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Where metal and thunder clash in
ectasy
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BOLTTHROWER "Mercenary" Metal
Blade Recods One of the few bands that have passed
the test of time without losing itīs identity. BOLTTHROWER have fought a war
of itīs own, and now returns with a solid death metal disc.
"Mercenary" still sounds like BOLTTHROWER, heavy deep and with lots
of harmonies. Yet, for this new release, they have now chosen not to put so
many blast parts as they used to in their previous recordings. Not their best
release, but still a worthy one. Rage on !!! DAWN "Slaughtersun: crown of the
triarchy" Necropolis Records From the very beggining of this disc,
there is something that haunts you about this swedish quintet. Long time have
passed since a band impressed me so much, by combining chilling melodies with
an intensity that only supreme musicians can achieve. Mostly very fast all
the way, "Slaughtersun..." is a musical statement that even today a
band can create something different. Majestic blackened death metal. AN
ABSOULUTE MUST. DEW OF NOTHING "Doubleueird"
Sempiternal Productions A mexican band with their debut release.
Their style is pretty much in the swedish death metal vein, with touches of
AT THE GATES, and I can hear some old
ENTOMBED in there. This also comes with
great layout and very good sound. Nothing to really rage about but there is
potential. Contact: c/o
Rene Espino * P.O. Box 204 * cp 54701 * Cuautitlan Izcalli, Edo. Mex. * MEXICO. DIES IRAE "Etherial" OZ Records DIES IRAE is a supreme death/doom metal
band in the vein of OPETH or KATATONIA, with very strong blackened vocals and
impressive musicianship. But what sets it apart for others is the feeling
they give to the songs. A song goes from a very atmospheric mood into a rage
of emotions that only skillful minds can create. This mexican foursome has
more potential than many bands out there. Every time you listen to it, you
find something new. Very good. DISGORGE "Chronic Corpora
Infest" American Line Productions Fuck trends, DISGORGE is here. This is
vile and extreme gore metal like old CARCASS used to. Low vocals comes along with
super distorted sounds of grinding bastardity. But itīs not all noise or a
thing to be brutal for the sake of it. DISGORGE actually knows how to play,
and in their style, few bands can reach this level. Although the sound could
be improved a bit, that doesnīt matters that much at the end (of life). Fans
of american-style extreme death/grind metal, get this. DOG FACED DOGS "Random chaos theory
in action" Gothenburg Noise Works GNW a division of Black Sun Records,
introduce us this new band DOG FACED GODS, in which members of EBONY TEARS
play. This is much into the american metal style of FEAR FACTORY and others,
yet being a bit more brutal, and more guitar orientated, with of course, a
few industrial touches. For those into the style I have mentioned, will
surely dig this one a lot. HECATE ENTHRONED "Dark Requiems"
Death Records Fast, melodic black metal with lots of
keyboards and the ultra-high pitched vocals take form in this. This shows
really nothing new to those who have experienced their previous works,
although I find this one to be more symphonic. The production is not as good
as their previos works as it sounds a bit dirty, and for my taste, keyboards
are too high. For fans of this kind of black metal, I suppose that this band
will make their day, but still something is missing in this band. ESQUARIAL "Amorphous" Pagan
Records ESQUARIAL, formed in 1991 and it is
until now that hey release their debut album. To give you an idea of their
sound, imagine mixing some american-style brutal death metal, with some heavy
metal sounds and very good solos, and there you will have something
near."Amorphous" tends to be a very good, album, with strong songs
and a powerful production. Yes, this sounds quite new and refreshing, and for
death metal fans, this is a right choice. A great band. ETERNAL HATRED "The Eve of
destruction" demotape THRASH ON !!! A band that has already
stablished as a new hope for pure metal as only ETERNAL HATRED can actually
play. This is very intense thrash metal, verging on death metal, with very
angry lyrics that actually reflects the bandīs name.. Four songs with some
old SLAYER sounds permeate this tape, which cames along with great packaging
and production. This trio plays like if the worldīs ending now. Get a taste of
the ETERNAL HATRED at: P.O. Box 1250 * La Grange Park, Il * 60526, USA FLOTSAM AND JETSAM "Unnatural
selection" Metal Blade Records Time will always leave a mark. In this
case it is way too much notorious. When their first album came out
"Doomsday for the deceiver", this band suddenly found itself in the
top of the thrash metal world. Even their second one "No place for
disgrace" was a very good one. More albums were released but none of
them capable of top their previous works. They now play very heavy metal, but
there is not a single song that is memorable. A shame what time does. GARDENS OF GEHENNA "Mortem
Saluta" Shiver Records This german outfit released their debut
album on the dutch Shiver Records. But to be honest, it is way too boring for
me. The music is a mixture of doom/death/black with the usual stuff of
keyboads, atmospehre and all that, but way too simple. For a change, this
band is not as melodious as most doom bands out there. Probably what I enjoyed
most of this CD is the lyrics which are quite deep and depressive, and also
obscure. Extreme Doom fans will
probably like to check this out. GARDEN OF SHADOWS "Heart of the
corona" X-Rated Records This is actually their demo plus a bonus
song, making this a very worthy addition. GARDEN OF SHADOWS, being an
american band, plays much more in an european style of melodic death metal
with lots of doom metal touches. It reminds me at time to ROTTING CHRIST, but
with way more brutal death metal vocals. Also, itīs good to hear a band that
doesnīt abuse the keyboards. A fine piece of metal, that will appeal to real
metal fans. Great packaging and sound too. CRANIUM "Speed Metal Slaughter"
Necropolis Records Yes, I know that the
"retro-thrash" thing is going a bit trendy nowadays, but in the
case of CRANIUM, it is a good thing. This full lenght is without doubt among
the best and most intense thrash/death/black/beer metal ever done. Thereīs
something on the sound of this record that makes you think itīs 1988...pure
furious music with a pissed off attitude. And the vocals, so fucking insane.
