Week 70 (January 20th, 2013)

CULT OF LUNA
Vertikal
Density

Though it's been a while, Cult Of Luna have not lost an ounce of steam during the long wait for their next release after Eternal Kingdom in 2008. As a matter of fact, the band have been given new life entirely; adding new influence from industrial and electronic soundscapes that breathe through a new atmosphere inspired by Fritz Lang's dystopian silent film Metropolis. Tracks like "I: The Weapon" show the full force of the band, while the near twenty minute monster "Vicarious Redemption" shows not only the ferocity of the band, but the subtle beauty in the guitar atmospheres. The album is certainly peppered with the sounds of a steely landscape, but that's not to say that the album comes of an mechanic as one might expect. To call it a beautiful machine might be most accurate, but to call it a beautiful beast would also suffice. The primitive fury of the band seems to couple well with the sounds of the cold and unforgiving future such as the one painted by Fritz Leng decades ago. Either way, the album is truly impressive and I would certainly recommend it, as there is nothing else quite like it out there.

E. May

9/10



HEAVEN'S CRY
Primal Power Addiction
Prosthetic Records

Fans of bands like SYMPHONY X and PAGAN'S MIND should definitely appreciate the reissue of this album from a band that I hadn't even known about prior. When you've heard as much prog as I have, you come to a high level of expectation and this album most certainly delivers in that area. The album's very first cut "Komma 5:18" not only comes in as a power metal infused pummeler, but there's also a latter section that is filled to the brim with prog metal theatrics, the same kind that you'd expect from DREAM THEATER and SPOCK'S BEARD. To be honest, I'm quite enamored by the band's work and have become a fan almost instantly. Though bands like BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME and PERIPHERY have coined a sort of modern prog-core that some enjoy, I just feel that their music lacks the true spirit of what prog metal was and is supposed to be. With this first HEAVEN'S CRY reissue, hopefully that standard might be reinstated. There's not really a bad cut on this album, with even ballads like "Divisions" and the closer "The Inner Stream Returns" providing good atmosphere and that sense of prog metal that we've always known and loved. This album is certainly heavy, but it also displays more progressive wizardry and experimentation than I've heard from well known titans like SYMPHONY X as of late. I definitely recommend getting a hold of this one. There's also a cover of the late 80's classic, "Beds Are Burning" by MIDNIGHT OIL as a bonus.

E. May

9/10



HEAVEN'S CRY
Food For Thought Substitute
Prosthetic Records

This reissue of the debut album from HEAVEN'S CRY is just as strong as their later release, but for some reason I seem to like it more. Maybe it's because the album comes in with the powerful opener, "Your God's Crime" and evolves upon that with the battle of light and dark riffs that compose "Out Of Me." By the time you get to "March" you'll notice that the band wrote much longer songs in the beginning, and that's a good thing; because "March" comes off much stronger when it hits it's climax, and it needs enough space to be able to do so. To be blunt, the entire album is an absolute joy to listen to and I'd make sure than every prog metal fan I knew had a copy of it. Yes, this is the kind of disc you can sail through without having to skip certain tracks - it works perfectly together as a fine whole; a magnificent and well structured marvel of a record that I honestly cannot believe I didn't get the chance to hear during the time of it's original release. With this album, HEAVEN'S CRY could have been a household name and I've no idea how they got overlooked. But if the metal gods be true; perhaps the band will finally get the recognition they deserve with these two albums back in circulation. If you're a hardcore fan of progressive rock and metal like myself; a recommendation is not enough. This is the very definition of progressive metal as it should be. Please do your part to support it.

E. May

10/10



IN SOLITUDE
In Solitude
Season Of Mist

Even though IN SOLITUDE'S The World, The Flesh, The Devil was heavily praised as being "one of the best Metal Blade albums ever" back when it debuted in 2011, I wasn't quite as sold as everyone else. I did like the IRON MAIDEN meets VENOM style of the album, but the whole experience of that record felt a little off the mark for me. However, the debut from these Swedish classic metallers is finally being re-released by our friends at Season Of Mist, and it's definitely much stronger than the band's Metal Blade debut. The self titled disc still sees the band playing more along the lines of traditional NWOBHM acts like JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN, but with a little bit of BLACK SABBATH influenced doom that still retains the same amount of classic riffing, powerful melodies and guitar solos that go back to the days when vinyl's weren't just for hipsters and music aficionados. The disc also contains some harsher vocal tones than one would've expected back in those days; making it essentially a much darker and doom-laden approach to NWOBHM. Add to that the sheer fact that the amazing vocal landscapes of Pelle "Hornper" Ahman were recorded when he was only sixteen years old. Talk about an accomplishment. This album also comes packaged with two bonus tracks, "Hidden Dangers (In The Night)" and "Faceless Mistress (Demo Version)" which aren't necessarily going to resell fans on the idea of this album; nor should they. But forty minutes of terrific heavy metal that sounds just the way that grandma used to make should be enough to sell the disc and each of one the eight original tracks should be cranked up to eleven. If you've been disenfranchised by core, djent and other modern mainstays; then this is just the album you've been looking for. But if any of these tracks seem to bore you, then I would suggest a professional ear examination. It doesn't get much truer to the spirit of heavy metal than this.

E. May

(9/10)



Nolentia - May The Hand That Holds The Match That Will Set This World On Fire Be Blessed Above All (PR2013) - Now I've never been the type to say "this band sucks" in those terms, because I recognize that there's a fan base for every type of art in the world, no matter how beautiful, sickly, or outright disturbing - but Nolentia certainly isn't my cup of tea by any means. The album cover is quite misleading as you'd expect something like Ancestors with the proggy touch, but this is by all means not even close to that kind of album. Instead it's a 13 minute expelling of negativity backed by some interesting structural changes. It's not a full kick into the stomach, there a re certainly meat on these songs, but the disc is so short that you won't even know the experience has ended. As the flyer says, the band mixes together many different styles including that of death, hardcore, sludge crust and doom metal, but all ensnared in the piranha plant of grindcore. Alright, so maybe comparing this band to a ferocious tube dwelling plant that either eats it's victims alive or spits fire at them might not be the best way to go; but it certainly fits. The band has toured with some rather diverse acts like The Arson Project, Benighted, Dagoba, Disgorge, Imply In All, Inhume, Knut, Sylvester Staline, Textures, Ultra Vomit and Yattai as well as stuff like Atara, Exhumed, Magrudergrind, Mass Grave or Rotten Sound.

Short, brutal and quick, I could compare this experience to being eaten by a venomous plant like the one I just named. I wish the mix was a little clearer, but am thankfully glad that the band doesn't just twaddle along with the same song structure in all 16 of these tracks. Every track has something different to offer, yet will still contain a garbage-mouthed growl backed by an impish scream. So if you don't like that approach, you'd better keep on looking. Nevertheless, these guys cover a lot of musical ground in 13 minutes and convince me that more can be done with grindcore than just playing the instruments very fast and growling and screaming through what sounds like a mess.

Worth checking out, but still not quite my cup of tea. But you can listen to it around six times in one hour!

(16 Tracks, 13:00)

7/10



Vorum - Poisoned Void (PR2013) - These Finns make some very loud death metal. As a matter of fact, it's extremely fucking loud death metal. This album was so loud that my right ear started to throb in pain. I took of my earbud to find that there was a little bit of blood in my right ear. I was listening to the album on a normal volume as well, it was just so loud and unruly that apparently it made my fucking ear bleed. But I just played it out of my left ear and finished the listen.

Though not a long album, this loud and poisonous beast is exactly what death metal should sound like. The riffs are both intricate and remorseless, the drumming is ferocious and the vocal approach is quite vile to say the least. This is the exact thing I want out of death metal, and even though it says that it "will crush skulls and send children screaming out of the room in fright" I highly recommend that your children check out this wonderful piece of death metal, if your children are listening to good music. Oh, and as for crushed skulls - well, I feel it's an absolute shame that skulls must be crushed. I think you should find a group of reanimated skeletons - and play this record for them. If their bones don't explode from the sheer torrent of madness coming forth from this monster, that is. But let me know if you find some reanimated skeletons. I've always wanted to see some.

As any rate, this album certainly does manage to sound like a void in places. There are certain tracks that just sound "black" and that's the best way to put it. Some of this material literally sounds like a gaping vortex of doom, a black hole if you will; threatening to expound it's gravitational mass upon all who dare to tread too close to it. Being that the disc is loud, I don't have any problems hearing the instruments in the mix and they come through fantastically. The disc obviously is rife with songs that sound different from each other, yet carry the same vibe of evil; so the word "structure" could certainly be applied. There are also plenty of guitar solos on this album and for the most part; they sound as you would want them to.

