Denial Of God 'Death And The Beyond' review

DENIAL OF GOD

'Death And The Beyond'

(Hells Headbangers)

If one is planning to pay a visit to the crypt those Danes have been dwelling in for the last two decades, now the time is right as you'd be greeted by their most accomplished work to date. Sure, metal is a young man's game, we all have heard that saying more than once, yet the old guard is more than capable at times to dismiss the cliché and Denial Of God are one of the better examples of that. The band has easily morphed all their different influences to create a creepy vibe that's presented throughout the whole album, silently whispering all but forgotten names from the glorious past of our beloved metal in the process. Black metal, doomy psychedelics, heavy metal - you name it and rest assured you'd be able to discover all these in 'Death And The Beyond' (amazing title IMO!). Fans of modern day super-duper 'technical' playing, triggered-to-death drums and brickwalled sound, please, stay clear of this - you'd not get it, anyway. Good riddance. Die. However, all those who love the genuine atmosphere of good old metal done with clarity, class and dignity should invest their time and listen to this - you'd be rewarded, that's much certain. This album is a definitive keeper for a whole generation of fans, fiends and immortals. Chapeau, Denial Of God! [8,5]

(Vladimir Petrov)

Denial Of God 

Denial Of God at Facebook

  

Gospel Of The Horns 'Ceremonial Conjuration' review

GOSPEL OF THE HORNS

'Ceremonial Conjuration'

(Invictus)

No strangers to the mini album format, much less to delivering crushingly effective black/thrash, GOTH are finally back from their self-imposed exile. Dust off you bullet-belts, devotees of the vile Aussie sound, 'Ceremonial Conjuration' is a proud addition to an already impressive cataloque of metal this band has produced over the years. The new songs strike the listener with an immense atmosphere of darkness and destruction, which is no small feat itself but the band did the extra mile and made the tunes super catchy and memorable to boot. In a live setting this stuff should work wonders, there's this undeniable 'instant headbanging' factor one just can not possibly resist. Damn, the malign vocals by Howitzer are just what music of such proportions requires, Masochist's guitar work and tone is spot on and you should all know by now what an intense drummer Mersus (Destroyer 666) is . No need  picking a personal fave tune, all of them (including the closing cover of 'The Fog' by Goatlord) stand on their own, making this an essential purchase for those who prefer their metal rocking, raw and free of trends and fads. [8,5]

(Vladimir Petrov)

Gospel Of The Horns Facebook 

'Sorcery & Blood' streaming on GOTH MySpace 

 

Spire 'Metamorph' review

SPIRE

'Metamorph'

(Self-released)

Speaking of obscure atmosphere this mini album is hard to beat. The songs twist and unfold like a macabre, trance-inducing ritual straight from the most frightening pits of your imagination. Deceptively monotonous, until you start to pay attention to all these little details, 'Metamorph' is slowly working its way into your psyche as if you're about to gaze at some kind of hollow, all-encompassing void. The experimentation just works right for these Australians and it's great to listen to a band trying their take on the depressive black/ambient with success and their own malicious vision. The band has the whole EP for streaming on their Bandcamp page and since I was send the review link this was made available on CD by Art Of Propaganda in Germany. Keep you eyes peeled, Spire can only get deadlier. [8]

(Vladimir Petrov)

Spire at Bandcamp 

Spire Official 

Spire at Facebook 

Rampart 'War Behest' review

RAMPART

'War Behest'

(Inferno Records)

Bulgarian metal stalwarts Rampart are back on mission, this time with their sophomore CD album, following an amazing 'appetizer' cassette EP released in 2011. Change of personal more often than not equals a slight change of musical direction, a notion much evident for the band since the day axeman Vili Neshev has taken over the songwriting helm. Displaying more complex, richer, song structures and multitude of tempo changes, the music is still retaining a strong dose of melody, nicely complimented by brilliant guitar solos. Power progressive metal is quite a fitting term for this album, compared to the more orthodox traditional power-speed the band used to explore on their debut full-length, 'Voice Of The Wilderness'.

Lyrically, this is an ambitious project, billed as metal opera - to quote the band themselves: 'This conceptual piece of music consists of 10 compositions and presents an anti-utopia of war as clash of interest. In the real nature of conflict there are no losers and winners. The opposition is a result of our free will. This is a story about the restrictions of man and the decisions he could take on his way to perfection.' According to Maria (vocals) the lyrics also could be applied as a metaphor of the band's history thus far.