Pure rage!!! HADES "SaviorSelf" Metal Blade
Records The old american HADES, leaded by Alan
Tecchio, known for his work in the ī80īs as the vocalist for the technical
thrash masters WATCHTOWER. This is not that far away from that style, being
technical thrash/speed sometimes very weird and performed by excellent
musicians. Fans of progressive power metal will find in this release a very
good choice. Good, but not my kind of band. IMPERIAL DOMAIN "In the Ashes of the
Fallen" Pulverised Records This debut CD is a very well played
melodic death metal that can only be compared to the style of SENTENCED in
the "Amok" album. Yes, that means that this one has that almost
rock feeling, but without losing itīs death metal roots. To be honest, Iīm
not very impressed by this kind of death metal, but IMPERIAL DOMAIN has that
special touch. A good band. IMPIOUS "Evilized" Black Sun
Records Here weīre talking of brutal death
metal, which at first reminds you of the old masters like early DEICIDE,
MORBID ANGEL or IMMOLATION. Neverthless, not everything is as good as it
seems. IMPIOUS plays good but at times it sounds a bit generic and loses to
gain a proper identity. Thereīs potential on this band and probably in the
future we will hear better things. IN RUINS "Four seasons of gray"
Metal Blade Records IN RUINS plays a very atmospherical
death/doom metal, with low deep voclas, and some keyboards. But the final
result is more or less he same with all the songs: something is missing. Doom
metal is not anymore what it used to be long time before. Any early
CANDLEMASS record can prove you so. What IN RUINS needs is to express more
with their music, as some songs sounds like if the band is holding something.
Not that bad, but not exactly a great release. INVERTED "There can be only one"
Shiver Records I remember this band from the demo
"Tales of esteban". And that was some long time ago. Now this is
their latest recording, and they havenīt changed a bit their style of brutal
satanic death metal. That means a sound like early DEICIDE or SUFFOCATION.
Yes, thatīs right, a swedish band playing in the american brutal death metal
style. A bit of more variation in their fast parts would have make this album
better, but thatīs a case of taste. Taste te firebreath of the dragon. OPERA IX "Sacro culto" Shiver
Records Second album from this italian band,
leaded by a female vocalist, Cadaveria, which can actually spit out sounds
that many male vocalists would actually envy. "Sacro culto" is a
weird, raw, complex and sometimes demented death/black metal, which is very
hard to compare with. The thing here is that not all the ideas are as great
as the band intends to. Those looking for original bands can take a listen to
the "Sacro culto". OPETH "My arms, your hearse"
Century Media Records OPETHīs most intense work to date. This
retains the style of the band, pushing it further to break the limits of death/black/thrash
and beyond, with added jazz, classical and acoustic music. This is a complete
aural experience. Still the band remains true to their music writing, with
longs songs and lots of breaks in them, but they have not wimped out. There
has been some line-up changes in the band, but it seems they havenīt been
affected by that. An essential buy. Impressive. PROPHANITY "Stronger than steel"
Metal Blade Records Swedish band which plays in the melodic
death/black metal style. Fast music, with high pitched vocals and lots of
thrash sounds. We are talking of DISSECTION and AT THE GATES kind of style.
