains of the Austrian alps as Illuminata lead the way and deliver an absolute epic in the tune of Within Temptation and Lacuna Coil, but what is missing is the one and only fact, this album is too short, it is that good.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

THE NINE TREASURES
'十丈铜嘴 Arvan Ald Guulin Hunshoor'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Simply put, this could be Chinese Metal album of the year, because '十丈铜嘴 Arvan Ald Guulin Hunshoor' not only has lyrics sung in Mongolian, features Chinese Folk music mixed with Heavy Metal or because it's the debut album by The Nine Treasures, but because the absolute originality is parallel. Hailing from Inner Mongolia, The Nine Treasures weave together a myriad of musical instruments to effectively deliver a piece of music that makes most Oriental Metal bands obsolete and what makes The Nine Treasures so special is that they've only been around two years, released their debut and are signed to a major Chinese label, in fact they've only started, next stop Loud Park?

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

TERMINAL LOST (天幕落)
'卷贰 凤凰山'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Darkness falls over Shanghai as Terminal Lost return with their second slab of evil Melodic Black Metal in the form of '卷贰 凤凰山', the quintet bring the darker side of the Chinese Metal scene to the masses and blasts wide open the doors for black wolves to charge forward at the speed of the drums, whilst ravens swoop down as the riffs drop and the Oriental sounds deliver a soul-soothing and soul-crushing dual blow, this is an album full of many influences to keep any listener occupied and so it will be interesting to see where Terminal Lost go on from here, whether to more Oriental sounds, darker atmospheres or harder music.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

SIGH
'Infidel Art / Hail Horror Hail'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

So way, way back in 1995, Sigh the Black Metal / Avant Garde Metal lords of Japan, released their sophomore album as a follow up to 1993's 'Scorn Defeat', 'Infidel Art' sees more melancholy develop from the band who at this point were a trio. Mixing the darkness of the Japanese history with the bleak and cold atmosphere found in traditional Black Metal, this album delivers a cross between extreme music and the oriental sounds of Japan, now one felt that the film The Grudge was eerie enough, but when an album like this comes out of the dark to haunt your hearing, it would seem wrong to put it as a stereotypical black metal album, for here is a band who undoubtedly changed the course of Japanese Metal forever.

Moving onto 1997 and Sigh turn up a notch by bringing in darker imagery and a far more cold, bitter and evil atmosphere into their third release 'Hail Horror Hail', which in turn reveals itself to be a rather sensational and unnerving album. Full of the Avant Garde Metal style in the music parts and Black Metal vocals cover the rest of the album with the bleak and eerie atmosphere warranted by the album from the first song to the very last song, Sigh take the listener on a journey of mystery, myth and total legendary proportions with this release and as they now at present have nine albums in their 23 year career, Sigh are now Japanese Metal legends.

FROSTY EVE
'垂死的梦境 (Dying Dreamland)'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

2007 saw a new force rise in the depths of Beijing, China. That force was instantly named the Frosty Eve and took with it six musicians to create a truly sensational take on Melodic Death Metal. The debut EP '垂死的梦境 (Dying Dreamland)' features the sextet sing in their native Chinese but provide music similar to that of Wintersun. Harmoniously delivering cold and bitter winds from the keyboard and rough, gritty punches from the drums and guitars, it was only meant to be topped off by some of the harshest vocals ever heard in metal music history. No doubt about it, Frosty Eve are one heck of a damn good Melodic Death Metal band and are sure to lead the Chinese Metal scene onto further achievements.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

FEARLESS
'Lord Of Twilight'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Smashing their way onto the scene is Chinese Melodic Death Metal outfit Fearless and their debut EP 'Lord Of Twilight' which uniquely incorporates traditional Chinese sounds with the rough sound of Metal to create something Oriental and something distinct. The quartet hailing from Shanghai deliver a mixed blend of Chinese oriental sounds on the keyboard with the Melodic Death Metal sound from which bands like Dark Salvation and Sight Of Emptiness can be compared too, but even so the fact remains that this is the new breed of metal bands and are set to take the underground by storm, even if it is only in the Far East, great things will happen.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

DAGON POWER
'大红袍'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Chinese Metalcore is something that not many people would think about and so when Dagon Power emerge on the block with sounds like Asking Alexandria and Bleeding Through, the next step which indeed is the slaughter, could not be dreamt of. Pummelling drumming mixed with outrageous riffing and some gruesome vocals altogether mix to make a face-smacker of an album. If you thought you knew Metalcore, think again, this band will take you and smash your brain ten times harder than a Glaswegian kiss (headbutt). For Dagon Power, the prospect of global recognition has just begun.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

NARAKAM
'Burning At Moment'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

Narakam is China's first ever Death Metal band, forming in 1993, however forward to 2008 and
there is a period of which was seen as a dark time for China, well that is you're referring to Narakam and their second album 'Burning At Moment' which see's the quintet deliver a concrete smacking of Oriental Death Metal. Featuring eight tracks of ballistic drumming, riffing and gut-rotting vocals. With influences easily drawn from bands such as Hail of Bullets, Unleashed and Tang Dynasty (most for the oriental sounds / vocal chanting), Narakam are easily proving that they have what it takes to drive extreme metal to the cliff, over the edge and provide a fast, sharp and painful drop, it will be interesting to see what they sound like now.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

