Enthean - Priests Of Annihilation (2016)

Coming out of South Carolina, fans of Dissection, Frosthelm, Dimmu Borgir and Emperor need to take notice of technical black metallers Enthean. Priests Of Annihilation is their debut release, coming three years after the band's demo Tombs Of Desecration back in 2013. The album is a thunderous, yet rather grim and evil affair that utilizes as much of the keyboards as it does clean vocals and thrash riffs. There are also some symphonic nodes of atmosphere here, which sort of purvey the whole “epic” feeling such a band wants to embody. From the eerie synths and the blackened melodies, we can tell that these guys really love their symphonic black as much as they like their melodic blackened death. Yet there's also that groove/death kick, which none of us might be expecting, as well as some really tasteful and quite plentiful solo cuts that show a band not afraid to do some technical shredding. Brian Kingsland and Adam Broome make up the guitar and vocal section of the act, while Mitch Moore handles the drums and it's more or less a twin guitar solo frenzy akin to the Amott brothers on a couple of these tracks. We also get some rather tasteful progressive rock influence on longer tracks like “Before You, I Am” and the album's closer “Invalesc De Profundis” which injects a classic rock solo into the mix, just before we're pounded with a hefty triumphant march. I'll admit that it's a bit odd to hear more of a growl vocal on this record and I think I might have personally liked it more with a scowling black metal touch. That being said, I certainly think there's a lot of talent to be had here and that's in the playing in general. When the record sounds this good on an instrumental level, the vocals really aren't so important in the long run. Many people like to ask the question, “Well, how well can they play?” and my answer to that is “Very well.” Enthean play on this record as if they've been playing for decades, even if there are still some kinks to be worked out in all the symphonic stuff. This is the kind of band that's all about substance, regardless of the whole “epic synth” thing. Even if you removed all of that influence from the record, it will still perform just as strong as it does with the orchestral flair. There's quite a few symphonic death metal acts that I don't think would be as strong without their synths and orchestras, but these guys aren't one of them. Priests Of Annihilation is still a bit rough around the edges, but it's still worth picking up and certainly worth supporting. These guys don't even have a label yet, but after a performance like this one, they should soon. If you like technicality and orchestral flair in your black/death metal, then you owe it to yourself to embark on this musical adventure.

(8 Tracks, 46:00)

9/10

SOV - Aklamerad Kalamitet (2016)

SOV are a raw black metal act that differ a bit from other acts of their type, which is why I'm reviewing them. These guys like to utilize slight industrial elements, out of place guitar solos and completely out of character folk pieces that show the listener immediately that SOV aren't just another black metal band. While the tremolos are still there, and for the most part the blasts, there's enough in lieu of experimentation to make this kind of thing stand out a bit more than similar styles that you've already heard. The final two tracks on the album actually break the black metal formula completely for more of a dark/death metal feel, which once again utilizes more electronics. Especially on the disc's finale, where female vocals appear just as much as Ministry, Skinny Puppy and Rammstein level industrial electronic beats. SOV are a little hard to hear right now and I'm not really sure if they're going to get the recognition that they deserve from this effort. But if they keep up this level of originality and out of the box thinking when it comes to metal, there's no telling where they could go from here. I do recommend this one and I think you'll find something in it. Please give it a listen.

(6 Tracks, 24:00)

7/10

Illusions Dead - Celestial Decadence (2016)

Hailing from Finland, we have the debut from death/blackers Illusions Dead, which like Enthean proves that three people is really all you need to make a great band. It's admittedly a thick record where much of the production seems to have made many of the riffs a bit tough to discern, but if you turn it up a little you'll be able to hear much more of the melody and perhaps some of the technical moments fueling this onslaught as well. Johannes Katajamaki manages to put forth a hefty scowl, which certainly works a lot better with this than I think a growl would have. It would have honestly made things sound even muddier. (A growled vocal approach does appear on “Tormentor Of The Weak” and “The Way Of The Deceiver” however.) Nevertheless, his performance can be audibly heard and is quite fierce in spite of everything else. If you've got your volume turned up at this point, then you should be able to hear some of the truly gorgeous fucking leads on this record, so unfavorably stuffed behind the mist as “Shadow and Flame” portrays.

Katajamaki and Jake Lastujoki are both on guitar duty (also like Enthean, very bizarre) which admittedly leads to a great deal of expression in that department. You won't actually be hearing as much of a vocal implement here as you will the guitars, especially on a longer piece like “Revolution (Celestial Spheres)” which rounds out to almost seven and a half minutes in length. The drums also play a large role in the instrumentation of the band, as Akseli Auralianna blasts the kit as much as he provides an unexpected doom thunder. The Finns love their doom, so it doesn't surprise me that they'd experiment with that here and it definitely adds another notch to what begins as a rather melodic, though extravagantly evil during these doom moments that the musty atmosphere works to their advantage however, as I find myself grinning from ear to ear when my foot is placed in my mouth as that very growled vocal approach that I felt would make things more muddy actually seems to set them off without a hitch. Problem is, they can't keep it up for “The Way Of The Deceiver” which sees the growls drowned out completely by everything else. But I'll be lenient, as Celestial Decadence is still a rather solid disc and it's certainly worth listening to despite the fog... and yes, I do realize that some of you out there will actually like the foggy production as well. In any case, I think that these Finns have quite a bit to offer insofar as I've heard in this forty-five minute offering and so much ground is covered (especially the unexpected doom) that I think there's a lot of promise to be had here. Celestial Decadence is an album full of great riffs, powerful vocal performances and the very spirit of black/death/doom that I feel speaks for itself. Like some of the other bands I've reviewed this week, you'll need to give a couple of tracks a listen before you fully submit to this one, but it reminds me a little of some of those rougher Amon Amarth discs like The Crusher, so I wouldn't pass it by. As I said, turn up your speakers and then give it a listen. I think you'll like it better at a loud volume and the atmosphere it conveys seems to require a high amount of decibels. It's almost akin to haring them live, which certainly isn't a bad thing. At least we know that they can pull it off on the stage just as well as they have done here. There aren't a lot of bands that can actually say that these days, much as they would like to have you believe.

