Innzmouth - Lovecraft's Dreams (2012)

I haven't come across too many metal bands from Syria until today. The funeral doom metal band Innzmouth has recently released their new album, entitled "Lovecraft's Dreams." The album contains a total of five tracks. It's depressive tempos put you in the mood for some dark and devilish funeral doom.

The intro, "Estoric Order Of Dagon," opens the album with a one minute babble of guitar riffs that are layered over each other in an off timing sound. This leads you right into the eerie guitars of "Lovecraft's Dreams." Haunting keyboards fill the air with dark melodies as you run right into deep chugging guitar riffs that completely take over the background. The lead guitar is full of wretched distortion that makes you flinch with its ominous tones. The tempo stays slow as a devilish growl comes in and knocks you out of your chair. More evil keyboards follow the growls as they float lightly in the background. This eight minute track definitely has some potential with its devilish melodies and gloomy sound effects. It definitely paints a funeral metal type of sound.

The third track, entitled "The Voyage," has the album move even slower with its delayed drum rolls and cymbals that crash heavily in a very depressing speed. More screechy guitar riffs take over in the beginning with wicked melodies and screaming distortion. The vocals switch between monstrous growls to higher black metal screams. The delivery is fantastic. The song structure itself could use a little more creativity. A lot of the song is the same riff over and over again and it starts to put you to sleep about three minutes into it. Keep in mind that this track runs for over 11 minutes long. It begins to change a little more as you move further into the track. The vocals are what really keep the track interesting. The wicked black metal screaming sound awesome and really send chills down your spine. One instrument you'll really start to notice towards the end of the track is the bass. Its depressive bass lines will have you drowning in its sorrow.

"Requiem" is the fourth track on the album and runs for over nine minutes long. The first minute is all orchestral strings that play a dark and gorgeous melody. This leads into muddy guitar riffs with high distortion effects on them. The low quality gives it that classic black metal sound. The kick and snare drum, however come out muffled as well only in a bad way. Its unclear patterns are a major turn off to the album. The drums were descent in all of the other tracks so I'm not sure what they were going for when they recorded this album. You may have a difficult time getting through this last track. The quality really takes away from the song altogether.

With a short intro and outro, "Lovecraft's Dreams" is really only three solid tracks. It still comes out to about 30 minutes total which is just about right for a three track funeral doom metal album. They album had a lot of potential with the instrumentation and vocals however that fourth track really took a dip in the end. Check out the second and third track if you get a chance but I wouldn't waste any time on the rest though.

6/10

Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/innzmouth

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Suffer The Silence - Good Mourning (2012)

Ah, Texas. The home of the death penalty, oil tycoons, and larger than life attitude. Then there's Suffer The Silence, a death/doom band from Laredo, who are struggling to find their voice in the ever-improving American metal scene. Formed in 2005 by brothers Rafael and Marcus Guerra, this two (and sometimes three) piece band haven't quite got their collective finger on the pulse of the genre. What they possess in desire, they lack in core production values and mid level writing skill. On their new album, "Good Mourning," they ramble and meander through five tracks that just don't seem to have any point.

A sweetly played acoustic guitar opens "Somewhere," joined soon by a painfully slow drum beat, and the cry of an electric guitar. With each passing tom and snare, the track builds an atmospheric quality, a light haze that coats everything. But as the vocals enter, the mix comes into question, with the music itself overpowering the screams of Marcus Guerra. The softly spoken vocals don't suffer the same fate, as they create an eerie tone to the measures that follow. But as the music explodes again, the harsh vocals are pushed to the back of the line. The individual pieces have a hard time shining through with any power, as the mix drains the emotion and energy from the instrumental. If you look past the glaring technical errors to the core of the song itself, you find an explosive piece of work, from the punch of the drums, down to the airy guitar work. With each passing second, you begin to lose track of the production, and hone in on each separate string, each singular drum hit.

Lightly entwined guitar parts form the opening for "Elsewhere," with small additions coming over the course of the four minute duration. As an interlude of sorts, this is a success, albeit one of massive length. It would have been just as effective as a two minute piece, if not moreso. It leads directly into"Not Here," which itself begins with an acoustic intro. The understated beginning now make the previous track feel wholly unnecessary, as it were. What builds from that beginning is a piece of music that could be classified as "post doom" at times, before the main chunk begins. Unfortunately, the hoarse vocals get buried in a sea of guitars and drums, as you struggled to feel their impact. The uneven nature of the production creates so many sound issues, especially in the more dense moments here, with only the guitars managing to come through with any sort of clarity. While the drums peak through time and again, they are left feeling jumbled and random. And for a track that stretches over that magical ten minute mark, it becomes very hard to sort it all out by tracks end.

Following the previous formula, "Nowhere" takes the interlude notion to the extreme. While this particular installment does contain a rather harsh and aggressive portion towards the end, it really serves as a drawn out break between epic tracks, building on the same clean acoustics, step by step. Each addition to the mix seems to turn the volume and intensity up by one notch, but never enough to feel it in your chest. And the aptly titled "Never" closes things out, while simultaneously living up to its name. It never quite gets the momentum going again, with sparse waves of guitars and rolling drums leaving too many gaps in the early going to recover from. Repeated chords and drum pattern are about all you are left with, cover in the slimy ooze of poorly mixed harsh vocals. This is not to say there aren't bright spots to be found. Small doses of heavy, yet melodic guitar work do shine through the clouds here and there, giving you something to hang your hat on. But in the scale of a thirteen minute track, there simply isn't enough to make a lasting impression.

It is difficult to call the concept of this album "ambitious," mainly because I am not totally sure if there was a concept at all. Over the course of five tracks and over fifty minutes of music, Suffer The Silence never seem to hit a stride, with sporadic bits of fully fleshed out writing struggling to find a home. And while a bad recording can certainly ruin an album, this one was lacking before anyone ever hit the record button. What is even more troubling is that you never get a clear idea of what comes next. How the band evolves and refines their sound will be key in making the follow up to "Good Mourning" worth the listen. But if anyone can direct them to a good engineer, it couldn't hurt.

4/10

Bandcamp - http://sufferthesilence.bandcamp.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SufferTheSilence

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The Podcast: Episode 51 (Memories of a Top 10 list gone by...)

With our Top 10 lists for the first half of the year looming, we decided to take a look back at the lists that ended 2011. How do we feel about the albums we chose, their order, and how much do we listen to them today? I know, you are on the edge of your seat. Check it out, and hear for yourself!

Download it right...about...HERE!

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September Mourning - Melancholia (2012)

After coming across a band called September Mourning and noticing that they are listed as Gothic Metal, I decided to take a chance... And now I'm regretting it. This "Gothic Metal" band from the USA has recently released their new album, entitled "Melancholia." The front cover caught my eye so i gave it a shot. This was a big mistake.

The album starts with "Go For The Throat" which opens with a female scream as chugging guitar riffs jump in. The verses are filled with clean female vocals that at the time sound decent. Then she starts to scream with this horrible "hardcore" type of screaming that screeches trough the air with terrible tones. The guitars stay pretty basic with a similar riff running throughout the track. They later add a breakdown that has some of the most basic riffs I've ever heard. Also the refrain really aims for radio success. This is where you can really tell the band is from the United States. "A Place To Call Your Own" also leans heavily on a catchy hook with basic melodies and basic drum rolls as female vocals are soaked in reverb effects and heavily layered on top of one another. Meanwhile the verses continue with her wretched screams and aggressive vocals.

Track number three, "Always," is where you'll start to realize that every track sounds the same and has the same exact vocal deliver, guitar patterns, and refrains. All they do is constantly layer the vocals in the chorus and add tons of reverb and delay. The guitars are chugging in the same patterns as they did the first two tracks. "Lost Angel" has some of the most ridiculous lyrics i've ever heard. And the delivery of the melody is just horrible in every way. "It's gonna take a miracle to get the job done," and "I'm sending out an S.O.S. " These lyrics basically repeat throughout the entire track. One thing that you will notice in the background of these lyrics towards the end of the track is a little guitar solo. The only thing is they keep the volume of the solo so low you barely know it's there in the first place. Metal is about wicked solos so why would you cover them up, wicked or not.

"Beyond The Grave" and "Last Embrace" attempt to close the album with a bang but fail as they throw heavily distorted riffs at you but overly repeat them. On top of that, the vocals just sound like wining lyrics at this point. These are just a couple of three minute bullshit tracks that the band tacked on to make their album somewhat full.

After listening this entire album, you would think that the band got together and agreed to take Halestorm vocals and mash them with Of Mice And Men guitar riffs and sound like every other bullshit hardcore emo band that comes out of the United States. It's shitty bands like this that piss me off the most. They purposely aim for radio hits that sound exactly the same as the bullshit hardcore tracks that are already out there. There is no originality in this album. Do not waste your time with September Mourning.

