Avenger 'Bohemian Dark Metal' review

AVENGER

'Bohemian Dark Metal'

(Deathgasm)

Balls the size of King Kong's very ones are required from a band inclined to use the term 'Dark Metal' (you weird syckos Bethlehem, you!) in their album title, nevertheless to justify that through their tunes. Avenger, ladies and gentleman, IS that fuckin band. Serving their dues to the underground since times immemorial (eh, the early '90's), these Czech lunatics have developed a brutal onslaught on the senses, mixing the intricacies of black and death metal with haunting vocals, which prove once again that their native language fits like a blood-dripping axe in mass-murderer's hands to the menacing metal the real freaks prefer to consume. Most certainly we won't be going to experience another Bathory, Celtic Frost or Master's Hammer life-changing music revelations in our lifetimes, yet bands such as Avenger should be held in high regard as one of those who are damn close to achieve the very same impact. There should be a good reason that Honza was recruited to play the drums for the return-to-form 'Vracejte konve na misto', right? [8]

(Vladimir)

Avenger at Bandzone.cz

Occultation 'Three & Seven' review

OCCULTATION

'Three & Seven'

(Invictus)

The Irish label had seen enough merit to secure the European release of this album, thus adding some diversity to their roster. With Negative Plane being on the lips of everyone dwelling in the subterranean scene it's a safe bet that Occultation will be given plenty of interest and, quite possibly, some harsh reactions to balance the praise. This is dark and brooding, filled with atmosphere of decomposing corpses and endless gloom and a far cry from most of the allegedly similar 'Occult Rock/Female vocals' acts of today which shamefully sound closer to the likes of Uriah Heep instead of a band that is trying to portrait the unknown. When in the right mood this can be really good as there are enough interesting parts, harmonies and musicianship to be found in these seven songs, so listeners whose taste runs towards  the obscure end of the musical spectrum would most likely deem Occultation valuable. Everyone else will probably pass this up and will be looking forward to the new Gospel Of The Horns album that Invictus are doing soon. [7]

(Vladimir)

Occultation Facebook

Decayed 'Lusitanian Black Fucking Metal ' review

DECAYED

'Lusitanian Black Fucking Metal'

(War Productions)

Me and fellow scribes are surely obliged to send out our gratitude in forms of bottled spirits to the Portuguese demons for coming up with such self-explanatory album title. Not that it's in any way awkward or badly needed, by now everybody should know what's to be expected from J.A. and his chosen cohorts. Filthy, heavily distorted and primeval thrashing black assault, 666 light-years away from what's considered 'hip' and 'cool' at the given moment by the 'experts' of the scene. While this stubbornness and refusal to tame their appeal had certainly limited the interest in Decayed's music from the general metal public and press there's simply no denying that all those headbangers whose blood cells have been infected with the unhealthy viruses known as 'The Return' or 'Obsessed By Cruelty' are going to crack open and consume copious amounts of beer to the sounds of this album. The Lusitanian tag is justified by seven high-octane blasphemies sung in their native language, which are nicely complimented by cover versions of 'Dead City' and '13 Candles', with the Bathory track being an eerie sounding evil witchfuck, to put it mildly. [8]

(Vladimir Petrov)

Decayed MySpace 

Decayed Facebook



Cauldron Black Ram 'The Poisoner' review

CAULDRON BLACK RAM

'The Poisoner'

(Abysmal Sounds)

A 'Maxi-EP' release could bring a tear to the crusty and ungraciously aging eyes of the seasoned veterans reading this but that's the way the flyer bills these four songs from the Aussie gang. Too bad 'The Poisoner' isn't made available on 12'' vinyl [Parasitic Records from the US are apparently going to do this - ED], now that would be the ultimate format to justify the notion, as the music certainly warrants it. Too bad I won't be able to compare this to the band's earlier releases, since this is the first I'd heard from them, bar one song on a compilation CD I got a decade ago...time is a funny little bitch, ain't it? Cauldron Black Ram seem to be one of those bands that are hard to pigeonhole style-wise, but let me assure you there's a certain deranged atmosphere in these tunes that make this band stand on their own. Occasionally doomier than what I'd expected and crushingly low-tuned those songs are a nice example of what can be achieved in this medium when the musicians are able to come out with interesting arrangements and kinda odd sounding guitars and drumming. The snarling vocals give this even more of a freaky sinister feel, which in fact is rather reminiscent to the one from the death metal demo era of the late '80's/early '90's and that's not a bad thing in itself. 'The Poisoner' has a certain dark charm, definitely both a grower and a nice appetizer for the band's next full-length. [7,5]

(Vladimir)

Cauldron Black Ram



March Of The Hordes / Escape The Flesh 'Split CD' review

MARCH OF THE HORDES / ESCAPE THE FLESH

Split CD

(Lavadome Productions)

The good old split concept, this time both bands are sharing common ground by their love of the old Swedish sound and distortion and by keeping things simple and not pushing the speed boundaries to absurd and artificial levels. We get a pair of songs each from those young units and there's a clear difference between their chosen means to an end, with MOTH [6,5] generally holding more of a 'nerve' and harsher vocalist, while Escape The Flesh [7] seem to be pleased to add crushing, doomier weight to their style, which overall appears to be catchier with all these Hellhammer-esque beats, gruff vocals and heavy churning riffs. A good initiative by Lavadome and congratulations to them for their debut vinyl release, 'Dead Lovers’ Guide' by Brutally Deceased - review here.

(Vladimir)

March Of The Hordes

Escape The Flesh