(8 Tracks, 41:00)

8/10

Putrisect/Scorched - Final State Of Existence Split (2016)

We have a two band split here, the first being an eleven minute offering from Maryland's Putrisect. Their side of the of the split offers both an intro and outro, while Scorched just give us an intro and in truth; I'd prefer that neither existed. Removing those, we're left with about nine minutes of grimy death metal, which sounds just like it came from the greats. Creepy leads? Check. Thick bass riffs that make it sound like they're playing from deep inside a crypt? Check. A drum performance that brings the right amount of heat and bravado to the record? Check. But there are also some modernisms here, maybe a little bit of technicality and whatnot to appeal to more modern death metal listeners and that's fine. In all honesty, I could do without some of the little technical whizzings on the record, but it later becomes apparent that they're trying to a make a sort of Swedish influenced tech-death and I guess I can accept that. It certainly comes off entertaining and brings more to the table than similar bands I've come across. At least these guys are trying to take the style in a different direction, and here's to hoping that they'll achieve success with it. At least there's more meat on this rotting corpse than I normally get and I can be thankful for that.

Scorched come from my home state of Delaware (born and raised there for the first sixteen years of my life) and they give us an eight minute performance with a similar style of technical death metal to Putrisect. I'm still getting the sloggy tombstones of the genre's past, but I'm also hearing some really great segues and notions of technicality than I heard with Putrisect. While I don't like the Gojira-influence in the first part of “Lust For Strangulation” the track soon moves past that and gives me a pretty interesting little death metal number. “Visceral Ascension” is even better and shows me a band that I can only recommend based on the sheer level of talent that I've heard here. These guys do classic death metal justice, but they put a spin on it that really seems to make it stand out. Putrisect are very much in the same class, and if this is something new in the scene, I'm all for it. You can dress up old death as much as you like – just make sure that it still sounds like old death!

In any case, my pick on this split would be Scorched, but both bands are highly recommended and I think even the older heads might be a little pleased with what they're hearing these young guys do. Face it, these guys could be grooving out to FFDP or whatever mainstream stuff is out there, but they decided to give those old discs a spin or two and saw where they could add on to that formula. I know, I know, If it's not broke... but there's no harm in attempting something a little different. Give this split a listen.

(8 Tracks, 20:00)

8/10

Entheos - The Infinite Nothing (2016)

Entheos is a technical death metal act made up of former members of The Faceless and Animals As Leaders. You can sort of imagine what this leads to, as the record not only contains the sort of progressive/technical influx that we'd expect from such an act, but it also seems to embrace electronic atmospheres, some of which are used in the background of certain tracks, while others become standalone pieces entirely. Those expecting a severe technical performance are certainly getting one here, complete with all the trimmings from thrash, death and even core semblances; even though I still feel the whole thing sounds like an indiscernible jumble of various ideas and extremities that sometimes work and other times simply do not. Guitar solos just seem to creep up sporadically, just as much as the electronic bits I've mentioned and there doesn't really seem to be a flow to this substance.
The Infinite Nothing can sound very ADD at times and seems like it's missing a real sense of riff-matter. I'm certainly not going to turn it away because of that, as the guys do come off rather fast and furious and what they deliver certainly comes off pretty interesting, much more than similar acts, especially in the deathcore realm of things.

If there's anything that I can really say came out to me here, it was indeed the electronic pieces and the tiny prog parts that gave the music a chance to breathe. You and I both know that there are several acts playing this kind of tech-death who've completely forgotten to give their songs air, and their records have caused me to suffocate quite a bit in the process. Yet here, I'm not getting that. While The Infinite Nothing is still a bit thick, slightly raw and mightily heavy; it does carry with it a sense of purpose and I feel that's what makes all of it's chaotic sporadity stick out. Even though you have to really dive in a bit before you start hearing some real riff-melodies (An Ever-Expanding Human) it's still worth checking out for those looking to stay in the more commercial realms of this genre. I hope that with the next album they'll branch out a little more. This is fine for now, but I want to hear something grander, possibly not so sporadic and not quite so one-dimensional in the vein of tech-death in the future. I feel that many of the same riffs and riff-structures are being used, with the band defaulting to breakdowns or little prog-parts when they're tired the speedy stuff that makes up most of this listen. Ultimately, the record is relatively solid and still worth checking out, but I'm afraid that I'm just going to have to hear a little bit more from them before I can really say I'm a believer.

(8 Tracks, 40:00)

7/10

Prisoner Of War - Rot (2016)

There are two other bands by the name of Prisoner Of War/POW on Metal Archives as well, but these guys are nowhere to be found. The first band was a Jersey Groove/Thrash act, and the other is a North Carolinian Sludge/Doom act. All released EP's, which is what this record is as well. But can this New Zealand death and thrash combo do what the other POW's could not? They already released a demo back in '14 which gives them at least one more release than the other guys, and by releasing a full-length later, they'll officially be the only registered POW that managed to make it beyond demo days. Thankfully, the music here is well worth it, with a distinct war metal sound that goes equally well with the band's warlike lyrics. Yes, we can compare them to the great Bolt Thrower in that respect, but there's a bit more thrash, kick and groove here so it's not a slow trudge through the battlefield. Vocalist/Bassist Charred Remains gives us a fiendish approach here on the microphone with both his thick growls and horrendous scowls, which seem only beefed by the attention to detail offered up by Typhoid's guitar licks. This guy doesn't really mind pounding us with a little but of progressive-era Death, then rolling right into Destruction or early Venom territory right after. Sometimes they just want to take us right back into nineties death slabs with “Twisted Mass Of Burnt Decay” which is just fine, because they prove that they can pump enough song structure and musicianship into a track that's only about a minute longer than your average grindcore number. That's pretty damn impressive, as I know very few bands out there that can even come close to that. These guys sound like they've been playing for a long time, and I think that's another thing I like about the New Zealand scene. A lot of metal acts over there seem to have respect for that classic sound and production, like their peers in Monsterworks – a band that I find just as good and praise rather heavily. POW are a much different sort of act though, and they've got a harder edge that I really think people owe it to themselves to go out there and discover. Rot offers an awful lot of potential within it's short playing time and only anticipates me for the band's next release. It's death, it's thrash, it's groove, it has a little bit of doom and some creepy prog parts. Simply put, it's the kind of thing we need right now in a scene where bands are either hopping on the bandwagon, or just trying to outright copy their influences. POW are familiar, yet different – and that's where the appeal to such a terribly horrifying death metal laced experience comes in. Get your hands on it now.

