5 New Reviews @ AZM 12/13/2009
SEMEN DATURA - EINSAMKEIT-CD (ATMF)
So what do we have here? SEMEN DATURA are a black metal band but with many many elements mixed into the pot. They have a strong love for Neo Folk and Martial Industrial element as well as Prog and Heathen backdrops to make this a very interesting release to say the least. Now they are a black metal band but there a black metal band in the same way Code, A Forest of Stars or Wolves in the throne room are by the raw aggression and brutality of the blackened riffs that are within the context of the music as a whole. The Germanic vocal lines help even more with the extremity as a whole. I know very little about there label Aeternitas Tenebrarum Music Foundation but I will very much tell you if there bands outputs are half as strong as this you will never be dissapointed. Semen Datura have the spirit and haunting nature of Burzum, Graveland, Xasthur, Krieg and Leviathan all wrapped into one. I will keep a close eye on this Project and going to dig into there back catalog for sure
Creature with the Atom Brain- Transylvania-CD (The End Records)
I don't seen where The End is going with some of these bands there signing now they seem to want to be an indie pop label as well as a metal and punk label all at the same time. I hope they can keep the metal with level output strong as they were the best avant metal label for years but with Creature with the atom brain they seem to have gone into a very trippy retro grunge pop element almost were The Scream Trees, Solomon Grundy and many other bands that worked with labels like SST, Subpop and Twintone did over the 80's and 90's . Creature have a garage rock sound as well does anyone remember a band called Big Chief as they have a very similar sound to this band as well as a band I use to really like early monster magnet. I see that the founded of this band is in Mr Lannegan of The Screaming Trees solo band so that makes a lot of sense in my early statement. I actually really like this release a lot but it is very different from many things The End has done before. I get the feeling The End may move the offices to Chicago or Portland one day soon as there getting more in coming with labels like Touch and go and K records then there old metallic beginnings with many of the new signings.
Hunters Moon- The Serpents Lust-CD ( Hells Headbangers)
You know there is something just simply kick ass about good thrashing Black death and guess what Hunters Moon makes ... Thats right you got it just that style. This reminds me a lot of old Older Witchery , Samael or even at times the mighty Bathory!!! There is something so perfect about that retro guitar and vocal style that makes me remember when metal was something that only a few people really listened to when the world thought bands like Motley Crue and Judas Priest were extreme and over the top and us that did tape trades or get imports from Osmose or Redstream for $20 a CD and thought that was a steal... There is a love for the cold black sound of Northen Europe as well here and that is want makes this all the more special. Hunters Moon is just simply fantastic..
Havohej-Kembatinan Premaster- CD (Hells Headbangers)
There name is Jehovah backwards and this anti life, music, sound and human will band is just that . Havohej are a black noise force not to ever forget. There is a sonic brutality about this release that just rips through ones soul and will scar it on levels most are just not ready for. Kembatinan Premaster is just pure disguist and hatred on a CD. There is such an industrial element to this I just have a few bands that even come to mind when listening to this Beherit, Vondor and Staalagh... I will be listening this to sleep at night as i will scream the hell out of what ever dark forces are in the room as this clearly more pissed off then any of them. I don't remember listening to this band before but now I must and will follow up and check out there older material as this is mandatory listening for those into the Black occult sounds in the metal and industrial landscapes.
Victimizer-Resurrected Abominations-CD (Hells Headbangers)
Good old kick ass thrash like mom used to made if your a fan of Sodom, Destruction, Kreator, Exodus or Testament then this going to squarely give you the 10 count for the pleasure factors. The Guitars are ripping with powerful not packed leads. We have a strong complex bass and drum team going on here and the vocals go from the very throaty Thrash style to the full on sung metallic vocal style. Victimizer is nothing ground breaking but again in so many bands like this you just really need to be good at the Thrash sound to make these kind of releases a great listening journey and you know that is just what a band like this does. They add a few flares of there on with a bit of a death/black edge over all but nothing that would make a true thrash head not want to listen to this over and over again another great release from Hells Headbangers here...
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