Vorum is not re-inventing the wheel, but they are painting it black and putting spikes on it. I guess you could say that they're also dipping it in the blood of human sacrifice and throwing it into a vast and fetid abyss. It's death metal done right and is certainly one of my personal favorite death metal discs of the year. These guys made a colossal triumph of grim evil that death metal fans should get their hands on as soon as possible. I would also say that fans of black metal might want to dip their hands into this bloody water as well.

It's the best of both unholy worlds.

Highlights: ALL (8 Tracks, 35:00)

10/10



Infected Flesh - Concatenation Of Severe Infections (PR2012) - Infected Flesh's third album sees the same kind of landscapes as those populated by Grindcore. It's got the sounds of a strangling pig as you might expect; but if that pig were a mutant hybrid and given the ability to speak, the vocal effect here would be the same. Yes. I've just compared the vocalist's approach on this album to that of a giant fucking man-pig hybrid. In the background, we've got a capable drummer, but he sounds kind of "in the back", which is probably due to the odd vocal approach being a little higher in the mix. Oddly enough, you'll hear the vocals more than anything else on this disc, even the guitars. Speaking of those, you'll certainly hear some solo sections and they aren't half bad. I wasn't so sure about this one from the beginning, but I will say that it's different. While having much to do with grindcore, it's classified as a kind of brutal death metal and supposedly in the vein of bands like Severe Torture, Disavowed, and Suffocation. Though this is a little bit of promo copypasta, I thought I would go ahead and add the list of guest vocalists on this album.

Guest vocalists on Concatenation Of Severe Infections include Robbert K. (Disavowed), Dennis (Severe Torture), Joost (Cliteater), Roi (Haemophagia), Albert & Jofre (Pesta Porcina), Regius (Nemesis Aeterna). So not only are you getting a band for fans of stuff like Disavowed and Severe Torture, you're also getting guest appearances from the frontmen of those bands. Don't forget that the band's current drummer also plays in Severe Torture/Centurian, so even though he's behind in the mix, the guy's still playing the hell out of the kit.

The album is actually full of good leads and some interesting points of groove and structure. In all actuality, groove is the name of the game. It's not overly pummeling, but it is certainly an interesting listening experience, complete with the mutant pig-man on vocals. If scientists keep making those Frankenstein creatures, that statement might not sound so whimsical in a few years.

Nevertheless, I recommend this one. It's not usual that I recommend metal of this vein, because it's usually not my cup of tea - but I found something unique and different here. Though I think the 16.00 price tag is a bit much too charge for an online order of the slipcase version that will more than likely include 4.00 S/H. If they'd lower the price down to twelve, I would recommend it a bit more. Especially when the payroll tax just hit everyone in the US with the effect of smaller paychecks, so people will have even less spending money.

But if the money doesn't matter and you want to support your favorite brutal death metallers from California, this album is certainly worth that support.

(11 Tracks, 43:00)

8/10



Xanthochroid - Blessed He With Boils (2012) - I'm going to be honest. These guys hit me like a freight train sucker punch from behind. I noticed the interesting album art and the intriguing album title, downloaded the album and then later bought the disc because I had to have such a masterpiece as this in my collection. Xanthochroid is a mix of Emperor in their Equilibrium IX days and Opeth in their respected era, but they also utilize other elements that give the band an "epic" approach. At first, you might think the intro piece "Aquatic Deathgate Existence 3:00" lays it on a little thick with the theatrics, but as soon as the album's first real track "Blessed He With Boils 7:29" comes in, you'll see that this band contains a strength unmatched by very few. The frontman definitely takes a cue from Ihsahn, but his approach works well with the blasts from the kit and the piano (which can surprisingly still be heard in the mix despite the blasting.)

The album is actually based in the realms of fantasy epic, but I assured my friend that "this isn't a Lord Of The Rings knockoff story." It's actually got some interesting and thought provoking lyrics. Those lyrics are certainly screamed, yet there is also a clean vocal approach that comes off quite beautifully. Not all of the songs on this disc are progressive black metal monsters though, as some of them tend to utilize a softer and more atmospheric nature that comes off just as well as anything Opeth's ever done in that vein. Take "Winter's End 5:01" for instance. It's a light folk track that comes off just as well as anything the band's done with a heavier intention.

But even if you don't care for the lighter pieces on this album, there are plenty of epically orchestrated progressive black metal pieces on this album backed with Opeth riffs that found their way into the mix. But don't think that Xanthochroid is just a sandwich of Opeth and Emperor, even though that's a pretty awesome sandwich. The band certainly offer a sense of mesmerism that these bands still haven't delivered. The addition of gothic synths and choirs really add to the majesty of these pieces, and the direction in which these pieces change is also something uncanny. They could've stayed in one spot, but how much fun would that have been? There are many bands who write long songs and rely on the same riffs to keep them afloat, but this band really utilizes every facet that they have which makes these songs match the nature of the fantasy-laden source material. Remember, this album comes with a map and it's not a power metal disc.

What's more, is that the band is aware of file-sharing and what not, but wants to really get their music out there. A Russian review for this disc was posted on the band's facebook which had a direct download for the album. They thought it was a torrent, but I recognized it as an I-Folder page and saw that it was a full download of the material, so I informed them of it. But then again, I wouldn't even know about these guys if not for sites like those, so they are sort of a necessary evil these days even though those guys really just want to get the music out there. I've always said that I would rather play to a full venue of people who downloaded the album and really liked the music, people who now might want to go ahead and buy shirts and physical discs just to support the music that they themselves were able to listen to in it's entirety beforehand; then to play in front of an empty venue where no one was able to check out the music for themselves.

But the bottom line is that these guys spent a great deal of time composing this album and it shows it with each and every song. I don't know if you want to call this a 2012 or 2013 release, but if we want to call it a 2013 release, then it's one of the best albums of the year, hands down. And it will remain on my personal 2013 list. This is the very definition of amazing metal that's worth checking out for damn near every metal head out there. This is a fucking spectacle - a masterpiece of an album that I can't wait to check out a physical copy of. The band worked as hard on the music as they did the story, and as hard on the story as they did the artwork. Think about it - how many extreme metal albums out there have given you a fucking map?

It's elegant, it's epic and uncompromisingly fierce. There's nothing else to say about this one other than to just check it out for yourself. I'm keeping my eye on these guys, they've got a whole lot more than just potential. There are songs on this disc that will be played for years and recognized in the same way that Opeth's "Godhead's Lament" and "Deliverance" have been. It's got the same brilliance about it that made epics like Bal-Sagoth's Starfire Burning On The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule so great.

Yes, it's that kind of epic.

http://xanthochroid.bandcamp.com/

Highlights: ALL (10 Tracks, 57:00)

10/10



Fragments Of Unbecoming - The Art Of Coming Apart (2012) - The fifth album from Swedish death metallers Fragments Of Unbecoming sees the band playing along the same soundscapes of traditional 90's Swedish death metal, but also adding slightly drearier portions to the sound (The Art Of Coming Apart 4:11, A Silence Dressed In Black 4:59) making a sort of Swedish melodic death metal disc with slight hints of melancholy. But for the most part, the album's eight tracks of metal will leave you banging your head, but curious as to why they wasted the time to record the sullen instrumental "Sundown 1:52" and the even more dreadful closer "Fathomless 1:54" which serves as more of an outro piece to the disc.

Drums beat vehemently, while guitars thunder and thump as the vocals fill the stage with as much Swedish brutality as we've come to expect from the band. There are no clean vocals or piano portions on this album, it is just eight tracks of complete terror and brutality (and should've been left that way.) It is a disc that is not very hard to explain with ten thousand paragraphs, so I won't do so. As soon as you listen to the album, you'll understand that it has no desire to be anything more than an intriguingly dark and desolate death metal album. I would certainly recommend it to fans of Swedish death metal, especially Edge Of Sanity, At The Gates and (older) Dark Tranquility which is referenced on "A Silence Dressed In Black" probably the best track on this disc.

It's solid death metal that doesn't really pack any new punches but it definitely worth listening to. Though I've already heard better discs than this, (Skineater, The Project Hate) it probably won't hurt to check this one out.

(10 Tracks, 42:00)

8/10



Eths - III (English Edition 2012) - Eths certainly has the right idea in their attempt to make Nu-Metal more palatable to the modern metal hordes. They seem to be the odd lovechild of Meshuggah, Otep and Lacuna Coil, which was bound to happen eventually. Harsh vocals accompany angelic female vocals and djent riffs a plenty. I will say that the harsh vocals are performed believable enough to classify in the realms of venomous, which will definitely give these guys a big edge over everyone who thought Lacuna Coil was heavy because they used metal riffs and had Marcos growl on a few discs. That all went to shit, so Eths kind of brings that back. Surprisingly, the band is brutal in areas and the drummer does some worthwhile shit on the kit, but it's no death metal even though they have a "Nu-Metal/Core/Alternative/Death Metal" genre stamp.