(5 Tracks, 21:00)

9/10

Iotunn - The Wizard Falls (2016)

Iotunn are hugely promising, and this isn't the first or even second time I've heard this EP either. From what I've observed, these guys mix together a brand of what could be a mix between heavy, thrash and power metal, albeit with added doses of death metal, which I didn't expect. It reminds me a little bit of the Nevermore debut with a little more bite and energy. I always thought that it was a decent album, but I never thought it offered so much vigor, which is what I'm certainly hearing from Iotunn. Oddly enough, these guys will probably get confused for some damn Viking metal or black metal act, even though they're clearly not. Iotunn are actually one of the best modern heavy metal acts I've heard in several years and it's easy to see why. When I say structure, I mean structure. There are so many wonderful little layers ebbing and flowing on this disc, making such a powerful Warrel Dane influenced frontman sound all the more greater. The drumming on the record is also quite potent and that's not just in the vein of beating the hell out of the kit. No, this guy does far more than that, and that's what you're going to notice. Listening again, maybe the “death metal” part isn't all that noticeable with a slew of growls interjected here and there but if you listen to the work as a whole, does Iotunn really need them? I don't think so. Surely they've got a strong enough front end, a magnificent guitarist and a more than suitable drummer to round them out plenty without the need for gimmicks. I mean, there's no real “death metal” sections that require such a vocal performance. The disc stands well on it's own two feet and may bring us the next damn Sanctuary or Nevermore. Though the disc is quite raw in terms of production value, it doesn't splotch the insurmountable performance issued here. Recommend this disc? What, are you fucking kidding me? I'm keeping my eyes on Iotunn after this masterful metal achievement, and whatever else they do after this, I'll be sure to cover. If there was ever a band to take notice of in 2016, it's these guys for sure. Please don't stop what you're doing, as it would be a great disservice to metal music in general. The mighty gods of metal implore Iotunn to continue for many years to come! May they take the torch and hold it ever proudly.

(5 Tracks, 25:00)

9/10

Gigantic Brain - Self-Titled (2016)

Gigantic Brain are back after a long time of silence, and despite being a very experimental act, one might think they're having a little bit of an identity crisis? I know that's odd coming from a man like me, who revels in all things obscure and unique, but I'm not really sure what's going on here. The previous recordings from Gigantic Brain were all very much rooted in a much heavier vein of death metal, but this Self-Titled seems like a reinvention for the band. There are still loads of electronic elements, vocal filters and harsh vocal elements. I see what they're trying to do here, but it seems lessened a little bit. Most interestingly is the inclusion of clean vocals, which I haven't heard on any of their records prior and seems a little bit off-kilter for the band. This is almost as big a change as when Ulver quite playing black metal to pursue electronica. Gigantic Brain were very death metal and were rooted mainly in experimental brutal death, but this... well, this almost sounds commercial. There are even a couple of tracks on the disc that go a little over the three minute mark, which is pretty uncommon for these guys. Even the death metal portion on “Leaking Out Of Your Mouth” sounds more like modern groove-influenced death metal, rather than you know, the kind of stuff they had been playing. Most of the cuts mainly offer a short atmosphere here and there and just add a little more wind to the album, but when we get to “Our Dam” I'm very closely reminded of industrial alternative rock/Nu-Metal acts like American Head Charge or The Deftones. One might really wonder as to what in the hell these guys are doing, but there's no doubt that the music encapsulated here could appear to a big-wig in the recording industry, as soon as he decides that the band be ever further watered down to the point where they literally are just an Industrial/Nu-Metal act and 9/10 songs sound just like the aforementioned. Though I will commend the band on continuing to experiment, this record shows that they are going in a more accessible direction with their music. One thing can be ascertained from the listen though and that's the band want to be more of an electronic rock act than a metal one, period. Even closer “I Fly The Unicorn” uses programmed drums, short acoustics and piano pieces instead of any real guitar influence. It still sounds like Gigantic Brain in some sense and it still has merit, but I think people are going to be more interested in their early work after the band become commercially famous from whatever proceeds this. IwrestledABearOnce showed us that a band can still be as experimental as hell and get signed to a big label, so I think these guys could very much end up the same way. This Self-titled is definitely out there, but it's still pretty simplistic and a little more straight-forward than some of their past work has been. It's not anything I would have personally expected from the band and shows that they're really not sure what in the hell they want to do yet. I really hope they find out, or go back to doing what they do best. Maybe they'll release some more material to give us a better understanding as to what they want to do, because I'm going to admit that I'm kind of lost.

