You've
heard it all before but here it goes anyway: We, at Dead
Void Dreams,
are thankful to all those nice bands and labels submitting us their
promos for review. And we're also honoured by that, it means we're
doing things right and people are paying attention in our doings.
Cheers!
In an
ideal, utopian, world everything sent our way will receive a proper
and prompt review. And this is not an ideal world. We're all trying
our best getting the zine thing up-to-date, yet at times it simply
becomes too much. We're understaffed (get in touch if writing
for a webzine sounds like your cup of blood!) and we all have to deal
with that demanding little thing called "real life" -
inevitably reviews would get delayed / fall between the cracks.
Welcome to Underground Niche Zine 101.
The
following reviews should be considered Void's
version of housecleaning, if you will. This might become a sort of
semi-regular feature, too. Under the given circumstances this is
certainly the best way for us staying true to our main intention -
writing about music and spreading the word of all those bands /
releases, as well as making sure catching up with the new stuff
submitted to us on daily basis.
Indulge
yourself.
- Vladimir Petrov -
THY HASTUR - 'The Ancients' (VittiV Records)
Recorded
in band's home studio in 2005 and released five years later,
'The Ancients' pretty much sums up the relationship most of
the old timers used to have with the once blossoming symphonic black
metal genre. Not a relationship per se but more like having
a crush on this nice girl for one term when in sixth grade. For the style
Thy Hastur have chosen this is fairly heavy and somehow darker
than the norm, yet while there's no major gripes with the material,
there's also nothing worth of extensive praising. Let's face it, this was
dated by the time it was recorded, much less nowadays. Having a wee crush can be sweet. Penetration rules hard. [6,5]
CRIMSON VALLEY - 'Crossing The Sky' (VittiV Records)
A surprisingly good and refreshing trip shall be had by all in this particular Crimson Valley. No-nonsense heavy metal is the name of the game for this Polish band and they do really mean it. Seriously flawless production, highly energetic songs (and the occasional ballad), awesome playing skills, a vocalist who means business - this band can go places, given the right push! They've studied their Iron Maiden with pride and prove it by these dual guitars and freakin' bass lines, add a certain nod to the glory old days of German heavy metal, thus making 'Crossing The Sky' an album well worth owing by metalheads young and old. [8]
MOONLESS
-
'Calling All Demons' (Doomentia Records)
With
Samhain just behind the corner, time couldn't have been more
appropriate for reviewing this album. Moonless
in no small part owe their sound to Glenn and Danzig,
opener "Mark Of The Dead" could easily fool you being a
long lost gem by the Evil Elvis and his crew of misfits - suitably
twisted guitars, blues-on-steroids rhythm and that deep voice that
sounds like you-know-who's. 'Calling
All Demons' is an album that grows on you with each new spin and it's
hard rejecting its infectiously catchy qualities and near hypnotic
effect. Not that you'd want to - this is a groovy monster that you'd
swore you have been familiar with since times immemorial, as there's
hardly mind-blowing originality here, but these are well-crafted slow
pacers that make chain-smoking and alcohol abuse nicer than what they
really are. The bastard in me likes this. [8]
EARTHRIDE
-
'Something Wicked' (Doomentia Records)
Fuck,
this was released in 2010? My theory is that the disc had crawled in
a dark abyss located somewhere in the room's corners a year or so ago
and just reappeared currently on my editorial desk, demanding review.
Thank Odin this is of the doom variety and as we all know doom, when
done right, denies the laws of time - and that's what we've here.
Wicked this is, with more than enough Sabbath
influence, mean bluesy rock licks and kicks and gritty vocals. One of
those albums to be played on a lazy Saturday morning, especially if
you've a "go" for the bluesier type of doom and the sweet
leaf. Kinda runs out of steam for me from the middle part of the album
onwards but does it matter - I'm but a zine editor on the web. And I
quit smoking pot over 10 years ago, boo! [7]
WOLFHEAD
-
'Wolfhead' (Doomentia Records)
A
project band of Graveyard and BetweenThe Frost members,
this one. Kinda weird, but not totally unexpected - hey, we're all
seasoned cats here in the Void
(Except Andrew but he hasn't contributed in months, sigh) and have
seen stranger things happen. Listened to stranger music, too, even
though Wolfhead
is
a contender - their suggested range of influences run the gamut from
Bathory,
old Darkthrone
and old Enslaved
to Trouble,
Alice
In Chains
and The
Sabs.
Plus Motorhead,
of course but who's not a Motorheadbanger? Don't answer me, I don't
feel the need to be aware of the possible existence of such dumb
folks anyway. Throw a (rather decent) cover of "Wish You Were
Here" in the mix and you'll know for certain Wolfhead
have
a proverbial Everest to climb over to proclaim victorious. Not the
easiest task, no matter how skilled they are, agreed? There are parts
on this (usually the more experimental / stoner / flat out rocking
ones rather that the metal stuff) that are nearly brilliant and the
production is top notch, but - to continue the Mount Everest theme,
I feel the band is still in Camp III and "it's a long way to the
top if you wanna rock 'n' roll". [7]
CUNTSCRAPE
- 'Papsmear
Campaign' (Prime Cu(n)ts Music)
 |
| CuntSpace |
The
golden shower, err, years, that's it - years of porno grind may be
over, but the fact does mean little to those suffering the disease.
Cuntscrape
are lowbrow, supershit to the max and proud of that, with little
ditties named "Hellatio", "Analrexic", "Cum
Fart Tart", "I Wanna Do It With A Midget"etc. etc. -
d'ya reckon they'd stood a chance in the charts? The genre has always
been part gruesome parody, part blood-soaked, cum-infested dirty
laundry - and great part fun, if done right. This is nearly up there
with the best of them, kinda like fellow Oz intellectuals Blood
Duster
crossbred with a more moronic Macabre
and Gut
on the brothel's cheapest crack. The filthy stench of that particular
mutant reeks through the speakers, plain lovely, isn't it? [7]
V/A Split My Bitch Up (Prime
Cunts Music)
My mate Kristoffer over at the sorely missed My Last Chapter has gone
great lengths giving this 4-way split a proper review, so check it
out on his site. Cuntscrape [6] are,
well...Cuntscrape: slimey and unhealthy fun (of sorts). 5
tracks here, "Giving Head To Mister Ed" winning the "best
title" award, with "Teddy Got Fingered" a close second
runner. Malaysia's Goresluts [5] follow
suit, "Karma Pussy" and all but this is sooo
"blast-into-the-one-ear-out-of-the-other" styled to warrant
a compliment as far as I'm concerned. Still, significantly better
than Indonesia's Rezume [1] - if this is
death metal then it deserves to be ended soon. Rubbish. Trite, dire,
low IQ rubbish. Japan's own Morbid Vision [5]
close things off with 4 demo style death songs I could generally
stomach, only just.
Disappointing and useless, overall. Split Your Bands Up would
be the more appropriate title.
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