Starting off with an epic introduction that sets the tone of the war to come, the real battle soon begins, helped by massive, panzerfaust-like, production job. 'War Behest' is simply an awe-inspiring album and the listener would be well pleased by all of the featured ingredients - the melody-laden riffs and solos, powerful rhythm section and Maria's diverse vocal styles used throughout the tunes. Top honours go to the bone-crushing speed metal of 'Ghost Of Freedom', 'Fire Circle' (featuring a guest appearance of the violin player Sofia Vancheva from Vipera and Мъртво), the compelling epic that is 'Up In Arms' and 'Give Nothing Back'. Nothing's being left to chance - the audio aspects have been handed by Thord Klastrom of Gallows End, while the artwork is done by the well respected Bulgarian artist Dimitar Nikolov (Keep It True Fest, Ross The Boss, Sentinel Beast etc).

RAMPART are still waving the flag of power metal with pride, both domestically and abroad. Go out and see them live if they're touring near to your lair, a string of European dates has been planned for the Summer. And at any rate - order 'War Behest', which is available with a bonus disc featuring the mini 'A Tale To Cold' (review here). [9]

(Asen Asenov)

Rampart ReverbNation 

Rampart MySpace 

Inferno Records 

Reveal 'Nocturne Of Eyes And Teeth' review

REVEAL
'Nocturne Of Eyes And Teeth'
(Invictus - CD / High Roller - LP)

Nearly a year after the initial vinyl release (copies still available) here comes the CD version of these Swedes' debut album. Leave it to Invictus to unearth yet another band whose musical roots and influences are firmly planted in the days of old, with the matching 'warmer' production from the days gone by. I reckon that 'honesty' is the word that fits best in describing Reveal's music - a four-piece metal band that is able to keep their tunes interesting for the listener by mixing predominantly heavy metal riffing with  darkened beats and vocals coming via the black metal route, with the added spice of subtle rocky/bluesier solos and guitar melodies. 'Nocturne...' most likely isn't the album that would set the world on fire but in some respect there's no real need in that. I can easily imagine one approaching the band after a gig, drinking some brew and enjoying a lengthy conversation together on such important topics as denim, leather, dark forces, Morbid/Mayhem, obscure '80's metal etc.  until wee o' clock with Master's Hammer on repeat blazing  out of the speakers. Nice little scenario, if you catch my drift. [7,5]

(Vladimir Petrov)

 

Reveal Facebook 

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

Pseudogod 'Deathwomb Catechesis' review

PSEUDOGOD

'Deathwomb Catechesis'

(Hells Headbangers)

Listening to 'Deathwomb Catechesis' from Russia's Pseudogod it's hard to believe it's the bands debut release. Eight songs of bass,guitars heavy with equally heavy,fast pounding drums combined to make a very noisy,angry style and sound. But don't write the band off as just another death metal band as that would be a mistake. Just when you least expect it the band slows down to more controlled mid-paced death/doom style similar to older Incantation or Cianide, then speeds back up to the darkened,heavy style Pseudogod is crafting to perfection. The vocals are just as angry and heavy as the music itself,deep growls that add another layer to Pseudogod's already heavy sound. Fans who enjoy straight forward death metal with touches of old-school mixed in should not miss this album.

(Patrick)

Pseudogod at Hells Headbangers 

Witchtrap 'Vengeance Is My Name' review

WITCHTRAP

'Vengeance Is My Name'

(Hells Headbangers)

After six years of silence the masters of black/thrash'n roll return with a new release for all headbangers to bang their heads to. The band does the hard job of mixing old-school thrash/black metal but also mixes in some mid-paced rock'n roll guitars that are catchy and mixed very well in the bands metal style. The drummer does a good job keeping up with the changing tempos, going from faster beats to the more mid-pace rock styled ones, and the guys are always keeping the music tight and catchy which will keep the riffs,solos and beats in your head long after the CD is shut off. Vocals are old-school gruff,screams that you can understand what is being said. Fans of 1980's thrashy/speed black metal mixed with some rock influence will love Witchtrap and their latest metal gem. 

