Voidcleaning - reviews part 5

Thanks to Patrick for those reviews. 

The slumber is over now, Dead Void Dreams is back in action!

DESOLATE SHRINE 'The Sanctum Of Human Darkness' (Dark Descent Records)

One of Finland's most underrated (in my opinion anyways) brutal, dark death metal bands returns with their second masterpiece of destruction. Desolate Shrine released their amazing debut 'Tenebrous Towers' in 2011 through Hammer Of Hate Rec. well it didn't take long these dark Finnish masters to find a new home with the great Dark Descent Rec. to release their follow-up CD. If you heard 'Tenebrous Towers' you are aware of this band's brilliance, but if you missed that gem Desolate Shrine mix heavy fast, aggressive death metal with touches of slower, darker death/doomish style that really works for this band. Desolate Shrine is a hard band to compare to any one certain band so I will just end the review by saying if you enjoy evil, dark, original sounding death metal then Desolate Shrine is a band you will definitely want to hear as soon as you can. Another great release for Dark Descent Rec. - looking forward to see what they release in 2013!!

Desolate Shrine on Facebook 

HAIDUK 'Spellbook' (Self-released)

Luka Milojica (vocalist, guitars, drum programming) has created some really impressive music on his latest musical offering 'Spellbook'. Nine tracks of fiery, intense death/thrash with a lot of really well played and thought out guitar riffs and solos. I am not familiar with Luka's past projects/bands but it is obvious listening to 'Spellbook' that he has been playing guitar for quite a few years, as his guitar playing is what shines through the most on each of these songs, whether he is shredding away or thrashing away with heavy metal/speed metal madness or giving his fingers a rest and going for a more mid-pace riffs. The drums which are compliments of a drum machine almost sound like a real drummer not sure how Luka set it up but the drumming sounds excellent and fits the guitars perfectly. Haiduk is definitely recommended to fans who enjoy thrashing/death metal with a lot of complex yet fast and chaotic guitar work. 

Haiduk 

CHAPEL OF DISEASE 'Summoning Black Disease' (FDA Rekotz)

FDA Rekotz sure knows how to pick out the better quality sounding old-school bands out there in the never ending sea of bands that has been flooding the underground in the past few years. Chapel Of Disease is the label's latest offering and these Germans do a great job of mixing in '90s style tech brutal death of (early) Gorguts and Death albums mixed with some more straight-forward European and U.S. brutal death metal. The band also has some darker melodies for an extra layer of heaviness and darkness within the bands' already near perfect sound. Chapel Of Disease is a great example of of how you can keep the old-school traditional death metal sound but also add your own ideas to keep it fresh and original. Highly recommended to all death metal fanatics out there!!

Chapel Of Disease 

SULPHUR AEON 'Swallowed By The Ocean's Tide' (FDA Rekotz)

Germany's Sulphur Aeon mix a nice blend of straight forward death metal and some melodic parts within the brutality. The guitars are non-stop riffs and mix in some decent riffs and few solos throughout the songs.The drumming is decent but nothing really outstanding - just non-stop beats, no real structure. Not a horrible album as this is the band's debut but there are definitely a lot better bands on the FDA roster worth checking out.

 Sulphur Aeon on Facebook

DEHUMANIZED 'Controlled Elite' (Comatose Music)

New York legends Dehumanized return with only one previous full-length under their belts (1998's 'Prophecies Foretold') and the band made quite an impact with this release, becoming one of New York's most recognizable slam/brutal death metal bands playing shows all over the U.S. The band re-united and was picked up by the mighty Comatose Music (a perfect label for Dehumanized style of music) and here we have the newest offering ' Controlled Elite'. Was it worth the wait? Does Dehumanized still have the fire and brutality they had so many years ago? The answer to both questions is yes! Dehumanized pick up right where they left off playing heavy mid-to fast paced guitars and bass with some slower heavier sections or the more pit inducing faster death guitars with some really well done riffs and solos. The drummer is simply amazing playing slower, heavier/slam beats or blasting away with aggression - either way this band does it to perfection! Great to see them back in action. If you are a fan from the past definitely check this out! Or if you missed them in the early 90s but enjoy brutal, slam death metal check this out you won't be disappointed.