3/10

Official Site - http://septembermourning.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/mlazar

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Fire In The Cave - Fire In The Cave (EP) (2012)

Out of the ashes of one band, comes another. Comprised of the line-up from now defunct Bad Actor, comes Orlando, Florida's Fire In The Cave. This five piece defies genre tagging, as they walk the thin, blood red line between so many. Harnessing the raw energy of everything from black to psychedelic metal, this is a public service announcement to our countrymen and visitors alike, that Orlando has more to offer the world than Mickey Mouse and friends. On their self titled EP, they give us two reasons to believe that the deep south is far better than once thought.

A constant pounding of the kick drum opens "Civilized Swamp," before things quickly descend into sheer madness. What you come face to face with is an assault of black metal tenets, from machine gun drums to heavily distorted guitars. Vocalist Josh Mazorra screams his way through the early stages, pummeling your ear drums with pure hatred, but not without a rich, poetic quality. Somewhere in that harsh growling voice is a writer that sees beyond the surface effect. The real surprise, however, is how easily the band transition into, and out of, those blackened segments. In a flash, they draw back the hard and heavy, and lay down a more progressive guitar lead, one with character and substance. It's as if the switch is flipped, and they are brutally heavy; it is flipped again, and they put out something cathartic and melodic. This quality keeps you anticipating the next move, leaning in close to your speakers, waiting for the death blow.

Picking up where the opener left off, "Aeden Carr" is the straight punch to the jaw you wanted next. There is a perfect melodic edge to the way the guitars are delivered, especially when combined with a bass line that pokes its head out just enough. All of the pieces meld together nicely, but without giving up the tiny details that stand out for each. Even in the pure blackened death drum rolls, you aren't left to drown in a sea of blast beats, but rather you get to wade into small pools of rolls, riffs, and gritty vocals. Simply by listening, you give the band license to try other things, like the bluesy guitar lead that bursts out around the three minute mark. The soft whispers that follow may lull you into that false sense of security, but you should, by now, know what's coming. A crushing move forward, with Mazorra growling his way into your brain stem. The ferocity of his screams, however, is not the vessel for a song about fucking bitches, or driving fast cars. The lyrical content is there, a delicate balance of commentary and chaos. "With rifles at our backs, we charge onward, toward the sounds of hymnal desolation. These intruders will, soon know the ire of our kin."

There is a ground shaking rumble coming from all over the country, one that has the ability to open up whole cities, and swallow them whole. The new wave of American metal isn't all about how many "cores" you can add into your bio, something Fire In The Cave have proven. This movement is based on diversity and dedication to the craft. Sure, everything has been done before in some configuration or another, but why should that stunt the creativity of the new stars? This is not to say mashing up twenty different styles will always work out, but for this Florida five, it looks like they are on to something big.

8.5/10

Bandcamp - http://fireinthecave.bandcamp.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/fireinthecave

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Embryonic Cells - The Dread Sentence (2012)

After finding the unique and talented band Crown I decided to continue my search to see what else France has to offer now a days. Then I came across Embryonic Cells. They list themselves as a mixture of thrash and atmospheric black metal. I'm not sure if I can totally agree with that. Their new album, entitled "The Dread Sentence," displays some interesting melodies and instruments that blend a couple of different genres together. I don't think they're really atmospheric at all though. And their guitar riffs suggest more of a death metal feel.

The album opens with "Fall Is Coming" which is a short minute and a half intro that throws strange and haunting sound effects at you with different keyboards and synths. It definitely displays a very dark image. This leads you right into "I Burn With Life." Killer double bass pedals and melodic chugging guitar riffs rush in completely beating you into the ground. The snares and cymbals are absolutely relentless with booming fills. Constant bass lines rumble beneath you as a wicked scream echoes into the air. After hearing this magnificent scream you would the that the vocals are going to be kick ass. Unfortunately they are not. They sound as if the guy is completely joking and is putting no effort into the lyrics at all. It's a shame because musically the track is excellent. You come across an incredible bridge where the guitars and double bass pedals come together and completely destroy everything in their path. The bass jumps in and out with catchy melodies that'll have you bobbing your head immediately. They even include a monstrous breakdown in the end where everything just comes crushing down on you. excluding the vocals, the track is pretty fucking heavy.

The vocals continue to turn you off in "By Fire." The drums, however, really pick up with more detail and complex rolls that will blow your mind. Meanwhile more blaring guitar riffs chug away sending you right off your feet again. The vocals do change for a brief second as a more demonic growl steps in. It almost sound like Nathan Explosion of Dethklok only not quite as much umph. They include another breakdown that'll definitely destroy some speakers. "I Don't Want To Save This World" still carries most of the bad vocals however some of them in the beginning are not bad. You can definitely tell something has changed in his voice. Eventually he goes back to the bad vocals which continue to put a damper on the album. The track is saved by symphonic keyboards that consume the background of the track and really lift you with its beauty. Also they include some more awesome drum patterns that really break themselves down in the middle of the track where the snares and toms are just going at it with incredible patterns. The instruments definitely make you wanna hit the replay a few times.

The song structure in "Wheel Of Pain" is absolutely phenomenal. It opens with this real dark side to it sending chills down your spine with gloomy keyboards and haunting guitar riffs that chug slowly setting up this eerie depressive tone. The vocals get a step better as they are actually starting to sound like classic black metal screeching. There's definitely a lot of emotion from this masterpiece of a track. And running for over seven minutes long really gives you a satisfying feeling. "Scream Or Die" is another track towards the end of the album that really step things up with both structure and creativity. It also runs for over seven minutes long. The vocals are still boarder line between bad and decent but the guitar riffs and drum rolls keep the track alive. The double bass patterns are incredible. Meanwhile cymbals are constantly crashing in the background giving the track a real violent feel to the mix. The symphonic instruments keep everything in order and lead you through the track perfectly. This is definitely another track that you won't want to miss.

If Embryonic Cells fixed the vocals or even got a new vocalist altogether then the album would easily be a nine out of ten. Unfortunately the vocals really make you step back from this album and may lead you to look at the ban the wrong way. "The Dread Sentence" does have a solid plus side to it though. The album is excellent musically and is well recorded and mixed. Throw in a real black metal vocalist and you've got yourself an album. I would definitely take the time to check it out regardless of its vocal issues. The instruments are just too damn good to miss.

7.5/10

Official Site - http://www.myspace.com/embryoniccells

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Delain - We Are The Others (2012)

It seems amazing that three years have passed since the release of "April Rain," the sophomore album from Dutch melodic metal band Delain. In a period in the music industry where the time you spend between albums often decides how much interest you lose, this five piece were in no rush to complete the follow up. After long, and successful tours all over the world, they set out to create a new album that would not only keep them in the minds of their fans, but take their talents to new levels. Inspired by the story of a British girl, Sophie Lancaster, the album "We Are The Others," and in particular the title track, became an "outsiders anthem," one that the band execute to near perfection.

The sound of a distorted industrial music box opens "Mother Machine," before an explosion of guitars and keys take hold of everything it touches. Sure, there is melody to be had, but don't be fooled into thinking that this female fronted act is soft by any means. Frontwoman Charlotte Wessels is as dynamic as the brightest stars of the genre, giving you grace and range, all with a strength that is hard to match. Paired with guitars that never lack punch, and a keyboard presence that never falters, you have an unbeatable combination. Even when the more simplistic songs come out, as they do on "Electricity," things never feel like they are dumbed down for the audience. There is a frankness, an honesty to the music as well as the lyrical content, one that makes the music easily digestible without being sloppy. Small keyboard and piano touches, courtesy of Martijn Westerholt, do wonders. The aforementioned title track may seem familiar in sound, bearing resemblance to Within Temptation at times. But in this case, the message is firm, and with lyrics given due justice by the voice of Wessels ("Normal is not the norm, it's just a uniform), there is something to enjoy here.

To use the word sultry to describe Wessels crooning style in the early stages of the electronic tinged "Milk And Honey" would not be out of line, as she keeps you focused on every syllable. The true symphonic elements come out so well here, with Westerholt leaving his mark all over the track with synths and keys that seem to be omnipresent. Completed with some slick guitar work, it leads into a song that may fool you at first. Despite what you may think, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" is not a cover of the Pat Benatar classic. There are little touches that may lead you to believe otherwise, but Delain has crafted something new, if not familiar here. It is fueled by an electronic lead, and driven by a great vocal hook. To that point, the piano/vocal intro to "I Want You" is exactly what makes this band so hard to dislike. Wessels ropes you in with the sorrow in her voice, a deep sadness that permeates the lyrics. Even as the band takes a more minimalist approach in the verse and chorus, she lets her range show, hitting each note so delicately, yet so powerfully. This is a testament to what female fronted metal has to offer the masses.