(11 Tracks, 25:00)

7/10

Ifrinn - Self-Titled (2016)

After a rather long atmosphere, the self-titled album from this one man project fully kicks into gear. The performance we're getting is a sort of musty black/death stuff, with more emphasis on the black metal than the death. It's really tough to tell when the approach is thrown into the mist as it is here, and the decidedly raw production value makes it sound even more like it was recorded somewhere underground. But that's not going to be a problem for you, especially if you like the kind of grim and evil approach that this style of metal embodies. You're going to want it raw and dripping from the bone with that vile sort of muck, the kind that embodies the very spirit of evil. Now I couldn't tell you what he's going on about here, but I can tell you that he seems rather passionate about it and people are going to feel that. With the vocals shoved way in the back and the drums pushed as far forward as can be, you can pretty much get a feel for the listen right then and there. The album is so thick that we're almost glad to hear the synthy interlude, “Sulphurous Oscillations” and the well-needed break that it gives us from the madness. Additionally, it shows us that Ifrinn is capable of more than just misty black/death. Aside from this lengthy piece (as well as the long atmosphere “Descent Into Shining Labyrinths” that I discussed earlier) the band offer three metallic cuts that will more than warrant a purchase, especially if you like the kind of madness that breathes while it causes chaos. Ifrinn's Self-Titled is devious, yet restrained and I feel that's what makes it interesting.

(5 Tracks, 29:00)

7/10

Khanus - Rites Of Fire (2016)

These Finnish occult death metallers made this record rather short so that it could fit an EP and I think there's some Celtic Frost influence here just as much as there might be from occult black metal. The record seems to contain that dark and fearsome feeling that the black metal world is known for, but listening to “Orgone” reminds me so much of Celtic Frost's latter work that it's a bit pathetic. That being said, it's certainly not a bad note for the band either. They're obviously trying to mix ritual in with death metal, much like we've heard from their black metal counterparts, and a sort of growl is replaced with what might be a scowl in the French occult scene. It's a record that contains a lot of atmosphere, but doesn't necessarily break for atmospheric moments. Admittedly, some listeners who don't understand the whole ritualistic chanting ordeal might mistake the vocal approach for drunken muttering in places, and I can see how that might come off unintentionally comical. But we know that that wasn't the point of such an album, yet it feels very condensed and only seems to offer about half of what I think these guys are truly capable of. They're looking for a label to release their forthcoming debut on, which I hope will be a little bit better. Rites Of Fire is nothing bad, it's just not complete. It very much is an appetizer, but in their defense, it was made to fit on a vinyl record. I've still never understood the fascination with vinyls, as they cost more to make than CD's, are extremely overpriced and require several discs for one listen, which I feel is a literal waste of materials. I'd consider them outdated and they very much are, hence why the CD format became more popular. It was easier to produce and didn't require as much material usage. I wouldn't pick this one up and would rather wait until they release the full-length. If you can get a digital version from the band's Bandcamp, you may want to go that route as well. It has promise, but it's only a mere shade of what they can do.

(3 Tracks, 14:00)

6/10

Cadaveric Fumes - Dimensions Obscure (2016)

If you're into death metal that sounds maybe just a little bit otherworldly, then I think you're going to enjoy this short, but pretty promising release. We at The Grim Tower are no strangers to France's  Cadaveric Fumes and their interestingly grimy blend of cave-dwelling doom/death stuff, but this time the band have decided to maybe take things in a new, more atmospheric direction which I can only praise, especially after having listened to the entirety of this release and in particular, the final cut on the disc; “Where Darkness Reigns Pristine.” Such a piece literally stretches out to nearly fifteen minutes in length, where it observes a great deal of composition including that of some riff obscurities that are way out of character for these guys. It's also a little bit more melodic and rockin' (has some classic rock solos) than we might expect as well. There's still plenty of chunky death metal here, but we get so much more than that and I really hope they'll work on exploring this territory further. “Crepuscular Journey” and “Extatic Extirpation” are pretty much common-fare for the act, despite some segues in the form of what you'll hear on this finale, but the true meat of the record is this track, which in my opinion should have been the EP's title. Shit, maybe they should just take “When Darkness Reigns Pristine” and put it on the new record as the album's title. That would work for me, it's definitely one of the strongest cuts I've ever heard from them or any band similar. Which says a lot. If they'd just given me this cut by itself, I'd have given it a near-perfect score right out of the box. But you know, there are two other tracks here which sort of feel like appetizers and don't really accomplish anything new – at least compared to the aforementioned. Still, there's enough of a meal in the closer for the disc to retain such a high score. I'm not sure what kind of band Cadaveric Fumes are becoming, but I'm all for them crawling out of the whole Cavern Death Metal thing. More of this, please!

(3 Tracks, 25:00)

9/10

Blood - O Agios Pethane (2016 Reissue)

More often than not, I review brand new releases. Yet every once in a while, I get something that many would consider a relic and this record from German death metal/grind legends Blood is exactly that. What we're getting stuffed down our gullet here is essentially a mix of death, thrash and grind that delivers exactly twenty songs at a little over half an hour. Though it isn't the kind of half an hour that you'll easily cast aside, especially if you love absolute carnage and chaos delivered in the same way that several similar acts in today's metal scene seem to think is something new. But these guys were playing this kind of shit since those guys were in diapers and a record like this one really shows where much of their style came from. Aside from the pounding drums and garbage-mouthed vocals, you're also getting some unexpected and rather necessary doom riffs, which tend to make the whole thing a little more foreboding. The very fact that this record doesn't stick to one damn tempo and only one damn tempo, makes it very interesting to me. These guys really could have gone out there in '93 and played the kind of record that many younger bands give us today, where every song goes a million miles an hour without any real thought to the performance other than to make it “brutal.” Although the disc is brutal and offers just as much speed I feel, but there's so much more to it than that. It's death with grooves, kind of like what you might find on the blunt object that these guys musically beat you to death with, yet it also has substance. You can actually discern the thick doom riffs, these terrifyingly evil leads that make such a classic performance work and sound anything but outdated even decades after it's release. The press release does mention solos, but there aren't so many of those as we might think and they're not the kind of really long solos that you might expect to hear with other bands. These guys prefered a more straight-forward to death, grind and groove, but there’s definitely some thrash and doom too. The press release tells me there’s some punk in here, but I’ve yet to hear it. Even though it sounds like a hodgepodge and most early grind was; it all manages to work well on this ancient release, which I'd definitely recommend. Maybe the production isn't amazing, but it was '93 and the technology wasn't quite like it is now. Even so, you'll still find it a real blast from the past in the form of death/grind's early years, which I still think were when it was at it's peak (at least compared to most of the stuff that I hear from the sub-genre today.)