One could say that The Agonist does the same thing, but I will certainly say the structures and atmospheres of these tracks is certainly much stronger than anything they've ever done. The frontwoman definitely gives Angela Gossow and Otep Shamaya a run for their money, I will say that much. Some of you still might be under the guise that women have no place in metal and should be cleaning the kitchen or something; which is a pretty shitty way to think - but it's good to see women getting out there and putting just as much of a stamp on metal as we men have done in the past. I have said before that I support female metal and this disc certainly has enough meat on it to make a further dent into the chauvinistic idea that men should only be in metal.

Other tracks feature a little bit more melody and some hard rock semblances, but there's really a mix of everything on this one. Perhaps "Gravis Venter 5:04" is the most radio friendly, but "Adonai 4:00" should definitely gel better with fans of more extreme music, while the hardcore fans might like the hardcore approach of "Inanis Venter 4:25."

Not all of the tracks on this album are in English, but it is good to be able to understand a handful of the tracks here. On this English Edition album, there are four translated tracks and three bonus tracks including a cover which I will get into in just a bit. At any rate, Eths proves with III that they've definitely got the ability to make a huge hit here in the states and that's just what they're trying to do. But Lacuna Coil came out of Italy and became superstars; so perhaps mixing extreme and goth metal semblances together was just the right thing to do to appeal to the masses this time around. Since there's no metal on the tube anymore, it's difficult to say whether or not these guys made their mark. As far a magazines go, I haven't even seen one review with the band - so that's another hurdle they'll just have to cross. It's music that will sell though, that audience just needs to become more aware of it, apparently.

I know of some friends who would like it. Perhaps that will help.

Bonus Tracks

Music (Madonna Cover 4:00) - First of all, I love pop-metal covers and have been dying to start a band in the vein of Ten Masked Men, but more on the extremes of black/death metal. However, this version of Madonna's (classic?) is very true to the original, except djent riffs compose the base and the chorus is accented with a harsh vocal. I have no idea what Madonna would think of it, but she'd probably consider it awful noise, the bitch. However, this psychotic cover of the album won't gel well with most metal fans who'll think it's just stupid.

7 3:52 - This track sounds like an odd sort of sludge/groove with NO female vocals. People who listen to sludge might actually find it the only track on this album they can stand, but will agree that they've heard better. Still, it's not bad to hear a band playing 31 flavors instead of just vanilla.

Cerebellum 4:11 - Not really sure what to call this one, but it's one of those tracks that is certainly more on the feminine side of things. It's also kind of basic, almost playing a Disturbed vibe. It's all in French but should appeal to some hot metal or goth chick somewhere. And probably some not so attractive ones. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all. The track does get heavier towards the end, but took too long to get started.

(13 Tracks, 58:00)

7/10



Synthetic Breed - Zero Degrees Freedom EP (2012) - Synthetic Breed utilizes the same sort of djent style that was somewhat featured in Eths, but comes across as a more death metal approach with the female vocals being mostly harsh with some occasional clean bursts. Whoever this chick is, she's absolutely fucking insane on the mic and it literally reminds me a hell of a lot of Meshuggah frontman, Tomas Haake (Dimension Zero 5:29) which is a good thing in this case. The band for the most part sound like a feminine version of Meshuggah, which means that it's slightly more melodic but just as fucking heavy. I guarantee you of that. I am hearing some of the same exact imprints in this band that I've heard in Meshuggah, plus odd ideas that are completely unique to this band in the vein of effects. There are also some beautiful fucking melodies on this disc (Resilience 4:22) in addition to the bashing that you'll get from this one.

Again, this IS a heavy fucking disc. It's much heavier than Eths, but even though there are female vocals choruses on this one, you can consider them respite from the storm. This is just one EP, so what these guys could do in the future excites me greatly. Each and every track on this one has it's own identity and assures me that this band could further succeed on a full length LP. It's twenty-three minutes of promise that's well worth checking out, even if you don't like female vocal choruses. Pretty heavy stuff.

(5 Tracks, 23:00)

8/10



Acidcell - Feelin' The Doom (2012) - It's really hard for me to judge an album that's called Feelin' The Doom. It makes me think of "Feelin' The Groove" but with a dead disco hippie on the front cover who died while dancing to "Saturday Night Fever" (a track that really needs to be made into death metal by the way.) But this industrial metal disc is actually pretty fucking decent in all respects. I was quite surprised and found opener "Do I Look Like A Slut? 4:09" to be intriguing as it mixes thrash along with some odd robotic vocal effects that make it sound like a malicious spirit is singing in the background of the track. Not a bad opener. Then there's "Beautiful Undead 4:02" which features some blues riffs and a killer chorus that I'd expect from The Dethstars, which these guys sort of remind me of.

However, the disc does change a bit and the gothic vocal croons start coming in on tracks like "Stick It 4:07" and "Parasite 4:10" which don't seem to pass in the realm of "catchy chorus" that this band was trying to achieve. But "One Of Us 4:51" sees that pasty vampire approach succeeding in melting the clothes off of women around the world. As for the disc's title track, "Feelin The Doom 4:25" it also comes off surprisingly strong with a little heavier background for Dracula's vocals. "Deathmachine 5:33" sounds like it was influenced by The Ramones, The Murderdolls or both as for as musicality goes, but the Transylvanian approach continues on "Children Of The Night 4:39" though I feel that the backup vocals fail tremendously on that track and "Hate Me 4:33." As for the disc's long closer, "Out In The Dark 7:07" it might very well be one of the best ways to end the disc, as it sees the vampire vocals being used perfectly despite the fact that the backup at this point begins to sound like a little gremlin and might elicit a slight chuckle.

In the end, Acidcell have something to offer musically in the vein of electronic/industrial metal and the goth element is used well, for the most part. There are plenty of hits and few misses, but I can say that this one won't appeal to fans of more extreme metal. However, that's not who it was made for. If you like candlelit nights and hard rock fueled industrial metal, this disc will suit your fancy. It's in all honesty; not that bad. If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, then chances are that you probably will.

Highlights: Do I Look Like A Slut?, Beautiful Undead, One Of Us, Feelin' The Doom, Deathmachine, Hate Me, Out In The Dark (10 Tracks, 47:00)

7.5/10

If you don't see your album here yet, please be patient. I will have more reviews up shortly and interviews as I get clearance. I'm only one guy, after all. Thanks!

Interview With Melodic Death Thrashers, Vex!

Country of origin: United States
Location: San Marcos, Texas
Status: Active
Formed in: 1998

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Lyrical themes: Longing, Exile, Death
Current label: Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
Years active: 1998-present

MEMBERS

Bill Edgar: Bass
See also: ex-R.C.P.
Owen McCloskey: Drums
See also: Bat Castle
Mike Day: Guitars
Ciaran McCloskey: Guitars
See also: Nosferion
Joe Jackson: Vocals (2011-present)

VEX

1. Let's talk about the new album, Memorious. That sounds like a really heady title. What is being referred to as Memorious? The human race, or society in general?

The title comes from a short story by the Argentinean author Jorge Luis Borges called “Funes the Memorious.” The focus of this story is a character who spends all of his time recalling his past in precise and exacting detail. We eventually learn that he was paralyzed very early in his life so this is really all that he is ever able to do with his time, in the absence of any sort of present tense. “Memorious” is not a concept album, but one of the unifying themes of the lyrics is what happens when the self is locked into a similar state of perpetual memory that is both involuntary and inevitable. I would say the scope is more personal than societal.

2. Explain the recording process for this album. How did it all come together and how long did it take to complete? Are you pleased with the results?

The tracking of the album spanned about 6 months, starting in late summer 2011 and culminating around the beginning of 2012. The writing process was a sporadic affair spanning about eight years. This probably seems extensive by most standards, but for a handful of losers from Texas with dead-end jobs, several other groups and no recording budget, it wasn’t too bad. It’s certainly preferable to the 3 ½ years spent tracking and the first album.

The process itself was actually very enjoyable. Eoghan and I spent a few months demo tracking the whole thing before the sessions started, so we had a good idea of how it was going to flow. We felt very confident about the quality of the songs, and we were able to work completely in-house, with Mike and Eoghan engineering the whole thing at Mike’s studio in South Austin. Of course it isn’t perfect, there are things that we would all change, but that’s to be expected. Overall I am very pleased. I really like the energy and the momentum of the recording, and I like that the production has an organic quality to it. We definitely weren’t looking for a sort of “modern metal” sound.