Adding an unexpected wrinkle to the fold, Fear Factory's Burton C. Bell "Where Is The Blood" shouts his vocals over the top of the chorus, giving you something that is the polar opposite of the norm for Delain. The track as a whole, though, lacks in other departments, with the rest of the band giving a more generic musical backing, the standby chugging riffs for any melodic band. Luckily, a hook in the chorus will keep this one rooted for days ("If I hurt you so much, where's the blood?). A much cleaner, distinguishable band returns on "Generation Me," poking fun at the "me first" nature of the modern world. There isn't anything innovative or new to be had here, but that doesn't make the track any less enjoyable, giving you exactly what you would want and expect, and done well. Throwing in a bit of contrast, "Babylon" sees a more heavy handed approach. A dense opening drum beat paves the way for combination of distorted riffs and airy keyboards. It is a difficult feat to deliver lyrics in an accessible way, even when the subject matter may be slightly down, something Wessels does exceedingly well time and time again.

The final trio may be, arguably, the most memorable chunk of the album. The cold, distance sound to "Are You Done With Me" creates a stirring mood at first, before a massive change greets you in the chorus. The beat turns into an nearly techno one, pulsing and pounding from the drum kit. It is hard to find a victory in the instrumental aspects here, as it seems almost devoid of originality, but the vocals are haunting. Westerholt's impact on the opening to "Get The Devil Out Of Me," in the form of a short piano interlude, set things in motion for a track that is both distinct and strange, all at the same time. Wessels vocal take a bizarre tone here, jumping up the scale at the same beat on every line, something that almost sounds stilted. It is only when the keyboards return to take command of the track, somewhere in the breakdown section, that things gain momentum again. But encapsulated in "Not Enough" is a bevy of time signatures and tempos, all of which are part of the greater whole that is Delain. The space age keys pad out a fitting closer, one that would undoubtedly serve as a great live track.

The major question that seems to be in play is whether or not a band needs to evolve or further develop their sound to stay relevant. Delain are not looking to reinvent the wheel here, instead content to ride it from point a to point b. They do what they do, and they do it well, to paraphrase LL Cool J. So, why change what isn't broken? Sure, they can, at times, fade into the crowded female metal tapestry, losing that sense of uniqueness that is so valuable. But three albums into their career, they have yet to trip, stumble, or fall. Their strength is, and may always be, their consistency. And through that, they can take the outsiders anthems of "We Are The Others" to the masses.

8/10

Official Site - http://www.delain.nl/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/delainmusic

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Crown - The One (2012)

Crown is a very unique band out of France that has a strange mix of dark atmospheric rock and sludge metal. They have just released their new album, entitled "The One." The band uses a lot of different keyboard instruments along with many different settings of distortion on their guitars. The album contains five tracks in which each has its own unique sound and style to it. This definitely keeps you at the edge of your seat as your waiting for what's about to come next.

The opening track, entitled "Cosmogasm," starts off with harsh growls that echo over eerie guitars and atmospheric synths. The distortion effects on the guitar will completely knock you on your ass right from the beginning. Violent snares and cymbals shatter in the background as a booming kick drum rumbles underneath you with a deep punch. The vocals consist of long growls held with a very slow delivery. This five minute track will have you shook with its gloomy sounds and haunting vocals. "The One" follows up with a more melodic guitar riff as a basic kick and snare pattern carry you through the song with an upbeat feel. Multiple guitar riffs layer on top of each other giving off a more detail sound with its catchy melodies. A groovy bass line comes in next following in the same melodic footsteps. The vocals come in with clean singing that contain slow depressive lyrics. You really get a good look at the bass throughout this song as it constantly throws heavy note after heavy note at you. The vocals switch up towards the last two minutes of the song with more echoing growls performed in a devilish way. The track picks up speed and will have you bobbing your head to every beat.

Bone chilling synths start off in "100 Ashes." The keyboards carry a very dark and yet catchy melody as it is covered in reverb and delay effects. The vocals open with a very calm delivery as they hold a very mono tone to the mix. The track is only four minutes long but it holds a very futuristic feel to the album and the melodies are so catchy they'll have you hitting the repeat button for sure. "Mare opens with soft atmospheric guitar riffs and sound effects that paint a very dark and unclear image. After about two minutes of the mellow guitars comes in monstrous chugging guitar riffs that blast chord after chord in you face. The heavy chugging patterns will have you throwing up your devil horns in no time. These vicious riffs are soon accompanied by clean vocals that glide of the other instruments perfectly. They soon witch over to the violent growls in which they really begin to take over the track. Following this seven and a half minute song comes "Orthodox." This is the final track and runs for over nine minutes long. The drums throw massive snares at you while clean eerie vocals take over the verses. Muddy guitar riffs consume the background with messy distortion and atmospheric tones. Later comes a completely different riff that almost makes the song sound like a brand new track. It's futuristic effects carry you to a whole other world as the drums become more detail as they start to throw different patterns at you. Meanwhile cymbals are crashing violently in the background. The instruments in the middle of the track real build up the suspense as your dying to see what comes next. Soon more clean vocals step in with depressive tones that carry you towards the end of the album.

"The One" has a very refreshing sound as well as a creative take on these styles of genres. The album holds a very futuristic sound to it with its dark atmospheric keyboards. The vocals are excellent as they give you both the mellow haunting clean vocals and the demonic growls that run right through you. The album is only five tracks long so you'll definitely be jumping to the repeat button as soon a its over. Definitely check this album out.

8/10

Official Site - http://www.crownritual.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/CROWNBAND

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The Podcast: Episode 50 (Lotus Circle is NOT a good band)

Jellybean, jellybean, jellybean. Last year, when Justin's birthday rolled around, we dedicated an entire episode to his new found love of black metal. Well, fuck that. This year, we are gonna talk about some reviews. Ya know, like always. Justin takes a look back at his reviews of Fear Factory, Candlemass, and Lotus Circle. Two are good, one is not good. Guess which one. Darrell talks Vallendusk, Earthmass, and the debut EP from Deimos. Some good, some great, and some shitty. Damn, metal is awesome.

Click here to download. You know you want to.

And click here if you want to complete the set.

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Fister: The Interview

Kenny Snarzyk, one third of St. Louis sludge doom metal titan Fister, sat down to give us some damn good answers about the music, the artwork, the rise of vinyl and cassettes. We want to sincerely thank Kenny for taking time to do this, not to mention how quickly. And if the music playing in the background isn't enough to convince you how awesome this band is, I don't know what will. Oh, and about that name...

Part 1, ladies.

Part 2, gentlemen.

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Tomb - 鳳凰絕 (EP) (2012)

It's getting easier and easier to refer as a band as being "ambient" in some way, though the word itself seems to have lost all meaning. Tombs, a Chinese band who are identified as "ambient black metal" seem to be anything but. Their new EP, "鳳凰絕," which translates to "phoenix will be dead," is a singular song that incorporates a whirlwind of genre influences, from black to doom. A single track encompasses the entire EP, with this twenty four minute piece broken down into several different, but clearly distinct passages.Whether or not they fit together, or flow as one cohesive piece is another story entirely.

A softly repeated clean guitar riff forms an extended intro to "鳳凰絕/百合," a beautiful piece of minimalist work that shows off the true draw of simplicity. As the full band enters, you don't lose that sense of sorrow, or darkened melody. Instead, they build upon it, adding layers and forming a more solid and defined sound. But with this addition comes a vocal track that does, at times, lessen the impact of the instrumental. A poorly recorded set of screeches and howls forms the vocal track, a choice that seems odd given the style of music being played at this moment. As the sound descends into a more chaotic black metal assault, it all starts to make sense. Now that harsh screams of pain fit in, but the complexity and depth of sound has vanished. What you are left with is a jumbled mess of riffs, drums, and growls that meld together in a brick of distortion.

It is here that the production faults come to light, with a very raw mix that seems to give off the notion that this was recorded inside a dumpster. Every passing scream and riff crackles through your speakers, without a single distinct note to be heard. Yes, the machine gun snares are audible, and punishing, but their constant roll is all you can discern. Even as the song takes a foot off the gas pedal and reverts back to a ore simplistic and singular sound, there is a noticeable difference in the tone. The tempo slows, and the vocals take on a deathly sound in small doses, an inherent sense of evil lurking. That quickly shifts to a sullen mood complete with a passing thunder storm, one that seems to give the perfect opportunity to fade out, and return renewed. Somewhere in that storm, the band find their inner doom, coming back to life with a heavier sound, a more rigid one. This is where the band shines, despite poor audio quality. A simple guitar melody repeats, but carries the song forward, while a screeching vocal does wonders when placed properly. All of this gives way to silence, followed by a drone outro of distorted guitar chords, echoing into nothing.

Much like Pest Productions labelmates Vallendusk, Tomb is not a one trick pony. Throughout the course of twenty four minutes, they give you a different styles, different tones, different tempos. However, thanks to a poor bit of recording, some of those subtleties go by the wayside, lost in a sea of crackles and pops. No, the mix isn't completely to blame for their shortcomings, but it takes some of the stronger points on the album, and knocks them down to mere garage band status. The upside is there, but it is going to take a trip back to the drawing board to make "鳳凰絕" into something the world is ready to hear.