(20 Tracks, 33:00)

8/10

Six Reasons To Kill - Rote Erde (2016)

Germany's Six Reasons To Kill craft what I'd consider a mix of melodic death and groove metal, which comes in like an absolute fist with the title track. The listener gets a literal earful of brass knuckles, which remind of hardcore acts the likes of Sworn Enemy and Hatebreed. But there's a little more here than that, as a tinge of melody sweeps into the main riff of the song and leads into a rather unexpected and full-bodied solo. It's definitely the kind of song that you'd listen to before going to kick someone's ass in a fighting tournament. Interestingly enough, Dismember's “Of Fire” is also covered here, to an obvious change in style and tempo. On this piece we're definitely hearing more melody (as expected) with a tinge towards what I'd consider an At The Gates, or Dismember style of playing (as it's obviously a cover track.) The track later incorporates an almost southern groove, which I'm not sure is a part of the original or not, but it works. I may not know as much about Dismember's early work as I should, but I do know that what I'm hearing is finely crafted melodic death metal with a lot more structure than the title cut and original focus of this piece. I'm sure that Six Reasons To Kill have a lot to offer, but when your original is overshadowed by your cover, I sense that there's a major problem. My challenge to the band is to offer something to me that sounds even better than the Dismember track featured here. A tall order, but it'll definitely separate the men from the boys. I need to note that this EP release follows no less than a total of five full-lengths, so there's a good chance that they've met my challenge and perhaps you should dig through their catalog to find out. It just didn't work for me this time, fellas. (The Grim Tower)

2.5/5

Department Of Correction/Agathocles Split EP (2016)

The following is a split between two extremely diverse acts from France and Belgium. The first one we have here is France's Department Of Correction (DOC for short) and five tracks of relatively decent grind with some segues into brutal death metal that come off without a hitch, but don't exactly leave a real mark on me. So I think about it for a second and wonder, “what was it about this split that fascinated me enough to want to promote it?” Then I was immediately answered with the only offering (unfortunately) from Belgium's Agathocles. They're described as a sludge act with grind elements or “grinding sludge” but that's actually a lie – I think it was made only to try to get the attention of grind fans, but there's absolutely no grind to be found within this masterpiece of sheer depravity. Grind comes and goes, but “Into My Crypts” is the kind of track that I'll remember for a long time to come. It sounds extremely thick and filthy, very raw and full of static. But they do it unlike anyone else I've ever heard. The vocals are just...unreal. I mean, it sounds like the man is lumbering towards death, especially close to the end of the song, where it begins to feel like he's hanging onto the last shard of his humanity. There's a creepy synth effect in the background, which is actually where the song first starts – and this is revisited several times throughout the madness. Described on the album cover as “slumbering sludge” I still feel there's a bit of psychotic madness not being properly echoed in this description. This is literally the sound that the undead would make if they could make music, and literally sounds like it's being played by actual zombies. Actual fucking undead. Everything from the way the track is made, to the inhuman sounds that bellow forth from their gaping holes makes me think of zombies that had regained some of their humanity overtime and remembered that they were metal musicians. Since their verbal skills had dwindled, all that comes out are horrendous noises by which no human could utter. Someone might actually want to fly out to Belgium to make sure these gentlemen are indeed still among the living. I'm serious. I've heard a lot of doom and sludge before, but this is new on me. Again, you'll get five songs of serious grind, but the sludge track is really where it's at. I've listened to the damn thing four or five times already because I seriously can't get enough of that song. This split is actually worth getting your hands on, at least until Agathocles release a full-length record with that track on it. Maybe I'm a bit biased here, but at least it's the truth. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Manic Scum - Acidic Remains (2016)

Tennessee's Manic Scum create death metal, in case you wouldn't have guessed from the album artwork and it's quite promising. This track only showcases about four tracks from the act, but they're definitely enough to assure you that we've got a strong force for destruction here. Acidic Remains is pure devastation. The production value here isn't quite as raw as some of the stuff I've been reviewing from Embalmer and Decrepit Soul, but it still retains a raw quality that balances out with a very audible drumming performance. The record sounds very deep for some reason, almost like it was recorded in a sort of tunnel – but that's not going to shy you away from the performance which is delivered with just as much finesse as any death metal act during the era. Aside from the drumming, the vocals consist of the thick gravel that we'd expect, along with a handful of guitar solos that come in and out. But these guys are more interested in pounding out death grooves than in making artistic masterpieces. It comes in hard and fast, leaving you sore the next day. It is kind of interesting to note that the album's title track almost begins like a classic thrash track from the eighties before it gets to pummeling, so keep that in mind as you maneuver through what is a no-holds-barred effort that sounds just like you remember. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Embalmer - Emanations From The Crypt (2016)