Thereīs some good riffs in most of the songs and they are pretty aggressive
most of the time. It is just that it sounds so familiar. But I bet you will
like it. I did. SARCASMO "Searching the end from my
past" demotape From Mexico, we have this band, with a
music style can be defined as melodic death metal, with slight doom
influences, although mostly played fast. It reminds me to a mixture between
the old and the new swedish death metal bands. Thereīs still room for
improvement, but this band is on the right track and it is a pleasent
surprise to hear. Contact: SARCASMO c/o Mario Medina, P.O. Box 29, c.p. 73800,
Teziutlan, Puebla. MEXICO. SEPULTURAL FEAST "A tribute to
Sepultura" Balck Sun Records I donīt think that SEPULTURA is worthy
of a tribute now, but...this is a strange mixture of death, black and thrash
metal bands paying homage to a once great band that is now a mere shadow of
it. Black metal bands went for covering songs of "Morbid visions".
Death metal bands went for "Beneath the remains" and
"Arise" while thrash metal bands went for "Chaos A.D."
and "Roots". My only single question is: Where the hell are cover
songs from "Schizophrenia", SEPULTURAīs best album? Not a single
one. It is like you do a SLAYER tribute and you donīt put any song from
"Altar of sacrifice". Well, for diehard fans only. AGALLOCH "Pale Folklore" The End
Records Blackened doom metal band, with some
acoustical passages and eerie
atmosphere to it all. Sounding like KATATONIA from the "Brave murder
day" era. Although well played and very emotional, itīs not intense or
extremely heavy. Some songs tend to sound similar, and thatīs basically
because their songs tempo is always the same. I can feel a slight touch of
some old heavy metal influence in their songs, so thatīs a must. The
production is good and the layout fits very cold sound of this band. For
doomed fans. LUX OCCULTA "Dionysos" Pagan
Records Second album from this unholy Polish
band, of fast and atmospheric black metal, that is well played and with a
good production. There is a use of keyboards and flutes, that only adds a
more mystic touch to this disc. At times the sound reminds me to the first
works of EMPEROR although with a more personal touch and a quite different
structure. An improvement over their past album, pagan and black metal fans
seek for this one. GODDESS OF DESIRE "Symbol of
Triumph" Metal Blade Records Second album from this barbaric trio
from The Netherlands that plays very much in the vein of VENOM and BULLDOZER
with a look that was ripped off from MANOWAR. It is blessed with a strong
production and some good artwork, but I didnīt find it to be interesting or
groundbreaking. It is said they have a great live performance, so I guess
that it is the thing that is missing here. Not a bad album, but tends to be a
bit boring and not that strong. NOCTURNAL RITES "The Sacred
Talisman" Century Media Records I can hardly believe this band played
death/black in the early days. This is their third album, and continues the
tradition of their previous works of well crafted metal. If you like bands
like HELLOWEEN, IRON MAIDEN and so, you will enjoy this album. They have more
roots of traditional heavy metal. With great musicianship and incredible
vocals this is a very good album. PROFANUM "Profanum aeternum: Eminence
of Satanic Imperial Art" Pagan Records A few year ago I received a demo from
this Polish band. It was a pathethic try to play black metal with some of the
worst vocals I have ever heard. But what a surprise I received. This is a
black metal/classical music opus. The classical music thing is not something
very orchestral, but it does fits very well the music, and the vocals are now
good enough to keep up the dark atmosphere of this release. An interesting
and different metal release. ANGRA "Fireworks" Century Media
Records Probably after SEPULTURA the most
well-known band form Brazil. This is their latest offering, finally released
in the States. They have a good following in Japan, Germany and South
America. ANGRA plays traditional power metal, with awesome musicians and a
powerful vocalist. Fans of the style will be pleased with this release, with
catchy riffs and epic songs. Those searching for more aggression will have to
look somewhere else. HERMH "Angeldemon" Pagan Records
This is the Polish answer to what
MOONSPELL used to play in their first albums. A very powerful form of death
metal with doom and black metal elements mixed with the right amount of
melody to create a very competent album. Played mostly at mid-tempo, although
with some bursts of speed and with a very good guitar work, this is one of
those few band that use the keyboards to enhance the atmosphere. This comes
with a very good production and layout. A band to follow. Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra "The Keys
to the Gates of Apocalypses" The End Records Formed by a member of NOKTURNAL MORTUM,
this Ukraine band or project or whatever is one song apocalyptic work that
mixes black metal and ambient music to create a weird and passionate music in
juts one long song. The most remarkable thing here is that you will not
notice when the mid-tempo black metal that was playing soon turned into some
sort of symphonic astral music. Experimental black metal that is actually
interesting. THE ZEPHYR "Impure & Divine"
American Line Records The debut album of this mexican foursome
that plays a fast form of death metal with touches of thrash, grind and black
metal, but with melody. It is influenced by bands like ROTTING CHRIST and
SLAYER. The production, while being good and clear, could have been rawer.