6.5/10


Bandcamp - http://pestproductions.bandcamp.com/album/-
Facebook -  http://www.facebook.com/Pestproductions

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Winterthrone - The Godslayer (2012)

Winterthrone is a symphonic black metal band from Germany that has a lot of hit or miss tracks in their new album, entitled "The Godslayer." The go about "black metal quality" the wrong way. Instead of the instruments being recorded horribly on purpose they have a really shitty mixing quality. The panning and levels on the album make things very difficult to hear anything. Not all of the tracks are this however. And when you are able to hear what's going on, Winterthrone doesn't sound so bad after all.

The album opens with atmospheric wind sound effects and devilish spoken word in "The Grave Of Thousand Souls." After about a minute of the intro comes a violent wave of guitar riffs and quick double bass drumming. Unfortunately the recording is horribly mixed. It's tough to hear the actually chords over the overly loud cymbals and snares. It gets even worse when the vocals come in. They consist of these wretched black metal screams that are meshed together so closely that it's hard to make out any of the lyrics. Meanwhile the cymbals are still shattering much higher than the rest of the mix. It's tough to get through this eight minute track. You do manage to come across a wild piano and guitar solo that sound pretty decent. It's still kind of hard to tell what's going on exactly though. If the song was mixed and mastered better i think the track would be awesome.

"Cult Of Hate" opens with some eerie keyboards along with haunting sound effects in the background. The mix begins to get a little better starting with the drums. All of the drums sound a lot more evenly panned and leveled. The vocals still have that muffled sound almost as if they placed a filter on the screams. The guitars pound you into the ground with melodic lead riffs and back up chugging patterns. Meanwhile the keyboards take over the background with symphonic strings. It's becoming clear that the vocals are the only down side to this album. The longest track on the album is "The Throne" which runs for just under ten minutes long. It contains on the symphonic black metal sounds that you would expect in an album like this however the vocals just don't get any better. The screechy vocals are very unclear and muddy throughout the whole track. Also the structure of the song begins to get boring after the first four minutes as it seems that they just keep playing the same riffs. The symphonic strings keep the track going and they seem to be the only thing really changing. After about six minutes in you'll find yourself listening for the keyboards only as they are the only thing that stay entertaining.

The only song that actually really enjoyed is the final track entitled "Triumph And Emptiness." The structure is very complex and is constantly changing melodies and styles throughout the nine minutes and 45 seconds. By this point your just used to the vocals. Listen closely to the guitar riffs as they throw punishing riff after punishing riff at you from all directions. Meanwhile the drum fills are absolutely phenomenal. Double bass pedal drumming and constant snares and cymbals knock you out of your chair with thunderous rolls. Epic orchestral instruments pull you in with dark gloomy melodies and string. You'll find yourself hitting the repeat button on this track for sure.

Overall, "The Godslayer" has a lot more downs than it has ups. The quality of the mix in each track go from horrible to decent and back to horrible again. Some of the guitar riffs and song structures have potential but the vocals just bring them down. The only thing that really kept this album alive at all are the epic strings and orchestrated instruments that consumed most of the background. Also he double bass pedal patterns connected well. They just need to be mixed better. I would say to check out the last track if anything and see what you think. Definitely keep an eye on the band though. Winterthrone carries much potential.

6/10

Official Site - http://www.myspace.com/winterthrone

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Deimos - TerminUs (EP) (2012)

Italy's one and only Gamma Ray tribute band, Deimos, is ready to do more than cover versions of classic tracks. This four piece from the north spent three years honing their skills, before finally commencing the work on an EP of original material. With the help of some friends, including metal guitarist extraordinaire Chris Caffery and vocalist Raffo Albanese of From The Depth, their dream became a reality. With five tracks of pure progressive power metal, with a splash of 80's hair metal influence, "TerminUs" signifies the arrival of Deimos.

There is something about "Wargreed" that conveys a classic metal style, be it the duel guitar attack of the rolling bass line. Singer Antonio Pecere, most notably of Crimson Dawn, provides the vocal tracks with a style that could be labeled as a subdued Rob Halford. His range is impressive, even when the mix is not. The guitar playing is top notch, and you would be hard pressed to find a missed beat from the rhythm section. The sounds of war serve as a segue from first to second, with "Gates Of Babylon" giving you a massive opening riff. The band hits their stride here, with a pounding drum beat to match the intensity of the guitars. Pecere is at his best, commanding the room with every note. Every element comes together, with a collage of spoken words layered atop a smooth bass line. Caffery cuts in, taking the lead with a ridiculous guitar solo. Not to be outdone, the band kicks things into high gear and shreds along, hitting every possible note along the way. Potential meets performance.

The raucous opening to "Vultures Lead Our Way" only helps to build the momentum gathered. Once again, a classic metal style comes through clearly in the building riffs. It would be impossible to ignore the consistency at play in the drumming, with Massimo Goletti pounding the skins in a way that demands, at minimum, a slow head nod. Somewhere amidst all of this, they strike the perfect balance between heavy aggression and flowing melody. As things slow down for "Locked Heart," you find yourself awash in a staggering duet between Pecere and Paola Gemma. Her voice is such a stark contrast to what the first three tracks have given you, that it leaves you a puddle of your former self. But, fear not, because this is not a sappy ballad to skip. Instead, they take their proven formula and add a second, enchanting voice to the mix. Together, they form a duo that is not to be trifled with. Clean guitars and bass are a solid foundation to build on, growing in sound and scope as the track progresses. A true sign of the talent at play here is taking a track that tops seven minutes, and making it fly by like a song of half the length, and half the content.

And, as a fitting finale to their debut, "Stonetears" sees the band with From The Depth frontman Raffo Albanese, who has a voice all his own. It's as if the old adage of "saving the best for last" has come to life, with every aspect of this track blowing you down. Albanese gives a mind blowing performance, but only with the aid of some of the most energetic guitar work the band could muster. There is not time to dial back the speed and power of this one, as it delivers fill after fill, roll after roll for a solid four minutes of over the top metal action. There are closing tracks that guide you gently to the finish line, and there are those that push you out a seventh story window. This is the latter, a closer of best kind, one that leaves you wanting so much more.

I have long been of the opinion that cover bands are the bane of the music world, giving anyone who can pick up an instrument a way to capitalize on the work of others. So, seeing a tribute band emerge as a true powerhouse in their field of expertise is refreshing, not to mention impressive. Deimos can go on paying homage to Gamma Ray, a band that truly deserves the respect of those who have heard them. But it is time to forge their own path, create their own identity. If the five songs on "TerminUs" are any indication as to what the future holds, no one will ever refer to these guys in the context of any other band again. Deimos may end up with a few tribute bands of their own.

8.5/10

Official Site - http://www.metaldeimos.net
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/heavymetaldeimos

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Fear Factory - The Industrialist (2012)

It's time to turn up those speakers kids. Fear Factory is back with their eighth studio album, entitled "The Industrialist." The album contains ten intense tracks of nothing but monstrous riffs and violent vocals. The drumming alone is a real rush when blasted through a pair of sub woofers. The double bass pedal patterns will have you up and moshing in your own living room.

The album starts out with "The Industrialist," which opens with eerie spoken word and dark keyboards in the background. Drums begin to rumble as distorted guitars start to surround you. Next thing you know you're in a whirl chaos. Massive amounts of double bass pedal drums and violent chugging guitars thrash at you. Lead vocalist Burton C. Bell comes in with beastly shouting vocals that will knock you off your feet. Insane double bass pedal continue to pound away at you as your beaten into the ground by thunderous guitar riffs. This track will definitely have you up and thrashing immediately. The violence doesn't stop there. "Recharger" throws more relentless chugging guitar riffs at you while Bell destroys you with reckless lyrics. The refrain has a catchy ring to as as Bell switches over to clean singing. His voice echoes high over the jack hammering guitars surrounding you with dark beauty. The verse become more and more vicious as vocals turn into deeper growls at certain points. Your definitely going to have your devil horns up and thrashing to this beast.

"New Messiah" is the heart and soul of this album as it pulverizes you with monstrous waves of guitar riffs and thumping bass patterns. Relentless double bass pedal drumming rumbles heavily underneath you while cymbals crash from all directions. The thing that really completes this track is the clean vocals in the refrain and its memorable melodies that become stuck in your head for days. It holds a real beauty and the beast feel to the mix and will have you hitting the replay button multiple times.

"God Eater" and "Depraved Mind Murder" remind you that Fear Factory is still an industrial band which I personally am not a big fan of the genre but if any band can pull it off well it's this one. Futuristic sound effects and synths take over the background as wild chugging guitars lead you to the chorus. "Depraved Mind Murder" also has a catchy melody that will have you humming along with the melody. "Difference Engine" goes a little overboard with the industrial sound effects in the beginning of the track but its still definitely worth it to check out. The exploding guitar riffs will have you addicted the entire time while Bell steps in with more monstrous vocals. Meanwhile booming drum rolls show off with reckless double bass blast beats and complex fills.