                                                                                                             (Patrick)

Witchtrap at Hells Headbangers 

Witchtrap Facebook 

Ritual 'The Resurrection' review

RITUAL

'The Resurrection'

(Funeral Rain Records)

After a long silence the US black metal band Ritual returns with a new release for the fans. Some of you might remember Ritual from their beginnings in the mid 90's ('The Summoning' 1995, 'Demonic Winter Metal' 1997 and 1998's 'Soldiers Under Satan's Command)...well present day,main man Ian Flemming (vocals,all instruments) returns with 'The Resurrection'. Ritual's music is definitely within the black metal genre but Ian is not afraid try and use some really well creative guitar structures to keep the listener's attention and to give each song a life of their own. Musically Ritual stays within the mid-paced almost doomish black metal specter and overall the newest release is a good one of quality black metal. Maybe not the most violent,extreme sounding band out there but still gets the point across.

(Patrick) 

Ritual MySpace 

Profanatica 'Sickened By The Holy Host' review

PROFANATICA

'Sickened By The Holy Host/The Grand Master Session'

(Hells Headbangers)

If you consider yourself a "fan" of raw,dirty and blasphemous black metal you will want to get this new double LP from the masters as soon as possible. This is not a new album from Profanatica but a double12 inch. The first side entitled 'Sickened By The Holy Host' includes 5 new tracks in the grim, Profanatica style at it's finest, among other re-recordings of past classic songs. The second side/part entitled 'The Grand Master Sessions' was originally recorded in 2008. The songs on this release are still grim and filthy but also seem to have a thrashy element within the thin guitars that cut through your speakers and eardrums like sharp knives. Fast drums that pummel your senses and keep your head banging to their rhythm. Truly demonic,sick blackened vocals spew out some of the most blasphemous lyrics ever written. Profanatica have stood the test of time through all the trends and bullshit that infected the black metal scene over the years. Now get this great double LP and hear why!! Mandatory for fans of fans grim, filthy black metal from this legendary band.

(Patrick) 

Profanatica at Hells Headbangers 

Nunslaughter 'Hells Unholy Fire' review

NUNSLAUGHTER

'Hells Unholy Fire'

(Hells Headbangers) 

Damn! Hells Headbangers have been busy this year releasing great,quality metal. This time re-releasing the legendary 'Hells Unholy Fire' originally released in 2000 this was the debut full-length (even though the band has countless bootlegs, EP's, demos etc.) from the band. I would guess most reading this have at least heard one release or one song from these guys but if no? Well then you are missing out! NUNSLAUGHTER embrace and embody all that made death metal great in the first place - mid-paced,heavy guitars with some catchy riffs/solos,drums are equally as catchy going from slower to mid-paced even moving to the fast paced for a few songs. And of course the sick growls. This era of death metal (early/mid 90's) is probably my favorite in the metal scene's history due to the fact that bands didn't try to out play each other with over the top complex,technical riffs or blast a million beats into one song. They just played from the heart and what they loved, not what others were doing or what the labels were pressuring them to. So to end this review before I bore the hell out of everyone - if you are a NUNSLAUGHTER fan you will want this for two reasons : no.1 it has been out of print for many years, and no.2 the label and band were kind enough to add a bonus disk (for the CD version unsure about the LP, sorry) 'An Evening At War Live'. Recommended to metal fanatics!!!

(Patrick) 

Nunslaughter Facebook 

Nunslaughter MySpace 

Legions Of Crows 'Stab Me' review

LEGIONS OF CROWS

'Stab Me'

(Funeral Rain Records)

This is a duo that mixes fuzzed out black metal and doom together. Musically the band keep it in the slow to mid-paced doom range. The band does have some faster black metal guitar moments but they are few and far between. The vocals use a lot of effects, which I am not a fan of, trying to create a darker, demonic effect on their voice (I assume) but doesn't really work for this band. In fact I think it hurts, as the music is OK but the vocals totally ruined this release for me. I do respect the band for trying to be creative or whatever but it failed pretty miserably on 'Stab Me'. Hopefully they will try a different approach on the next release.

(Patrick)

Legions Of Crows Facebook 

Legions Of Crows MySpace 

Morta Skuld 'Through The Eyes Of Death' review

MORTA SKULD

'Through The Eyes Of Death'

(Relapse Records)