Vocals are mostly screamy and fits good the music. A good record, but promises more. GWAR "We Kill Everything" Metal
Blade Records I usually hate the kind of bands that
play the kind of music GWAR does, but for a strange reason, I end up liking
every GWAR release. Probably it gots nothing to do with the music, which by
the way is a weird and extreme mixture of thrash, hardcore and sadism. And it
is probably also the lyrics, that although might seem funny, they have a lot
of true on them. And of course, letīs not forget their stage presence. GWAR
is a complete manifestation of what grotesque and vile things can get. And
for some reason, I seem to fucking worship that. FAERGHAIL "Horizonīs Fall"
Shiver Records Finnish band that plays a melodic form
of black metal, with many doom metal touches. This comes with good production
and layout, although for my tastes the guitar sound could be thicker and the
vocals improved. The lyrics are not satanic, yet they are dark and dealing
with the occult. Not exactly very brutal or intense, but sombre and mystic.
As a bonus the CD includes the songs of their demo. Fans of early DIMMU
BORGIR will like this one. ARCH ENEMY "Burning Bridges"
Century Media Records This is an awesome disc of heavy death
metal., with an incredible musical execution of the whole band. Probably some
will find some of the songs very heavy metallish, but the deep core of the
music is straight in-your-face death metal. This is not your typical swedish
band, it DOES have that "soul" that the same swedes did create back
in the early days of the death metal boom. MASSIVE and SUPREME! SUPPLICIUM "Beneath the cloak waiting
the gloomy essence" Demo Tape Years have passed since the last time we
have something of this band, but for a doom metal band, time is just nothing.
Ultra deep and tyrant death/doom metal that UNHOLY and WINTER used to play
years ago. This new work is formed by 8 long songs with a production that
could be better and there is room for improvement for the musicians, but the
essence is there. Fans of dark doom metal will surely like it. Contact at: c/o Arnulfo Flores, Calzada Insurgentes 552 Ote., c.p. 36580,
Irapuato, Gto. MEXICO. RHYMES OF DESTRUCTION "A Sun
Revolution" Shiver Records New work form this Belgian band, that is
quite variated and has a lot of interesting things. It is hard to describe a
style in particular for this band, as it mixes black and doom metal as well
as a lot of orchestral music. Vocals are bit low on the mix and they are more
into the low growly black metal style. Thereīs a good use of guitar and for
once the keyboards and FX used here are done in the way that they create a
sombre and mystic atmosphere. It reminds me at times to MASTERīS HAMMER early
works, although without the fast parts. Quite amusing and unique in itīs own,
fans of dark metal bands will surely worship this. EARTHCORPSE "The Taste Of Sin"
Shiver Records Once, many years ago, the british scene
was known for a wave of doom/death metal bands that created quite an impact.
PARADISE LOST, ANATHEMA and MY DYING BRIDE were the names. Now, we all know
those bands "evolved" from that dark origin. But, for those longing
the early doomed days, EARTHCORPSE will bring them the memories of desolation
and pain. Tormented death metal vocals with a heavy and ponding music is what
we get, very well done I might add. This CD comes with a great lay-out and
production, with dark and funebre lyrics dealing with the dark side of
humanity. BRUTAL DOOM !!! DARK TRANQUILLITY "Projector"
Century Media Records The fourth full-length album from this
originators of the called "Gothenburg" sound. Now in a new label,
DARK TRANQUILLITYīs style is pretty much the same, melodic and with catchy
guitar works, and the same vocals weīre used to. The noticeable difference
here is that the music is not as fast as it used to be and thereīs more usage
of normal vocals. Also, as their previous album "The Mindīs I",
this is more guitar orientated, and actually very heavy-metallish. It is a
good album, but not exactly their best work, as that award still goes to
their first masterpiece "Skydancer" I just hope they will not
follow a less heavier path. IMMOLATION "Failures for gods"
Metal Blade Records One of the few bands that deserves a
recognition for trying something different is this awesome foursome.
IMMOLATION music is an extremely brutal death metal, very wicked and
unorthodox, with many riffs and tempo changes. Itīs less melodic and more
strange than "Here in After" and it still gots that MORBID ANGEL
touch to it, but with a very personal sound. This 8 song blasphemic curse
grows on you every time you listen to it. Maybe at times it sounds a bit
complex, but that is what makes a difference. By the way, the artwork and
lyrics follow some kind of history from their first album to this. For fans,
essential. SHAMASH "Eternal as Time" OZ
Productions The full length debut of this mexican 6
demon piece is full of blackened and a bit technical death metal, which can
be compared to bands like DIMMU BORGIR, although SHAMASH plays more at
mid-tempo. There is also a noticeable heavy metal influence form bands like
KING DIAMOND in the overall structure of the songs, and it must be said that
the musical execution is far superior than many other bands. A thing to
notice is the pounding rhytmic section, there are 2 bass players in this
band, and the double bass drum is quite constant. For a debut album, this is
very good release. Death/black metal at itīs best. |
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