"The Industrialist" is a solid industrial metal album that delivers everything and more. Fear Factory has been around for quite some time putting out solid albums that hold a unique sound from each other. This album is definitely worth checking out. There's a good mix of solos, thrashing guitar riffs, and relentless double bass pedals that are sure to have you hooked.

8/10

Official Site - http://fearfactory.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/fearfactoryofficial

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Vallendusk - Vallendusk (EP) (2012)

Like it or not, black metal is a genre that will never fade away. It will grow, it will change, but it will always be a large, proportionate chunk of metal as a whole. Whether or not you enjoy it is key to your discovery of new bands, with thousands of raw black metal projects cropping up every day. In the case of Vallendusk, a four piece band from Indonesia, their love of all things blackened isn't a passing fancy. They are crafting their own version of the classic sound, with little bits and pieces borrowed from folk and post styles. But on their self titled debut EP, the boys from Jakarta can't seem to make all the moving pieces work together.

Sweet, almost sullen clean guitars are the first thing to cross the sound threshold on "Antimatter," a soothing opening that is pleasant, albeit short. Even when the true assault begins, there is still a hint of melody to the guitars. Vocally, you aren't going to get anything overly surprising, with the standard black metal screams and screeches covering everything. The true dynamic pairing here is in the rhythm section and guitar work. Drumming is key, with high speed kick/snare/cymbal combinations running throughout. But somewhere out of left field comes an interlude that would be a suitable lullaby, light and airy in nature. It puts you in this uneasy state of rest, before a thunderous return to distortion snaps you back to a waking state. The problem that comes into play is that it becomes all too easy to separate the blackened eruptions from the delicate interludes, making them almost feel tacked on, despite the beautiful touches.

If you find yourself looking for the more melodic side of the black metal genre, then songs like "Foghymn" have a lot to offer you, though sifting through a nearly seven minute run time can be a daunting task. Hidden within each changing guitar pattern is a distinct flow, one that is barely audible when paired with the coarse vocal style that black metal tends to demand. But in the instrumental passages, be they few and far between, you can find that extra bit of musicianship. Yes, you may hear faint folk tones, or even elements of the ever popular shoegaze genre that Alcest has become known for. In these stretches, Vallendusk is at their very best, giving something that most traditional outfits wouldn't dare touch. They seamlessly combine the rolling double kicks with a haze of guitar distortion and atmospheric riffs.

As with the others, "The Wooden Sphere" begins softly, but does carry the proverbial big stick. This track represents a welcomed shift in style, with the song playing out in a more folk inspired way. What you are greeted with is blackened folk, instead of straightforward grind of the former. The percussion might not have much lateral movement, something it could definitely use going forward, but the guitars carry the weight of the song atop wave after wave of melodic, yet heavily distorted, riffs. Hell, bits and pieces of this finale descend into pure post rock, with a bass groove that may get your head swaying from side to side. Wild, jazz style drums cut in, and take you into a new realm. The instrumental lifts the track to new heights, enough to elevate the one dimensional vocal line. isolate the final four minutes of this track, and you have a cross section of what the band is capable of.

Fans of black metal will always say that its raw nature is what makes the music endearing, a style that will go on forever. Those on the outside looking in will never totally see the merit. And, for a new band like Vallendusk, falling squarely into that arena may be a disservice to the band's sound. There are flashes of brilliance in this release, little touches here and there that make this a much deeper album than it may initially appear to be. But, does five minutes of a twenty five minute album equate to a purchase, or merely a passing listen? With some fine tuning, and a little polish, Vallendusk may be able to shine through the tar that is the black metal scene.

6/10

Bandcamp - http://pestproductions.bandcamp.com/album/vallendusk
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Vallendusk

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The Podcast: Episode 49 (A Fist(er) right in the ass)

We seem to be coming up to the halfway point of the year, with July only four slim weeks away. So, we are nearing the final push for our first half "Top 10" lists. With another strong week, it will soon get even more difficult to narrow down the candidates. This week, Darrell adds Sam Locke and Nightmare to his ballot, while Justin gets down and dirty with the latest Burzum album from Varg Vikernes, and Greek outfit Litrosis. Our final Band Of The Month for the first half has arrived, and they can, and will, knock your teeth out.

Download it. Yeah, you there. Download the podcast here.

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The Massacre Cave: The Interview

One half of the Scottish powerhouse The Massacre Cave, Ben and Joe, sat down to wax poetic about all things near and far. They tell us about their home, their music, and give us some major laughs along the way. These two brothers sure do put the "i" in Eigg.

Note: Normally we would edit their audio together with ours, so it sounds like a brilliantly executed Q & A. But this time, their audio was too good to touch. This is unedited and untouched, just cut into YouTube approved pieces. Maybe we should have been called Sorrow Enema after all...

Part 1 is here.

Part 2 is here.

Part 3 is here.

The whole damn thing is right about...... HERE!

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Candlemass - Psalms For The Dead (2012)

The veteran doom metal band, Candlemass, is back with a new album, entitled "Psalms For The Dead." This is the bands eleventh full length studio album following their 2009 album, "Death Magic Doom." The album is nine tracks long and delivers nothing but power drum fills, aggressive vocals, and depressive guitar riffs.

The album starts out with pulverizing guitar riffs in "Prophet." Dominating chugging chords rush through you as you find yourself bashing your head to the beat immediately. Exploding drum rolls come rumbling in with quick double bass pedal patterns and shattering cymbals. Relentless snares pound you into the ground as you continue to drown is massive guitar riffs. Aggressive clean vocals take over the verses. They echo high above the melodic guitars and bass carrying you straight to the chorus. The refrain contains addictive lyrics with a catchy melody and wicked guitar solos that follow afterwards. You'll also come across another wild guitar solo towards the end of the track that will absolutely blow your mind.

Slow thumping snares open up "The Sound Of Dying Demons" as devilish guitar riffs take over. The verses fade in slowly with a haunting delivery. Meanwhile complex drum rolls take over the background. Toms and high hats smash from all directions. The refrain comes in soon after as lead vocalist, Robert Lowe, comes in with ghostly lyrics that send chills down your spine. The chorus holds a catchy yet evil tone to it leaving you completely hooked to the track. Gloomy synth sound effects surround you added a very demonic feel to the mix. You'll definitely find yourself playing this song over and over again. "Waterwitch" also has that muddy guitar intro that "The Sound Of Dying Demons" had in the beginning. This definitely has that epic doom sound that they are known for. The verses are filled with depressive vocals as the tempo runs slow deep chugging guitar riffs. The drum fills continue to destroy you with detailed rolls. Later you're hit with a deadly guitar solo that drops notes on your from all angles.

Tracks like "The Lights Of Thebe" and "Psalms For The Dead" really show off Lowe's vocals as some of them could pass as straight power metal vocals. Hit has no problem hitting both high and low octaves and can hold a note for quite some time. The verses in "Psalms For The Dead" are delivered in a very soothing manor. Meanwhile bone crushing riffs come through and completely knock you on your ass. The structure keeps you guessing as to whats coming up next. "The Killing Of The Sun" adds a little bit of a groove sound to the album with its catchy upbeat guitar riffs and thumping bass lines. Basic kick snare patterns fill the air with crashing cymbals as Lowe throws some aggressive vocals at you.

The final track on the album, entitled "Black As Time," opens with a short speech defining the word "time" as he rambles on about how time is black. After this minute introduction comes a killing wave of monstrous guitar riffs that blast away with booming drum rolls. Devilish chugging guitars take over as the lyrics "Time is black" echo over and over as more beastly guitars drop in. Later your hit with another murderous guitar solo that absolutely destroys the musical scales. The final two minutes pick up with fast pace drums and guitars as Lowe steps in with high clean vocals that soar through the air with catchy melodies. This final track definitely concludes the album with a bang and will leave you begging for more.

You'll find yourself hitting the replay button as soon as "Psalms For The Dead" comes to an end. It has that addicting effect where you just have to hear it again. Candlemass has really stepped up with this album showing that not only are they still good but that they're getting better with every new album. Definitely check this album out. You won't be disappointed.

8/10

Official Site - http://www.candlemass.se/candlemass/band/

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Earthmass - Lunar Dawn (Keep, Relic & Ritual) (2012)

With a heavy, low end, progressive post metal edge, England's Earthmass are overflowing with ambition. This four piece metal act from Essex aren't confined to standard album structure, or any structure at all, for that matter. Instead, they give you a single song; one track that runs over twenty minutes long, with ever changing riffs and grungy distortion. On "Lunar Dawn (Keep, Relic & Ritual)" you may not have the joy of clicking your mouse to skip tracks, or pushing that glowing "skip" button on your iPod, but you may not need to. Buried in this epic track is everything you were looking for.