From a name like Embalmer, death metal fans already know what to expect – and they won't be let down by this short, but menacing offering anytime soon. You already know that there won't be any clean vocals or beautiful melodic pieces to be found within the depths of this Cleveland born madness, so let's tear off the face of this wretched whore and get right down to the bottom of it. The mix here is obviously warm and raw, sounding like a death metal record made back in the day and you'll notice that from the first track. Sometimes it'll be hard to hear everything perfectly in the mix, but that's just way it is when you're recording a bunch of guys in one room, rather than everything being made through file transfer and studio polish. The drumming is ridiculously brutal, and a definite part of what makes the sound here so memorable. The ridiculously deep gutturals and harsh shouts that we're hearing definitely add to the already potent drum abrasions, and sometimes these two approaches end up drowning out the guitars completely. But surprisingly, you will be able to discern a handful of leads amidst such a furious onslaught of chaotic carnage, which is exactly what you should expect with this kind of disc. Sometimes the guys observe thick doom moments like “The Casket Calls” and the title track, which might seem out of place in their lack of vehemence, but can come as welcome periods in which to brood for a while before the next punishment comes – and they come plenty. When you put Emanations From The Crypt into your player, be prepared to get your face ripped off, your eyeballs gouged out and your tongue used for a fucking jump-rope. These gentlemen don't play around when it comes to death metal and we're all the more thankful for it. All the dirt and grime that you could ever ask for, recalling the days of the greats. Death metal is definitely not dead. (The Grim Lord)

4/5

Decrepit Soul - The Coming Of War (2016)

Sometimes there's this thing called war... and these Aussies are going to be talking about it's coming... even though you probably gathered that from the album title. However, the language they'll use to describe this war is what I'd consider a very fierce, hard-edged and uncompromising take on death metal, which delves into black every now and again, even if that's just a couple of blast beats here and there. There's even a doom section right in the middle of opener “Awaken” to put things in perspective. But I couldn't call Decrepit Soul experimenters either. These two guys just aim to make great extreme metal, and with an approach that sounds right out of the nineties, (especially as far as the rough production value is concerned) I'm pretty sure that this will be a welcome throwback for old school heads. So what if I can barely hear the fucking solo on the title track? This record goes back to the DIY days of analog and fuzz, back when metal sounded warm enough to keep you from freezing during a cold snap. Both of these guys also seem to take on vocals, with demonic shrieks giving way to thick grunts and even what you might refer to as demonic duets. Obviously, The Coming Of War isn't for everyone. You've got to have a taste for this kind of approach and having been exposed to much of extreme metal's early days should help your palette. It was all about being louder, heavier, faster and more unhinged than the other guy, which you can hear manifested within this disc pretty clearly. It's a disc that you're going to bang your head to and be glad that you have it – that this style of metal is still being made in 2016's digital age. Perhaps it's not the most original thing out there, but it comes in and gets the job done – and there's nothing wrong with that. If you're expecting a demon to beat you over the head mercilessly, then you'd better check this one out. It comes in loud and fast, leaving you with no regrets. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Goatcraft (Slovakia) - Oletheros (2016)

Slovakian black/death act Goatcraft sounds like the kind of act you might hear in a fucking cave. But not the kind of cave that you would want to go into either. This is the kind of ominous sound that feels like it was literally composed in the dark recesses of the underworld itself. I'm hearing a lot of thrash in the death metal here, but that's fine as it shows the band's roots. There's in essence a very classic sound afoot here, which comes mixed in with short atmospheric clips that you might not expect to be found on such a record. But don't worry, just because they're using sound effects doesn't mean that you're getting something that sounds polished and pretty. As I said, and will reiterate – Goatcraft sounds like they recorded inside of a CAVE in the DEEP recesses of the UNDERWORLD. Sometimes the sound is so cavernous that I can barely hear Vrana's solos, but that's alright as the record really doesn't have that many lengthy cuts on it, in which to really explore their craft. “Temples Of The Underworld” and “Invocation Of Death” are both close to five minutes each, but the rest of the tracks here are only a little more than a minute and go in and out with a flash. But, you have to keep in mind that Goatcraft do two things – they create blistering old school metal, and they make atmospheres that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Don't believe me? Just give the record a bit of a listen and you'll see the decidedly creepy pieces sandwiched in here. I will make on complaint though, which is that the record does somehow still manage to elicit a few of those whiny howls I hate so much and find unnecessary. But they're used so sparingly that I don't really care to make that complaint a major deciding factor in the album's score. D is pretty much responsible for everything here, including the vocals, bass, drums and even some guitar licks of his own. If we yank out all of the little atmospheres here, we'll have about four or five tracks and fifteen minutes of metal. But we'll also have a rather bland disc without the level of experimentation that D brings to this act. Just because it's supposed to sound like it's recorded in a cave doesn't mean that it has to be fucking bland as well. All in all, they're a pretty promising group of cave-dwelling demons, and I think you'll be pleased with this one. (The Grim Lord)

3.5/5

Asphodelus - Dying Beauty & The Silent Sky

Finland's Asphodelus (Formerly Cemetery Fog) sound like ancient Greek metal, and to me that's a good thing. I'm reminded of acts like Rotting Christ, Septic Flesh and even the early outputs from the UK's Paradise Lost – and it all comes off just as memorable as the classic efforts they're trying to emulate. The riffs featured on the two metal tracks offered on the disc (Illusion Of Life, Nemo Ante Mortem Beatus) sound very warm, just like those early nineties discs, yet with the same tinge of melancholy present on albums like A Dead Poem, Sleep Of The Angels, Gothic, Esoptron or Ophidian Wheel. Hence, you can already gather that a great deal of Gothic atmosphere will be visited here and the female backing chants (uncredited) definitely add to that dark and gloomy atmosphere. The record is also decidedly rough, making it sound like it was made about twenty years ago. The disc consists of a short intro, to which some electronic soundscapes are used until it barrels out into that warm metal I was talking about. J. Filppu vomits out a grueling bark, which sometimes finds itself reaching into a bit of a scowl, making for a vocal performance that certainly feels like it came right out of the golden era of this music. V. Kettunen's drums aren't so loud in the mix, but they're definitely not digitized either. For purists, this record really sounds like three guys that recorded right in the same room with each other and you'll never know what that's like unless you've done it yourself. Filppu also wrote the riffs along with J. Vayrynen (even though we could just as say that these riffs were written years ago by the band's obvious influences) which further asserts the playing skills of these two men and their attempt to dig a rather old style and sound out of the cavern from which it has been for years hiding. Though it can hardly be considered a metallic piece, the album's title cut is a light atmospheric piece that cuts in right between the crunching heaviness, making for a bit of a sullen meditation. It comes with a female vocal chant as well (also uncredited) which also incorporates hypnotic choral effects in the background. Not what we might have expected in the middle of the sandwich, but still worth your ears, I assure you. As I've said, there are very few bands still making music in this style today, if really any. Many of the progenitors have moved onto other things, with a crisper sound that doesn't quite have the same raw and unhinged feeling as this effort does. Once again, the Finns are showing us that there's almost nothing they can't do in the metal, atmospheric, electronic and gothic doom/death genres, making me think there must really be something in the water over there. Seriously, some of the best music I've heard in several years is coming out of Finland, so I'm going to continue ti watch that country like a hawk. I highly recommend you do the same, and pick up this EP as well. They just don't make music like this anymore, which is a damn shame. (The Grim Lord)