3. There are influences of black metal, prog, doom, and death metal strewn all over this thing. What are some of your influences and how did they help in the formation of this album? Am I right to hear a great deal of influence from Irish black/doomers Primordial?

Yes, you absolutely are! Eoghan and I originally hail from Dublin, so it was a big deal for me to learn about an extreme metal group from our home country. I picked up “Journey’s End” after reading about it in Terrorizer about 15 years ago, and it had a huge impact on me. I connected with it on an emotional level, but I was also very into the open-chord riffing style that has become a big part of the Vex sound. It was like Viking-ear Bathory infused with the sort of Irish folk music that Eoghan and I grew up listening to.

There are quite a few other influences that have helped shape our sound, most notably Celtic Frost, Morbid Angel, Carcass, Death, Edge of Sanity, Dark Tranquility and Iron Maiden, to name a few. “Memorious” was mainly influenced by mid-period Fates Warning, and a lot of 70s prog/psychedelic stuff like Amon Duul II, Magma and Gentle Giant. The stylistic fearlessness and bold artistry of that period is huge for us. We’re also very into jazz artists like Charles Mingus, Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter. I don’t think you can really hear that as much because the influence has more to do with the sort of emotional complexity that jazz artists bring into their compositions and improvisation. I recently saw Eric Dolphy listed as a jazz artist that metal fans should know about, which didn’t surprise me at all. “Out to Lunch” is fucking intense! Very sinister, brooding and heavy.

4. What instruments are you guys using, and what inspired you to pick them up in the first place?

Bill and I decided to learn bass and guitar, respectively, while watching a televised Freddie Mercury tribute concert in 1992. It seemed a natural fit for me because I was fortunate enough to grow up in a very musical family, and I was always drawn to the look and feel of a guitar. My brother Eoghan followed through with the decision to pick up the drums some time in the late 90s, which was a decision heavily influenced by Slayer and the Meshuggah album “Chaosphere.” Mike and I prefer to play Gibson guitars and high-wattage Peavey tube heads because they afford us the thick mid-range tones that allow our open chords to ring out. A trebly, hi-gain metal tone wouldn’t really work for what we do.

5. Texas has as of late, become a real hotbed for metal music. Some of the greatest American metal acts hail from there, and you really wouldn't expect it to be so in a red-state where God and guns seem to be on the minds of the majority. What are your opinions on this?

I agree that Texas has an incredible metal heritage. You’ve pointed out an interesting paradox there, and I don’t know that I can necessarily account for it. Perhaps it has something to do with the tendency for metal to flourish in generally adverse climates. I think metal is gradually replacing rock music as the global answer to political and religious oppression. In my own case, I grew up in a fairly small, heavily religious town in West Texas, and I was initially drawn to Venom, Possessed and Bathory because the extremity of the music and the lyrics was a welcome contrast to the strong Christian presence in my school at the time. It really drew me in and fascinated me.

In another sense, I don’t know that the battles lines are so clearly drawn anymore; metal has become so widespread around here that it doesn’t really have any sort of discernable political footing. Grindcore still seems firmly left-wing, but the red-state conservative culture you mention has become fairly pervasive among brutal death metal bands. Strange times are these.

6. Speaking of guns, it looks like the president has ordered a ban on assault weapons. What do you guys think of this, especially in a pro-gun state?

You are correct that gun control is a contentious and polarizing issue here in Texas, especially in the Central area where progressive ideologies clash with the deeply-ingrained culture of gun ownership. We definitely have strong views on the subject, but not in any unified way that could be expressed as a collective opinion. We are all politically and civically engaged as individuals, but as Vex we prefer to refrain from any sort of political commentary due to the potentially ostracizing effect it can have. We aren’t interested in excluding anyone.

7. You guys released a split with another Texan band, Divine Eve that made it into Japan and Asia. That's pretty fucking awesome. What do people in those countries think about the split? Did you guys make some unexpected fans overseas?

From what I could tell, the split sold fairly well and was well-received in those areas. It was originally supposed to be released much earlier, around the summer of 2011, but the tsunami completely changed everything. We all assumed that the release had been shelved, but Naru from Obliteration Records surprised all of us by forging ahead with everything about six months later. I really like how the release turned out and I’m proud to have those songs featured alongside the almighty Divine Eve.

8. If there's anything that you want us to know about the lyrical content of this album, what would it be? What messages can one take with them after listening to Memorious?

The lyrics to “Memorious” are all fairly personal, much more so than on the first album. They’re basically just attempts to understand and reconcile the way that things tend to happen, and why things affect us in the way that they do. If there is any sort of overarching message to the lyrics, it’s really just that there is a lot to be gained by recognizing the limits of your own perception and your own place in the universe. We chose to open the album with “Terra Soar” because it’s fairly uplifting track about reaching beyond your own cognition to seek transcendence. I’m very into literature and language in general, so I spend a lot of time with these lyrics, and I hope that people dig them or even just find them to be a pleasant addition to the music.

9. You guys have played with some phenomenal acts, most of them on majors, like Origin, Krisiun, Katatonia, Goatwhore, Moonspell and Exhumed among others. Do you guys eventually want to be signed to a major label as well? Or do you prefer to be an underground act?

We were very into the idea when “Thanatopsis” started to help us gain a bit more of name for ourselves, so we did the usual rounds with the press kits. We got played during A&R meetings for a few of the household name labels and basically got written off for being a bit out of context with the market. Relapse liked our stuff but said we are way too far beyond the type of sound that’s guaranteed to sell. This was a bit discouraging but it really just motivated us to work harder to produce the best possible album that we could.

Since doing so, we had what I would consider to be a successful year where we were able to accomplish a tour on our own and release an album that we’re really proud of. It was very satisfying, and helped us realize that we’re fine on a small label. We have such a great relationship with HPGD, with our PR group and with our booking agency. These groups basically supply us with all the same resources that a large label would, and we’re in direct control of everything. Of course the added distribution and exposure of a large label would be a wonderful asset, but that almost seems like a best-case scenario these days. While we were in the process of researching the major labels, I would run through a few of their rosters and in most cases, I had only heard mention of about half of the bands. We really don’t want to be in a situation like that, locked into a binding contract with almost no promotion or touring emphasis. We’ve discussed this recently and decided that if an offer from a large label did come along, we’d really have to weigh our options and see if it’s worth taking on that kind of financial liability.

10. What are some bands that you guys are currently into? Any bands out there in the Texas scene that you want us to know about?

I am very into Obsequiae from Minnesota. They’re a melodic death metal band with a sound and identity all their own, who also manage to channel the kind of feeling and atmosphere that has all but vanished from death metal. Everyone needs to hear them. I’ve also been very into Master’s Hammer, Summoning, and Novembre as of late. My girlfriend collects obscure psychedelic music from all over the world, so I’ve also been enjoying large doses of that, particularly Turkish groups from the early 70s. That stuff is just ridiculously good. As far as Texas groups, everyone should definitely know about Batcastle, Feral Rex and The Black Moriah – all friends of ours who are working to forge their own identity without compromising integrity or extreme metal aggression.

11. Let's talk movies, books and games. What are some of your favorite? What other things do you guys do when you're not making great music?

I’m not much of a gamer myself; I couldn’t even tell you the last time I played a video game but it was probably at least a decade ago. As far as movies, I’m really into what Martin McDonagh has going on – I was completely floored by “In Bruges,” and drew quite a bit of inspiration from the darkness and complexity of it. I’ve loved all of his plays as well. His brother John also made an incredible movie last year called “The Guard” that I highly recommend. Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” and Dario Argento’s “Tenebrae” are also old favorites that I recently became re-acquainted with. Apart from that, I’m pretty old-fashioned so I’m glad you asked about books – I thoroughly enjoy the works of Vladimir Nabokov, Clare Keegan, Jonathan Franzen, Howard Jacobson, Samuel Beckett, Patrick McCabe, Dagoberto Gilb, James Hynes, William Trevor, Roger Boylan, W.B. Years, Paul Auster and Jorge Luis Borges, the author I mentioned earlier.

When we’re not rehearsing or writing for Vex or wasting time at our day jobs, we’re usually playing music in some form; each of us has at least two other bands that are in some phrase of recording or performing. Austin is a very musical place with a lot of very talented musicians who we are fortunate to be working with. Apart from that, I’m in the final stages of completing my English-teaching certification; the program I’m in is very demanding so that’s been taking up a majority of my time.