Clean guitars provide the opening, joined quickly by a sliding bass and the tap of drum sticks on one another. Unlike the drone movement that seems to be gaining popularity, no one segment runs on too long. With each passing measure, more pieces come in to play. The entire drum kit booms in, with kicks, snares, and toms filling every void. The pacing sees a step up every so often, and you can feel the impending explosion beginning to come to a head. Sure enough, that blast comes a mere three minutes in, with a wave of distorted riffs washing over you. One guitar handles the earth shaking chugging, while the other lays down a melody. The vocals, while short and sparingly used, are clean and melodic, giving just enough of a boost to the instrumental to make it a worthwhile addition. Lyrically, it reads like a cryptic warning.

"Keep them from your door...

As shifting sands reveal the keep, the mummy King and his Queen weep the blood of all who fell before; when, long ago, they stormed the door. The Relic of forgotten time is bathed in light, as moons align. A lunar dawn to resurrect a war.

...Bathed in light as moons align."

The changes in tempo and style aren't there to mask imperfections, or pad out an egotistical whim. each section has its own feel, its own purpose. From the rise, to the fall, you are always on the cusp of something else. Down tempo prog rock give way to atmospheric guitar work, complete with wailing solos and crashing cymbals. With blast after blast, only a soothing bass line can bring you down from your high, and it does just that. Layer upon layer of distortion and reverb fill the air, with each one standing out slightly from the rest, while still contributing to the whole. Even when things do eventually break down into chaos, it is an organized one, a short shift in momentum that you wade through to get back to normalcy. And if that short section was the reprieve, then the pummeling you receive in the outro is the fabled "fatality, flawless victory." The sheer strength of each down stroke is enough to beat you into submission.

Delivering one twenty minute representation of you, and your musical personality, is a tall order. Whether it is a five song EP, or a single track, the challenge is to keep it fresh and moving, without betraying your vision. For Earthmass, it would be beyond me to say whether or not this particular song is everything they wanted it to be. But for the sake of argument, it would be a stretch to need or want anything more than what you have here. You are treated to a flowing monster of a track, one that builds you up and tears you down at will. With that in mind, it would be crass of me to suggest that "Lunar Dawn (Keep, Relic & Ritual)" is anything short of excellent. All twenty damn minutes of it.

8.5/10 

Official Site - http://www.earthmassband.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/earthmass

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Lotus Circle - Caves (2012)

We've recently done a couple reviews for some great bands in Greece. Unfortunately Lotus Circle is not one of those great bands. They are considered blackened drone and doom metal however after hearing a few tracks I don't think that they are either of those genres. From their new album, entitled "Caves," the band really doesn't show any kind of creativity in their instruments or even in the structure of the tracks. The album has five tracks averaging between five and ten minutes. But unfortunately they are all just filled with nonsense.

The opening track, "To Witness Under The Stars," is a nine minute and 42 second track that puts you to sleep in multiple ways. It starts with horribly distorted guitar riffs that are drenched in effects. The worst part is that it replays the same melody for over four minutes long. Drums never come in. There are no cymbals shattering or snares blasting in your face. It just leaves you waiting and waiting. And finally, when the song does change, all it changes into is a bunch of sound effects and muffled spoken word that you can't even hear clearly. It sounds like you're a huge church with all of the reverb that is added. This goes on for about two minutes straight when suddenly guitar riffs come back in with slow patterns. They play this new riff over and over again for the final three minutes of the track with nothing else. Some drone sound effects and distorted guitars, that's it.

"Dawn Of A Dead Sun" is even worse because it literally plays the same wretched guitar riff for over six minutes in a row. No drums and vocals or anything. The structure doesn't change at all throughout any of it. "Secret Entity's" and " From The Depths" somewhat play a few more notes than the other tracks but even they become very repetitive with no interaction with any other instruments except for some futuristic space like sound effects that really have nothing to do with anything.

There is still one more song on this album but i was unable to stand listening to anymore of it. "Caves" has got to be some sort of joke. Either that or someone really untalented thinks they did a great job. Either way the recording is terrible, the structure is boring as hell, and most of the tracks are just a bunch of noise. Do not waste your time with this album nor this band. Unless you're into boring sound effects and basic song structures.

1/10

Official Site - http://www.myspace.com/lotuscircleofficial

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Halladrol - The Last Mile On Earth (EP) (2012)

Rooted in the noise style of the early 90's, Lord Heikkinen struck out on his own, leaving the sounds of Soulgrind behind, and creating a death/doom project called Halladrol. Focusing on the more blackened side of metal, with an avant garde twist, he began to craft a story of the end of the world, the end of days. But despite his best efforts, and a well conceived concept, something in this debut effort is missing. Somehow, "The Last Mile On Earth" losing sight of itself, and takes you on a journey that feels like a cross country voyage, rather than a short walk.

The title track begins with a bit of whimsy, the chirping of birds and organs. An oncoming storm comes bearing down on a circus atmosphere, crashing in one fell swoop, turning the world into chaos. Despite a rough recording, there are a lot of pieces being communicated at once. There is a constant roll of double kicks and cymbals, laying down a foundation for heavily distorted, and almost muffled guitars. There is a deathly tone to the growling vocals, helping to drive home the "end of the world" scenario. The strength of the track lies more in the non vocal sections, where the guitars are left to fester and grow. When they come head to head with the varying vocal styles, whether it be the growls or off key, eerie attempt at clean singing, the riffs are simply too muddled to enjoy, falling all the way into the background. The writing itself far exceeds the execution, which leaves this is a jumbled mess more than a viable opening.

A positive step in the right musical direction, "Black New Stars" changes the blueprint in a number of ways. First, a run time under four minutes allows no time for filler, something that the opening and eventually closing track seem plagued with. Second, there is a stronger focus on sound and structure in the instrumental. The drum tone sees a vast improvement, despite an even more aggressive delivery. Guitars are allowed to stand on their own at times, with some cleaner notes cutting through the sheer density of the chugging chords. It would be fair to say everything plays out in a more precise, methodical manner here, rather than the swirling wave we witnessed before. The vocals, however, are the only thing not to evolve from track to track, with the coarse growls leaving an oily coating on the entire duration. They fall flat, almost uninspired, despite the story they carry.

The most profound track, lyrically, may also be the most complete track, musically. "No Rest For The Holy" follows the story of a holy man, left to question his own beliefs, while the demons of the fallen world take over his mind. Here you will find the most intense use of the doom sound, with down tempo beats and crushing low end guitars rumbling through your speakers. But while the tenets of one genre may float to the surface, blackened death is still the main ingredient in the track, with high speed, machine gun drums working overtime in the breakdown sections. An unfortunate element that remains constant throughout is the poor vocal lines, rarely giving you anything more to hear, to digest. Yes, they carry a certain weight in that "brutality" realm, but minus a psychedelic clean singing fit just before the six minute mark, you get nothing more than a droning set of lifeless breaths. They do nothing to build the overall sound of the song, or the album for that matter.

There is a clear concept at play here, a well defined story that is ready to be communicated through sound and fury. But somewhere after the first note, Halladrol throw that idea away, and churn out a nearly twenty minute epic EP that goes, seemingly, nowhere. And while that foundation is in place, one of ideological thoughts, about the time and place of religious right, there are nowhere to be found in these three tracks. Sure, if you pour over the lyric sheet you may find meaning in the distortion. But with this as your soundtrack, "The Last Mile On Earth" is sure to be a long one.

4/10

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Halladrol/297660650316540

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Burzum - Umskiptar (2012)

It feels like only yesterday when Burzum released "The Fallen" and had everybody raving with excitement. Well clearly Varg has been busy in the studio as he has now released his 2012 album, entitled "Umskiptar." The black metal mastermind has outdone himself yet again with wretched guitars, dark melodies, and ominous vocals. He also manages to really focus on his roots of atmospheric tones.

After a minute of spoken word in "Bloostokkin," the album kicks in with screaming guitar riffs in "Joln." Violent drum rolls and shattering cymbals light up the background while Varg mixes up the verses going back and forth between deathly growls and haunting clean spoken vocals. The guitar riffs are constantly delivering devilish tones and monstrous chugging that'll send a chill down your spine for sure. "Alfadanz" is one of the longer tracks on the album running for over nine and a half minutes. The gorgeous masterpiece opens up with a beautiful piano riff that quickly switches over to distorted guitar notes. Slow basic kicks and cymbals step in adding a soothing rhythm to the mix. The verses open with clean spoken words as the melody continues to play in a mellow tone. Soon comes more aggressive layered guitars as the vocals fill the air with demonic growls and dark sounds. The one thing to really pay attention to here is the amazing drum rolls that take place in the background. Each fill contains complex beats with booming toms and snares that bash your face into the ground. You're also swept off your feet by the evil and yet catchy guitar notes. This melody will be stuck in your head for days.

