GMA - Vol83 - Cursed By The Fallen, Theudho, Harvesta, Strange Facts In The Scalpel Case, Lelahell

CURSED BY THE FALLEN
'When The Sun Turns Red'

Once in a while you come across a band that crosses two subgenres together and matches them with perfection, such is the band Cursed By The Fallen, the Austrian four-piece criss-cross Melodic Death Metal with the pummelling of Metalcore to devise an explosive sound of insane proportions. In the same musical veins as The Dead Lay Waiting and Sacred Mother Tongue, this Austrian quartet are by far very promising and are sure to end up with a record label, European-wide recognition and a fistful of greater sounds. 'When The Sun Turns Red' is in fact their debut EP.... what a corker, brutal enough to cause unexpected avalanches in the Alps.

[8.5] RHYS STEVENSON

THEUDHO
'When Ice Crowns The Earth'
AURORA AUSTRALIS RECORDS

In the band's 10th anniversary year, the fourth album from Theudho is released. 'When Ice Crowns The Earth' see's Belgian Pagan Black Metal take full flight and deliver an evil and eerie Norse sound. Within this record is the sounds of an almighty battle, fought on the plains of East Flanders with swords high and axes low, riffing out a majestic production and composing the marching tune to the tune of a darkened atmosphere. Taking a pinch of influence from bands such as Arkona, Ancient Rites and Rabenwolf, Theudho will remain as an underground Belgian legend, even 'When Ice Crowns The Earth'.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON

HARVESTA
'Harvesta'
TERRORZONE RECORDS

Hailing from Austria, comes a storm that was undetectable by satellites, well, it's actually a blizzard called Harvesta, who snow the listener in with an avalanche of hailstorm-like-Heavy Thrash Metal. The self-titled debut album by the quartet is quite simply sensational, with clear influences from bands like The Morning After, Metallica and Iron Maiden all mixed into one musical cooking pot, the outcome is a buffet of speed, heaviness and 100% face-melting riffs. With each song a health warning should be issued, because before long listener's will get hooked, guaranteed. Want some advice? Buy this album, 'cause this is going straight to the Emmy's.

[10] RHYS STEVENSON

STRANGE FACTS IN THE SCALPEL CASE
'Unearthed'

Not conventionally like the over-produced Death Metal bands of today, well the debut EP from Belgian Death Metal merchants Strange Facts In a Scalpel Case go back to the original sounds of Death Metal. Immersed in a raw at'mosh'phere and darkened bleak production, the raw death metal sound is inevitably revitalising. The West Flanders duo coalesce to deliver a gloomy stance on music and with this EP in their roster, it can only get darker. Whilst not fast like Unleashed or thick like Morbid Angel, SFITSC is not like Napalm Death. 'Unearthed' is for those fans of 80's Death Metal and not for the modern day metal fan who thinks 'core music' is godly.

[7] RHYS STEVENSON

LELAHELL
'Al Inithar'

The debut EP 'Al Inithar' from Algerian Death Metallers Lelahell comes without mercy, strapping together the vocalist of Litham and two talented musicians from Black Metal band Barbaros, this is the moment the Algerian Metal scene has been waiting for, the total onslaught of true North African Metal. Singing in both Arabic and English, the trio from Algiers summon up from the desert the darkest and most gruesome ever presented in this part of the world, a collection of six tracks spewing out guttural vocals so rotten, your body starts to decompose. The riffs and drum patterns only add more anguish and so fans of bands like Suffocation, Unleashed and Death/grind may find this to their liking. Lelahell has spoken, the torch is lit, Lelahell are flying the flag for Algeria.

[8] RHYS STEVENSON