12. Obviously, Memorious seems to paint a bleak outlook on the future of our race. Do you think this is really the case? Are we truly fucked as a society? Or is there still hope for us?

I’m not much of a humanist – I really don’t have any sort of faith in the human condition or even in human reason as its own end. I really don’t care for ideology either. I’m more into the post-Enlightenment, Jonathan Swift view of humanity is a sort of eternal farce, worthy of the fiercest mockery and derision. As far as the future, I really have no idea what’s in store, but I don’t see how things will ever improve if puerile self-interest and stern commitment to baseless ideologies continue to be celebrated as political virtues. You mentioned gun-control legislation earlier; this is one issue that is just too deeply polarizing for any sort of national consensus to ever be reached.

13. Let's talk touring. What are some experiences that you guys can share with us about being on the road? What are some things that bands need to know before they get out there?

I would say that we’ve been very fortunate in our road experience so far, especially as a DIY band. We’ve certainly had some rough spots, such as last summer when we played to 3 people in a garage in rural Tennessee, but we understand that these sorts of things are inevitable in most cases. These gigs have been far outweighed by the great experiences we’ve had in entirely new areas where we’ve been fortunate to meet and work with a lot of great people. I’ve always been inspired by the precedent set by Fugazi, one of my favorite bands, of just going out and doing it, of creating your own scene where there isn’t one already.

As far as advice, I would say just know what you’re getting into; bring a good amount of merchandise, have a lot of backup cash saved up, and learn as much as you possibly can about the promoter in each city. You can never plan too much for these things. We were very fortunate to work with Riff Lifter Touring, a booking agency based in Philadelphia, for our last tour in that they really helped smooth everything over for us and iron out the details.

Thanks for your answers. The disc is truly incredible, so thanks for sharing your art with the rest of humanity. We really fucking appreciate it.

Thank you very much for your praise! It’s very rewarding to see that some people understand what we’re trying to do here, because it’s very important to us. Also thank you for the thought-provoking and intelligent questions!

Donate?

Alright, I will be honest and say that I'm literally running this place by myself. The Grim Tower is my child, more or less and without the bands, the labels and the distros, this would be nothing.

So I'll make it quick. I work a regular day job, probably like many of you and my hours have been chopped to the point where I'll be lucky if I work two days a week. But this gives me more time to write interviews and more time to write reviews. While this place won't grind to a halt if you don't donate a penny, it would be most appreciative if you did.

Bands - If you liked my review for your disc - give me what you think it's worth. A dollar, maybe a quarter? A cent? A five? Whatever. If you liked my interview, show your support if you feel obliged.

Labels/Distros - If you liked my coverage of your acts, or the fact that I took it on my own to get out there and interview these great bands because I felt the need to get them out there, then please give me what you think my efforts are worth.

Again, I don't care what. But I'm broke. My two week check came in today and it was just two hundred dollars. That's not much to live on, folks. So help me out, if you feel the need. I'm even going to be honest with you and tell you that I'm going to have to refile for food stamps, because what they were giving me isn't going to be enough anymore. I'm a pauper, more or less. But I do what I do for the bands, first and foremost.

In other news, Hails And Horns Magazine wants exclusive rights to my reviews. Though they don't pay me, Hails is much better promotion for the bands I feel; than this blog can do alone. But do not worry, because what they do not take WILL be posted here. That means that unsigned acts are still welcomed and encouraged. 

At any rate, you can send paypal donations to the address on the right bar, under "donate."

Thanks so much for your contribution. Any at all is appreciated. This will also be the last time I discuss this matter. Look forward to a new review set sometime the week after next. But I should hopefully be able to post some new interviews (Hails permitting) on the blog. Yes, I won't lie. I've got 4 interviews I can post right now, but I have to wait on the magazine first. Again, it's better promotion for the bands.

When they are posted, I will have the redirect links here. Sorry you didn't like my Ancient VVisdom Interview.

- Eric 

Ancient VVisdom Interview!

Per a request of Hails & Horns magazine, you will have to read this at their official page.

http://www.hailsandhorns.com/featuresandinterviews/ancient-vvisdom-vocalist-nathan-opposition-talks-about-their-darker-form-of-rock-music-satanism-and-the-shackles-of-blind-faith/

Enjoy!

Week 70 (Janurary 7th, 2013)

SKINEATER
Dermal Harvest
Pulverised Records

The debut release from the melo-death supergroup SKINEATER is exactly what I was looking for in the genre. All fans of melo-death should readily embrace this, and deserve a claw hammer to the face if they feel otherwise. The band is composed of past and present members of IN THY DREAMS, DARK FUNERAL, CARNAL FORGE, DEFLESHED, SPORTLOV, RAISED FIST and THE MARY MAJOR, so you should know what to expect - or maybe not. After all, this band certainly doesn't sound like any of those that I've named and treads through as it's own melodically brutal beast. Jorgen Strom's (THE MARY MAJOR) vocals are the fucking butter to the bread here, as his demonic growls seem to make even the most-hearted lighted riffs seem devious - and that's when I begin to smile with glee. Catchy riffs and bombastic solos fill the disc with tracks that are sure to play in your head for hours at a time. Add to this Matte Modin's (DARK FUNERAL/DEFLESHED) intricate drum work, and you've got a disc that starts off the new year right. Fans of BLOODBATH, GRAVE, HYPOCRISY, UNLEASHED, CARNAL FORGE, GOD DETHRONED, CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL and others in that vein should certainly find something to like in this disc, and if they don't, then I'll once again reiterate the fact that a well-placed claw hammer to the face would be necessary. This is, as far as I'm concerned; the textbook definition of melodic death metal and is an uncanny debut. There is nothing more to say, other than to get this this album in your hands as soon as it becomes available.

E. May

10/10



Noosphera - Echoes Of Life EP (2012 Band Request) - This band posted a link to a download of their free EP right on my facebook page, drawing my immediate attention. So the first thing I thought was "Well, these guys obviously want me to review them, so I'll do that." The disc contains three tracks and is considered to be trance metal, which I can certainly tell by the electronic influences. But what I like about this disc, is how each track is different from the others. Opener "Humanity 4:40" has a female vocal imprint backed with electronic synths and a scowl vocal style comparable to Blood Stain Child. There are some certain elements of modern metal here, but it is supposed to be a modern approach; so I expect that.

"Pyramids & Androids 5:44" comes next, with it's decidedly more death metal approach, complete with some Egyptian rhythms and a great heavy vocal/light vocal chorus. I never tire of these, and it when it works, it almost makes me forget the dubstep portion of the track. Yeah, it's there and they've gotten some rash comments about it. But it's not long, and it goes back to the more interesting core of the song. Even though dubstep is used here, this song really kills and the instrumental solo portions of the track show me that this is a band brimming with talent. If people aren't catching on yet, they never will. This is the kind of music I'm looking for and when it finds me (instead of me finding it) that's an even bigger plus. So interesting bands, send me your albums! (Just not all at once. I'm still trying to get through a crowded MP3 Player full of material, and I just had to hear my female-fronted Japanese power metal in the form of Light Bringer before I got to any promos. So I apologize!)

"Echoes Of Life 5:48" is the disc's closer, which comes in with more groove and features a background guttural. The female vocals are still used, but they work well when used and are not overblown on the album. It's actually a duet male/female clean chorus backed with piano and electronics, giving it an electronic gothic melo-death feel and it works for me. The female vocals carry out the last of the chorus, as the guitar solo serenades us out with some added vocalizing. But guess what? It all works.

Seriously, this is great music. These guys are just giving this away for free and despite the dubstep portion, (the song it was used in, is still a good song) there is some promising material here. Definitely helps if you like electronic metal because there's quite a bit of electronics here; but these guys thunder a good bit and don't rely on female vocals to power them through. It's definitely heavy, yet melodic at the same time. A good mix and a stunning debut.

Expect more from these guys in the future. I will.

(3 Tracks, 16:00)

8/10



Corsair - Corsair (PR2013) - Corsair comes in like a breath of fresh air. They're no pummelers by a longshot, but they certainly remind me of acts like The Lord Weird Slough Feg, Iron Maiden, CKY and even Dinosaur JR in terms of progressive rock/metal atmospheres. The album sounds like it was recorded back in the 80's, but it sounds like it would've stood the test of time in the 80's as well. These guys are great. There's a serious charm to their music that makes it just a joy to listen to. It's not a very long disc, but "Chaemera 3:49", "Gryphon Wing 6:18" and the instrumental "Mach 3:46" are certainly worth checking out. The band might be a little on the softer side of things, but they showcase on each one of these songs the simple fact that they can play and play well. Fans of Thin Lizzy and King Crimson should certainly enjoy these Virginians, who've unleashed a terrific debut album.