It was kind of cool to see this show up in my mailbox. As soon as I read the band name it brought up memories of the early 90s death metal scene and me tape trading for Morta Skuld demos and shit. And no, just in case you were wondering as I did, Morta Skuld have not gotten back together (though I hear whispers of some reunion gigs). This is a compilation type release of both of their 1990 demo tapes combined on one disc. An interesting tidbit from the bio for you is the demos were produced by Death’s manager Eric Grief back in the day, he had recently finished working on the 'Spiritual Healing' album. The vocals especially on the second demo even remind me of Death a little bit. I am not sure how much work Relapse did with this as far as possibly remixing and I am sure remastering it. But the sound on here is absolutely fantastic, you can every bit of everything, loud and clear and crushingly heavy. I think people have to remember that these were demo tapes and were recorded in 1990. It was a time when death metal was such a new entity on the scene and kind of still figuring out what it was as a genre to some extent. So the music on here at times is not as intricate and a little less technical than what we are used to with modern extreme death metal bands. I mean in contrast Morta Skuld may even sound a little more doomy and slower paced. But that is what a lot of death metal sounded like back then and I was a huge fan of it. You know what I am still am too, because I enjoyed the hell out of this brutal death metal compilation. You even get a bonus Metal Church cover song that was never released. Morta Skuld had their shit going on as far as I am concerned. I think this is pretty cool Relapse put this out, it shows how big of fans they still are of death metal, as Morta Skuld was not even one of their bands back in the day, as the band released most of their albums on Peaceville Records. Check this out all old school death metal fans, if you missed it the first time around you will not be disappointed!

(Dale Roy)

Morta Skuld Facebook 

Morta Skuld Bandcamp 

Harpoon 'Deception Among Birds' review

HARPOON

'Deception Among Birds'

(Seventh Rule Recordings)

 

Harpoon is a three piece band hailing from Chicago, Illinois. I immediately thought of the band Cavity when I hit play. Though Harpoon are far more polished sounding, more controlled and their use of feedback on the guitars is more subtle than those maniacs. The songs are well crafted and there is actually a lot going on, despite not sounding cluttered. The vocals of Toney Vast-Binder are harsh, pissed off sounding yells with a lot of conviction and energy put into the delivery. The pacing of the music is nice as well, it has some speed at times, but also is painfully slow and grinding sludge drone at other times, creating some nice dynamics and emotion. I was skeptical when I read they used a drum machine, but I must admit this is one of the finest examples of hiding that fact I have come across. 'Deception Among Birds' is the type of album that you will keep finding new nuances you missed previously upon repeated listening. The album is not bogged down in a million time changes or far too busy for its own good. No, Harpoon have really mastered a balance between intricacy and subtlety on here but never forgetting the emotive quality of their music, which is what gives it its real personality. Controlled chaos thinking metal is what I would call it, this is my first experience with the band and I am pretty impressed.

(Dale Roy)

Full album stream 

Harpoon Facebook 

Entrench 'Inevitable Decay' review

ENTRENCH

'Inevitable Decay'

(Abyss Records)

Entrench from Sweden play violent "classic" thrash metal. The band seems to be influenced mostly by the early German gods of yesterday. The musicians of Entrench have a lot of good musical ideas to keep the music both fresh and memorable while keeping the pure thrash sound and attack alive within Entrench's songs. Chaotic fast guitars that while being played at insane speeds also have some complex structures and solo's that are pulled off flawlessly. It seems their are a lot of thrash metal bands coming out of nowhere in the scene but Entrench have a lot of great ideas added within their thrash that makes this band definitely one to stand out and above the endless sea of others currently flooding the scene. Fans of intense, raging thrash definitely get a hold of Entrench's 'Inevitable Decay' today!!

(Patrick)

Entrench MySpace

Coprostasis 'D.E.A.T.H.' review

COPROSTASIS

'Dirty Exterminating Arrogant Turbo Holocaust'

(Self-released)

Ooh Crikey It's... The Return of the Fabulous (see what I did here?) Copromafia, aka Coprostasis. Having had the rather questionable honour of being one of the first bands I reviewed for this zine (here, scroll down a bit) the gang's latest album is yet another example of what's wrong with yours truly music tastes. Why, yes - I like it dirty and arrogant, and I like it when an album makes me giggle hysterically every now and then, whilst pouring down another beer in the belly. Yep, I'm talking about having fun times and those charming odes to necrophilia, violence and drug abuse are suiting that particular mood perfectly. Coprostasis' death metal has all the ingredients an old-school maniac would be digging - there's enough groove 'n grind, thrash-on-steroids intensity and punk/hardcore styled rawness. All you sickoids should immediately stop whatever you're doing right now, be it packing the bong or cooking human stew or whatever floats your boat and get this album. You don't wanna missing out on this fine soundtrack to the killing spree you've been planning since the last bitch dumped ya, right? Kudos to the Copromafia for putting this out in such adorable digipak, too. Glad to see pimp money spent good, guys. [8]

(Vladimir 'Razorback' Petrov)

Coprostasis at Facebook 

Coprostasis MySpace