"Hit Helga Tre" and "Valgaldr" take over with vicious guitar riffs and haunting bass lines. These tracks lean more towards the violent side of the album with their cut throat riffs and messy distortion. Meanwhile your hit with fiendish growls that are layered with light clean vocals backing them up. This definitely gives it that beauty and the beast type of feeling. After being ripped apart by these tracks, you'll run into "Galgvior" which contains ghostly clean singing vocals that shine with reverb. The guitars and drums play around the vocals with basic sounds letting the vocals stand out clearly above the rest. The cachy melody will definitly have you humming along for sure.

Towards the end of the album you will come across "Gullaldr." This is the longest track on the album running for ten minutes and 15 seconds long. This is definitely a must hear track. The dark gloomy guitar riffs with calm emotional vocals will have you addicted and wanting to play it over and over again. Even the growling vocals give off a strong emotional feel. His humming melodies provide atmospheric background in between verses and are also very catchy as well. You will not find any violent guitars in this song however the growls still manage to knock you out of your seat. Most of the riffs contain mellow strumming and melodic finger picking.

The recording of "Umskiptar" will impress you as you'll notcie that the album was mixed and mastered a lot better than "The Fallen." It's great to have that raw sound in the actual recordings of the instruments but its still best to always have it mixed and mastered in the end. Varg Vikernes has managed to be consistent with his work and I feel that his albums keep getting better and better. This album is a must hear album that will leave you begging for more. It's mixture of darkness and beauty will hypnotize you deep into each song. I wish Burzum would follow this up with a North American Tour.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.burzum.org/

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The Podcast: Episode 48 (A Sabbath without a Ward...)

Are you ready for some fun, and hilarious music conversation?! Well, look elsewhere pal! No, wait, stay here. We each poke around with one review this week. Darrell talks about his new discovery of an old band, Dark Tranquility, and Justin gives a little review of the latest nautical doom stylings of Ahab. Then we talk Sabbath, again. This whole mess with Bill Ward has gotten out of hand. Time to weigh in. And can someone get Guiness on the phone? Darrell may have taken the world's quickest shit... and didn't wipe.

Download it........HERE!

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Winter's Verge: The Interview

Frontman George Charalambous, one fifth of Cyprus based power metal band Winter's Verge, sat down to answer some of our burning questions about their style of music, their range of influences, and what it is like to be the center of a metal scene in a small island country. Big thanks to George for giving us the opportunity!

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Nightmare - The Burden Of God (2012)

With a career that spans three decades, starting in 1979, France's Nightmare weren't always the most tight knit unit. After two full length efforts, a long, musically induced hiatus tore the band apart, then brought them back together in 1999. With a fresh start, and a new found approach to their take on traditional heavy metal, the five piece returned better than ever. On their new album, "The Burden Of God," they tread in familiar waters, but with new twists. Classic metal tone, with a more modern dynamic, rolled into eleven booming tracks.

The short, orchestra loaded opening track, "Gateways To The Void," raises the curtain on this play, with violins darting and weaving in and around one another. Woodwinds and brass enter, forming a thunderous level of sound and fury. A deep, resounding voice calls to you, telling you that "your destiny is far worse than any nightmare," thus plunging you head first into "Sunrise In Hell." That same symphonic elements ties the two tracks together, greeted with the loud thud of kick drums. Frontman Jo Amore gives you grit and grace, all in the same breath. The way his voice carries over the battery of drums and thrashing guitars is astonishing, reminiscent of Tobias Sammet. Melodies abound, with strategically placed riffs leading the way. What follows is the title track, one that has all of the weight and power of classic thrash. High speed chugging guitars ride the wave of a methodical bass line, pounded forward by the relentless barrage from behind the drum kit. But, admittedly, all of that seems somehow overshadowed by a short, but detail oriented solo. There is something at play here that is special, a rolling gallop that keeps your head moving and your ears tingling.

It would be easy to focus on the big picture in "Crimson Empire," but the subtleties that pop in and out in the opening are enough to encourage a deeper listen. Amore's voice can carry any load, it would seem, giving you the best that he has time and again, joined at the hip to a expertly crafted rhythm and lead section. The song remains catchy, without have a watered down feel to its delivery, a victory in and of itself. With a more dense approach, "Children Of The Nation" may be a standout, for better or worse. Musically, it is a bruiser, bringing the distortion and solid percussion at every turn. There is certainly a darker edge, both to the music and lyrics, however empowering they might be. But the short vocal hook that exits the chorus is a tad strange, and its presence seems to take you back. Guitarists Matt Asselberghs and Franck Milleliri get things back on track with a brilliant solo section, just in time to coast to a finish. And while "The Preacher" relies heavily on the spoken word, this is not to say it lacks in any musical department. Instrumentals set the mood, whether it be through soft, delicately played guitars, the stray electronic input or a muzak bearing horn. This isn't an interlude, despite the lengthy opening, but a punishing track of crushing drums and ominous tones.

While "Shattered Hearts" boasts a larger than life sound in the production, this is as intimate a track as you will find in metal today. The room shrinks, and you get the feeling that every word is being delivered to you and you alone. Even in the heavier moments, ripe with double kicks, and Amore's soaring vocals, have a more connected method to the madness. And with this flow, bassist Yves Campion shines through.This is a full band effort done to perfection. A heavy dose of symphonic elements creeps back into "The Doomsday Prediction," without being overbearing or chaotic. Instead, each instrumental piece adds to the mood conveyed in the title alone. This is a track that balances darkness with light, hopelessness with hope. It harkens back to the Judas priest effort, "Nostradamus," in the subject matter, without it seeming stilted or forced as the Priest effort did at times. Even some deathly spoken words appear, only to be obliterated by a lightning fast solo. By far the longest track on the album,"The Dominion Gate (Part III)" is every bit the epic masterpiece you would expect. Featuring a guest vocal spot from Magali Luyten, the track roars through breakdowns and beautifully constructed verse/chorus segues. An addition of more rich symphonics is the icing on the proverbial cake, taking things to an entirely higher level.


An eerie opening to "Final Outcome" fades in, before a triumphant eruption of guitars and drums. There is a subdued nature to the instrumental at first, allowing Amore to build his voice, and tell the story without being overridden by a harsh backing. This is a power metal track at heart, a "fist in the air" affair that gives you that special feeling downstairs. In the pit of your stomach, that is. The combination of his voice with the mechanical precision of the guitar work ignites a fire that burns fast and bright, escaping through nimble fingers in an electric solo portion. And what better way to go out than with a bang? "Afterlife" wastes no time, exploding with catchy riffs, and, arguably, the most intoxicating vocal hook the album has to off.  For a closer, This might not hold a candle to the intricate pieces that preceded it, but it serves a purpose as the summation to everything that came before.

Usually when someone utters the phrase "age is only a number," it is to avoid statutory charges, or convince themselves that they are not too young or too old for anything. But when it comes to metal, that phrase rings true, and Nightmare are the perfect example. Some 33 years after coming into existence, they may have released an album that could be mentioned in the same breath as their seminal releases. Maybe it isn't time for the new generation to be handed the torch of metal. Hell, after hearing "The Burden Of God," you may have to pry the flame out of the collective hand of all five members of France's power metal powerhouse.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.nightmare-metal.com/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/nightmareofficial

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Litrosis - I Am Death (2012)

Litrosis is a solid extreme metal band from Greece. They have recently released their new album, entitled "I Am Death." Its got a solid mix of symphonic black metal tones mixed with death metal riffs. The tracks are full of complex structure and constant melodic solos. It'll definitely have you gasping for air throughout its entirety.

The album opens with a quick minute and a half introduction that contains chanting choirs and keyboard sound effect. It almost sounds like it could be part of a movie score. It definitely sets up an evil image for "Insomniac's Lullaby." This track comes rolling in with exploding drums and machine gun double bass patterns. The rhythm will have you bobbing your head immediately. Meanwhile melodic death metal guitar riffs fly in with wicked fast speed. Devilish black metal vocals take over the verse with wretched screams that echo throughout the track. The guitars are constantly in solo mode throwing wild notes at you from all directions. This track will definitely get your blood pumping. This is then followed by "Soulcide" which is has a very interesting intro. The first minute and a half is all acoustic guitar riffs played with quick speed and melodic tones. Double bass fill the background giving a violent sound to the mix. Soon after, the acoustic guitars switch over to distorted electric guitars that continue the same melody. Vicious growls come roaring in and completely tear you apart.

Then their is a song like "Burn The Sun" which just completely switches up the bands style and sound as they add dark clean singing and ominous spoken word to the mix. The guitars continue with the relentless melodies and background chugging while the drums go off on a rampage with booming double bass pedals that go on throughout the entire track giving you no time to even breath. Cymbals shatter high in the background while snares are constantly beating you down with each and every hit. "Countless Wounds" continues the slaughter with hell raising guitar riffs and wicked solos. The haunting screams take over the track with a violent performance. They kept this track short as it runs for just over two minutes but it leads you right into "I Am Death" which beats you into the ground with its rumbling double bass patterns and constant snares that hit you in the face. The vocals are also non stop with monstrous growls that'll make you shit yourself. Definitely make sure you check this track out.