4.5/5

BabyMetal - Metal Resistance (2016 Bonsai Bonus)

Well, it's April Fools and I guess you think I'm joking regarding this BabyMetal review, right? Well, I'm definitely not joking (and we'll have the regularly scheduled Church Of Misery up for the next Bonsai Bonus) as the record came out today and I've just finished listening to it. You might remember my review of the debut, in addition to a little bit of history about the band and how they're technically the product of a Japanese talent agency. I feel no need to get into that right now, but what I will say is that most of the songs on the BabyMetal debut album went all of the way back to 2006 if not further, and were virtually “old” material. Well, Metal Resistance changes all that with something we've all wanted from this fucking band – structure. As much as I love the experimental Japanese scene, that record was literally all over the place and it felt as if they had just thrown a bunch of shit together and called it a day. Apparently the several musicians responsible for this project decided that they wanted to make a more cohesive record, that closer resembles that of the current Japanese and western metal scene and offers a slightly different approach with each track. We get that here, but we also get evolving songs that slowly allow for other pieces to come into play, rather than making us play WarioWare with their music, which simply didn't work all that well. In other words, I can solidify that BabyMetal have made a more mature album that pushes their silliness aside and further showcases not only the impeccable musicianship of the band, but the ever-increasing awesomeness of the band's J-Pop idol, Su-Metal. Let's just face facts, Suzuka is absolutely incredible. She's definitely up there with some of the very best female vocalists I've heard in the country, and she really belts it out on this record. But let's go track-by-track here, so that I can explain to you just what has done here. As a word of full disclosure, you are reading this article as a fan of Japanese female fronted music, whether that be J-Rock, J-Pop or J-Metal. Covering Japanese acts is nothing new for us here at the Tower and I'm glad that I am once again able to do so. If you do not like female fronted Japanese music, you will not like this record in any way, shape or form. You absolutely must be a fan of this genre of music to even be able to grasp what I'm going to be talking about for the majority of this review.

The first song, “Road Of Resistance” was originally offered as a bonus track on their last one, but I never heard it – and if I did, I don't remember it sounding like this. What the band have done here is to channel Dragonforce and with what I'd consider a one-hundred percent musical emulation. The beginning of the album starts out with the sort of grandiose feeling that one might get from a Japanese power metal act, like Dragon Guardian for example. Interestingly enough, despite the Dragonforce emulation (or is that really Herman-Li, I can't tell?) this track actually features a great duet between the harsh and clean vocals that also opens up for an incredibly Japanese power metal influenced chorus (think Iron Attack) as well as what really might be a solo section from Herman-Li. At this point, I literally can't tell, and the vocalizing from Suzuka completely accents the piece beyond expectation. People might laugh at you, but the song definitely kills. “Karate” came next, which is definitely a djent piece, but there's something interesting about it, which doesn't really begin until Suzuka starts singing. I never thought the J-Pop influenced chorus melody and vocal style would work so well with the grooves, but they do. We are soon reminded that there are two other girls in the band at this point and they prove that they simply shouldn't exist in this project to begin with. I would have rather heard more lines from Suzuka than to be exposed to their silliness. An atmosphere actually comes into play towards the end of the song, and it continues after one hard-hitting chorus and solo combo. There's apparently a video for this and I'd really like to see it myself. Especially how they tackle the part with the piano, the vocalization and the mist. That's fucking beautiful.

Moving on, we get into “Awadama Fever” which doesn't work for me at all. I see what they're trying to do here with the industrial drum n bass, but it's a little bit too Studio Ghibli for me. The track evolves into some heavier sections with electronic whizzes, but I just don't think it works for me. I appreciate the experiment, it's very cohesive and doesn't feel like a mess, but it's just not palatable for me. I guess it is pretty catchy though. “Yava” however, felt a little more interesting. Now this kind of electronic experiment felt a little more authentic to J-Rock and if you've heard as much of it as I have, then you're going to notice that immediately. It's a very dancey track, with an obvious surf-rock flair that is soon decorated with some heavier sections. The chorus is strong, the harsh vocals provide little backing shouts. I guess it's alright, but the harsh vocal element almost feels unnecessary. It's extremely catchy and only gets catchier with time. “Amore” comes next, feeling like a ballad at first, but it's not time for that yet. Instead, we get a very traditional (Iron Attack) female approach to power metal that has some classical influence. So basically, Iron Attack, right? Yeah but hell, most people have never heard this stuff and if it gets them into Japanese power metal, then great. The solo is performed rather well, just as we'd expect. I mean, it's a Japanese power metal cut. We know what we're getting and I'm fine with that. I love it. Now here's where things get interesting, as “Meta Taro” is a triumphant folk-influenced war march. Yes, you heard me right. What it makes me think of, is the possible scenario that could occur should all of our Japanese produced wifu robots decide to rebel against their human masters. What you're hearing might sound like a happy little march to war, but when I think of wifu bots readying tanks and blasting this out of loud speakers at human troops, I shiver a little bit with fear. Ladies and gentlemen, “Meta Taro” could literally be the war march that signals our demise. I can literally hear the sounds of marching boots in the background as “Meta Taro! Meta Taro!” resounds like an alarm in my head.