I get pounded with death metal most of the time, so it's good to hear something a little more lighthearted and classic. The vocals are most certainly clean the whole way through, (and even female vocals are implemented on the dreamy closer "The Desert 5:52") but even though the frontman has a youthful vocal that might fit well in bands like Trivium, the atmospheres on the disc make the whole experience worthwhile. There's certainly some trippy stuff here, so you might want to listen to this while under the effect of "medicine." Also, I'd recommend listening to this one in some really good headphones, so that you're surrounded by the music and can fully absorb the atmospheres that these guys have to offer.

I think we're about to hear much more from them in the future.

Highlights: Chaemera, Gryphon Wing, Mach, Of Kings And Cowards, The Desert

(8 Tracks, 37:00)

8/10



Beyond Mortal Dreams - Dreaming Death EP (PR2012) - For a band who's been around since 1995 and has had several incarnations, these guys show a ton of promise on this little EP. But make no mistake! Despite the fact that this disc is little, it's filled with the spawn of vile hatred and it does a damned good job of showing that off. I would certainly recommend this one to fans of Incantation and think that it might even be better than Incantation's latest one! So sorry for not getting this one to you all sooner.

But instead of groveling on my hands and knees about how much of a fuckup I am for not covering this one sooner (even though you'd probably love to hear it) I'm going to explain the disc. It's four tracks and one of them is a Beherit cover of "Beast Of Damnation 3:17." But even so, everything on this little EP is fucking grand. Doomsayer's vocals are foreboding, menacing - he doesn't play the Corpsegrinder route like so many others. It's much slower and works extremely well with the music. But Doomsayer also plays rhythm, bass and synths and manages to perform well in those areas too. Bloodspawn plays the lead and rhythm which includes solos that slay like the very best of Deicide and Morbid Angel. As for the skinsman, Maleficus - well, that guy can play the shit out of the drums and really brings the power on this album. This is exactly what you want to hear in death metal - and in only 18 minutes, this disc delivers better than some full albums I've heard. If these guys can take 18 minutes and turn it into this, then I'd like to see what they could do with 40 minutes, or even a hour's worth of music.

Promising? Fuck promising. This is tried and true death metal from a band that you've probably never even heard of - but hopefully you'll get off your asses and check it out now.

But the band wants your corpse to rattle, so they decided to let you stream "Feast Of Carrion" and "The Filth Of Their God" as well as the full "From Hell" (which I haven't heard yet and will now be checking out (grins) album exclusively at their bandcamp page:

http://beyondmortaldreams.bandcamp.com

Everything on this disc is nothing less of fucking awesome. Even the Beherit cover. Keep your eyes on these guys. I fucking will.

Highlights: All (4 Tracks, 18:00)

10/10 (Yes, I realize it's only an EP. But it fucking kills.)



Corpus Mortale - Fleshcraft (PR2013) - I'm not familiar with these guys, but after hearing this one I can't find too many reasons to want to get familiar with them. Corpus Mortale is a death metal band with an awesome drummer. There are certainly some good riffs here and there as well, and you certainly will get your vocal gravel; but I don't hear anything else. While there's certain structure here and some eerie melodies, I'm not hearing anything that really jumps out at me.

I've got to be brutally honest, this is solid death metal but not much else. It's worth checking out but won't leave any lasting impressions on you. There are some solos on the record as well, but again - nothing worth writing home about. However, fans of groove will certainly find something to like here as the disc most certainly delivers in that department. It's also a pummeler, which means there are no dull moments and nothing less than a forty minute beating. Corpus Mortale did a great job at crafting a solid death metal disc, but I'll repeat myself once again and say that it's a solid attempt that should only appeal to the most hardcore of death metal fanatics, despite the core and technical elements that appear at times on the disc.

If I would describe this album as a weapon, I'd describe it as a rusty axe. But it's still useful, and perhaps this rusty old axe will serve you against the oncoming zombie hordes. Could be sharper, but it'll do the trick.

(10 Tracks, 41:00)

7/10



Nervochaos - To The Death (PR2013) - These guys have been out since 96 and their latest offering proves to be just as strong as anything else in their catalog. The riffs are strong, the solos sound classic and the vocals are full of spite. The quality of the recording is a little low, so you'll have to turn it up a bit; but it's certainly worth it, as I enjoyed this album's catchy death metal much more than the band I reviewed previously (Corpus Mortale.) I was actually listening to both albums back to back on my MP3 player and when these switched over, I wasn't aware and had to check to see that I had just about listened to this entire album and was immensely enjoying it.

There's just something about this band I like, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe it's the riffs or the vocals that really stand out to me - but it could be again, that the damn thing is just catchy. Some of you might find it all too simplistic, but when I hear a vocal approach as strong as this, it really does enhance the experience for me. The band certainly draws on lots of old school thrash and death metal, so fans of those old school genre-takes will certainly like this. Of course, my personal favorite track on this one is "Warlords Unbound 3:59" which I could listen to much more than once, to be blunt. The disc offers a variety of classic extreme metal and I'm pretty sure that more than a few people are going to check it out. Well, they should. It perked my ears up and that should say something.

There's plenty of great classic death metal here, so pick it up. And go check out these guys live. They've played with everyone from Cannibal Corpse to Agnostic Front to Mayhem to fucking Venom. I'm almost certain that these guys are going to be much better in person than on this disc!

Also grab the "Live Rituals (2011)" disc for a disc of live material. You can't beat that, eh? Yeah, I know... you can just "youtube" a fucking show. But that's not like being there, feeling the amps and getting the full experience. Go see them live for REAL!

(13 Tracks, 42:00)

9/10



Ulcer - Grant Us Death (PR2013) - The death metal band Ulcer (comically labeled as Blues) has this time moved into a new direction of "ancient Swedish death metal." Jeez, thanks guys for making me feel old. I remember it when it wasn't so ancient. That was only like... alright, so it's not important how fucking long ago it was since there was Swedish death metal. (Back creaks.) At any rate, Ulcer comes on incredibly strong, and with a noticeable fuzzy bass. I don't know how people are going to take to this fuzz on the bass, but it does sort of work for the album. The vocals are delivered with extreme prejudice towards every living thing, and the guitar solos snake their way throughout the songs, only adding to the raucous drum assault that follows most of the album. While comparing this to other Swedish death metal stalwarts like Revolting is gonna be tough; it's certainly a capable Swedish death metal disc with moments of experimentation. Take "The Love Song 4:44" for instance, where you'll hear some sullen clean vocal (I'd call it a dirty vocal) that follows up into death metal rage and some killer melodies.

The album is certainly as catchy and eerie as one would expect from the horror drenched melodies of Swedish death metal, and should certainly be well received. The band say that fans of Entombed, Nihilist, Repugnant, Autopsy and others in that vein will love this disc, but I'd also throw in Revolting, Bloodbath, Skineater, Unleashed and tons of older shit that I just can't recall at the moment. Let's talk about the melody on "Thanatoeuphoria 3:59" which has riff melody that you certainly must hear and some odd vocal ideas that might come off as comical. It sounds like someone's being strangled at one point.

Of course, I'm also going to mention "My Lord Has Horns 5:14" because it comes off as a fucking classic and works well with that title. This one might even become a live staple - it just reeks of fucking greatness, but it should have ended the album. That's where I have to take points off though, and I'm sad to do so but I just can't forgive the waste of recording time that makes up the disc's actual closer "When Horror Comes 2:39." It sounds like the frontman is reading Poe while some foreboding riffs are playing. It makes a decent atmosphere, but they got carried away with it and it winds up sounding like a mash of ideas. The intention was an outro, something dark and poetic; but the yelling portions really don't work and kill the atmosphere. If it had remained a foreboding atmosphere with louder clean vocals doing the reading (with some sinister effects/sounds in the background) it would have come off as much more ominous. How about reading the selection while the sounds of hundreds of people are being tortured or killed in the background? That would've come off as devious, a worthy end to a great release.

Other than that, the disc is certainly strong and a treat for fans of Swedish death metal fans. But the year has only begun and there are far more to come...

Highlights: Grant Us Death, Devilspeed, The Love Song, Godcremation, Thanatoeuphoria, Devitalized, The Pact, My Lord Has Horns (10 Tracks, 42:00)

9/10



Sonic Reign - Monument In Black (PR2013) - Though I've not heard any of the band's previous albums, the press release information tells me that the band is for fans of Dark Fortress, Satyricon(Later Era) and Secrets Of The Moon. These are three of my top favorite black metal acts, and if you didn't know that already; my recent reviews of their albums will state that fact.