The one song that may throw you off a bit is "In The Grave You Go Alone." The first minute is a mixture of catchy piano riffs and strings that play in a soothing tempo. Its angelic melodies will rock you right to sleep. The comes in calm drum rolls and mellow guitar riffs. Clean singing vocals take over with calm clear emotional lyrics. Eventually distorted guitars come blasting through the background with slow chugging chords. The track is good however it just doesn't seem to fit the album very well. The entire time you hear wicked black metal screams and fast melodic guitars and then out of no where you come across this track. I understand some albums need to a have a good ballad or two but the album should have done without it.

"I Am Death" has a lot to offer with all of its different elements. The guitar work is absolutely phenomenal and that alone is why you should check this album out. On top of that, the growls and screams stayed very consistent and the recording quality was just right. As I said before, they could have done without "In The Grave You Go Alone" but besides that their isn't one track you want to skip.

7/10

Official Site - https://www.facebook.com/Litrosis

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Sam Locke - Crossing The Barrier (2012)

Through our reviews, we have explored the continent of Australia many times. And no one act has resonated with us as much as Sam Locke has. Through the razor sharp riffs of his initial EP, "Era," we were introduced to a musician that wasn't content to sit back and let the world find him. Soon after, the opening track to that offering became the first track on our sampler. And now, not even twelve months later, a full length album has begun to cross the globe. With nine tracks of inspired, sweat inducing guitars, drums, and keys on "Crossing The Barrier," this Aussie export is ready to go global.

The opening track, "Preface," is exactly that, a foreword to the impending book. Locke brings a noticeably grittier touch to his riffs this time out, without losing any of the feverish pacing and delivery. The drums have come back tighter than before, with the slight imperfections of the "Era" EP worked out. Case in point, the all out assault you hear in "Divide And Resolve." Rapid kick snare combos are the fitting partner for the lead melody that he lays down, one that touches on near blackened tones throughout. The continued theme is being uptempo, without sacrificing tone or his deadly accuracy. The solo section shows a tremendous evolution, with a controlled, but intricate piece of layered shredding. Even as he works from bridge to outro, there isn't a slip up in sound or flow, with Locke changing easily back and forth between the low end chugging and the more intense picking.

With songwriting like that on "Secondary Fires," you get to see a more focused musician. His guitars take over the lead vocal position, screeching and wailing through verse and chorus. There are different styles and time signatures at play, all merging into one solid form. The track is like multiple personalities, learning to get along and play nice. One moment, you are buried in syncopated chords, distorted and heavy, and the next minute you are floating on a bed of smooth melody. The addition of a soft, choral chant in the opening measures of "Prelude To Nothing" is a welcomed surprise, a key bit of versatility. Short bursts like this one are keys to either gaining, or throwing away, momentum. With the structure in place, the almost folk pacing is the perfect welcome to the sludgy "Inconsequential." Winding picked melodies sit atop distorted guitars, followed so closely by a sweet piano that it may catch you off guard. There are so many tiny intricacies to take in, whether it be in the muted guitar picks, or the blitz of drums. With each shift, you are hit with elements new and old, but arranged and pieced together in such a way, that they always come out sounding fresh and vibrant. The latter half of this track most closely resembles his previous work, but taken well beyond where he left off, including the tickling of the ivories in the outro.

That piano feature makes it's way into "A Descent Into Winter," and provides the foundation for the entire track. This might be the best showcase of Sam Locke, the growing musician. He takes a track in the five minute range and continually turns it upside down, adding and removing puzzles pieces, and replacing them with others. The stop/start parts work to perfection, especially with drum fills going into and coming out of silence. And despite the more upbeat tone that may inhabit the majority of the track, there is definitely something for fans of heavy guitars lurking in the second half. It's as if Locke took the tenets of thrash, and threw them into a blender with a spoonful of melody, and a dash of futuristic keys. He takes it up a notch on "Squared," giving you something to swing your hair to, while, at the same time, building up the more atmospheric sections with little effort. He transitions seamlessly into a solo that reminds you that this guy is a guitar player extraordinaire, running the neck of his guitar like starving man picks a chicken bone clean.

The final two tracks are parts of the same whole, both bearing the "Crossing The Barrier" name. Part 1 begins with a light, airy piano piece, one that calms the nerves while simultaneously building the mood. The slight electronic touches are surprisingly noticeable, and well conceived. But the low rumble that leads you into part 2 is an axe through that baby grand, complete with machine gun snares and thunderous kicks. This finale sees Locke at his punchy best, with each riff, every note pouring from the speakers with pin point precision. The beauty is in his ability to craft multiple layers, stacked together, in a distorted harmony. As his rhythm guitar keeps the tempo at a blazing pace, his lead riff kicks it into overdrive. The drums are absolutely tenacious, programmed or not. Locke repeated climbs the scales over a sea of percussion. A short clean, melodic passage starts the process all over again, allowing things to build from scratch back to the red hot gun barrel.

Being a musician is about writing, creating, and performing. Yes, those three things seem simple enough in theory. If you are AC/DC, you wrote once, and just stayed the course for 25 years. But that isn't what Sam Locke has done. The "Era" EP  was a masterful piece of work at the time, especially for a one man band. But what he has done here is discarded the very notion that he is a single man. Through his music, the many layers of sound he has developed, he is doing the work that six piece outfits could never achieve. In short, Sam Locke has taken the next logical step with "Crossing The Barrier": he got that much damn better.

9.5/10

Bandcamp - http://samlocke.bandcamp.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/samlockeproject

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Ahab - The Giant (2012)

Good news for all you ocean loving metal fans out there! Ahab is finally back with a new full length studio album, entitled "The Giant." They have really outdone themselves with this one. They've gone above and beyond their usual sound that were used to from their two previous albums, "The call Of The Wretched Sea" and "The Divinity Of Oceans." The funeral doom metal band from Germany pulls out all kinds of new tricks that'll throw you off your seat for sure.

The first track, entitled "Further South," opens with mellow guitar riffs and light cymbals that shine in the background. The first five minutes of this nine minute track has zero distortion effects as you are hypnotized by psychedelic guitars and slow melodic bass lines. Gorgeous clean vocals open up the verse with a soothing atmospheric tone. The lyrics echo with beautifully with long held notes and catchy melody. The second half of this magnificent track comes in with massive amounts of distorted guitars blaring in your face with monstrous riffs. This is followed by exploding drums and shattering cymbals. Dark demonic growls fade into the verse and will absolutely rip you to shreds. The chugging guitars continue to play, the vocals switch over to soft clean singing with depressive tones. This track is a must hear track. And you're only one song in!

The second track, "Aeons Elapse," is the longest song on the album and starts off with whisper vocals that completely consume you deep into the track. The guitars hold off on the distortion again as smooth melodic riffs begin to weep. About to minutes in, heavy distorted guitars come blasting their way in with booming drum rolls to connect with them. The vocals change to a harsh yelling sound that reminds you of a sludge metal type of vocal. The song structure is phenomenal as it constantly changes both style and tempo keeping you at the edge of your seat at all time. Each transition runs perfectly into the next. "Deliverance" is another incredible track that will have you wanting to replay again and again. The guitar work in this track is absolutely gorgeous. They continue to blend the soft angelic riffs with beastly chugging guitar riffs that shake you violently with every aggressive note. The vocals jump around from depressive clean singing to more vicious growling that'll make you shit yourself for sure. You'll even come across a beautiful guitar solo towards the end adding a solid beauty and the beast type of feel. The instrumentation is just stunning.

The final track, entitled "The Giant," contains some punishing guitar riffs that slam away with violent chords. The tempo will have you bashing your head and throwing up your devil horns immediately. The vocals deliver a powerful blend of deep devilish growls along with more depressive clean singing that kind of reminds you of the vocals from My Dying Bride. They're performed in a very slow emotional tone full of depression. However some of the clean singing towards the middle of the track leans a little more towards the positive side as beautiful melodic guitar riffs begin to shine with repetitive riffs. Slow thumping toms and snares build up to final two minutes of the song as they slowly fade in and begin to get louder and more violent. Even the cymbals go from light taps to full splashed. Meanwhile the bass is rumbling beneath you as it followed the melody of the guitars. The sound blend together and become louder and louder until you hit the very last seconds of the track and everything just drops. Make sure the album is on repeat because you're gonna be begging for more.

Ahab has managed to pull off another spectacular album. "The Giant" may arguably be their best work of their career so far. They've really extended their sound to a whole new level with their complex song structure and large variety of vocals. This is an album that you can listen to over and over again never be bored. Each track is unique and powerful in their own way. This is easily a top ten album of the year. Definitely make sure you check this record out.

9/10

Official Site - http://www.ahab-doom.de/
Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/ahabdoom

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