One of our special American tracks here is a weird electronic rock thing called “From Dusk Till Dawn.” It sounds like a Celldweller piece with hushed vocals, and feels a bit thrown together. The Japanese get something far different and I'd really like to hear it. It's called “Syncopation” and you can bet that I'll be hunting it down. “GJ” however, sounds like a mix of djent, rap and silliness that I absolutely hated with a passion. The track didn't work well for me at all and even the chorus couldn't save it. The next track feels a little unfair. It begins with some sort of evil robotic voice and goes into brutal death metal territory. Suzuka has a strong chorus here, but the approach just doesn't go with the song at all, especially being as damn heavy as it is. This is the kind of thing we'd hear from an act like Cryptopsy and it doesn't fit with this vocal style. I think a lot of heads will be very upset with this one and it might make them hate the band even more than they do. I just don't think it worked and other Japanese bands like Undead Corporation and Merging Moon do a much better job with this stuff. I'm all for experiments, but you might really fucking hate this one. It all depends on your tastes. After such a heavy piece, we're given what sounds like the ending music to a great visual novel. “No Rain, No Rainbow” is a J-Rock ballad. There is absolutely nothing metal about it and that is fine. This song is purely why I absolutely love J-Pop and J-Rock, because nothing to date has been more passionate in my ears. Whether it is a male vocal, or female vocal, the Japanese express love in a way that musically astound me every time. I should mention that this is a solo track from Suzuka and I'd personally love to see an entire record with just her on it. I'd certainly pick that one up. With every great Japanese rock ballad since the days of X-Japan, there is a simply incredibly solo piece there to accent it as well. This damn piece nearly brings me to tears and it's one reason I believe there is hope for this band yet. Absolutely fucking beautiful. I'd love to hear this in an anime, game, visual novel or something. It should decorate a wonderful piece of artwork, a powerful romance, something that touches me as much as I have been touched by other Japanese works.

The band is not finished yet though, as one of the most musically complex songs that I've ever heard from the band comes up next with the astonishing “Tales Of The Destinies.” Now, I know you're going to hate it when the other two girls come into vocalize silly lines before Suzuka comes in, because it kills the musical compositions for me. I feel as if they're defecating over extravagantly good pieces and such vocal sections simply seem out of place. The piece is hugely progressive, think Dream Theater for sure – and it exercises that a great deal through the song in ways that I can't even describe. There's even a really awesome keyboard solo piece, that goes into an even more awesome guitar solo. It's wonderfully constructed and you're not even going to believe that it's BabyMetal. They do try to put a little bit of Japanese power metal influence into it, which is something that I'd consider purely Japanese. Amaerican or European acts wouldn't do that, yet they do pump some pop style elements into their own music. Dream Theater have done this several times and I've little complained. The finale of Metal Resistance comes in the form of another exclusive bonus track called “The One.” It's interesting to note that the Japanese version of this track is “unfinished.” Yet here we have a finished version in English, which is actually much better than I've heard from Japanese to English vocal translations and seems vocally competent. She almost sounds like a western singer. The piece is a ballad, but it's a very well performed one and could also be used in a game/anime exc. Perhaps that would be the Japanese version, though. The song is the longest on the record (and there's a video for it, which I'll have to check out) and it allows the band to experiment a little beyond the ballad nature of the original piece. Not so much though, as it's very chorus heavy. The guitar leads for the chorus definitely decorate the piece rather well and escape into the misty end, where it goes into a rather tasteful vocalization. This is a piece that people will be playing for years, as well as the whole album itself.

Observation concluded, it's safe to say that with an album this strong and musically competent, BabyMetal aren't going anywhere. I actually expected this to be awful, so you can only imagine how shocked I am. Hell, I'll almost believe in God, Christ, Heaven and Hell at this point; because I can't believe that such a record exists. I feel as though I'm in The Twilight Zone and I'm being presented with a record that should not be. This is the literal thing that should not be, folks. I feel that God is going to reveal himself and say to me, “April Fools! This isn't the real BabyMetal record” as he hands me something that I expected, which would have been more random silliness and slapped together metal. Though facts are facts and what I've heard definitely does the Japanese metal scene justice. It's not Sigh, it's not Kadenzza, Flagitious Idiosyncrasy In The Dilapidation, Dir En Grey or Boris, but it definitely pulls it's own weight amongst some of those Japanese greats. BabyMetal have certainly cemented themselves and I'd certainly consider this record as memorable as that of Unlucky Morpheus's Rebirth Revisited and Yousei Teikoku's Shadow Corps(e). Its further proof that they have a place here in metal, regardless of what some listeners might think. They've done justice to the genre and have redeemed themselves in my eyes, which is all that I feel is important. I still feel that Suzuka is the main vocalist of the act however, and as “No Rain, No Rainbow” shows, it should be that way permanently. In any case, I definitely recommend you pick up Metal Resistance, though only if you are a fan of Japanese female fronted music. If you don't like the base element, you won't enjoy it being thrown into metal, electronic and various rock realms. Without question, Metal Resistance is one of the most unexpected albums I've heard this year, as well as one of the biggest surprises that I've had from an album for as long as I've been doing this kind of work.

Edit: Dragonforce's Herman-Li is featured on the opener, "Road Of Resistance."

(12 Tracks, 54:00)

8/10