10 New Reviews ( Hope this will hold you over for another week ...)
Ragestorm- The thin line between hope and ruin- CD/ Digital ( Sliptrick )
Death metal is another genre that can come in many flavors and styles. With RageStorm we have a mix of three very traditional sounds that come across as some thing that the early 00's Death metal fan will love. The mix of Thrash, Melodic Death and Grind all come into play. They have elements of bands like Nuclear Assault, Napalm Death and Dismember all mixed it to something just violent enough to disturb but just melodic enough to make you want to thrash around in a bit and the samples through out the intros gives you that modern feel so many bands have been doing since 2000. There are times I hear bands like Violence, Carcass and even some punk elements thrown in for good measure. There is a level of complexity and raw power going on that will align them with many different extreme music movements. There are even Tech metal instances but that just add to the impressive over all tone of this release...
http://label.sliptrickrecords.com/
Panopticon & Waldgeflüster- Split- CD/ Digital ( Nordvis)
Both these artist I would say come from that Post Metal style were they like to mix
Black Metal, Folk, Doom , Post rock and Shoe gazing elements into something that
Is full of Darkness , Atmospheres and Challenging yet wonderful listening experience.
Waldgefluster mixes that Pacific Northwest Black metal style with acoustic guitars, strings
and epic arrangements. The Pagan feeling of this band are just something that are akin to
this reviewer. The vocals are cold and hauntingly grim in the presentation with the music.
Nature clearly play a bit role in the 2 songs from the band. Panopticon comes across much
Massive and Aggressive in approach . There is very much a harsher tone to the massive
sound that comes and more Death metal less Black metal . This reminds me more of what
Hypocrisy or Death Spell Omega was doing esp on later releases. I want to call them
Atmospheric Black Doom . The drums are much drier and forceful and then the folkish
Interludes come. Both bands are just breathe taking to listen to and I want to hear more
As both full lengths I've heard are just as fantastic. The Post Rock elements are strong.
Brilliant Split release both bands play so well off each other.
www.nordvis.com
Urgehal- Aeons in Sodom- CD/Digital ( Season of Mist )
So the band comes together one last time as a tribute to their fallen front man Trondr with
the Last material written with him. The following amazing list of vocalist came in to present
this epic and brutal black metal hymn to be the closing door of a band that once you hear
you know your listening to in the Black metal real.
Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone)
Hoest (Taake)
Mannevond (Koldbrann)
Niklas Kvarforth (Shining)
Sorath Northgrove (Beastcraft)
Nattefrost (Carpathian Forest, Nattefrost)
Nag (Tsjuder)
Bay (Sadistic Intent)
R.M (Angst Skvadron)
The Blackened Punk metal heart is in all of this if your a fan of bands like Khold, Venom,Celtic Frost , Taake and
Saytricon this is a must own for all.
http://season-of-mist.com/
Gadget- The Great Destroyer- CD/ Digital ( Relapse)
Sometimes you just need an album that is going to come at you and break all your
teeth and you just say thank you. Gadget mix the following sounds into a wall of sonic power and might that will either take you over or take you out. The are one part Grind,
Hardcore and Noise rock shake to the point of explosion and then release onto the world and hope the ones in the front of the blast are ready because if not their days on
this planet are clearly numbered. The shear power of this album is second to none.
The wall of drums, guitars and sonic torment the vocals come at you at mach ten. Short
Viscous and concussive is what Gadget is. This is one complex Grindcore band to say
the least and for one I want more Sir....
http://relapse.com/
Rotting Christ- Rituals- CD/ Digital ( Season of Mist)
For almost three decades Rotting Christ has been mixing extreme metal, industrial and punk elements into a sound and style that you know its Rotting Christ. As the band as moved through the decades and progress and regressed as the almost ebb and flow . The early raw poorly produced album on Unisound label to now on Season of Mist with much better production and experimental elements. The heart of Rotting Christ as never changed. Mix Satanic , Heathen and Pagan element with Eastern musical themes with Death and Black metal the lock that puts it all together. I've seen them play live several time and even had to honor to interview them at one of those shows for the Magazine. Rotting Christ is a massive undertaking and a power house in the extreme metal scene and with each album like Samael and Moonspell the bands just get better.