The disc comes in loud and furious with "Abhorrence Vs. Scum 5:57" reminding greatly of Satyricon's "Volcano" or "Now, Diabolical" album, which are some of my personal favorites. Yet I can also hear the Dark Fortress influence, reminding me of "Eidolon." Yes, this is the kind of modern sounding black metal that is rife with frostbitten riffs, frantic drums and thick scowls amidst slight moments of grim atmosphere. It's certainly got it's occasions of thrash and comes forth with a sort of misanthropic force that makes me smile with glee. The material is well structured, but probably of a much higher sound quality than some people would like. There are also some who might feel that many of the songs on the disc sound of the same caliber, not really differentiating from the pattern as much as Secrets Of The Moon have as of late.

Nonetheless, all seven of these tracks bubble with the chaos and negativity of black metal culminating with the closer "Soul Flagellation 7:50" which may sound more to the liking of those who prefer traditional black metal. But as far as I'm concerned, I love each and every fucking minute of this disc; even though some might be quick to use the term "Satyricon knockoff" after hearing just the first few minutes of this album. Though if one keeps listening, they will certainly hear moments of dark melody, foreboding atmosphere, and some worthy moments of guitar wizardry. Yes, this album does contain several well-written solos which help to enhance the work even more.

Definitely one of my favorite black metal discs thus far, but the year has only begun. Regardless of that, I still recommend that you pick up this album if you are indeed a fan of Satyricon, Secrets Of The Moon and Dark Fortress. Because I am most certainly a hardcore fan of these acts and this band spoke to me in that same language.

Highlights: All (7 Tracks, 45:00)

9/10



Polluted Inheritance - Ecocide (PR2013) - These death metallers from the Netherlands certainly have something to offer with their mix of raw technical death metal that sort of reminds me of a mix of Suffocation and technical era Death. The quality of the disc is of a low but audible production, with the cymbals ringing in my ears, the drums delivering a vicious but calculated assault, and the riffs bellowing out in a quite technical manner. The gravelly vocals of the frontman certainly match the tone of the music well, and the solos that appear on the album are rather short but play along the lines of oddity rather than what would consider to be a traditional solo. The music is very much of a technical experimentation like that of early Cynic or Athiest, but instead of everything being of a high produced (though one might say over-produced) caliber; the album sounds like a technical death metal disc that might have been made in death metal's heyday. There are also no core elements, nor any clean singing to be found on this disc that should certainly sit well with old heads as well as the new.

Simply put, it's calculated destruction of an old-school caliber. I certainly recommend it; especially at full volume blaring into your ears by means of headphones or earbuds. Some of these guys are also quite young, the music is highly evolved for musicians of this age; yet I've no doubt that these guys are full of the vigor of youth and could probably tear the roof off of any club or venue that they'll play in. If you get a chance to see these guys live, definitely do so.

Highlights: All (A very good album) (11 Tracks, 39:00)

9/10



Ancient VVisdom - Deathlike (PR2013) - First of all, this isn't metal at all and it was a band that I was commissioned to interview for Hails & Horns magazine. I completed the interview, (and you will see it soon, possibly closer to the time of the release of the album) but I will now review the promo that I have for that interview. The disc is very much one of dark rock, and there is certain influence from Alice In Chains, HIM and softer Marilyn Manson. I could also say that bands like Lacrimas Profundere and possibly darkwave like Audra and "Scarecrow" era Black Tape For A Blue Girl are very much in the same realm as this. Though there is some electric guitar influence in a few parts of this album, it sounds very much like it would be fitting in a small dark club with a tiny crowd of people dressed as if they were about to mourn the dead.

Though there are some certain show stoppers on the album, like the title track, "Deathlike 4:45" which contains a rather compelling vocal performance and should certainly be used as a single. If these guys aren't planning to make a video out of this one, they should fire their manager. Trust me, get this track out to the masses and you'll have instant fans. If the radio got hold of this, it would certainly be in constant rotation. But after that, the disc starts to fall apart. The gothic nature of the album might appeal to some still, but I'm hearing some very weak tracks and the vocals don't seem to hit as hard on tracks like "Far Beyond Good & Evil 4:47" and "Look Alive 1:58" and "Waiting To Die 4:06" which seem to capitalize on a new type of darkwave/emo which makes me want to choke myself to death. Sandwiched in there is a track called "Rebirth 3:04" which actually has some merit though.

Closer to the end of the disc, there's a wonderful blues piece called "Last Man On Earth 2:16" which is too damned short, and too damned interesting to be that short. They should have made an entire album like this and I'm sure that there are fans will agree. This is another track that should be a single/video/used in some horror film or popular television series like HBO's True Blood. But here I am making marketing decisions. Good marketing decisions.

Electric guitar influence will come back in "Never Live Again 4:43" which seems to be an edgier goth rock track that should appeal to some people. This one makes me think of "Mechanical Animals" era Manson. Again, another good single for the disc. Finally, we have the closer of the album "Here Is The Grave 4:35" which is a very strong closer, one of the strongest songs on the disc backed with electric guitar, but still sounding very ritualistic in nature.

Though the album has it's holes, it's certainly got plenty of strong material that is ultimately catchy. These guys will certainly amass a truckload of face-painted fans with this material and might usher in another age of goth. But I'm not so sure if we need another one of those, especially with the onslaught of the new trends brought on by "The Host" and "Beautiful Creatures" which will start a new trend among our youth with the belief that they're aliens, and/or the revival or witchcraft. Yes, I said the revival - as in people will walk around jingling their hands in attempt to cast spells. (Some of the more devious variety might even "sucker" these new initiates.)

At any rate, this album is about death. It's quite apparent from the reaper on the cover and the subject matter. It's "goth" in and out, even if they didn't want it to be. This is what you call a stripped down "goth-rock album." And I know, because I've heard a ton of them.

The question is... will it work?

Highlights: Deathlike, Last Man On Earth, Never Live Again, Here Is The Grave (12 Tracks, 40:00)

7/10



Holy Grail - Ride The Void (PR2013) - When I first heard this album, I'll admit that I didn't care for it. The mixture of power metal and core left an extremely sour taste in my mouth. To be blunt, this is what you call modern Trivium and Dragonforce influenced power metal, so we might as well call it "modern power metal." I will admit that there are a few good tracks on this album though, but I can honestly say that I'd rather go back and listen to a "real power metal" act like Blind Guardian for example.

The band thunders along, adding elements of thrash with a very clean approach to sound and recording. This album seems very processed to me, it sounds very much like it would be for fans of Avenged Sevenfold then Helloween or Hammerfall. Not surprisingly though, the kids love it. (Slaps self in face.)

But back to what I was saying was good about the disc. There's a strong title track, "Ride The Void 4:42" which has a decent enough chorus and there's also "Crosswinds 4:18" which is decent enough as well. "Sleep of Virtue" is another strong track on this album, proving that these guys do have some staying power but they won't break you away from your power metal collection anytime soon. I'll also recommend "Silence The Scream 5:43" which has one of those epic power metal choruses that we all like. "The Great Artifice 3:59" however, thrashes again and again.

Though I have singled out a few tracks, (that follow near the end of the album) the disc is still going to have that Avenged Sevenfold quality of modern metalcore to it that some of you will immediately be turned off by at the very first sound of the album. I can guarantee with a stark accuracy that as soon as the intro fades into "Bestia Triumphans 6:03" some of you will just say "Fuck that. That's not metal, it's crap."

But for those of you who think that you can wade the waters of modernism just a little further, you might just be able to find a handful of tracks on this disc to suit your fancy. Realize that this disc was not marketed for the aged listener either, it was clearly marketed as "bringing back the classic sound to power metal to the kids who have grown up with Guitar Hero, emo and metalcore bands." It's more than likely not for you.

(13 Tracks, 55:00)

6/10



Screaming Savior - Infinity (2012 W/ Bonus Tracks) - Screaming Savior's new release is about to re-released on Metal Hell Records with an all new mastering, mix and added bonus tracks. What I am reviewing is the "name your own price" version of the album on bandcamp, which will have no bearing on the new product which I imagine will be a "pay their own price." At any rate, the version of the disc that I have is incredible, remarkable and definitely worth a purchase for fans of Sigh, Bal-Sagoth, Opeth, Cthonic, and Dimmu Borgir. That's the best way to describe it, and I promise that it's just as good as it sounds.