SCREAMING SAVIOR
'宙海 / Infinity'
MORT PRODUCTIONS

It is not often that you come across an album that could be pointed as genre-defining, so when China's Screaming Savior emerge once again to deliver their second round of Oriental Gothic Black Metal, it is hardly surprising that comparisons can be drawn from ChthoniC, Theatres Des Vampires and Shade Empire, by mixing harmonious sounds with traditional Chinese sounds and the vocals experienced on Shade Empire's 'Zero Nexus' album. This altogether gives Screaming Savior something to jeer about, or at least reprieve the sense that they are altering the course of Extreme Metal for the good, and with '宙海 / Infinity' being their latest works, much more is yet to come from this sextet.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

KREMATED
'Thrash Ain't Dead'

The single from the upcoming album 'Total Warfare' due for release in September pretty much sums up what Kremated is about, 'Thrash Ain't Dead' brings out the fast sleaze in the Thrash Metal embodiment and turns it up to past 13. With Slayer style riffing leading the assault and heavy balls supporting the crazy sound witnessed, Kremated are driving the original 1980's sound to a newer level and pushing it into the modern arena, by inserting breakdowns towards the end of the track it is without no wonder that South London has a no go zone on it, the place is now radioactive thanks to this nuclear powered band.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON

ABANDON THE FAITH
'Abandon The Faith'
FALL TO YOUR KNEES

The underground owes to many outstanding acts and yet there is always this stream of ever-perfect sounding bands that ironically are cloned from another band in the exact same area, but from time to time a band breaks the mould and Abandon The Faith are exactly that band. Mixing no-nonsense Melodic Death Metal with the smackdown brutality of Metalcore and livening it up with atmospheric keyboard music, what could be witnessed here and especially on their self-titled EP is what many could see as a new revolution in music. The sextet from the borders of London and Kent are a band to watch and will be promising in time to come.

[9] RHYS STEVENSON

BRUTE
'Sophisticated Atrocity'
NICE TO EAT YOU

Carving their way through the filth and gory mist of bygone Brutal Death Metal / Grindcore bands is Brute, the fourteen year old Slovakian machine, featuring a ferocious trio of musicians delivering razor-sharp music in the most undesirable fashion, morbid death. Their 2012 and debut album 'Sophisticated Atrocity' marks their lengthy career and wait for a premier release. With vocals so guttural and grizzly it is a wonder why bears haven't sh*t themselves or listeners haven't wet themselves, for here is a band with enough brutality to mass murder the entire human race with only one album, some may so its impossible, but we say its preconceived deafness.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

NECROVATION
'Necrovation'
AGONIA

So Necrovation return to deliver their second offering of Swedish Death Metal, but what is is really, it certainly does not constitute anything of the sort; in fact it may as well be Thrashy Death Metal watered down, with no real melody sinking into the percussion and it resembling more Black Metal in its drum form, Necrovation have made a lot of errors on their sophomore album, you know if one was to turn attention to sheep herding and replace the sheep dog with a mastiff, would that be blasphemous? Most certainly, so with that in mind, Necrovation will need to go back to square one, at least the artwork is good.

[3.5] RHYS STEVENSON

RUMPELSTILTSKIN GRINDER
'Ghostmaker'
CANDLELIGHT

Humour does seem to seep into the world of metal music from time to time and so when the third album by American Grind Thrashers Rumpelstiltskin Grinder drops, one could not sit and laugh together, laugh at how ridiculously clever the album is. This is a band with enough brutality in their vocals that they made the US congress wet themselves at the sound of Grindcore, there again who wouldn't soil their pants at the sound of a sonic blastbeat or rapid riff or venomous vocal production? Enough is enough; someday Rumpelstiltskin Grinder will get tired of this and change sound, that being they will get heavier, as for now this is some delightful music.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

DEADLY REMAINS
'Severing Humanity'
DEEPSEND

Brutal Death Metal is all about the nitty-gritty and if you lack in it you're going to end up with four musicians playing full on Hardcore Pop music, the sort Justin Bieber does when on crack. However getting it right and you end up with beastly music, such is a band as Deadly Remains who return to deliver that much-needed punch in the face with their second effort 'Severing Humanity'. Drums blazing, guitars on overdrive and the vocals, well worse than anal pig sex, (we did say beastly). The Californian quartet immerse the listener in similarities of Prositute Disfigurement and Beneath The Massacre, so no fun or games here, just 100% gorefest.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

INFERNAL EXECRATOR
'Mastema Hedonistic Terroritual 666'
EVIL DEAD PRODS.

From the Far East battlefront comes the 2012 compilation release by the Singaporean Black / Death Metal tribe Infernal Execrator. Full of nasty surprises and gruesome music, the trio deliver thirteen tracks of thunderous drumming, riffing and vomitous vocals, all of which demolish any traces of goodness found within their native lands. 'Mastema Hedonistic Terroritual 666' provides the listener with truly raw guitars, frightening composures and sensational darkness. If at first you find that this is just one of those bands who just thrash and riff away at a thousand miles per hour, think again. Much like their fellow country compatriots Impiety, Infernal Execrator takes no prisoners and delivers justice in the number of 666.

[7.5] RHYS STEVENSON