Dehumanized on Facebook 

Deserted Fear 'My Empire' review

DESERTED FEAR

'My Empire'

(FDA Recotz)

I seen these guys band name, then seen these blokes are from Germany and I am thinking gotta be a straight up old school German thrash band. I hit play and I heard some slashing, powerful guitars build to a crescendo and busting through my headphones. Nope I was wrong this is some really good old school Swedish death metal influenced sickness. I mean not entirely that sound, you can hear some old school American influence like Repulsion or Autopsy going on, so in other words only the finest do they draw from. Just like those influences the vocals kind of differ from the usual but also sound rather similar to the bands vocals above, plus maybe some Martin Van Drunen from Pestilence thrown in for good measure. These guys know how make some killer riffs, not going a million miles a minute, no they sit down on a good riff and milk it, I like that. 'My Empire' has a cool as a rotting corpse atmosphere to it and it really takes me back to the old days, which is a place I like to be with my music. Check this the hell out.

(Dale Roy) 

Deserted Fear Facebook 

 

Ominous Crucifix 'The Spell Of Damnation' review

OMINOUS CRUCIFIX

'The Spell Of Damnation'

(FDA Recotz)

'The Spell Of Damnation' is the creation of Mexico's Ominous Crucifix. To be truthful I had my doubts for this band and release, due to the massive amounts of bands that are playing and releasing old-school styled death metal the last few years. But Ominous Crucifix are really good and can be, and should be, added to the list of bands that are doing the old-school gods right, by playing and producing quality well-played death metal. Heavy, thick mid-paced guitars and bass, deep growls spew out the lyrics. Ominous Crucifix have done a good job of creating old-school death metal that is enjoyable and memorable.

(Patrick) 

Ominous Crucifix at Facebook 

Dead 'Hardnaked...But Dead!' review

DEAD

'Hardnaked...But Dead!'

(FDA Recotz)

Germany's Dead return with a new assault of sleazy,filthy old-school brutal death metal. I remember hearing this band's name through tape-traders, fan/web-zines etc. over the last 10 yrs or so, but sadly I never got any of their earlier releases (I'm kicking myself now after hearing their latest!). I was under the impression the band was more of a gore-grind style band but with 'Hardnaked...But Dead!' the band is full-on old-school death metal with a healthy dose of brutality. Dead is stripped down death metal inspired by such legends as Autopsy, Cianide etc...you know, bands who don't have to play a million notes and blasts a minute to prove they are brutal or heavy and they are definitely not the newer genre of death metal that plays the god-awful core or over-played technical style. Dead are not a copycat or blatant rip-off band, they play this style of metal for the sheer love and genuine support of this genre and this shines through in the band's musical ability and writing. The band have crafted some great guitar work and drums to keep the music interesting and never really gets boring, the vocals are powerful growls. Dead have crafted a solid death metal release that will please both long time fans as well as new ones. 

(Patrick) 

Dead

Deus Otiosus 'Murderer' review

DEUS OTIOSUS

'Murderer'

(American Line Prod./FDA Rekotz)

After all these years of doing zines I still love getting and hearing new bands. And Denmark's Deus Otiosus is definitely one of the best old-school death metal bands I've come across in the last few months. I have pretty much become a picky old bastard with death metal in general (as much as I hate to admit it, that it's the truth) but Deus Otiosus offers everything that got me hooked onto death metal in the first place. Heavy, uncompromising death metal at it's finest, no over-the top jazzy or technical guitar riffs with a million solos - instead sticking to the basic heavy straight forward guitar patterns of the elder death metal gods. The band does have some impressive structures and few solos thrown in a few of the songs, but nothing overly done like so many of today's bands. The drums are mid-range with some faster beats when it is needed but the band's strength definitely is in the more straight forward mid-paced song-writing. The vocals are deep and vicious growls that are a perfect match for Deus Otiosus' old-school style and approach. If you are an old-school maniac who misses the late 80's/early 90's when death metal was the law and nothing was better then definitely get 'Murderer' as this is sure to be a classic release.

(Patrick)

Deus Otiosus