http://season-of-mist.com/
Gloria Morti- Kuebiko- CD/ Digital ( Willowtip)
I have been following the progression of Gloria Morti as their album on Cyclone Empire/ Metal blade was more a post black metal mixed with occult and death metal sound . Were I will say with the debut on Willowtip now they seem to have really found themselves. This is Prog/Tech Death metal with a heavy leaning into the occult again. The layers and tempo changes are something that Willowtip family of bands has in coming. This is clearly Thinking mans metal on the highest of orders. They have a very Zyklon and Gigan and Necrophagist other label mates on Willowtip. I would even have to say at time they remind me of that doomy death metal sound of bands like Incantation . There are points that a grindcore feeling comes to mind as well but that might just be more in the vocal presentation. Over all though we have a jaw dropping death metal album that can stand up to anything coming out to the world in 2016..
http://willowtip.com/
Nekrasov- Negatve Temple- CD/ Digital ( Self Released)
Full on Black noise not something I've heard presented like this in a bit. The closest thing I would say currently is T.O.M.B but if your into bands like MZ412, Vond, V.E.G.A and Aborym then this will be something that you need to hear. The Black industrial, Ritualistic Power electronic element remind me of even bands like Sewer goddess and many other bands on Malignant, CMI, Crucial Blast and even Cold Spring. There is not really a metallic side to this other then the way the vocals are presented to the listener. Harsh, unsettling and bleak wall of ritualistic noise that is what is going on here. The guitar are more industrial and noise and the drums are just a drum machine turned to full and letting the snare cause a polka hate beat to all that will endure. Nekrasov has a lot in common with drone as well in the way the production is done. This is one terrifying journey into the mouth of very madness.
Via Vengeance- Harsh Conditions- CD/ Digital ( Battleground )
When the pain of life comes to a head and you either fight back or let the dark void take you there is that moment where you have the clarity of the universe around you with Via Vengeance that is the figure at that moment waiting to take it all from you. Via Vengeance is every thing that bands like Prong, Godflesh, Noothgrush, Cavity and Crowbar have thrown at you then just make it a bit more sinister, primitive and just a touch more nasty. Shane understand the difference of Crust, Sludge and Post Hardcore and honestly mixes them all together with an industrial and doom over tone to hit you like a steam roller and then just when you think it's over he rolls over you from behind. Via Vengeance and Author & Punisher need to team up so that can fight all the monsters on monster island and win. That how heavy and power this one man force is.
http://www.battlegroundrnr.com/
Inverloch- Distance/ Collapse- CD/ Digital ( Relapse)
Do you remember Disembowelent from the land down under . Well if you do then you know what Doom/Grind is and how brilliantly it can be done. Well half of that power house has returned to us as Inverloch and just taken up the space that was lost by this band . Inverloch does add a few new challenging elements to the sound as the Ritualistic Black metal themes do pop up with Inverloch as well as a primitive death metal tone. If Thergothon or Dusk had a more Black metal side and Esoteric was more Death metal is a close territory in where Inverloch sits. They are so oppressive in sound and arrangements that words are hard to use to get the sorrow and pain that is coming from the speaker. You can even say that Morgion and Evoken have inspired the bands over all song. There is something about Australia with bands like Halo, Alchemist, Mournful Congregation etc that just know how to get this sound of gloom and bombastic right.
http://relapse.com/
Heretics Dream- Floating state of Mind- CD/ Digital ( Sliptrick )
And with this we switch up styles drastically. This is a modern electro metal meets goth metal unit that is female fronted from all places Italy. So surprise , surprise guess how they are inspired by Lacuna Coil and within temptation and Stream of Passion. It's just ok. This style to me is just plain tired and played out and there is only so many times you can make this monkey grind and organ and it be fun. The female vocals are just not strong enough to make this anything special and it really has that Italian gothic metal element I hate mixed with a prog death side that seems forced. I'm going to have to say this is very forgettable at best.
http://label.sliptrickrecords.com/
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