The band comes in hard and fast with heavy riffs, frantic drum blasts, demonic scowls and the like - but it's all backed by orchestral instrumentations which feature traditional Asian instruments as well as sweeping guitar melodies, moments of sure majesty and the inclusion of some acoustic and slightly erratic elements that even recall game music. The closer, "Across The Boundary Of Cosmos 5:41" reminds of the sort of electronic meets guitar music that was featured on the latter games in the Megaman X series, and the track features the inclusion of a digitized vocal comparable to Dimmu Borgir's "Puritania." Perhaps the ending of the disc is an odd place to describing it, but this closer is very well one of the disc's finest moments apart from the heavily Bal-Sagoth influenced "Ode To The Expedition 4:59" which I've already listened to quite a bit. it's easily one of the best "triumphant space marches" I've heard since Bal-Sagoth perfected the style long ago.

Let's also discuss "Wings Of The Vast Sea 6:02" which has a little more of that progressive death metal influence pioneered by bands like Opeth. Though it starts off like a symphonic black metal track, the mood changes into that of a slow and melodic style that reminds me heavily of Opeth, replete with clean vocals that are actually quite good. Not all the clean on this disc are perfect, but damn it; they really tried on this album and I'm quite impressed. Listen to the solo portion on "Ocean Of Asura 5:46" and tell me that I'm wrong. Do it, I dare you!

When I pick bands to interview, I look for some of the absolute best - maybe not what's in everyone else's musical stew; but what is certainly in mine. When I hear an act that literally takes my head off my shoulders with brilliance, I've simply got to get them out there. Screaming Savior is doing just that, with impressive melodies, mind-blowing musicianship, capable vocals and the ability to not fear the changing of musical styles during the album. When a disc like this transitions as much as it does, it means something. It means that the artists want to make an amazing album where each and every track has something new and different to offer.

I can only imagine how these guys would be on stage with a full live orchestra. Seeing "Ode To The Expedition 4:59" live in that fashion would be absolutely mind-blowing. You see, Bal-Sagoth was never that good live. I've seen very few of their live performances and the ones I have seen are not near as good as what was on the disc. However, this band might leave more of a mark paving a new way in the world of metal music, in the same way that bands like Sigh, Arcturus, The Kovenant, and Solefald have done. You never expect when you hear some amazing bands in your youth, that there might one day be a band who can incorporate everything from those bands that you ever found to be amazing.

The bonus tracks on this album are an orchestral version of "Ocean Of Asura 5:45" and a wonderful 8-bit version of "Across The Boundary Of The Cosmos 5:42." And yes, I am one to judge 8-bit music, as I am a huge fan of classic video game soundtracks and not just the popular ones that everyone knows. This is an absolute great representation of the track and well worth hearing. In all actuality, I could break it down and say that there's a stage portion and a mini-portion, followed by a boss portion on the track. Yes, I'm an old-school gamer and find this to be one of the best ideas for a bonus track ever.

I'd shit bricks if they included an 8-bit version of "Ode To The Expedition" on the new version of this album. At any rate, I'll keep guessing as to what those extra tracks will be.

I would certainly recommend this to fans of most of the bands that I've mentioned here, as it's a great disc available at whatever price you choose to pay for it. But if you'd rather wait, the new version of the album will come out in February and it will already be one of the year's best albums for me - without a shadow of a doubt. (Unless the mixing/mastering gets messed up somehow. Will have an update on the release as soon as it comes out, as I plan to purchase one for myself!)

http://screamingsavior.bandcamp.com/album/infinity-2012-mort-version

Highlights: Star Of Fatality, Wings Of The Vast Sea, Nacha The Demon, ODE TO THE EXPEDITION, Curse The Dreamland, Across The Boundary Of Cosmos, Across The Boundary Of Cosmos (8-Bit Bonus Track)

(12 Tracks, 60:00)

9/10



The CNK - Révisionnisme (2012) - Now I've got to tell you. I've heard a lot of cover albums in my life, but few of them have been this interesting. The CNK (Cosa Nostra Klub) is an eccentric industrial black metal act from France that incorporates plenty of orchestral influence but keeps things still very metallic and militaristic in the same right. You might think it was quite natural for them to record a cover of Rammstein's "Weisses Fleish 4:10" (White Flesh), but might find it odd that they've also decided to cover Guns N' Roses "You Could Be Mine 5:39", The Beastie Boys "Sabotage 3:15" Motley Crue's "Too Fast For Love 3:42" and oddly enough, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds "Where The Wild Roses Grow 3:55" a sort of low water mark for the disc. But interesting enough, the disc opens with a medley of Gary Glitter covers called "Gadd Ist Gott 4:05" which opens and closes with a familiar American sports anthem.

Of course, there is also a cover of Slayer's "Seasons In The Abyss 6:24", Impaled Nazarene's "Blood Is Thicker Than Water 4:12" and amazingly, Emperor's "I Am The Black Wizards 5:27" which may piss off a few black metal heads who feel the song is untouchable. Of course I'll also mention that there are plenty of guests on the disc, in particular Snowy Shaw (I reviewed his Alive! disc for my quick list just a few days ago) who does the vocals on quite a few of these tracks. Believe it or not, the band tears up "You Could Be Mine 5:39" which features Snowy Shaw and Pills from Prime Minister. I had no idea Shaw could emulate Axl Rose's vocals. There's no word yet on what Axl will have to say about this version, but I consider it one of my favorite GNR tracks and they've certainly done it and the awesome James Cameron film (Terminator 2) that it first appeared in (as well as Use Your Illusion 1 &2 - these are my favorite 2 GNR discs, don't give me shit about it) justice. An absolute standout.

Other notable tracks are the black metal vocal meets rap version of "Sabotage", the much heavier Rammstein cover of "Weisses Fleish" which sounds very much like another day at the office for the band and "Seasons In The Abyss" which I recommend that every metal head checks out. This version of the track is very atmospheric, orchestral and extremely dark. Darker than when Slayer did it. Make no mistake, it's punishing and probably one of the best tracks the band has ever released. It might only scarcely resemble the original, but it truly classifies the true meaning of "taking a cover and making it your own." I think that Tom Kerry and the boys would be rather flattered by it, honestly. Shaw's vocals on the chorus isn't my cup of tea, I'll admit. He should have used a slightly harsher tone on that chorus.

There's also the cover of "Too Fast For Love 3:42" which is worth explaining in the fact that it's different but it's probably not going to be for everyone, (I'll admit that I've never heard a mix of symphonic industrial black metal and hair metal before) so just remember that. As I said, there's a very weak ballad of "Where The Wild Roses Grow." It's majestic and such, but I don't know how many people will actually enjoy this one. Sort of has a gothic nature to it, reminds me of some of Shaw's Notre Dame and less of The CNK. As for Leonard Cohen's cover of "Everybody Knows 5:20" I've never heard the original version of the track, but the extreme nature of the cover seems to work well and I love how the "everybody knows!" portion of the song is screamed with such vehemence.

Of course, everyone wants to know about the cover of Emperor's "I Am The Black Wizards 5:27" and I will say that it does have electronic influence and is a bit jumpier but definitely sticks to the original material. It's a very good rendition of a classic black metal track and definitely keeps the fury of the original. I'm still curious as to what Ihsahn would think, now that he's doing much of this experimental material himself.

The disc closes with another cover of Impaled Nazarene's "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", this time renamed to "Blood Is Thicker Than Snow 4:16." The difference is that Snowy Shaw is featured on this version, and it's a bit more beautiful and melodic than the original. Not personally my favorite track, but let's consider it an unnamed bonus to the disc.

All in all, The CNK and Shaw (as well as other guests) have worked together to make a wonderful cover album unlike I've never heard before. An unlikely team-up, but it all worked out well in the end and there is certainly some magic being made on this disc. Calling it a "Revision" seems to be just right. Fans of Shaw and The CNK will either love or hate this disc. But I am fond of both acts and certainly consider it one of 2012's best that slipped under the radar. Just like most interesting or unique albums tend to do.

There's nothing more to say. Give it a listen and see what you think.

Highlights: Gadd Ist Gott, Sabotage, You Could Be Mine, Everybody Knows, Blood Is Thicker Than Water, Seasons In The Abyss, Weisses Fleish, I Am The Black Wizards (11 Tracks, 50:03)

9/10



Saturnus - Saturn In Ascension (2012 W/ Bonus Track) - It's been a long time since we've heard from the death/doom masters, Saturnus. These guys were known for putting out masterpieces like 96's "Paradise Belongs To You" and "Martyre." The band's last album, "Veronika Decides To Die (2006)" however, wasn't one of my personal favorites. But I had no idea that it would be another six years before I would get a follow-up to that release.

But Saturn In Ascension is just the kind of follow-up that I wanted. It's morose, thunderous and majestic, filled with the same wonderful guitar melodies that made tracks like "Christ Goodbye" so memorable years ago. There are solos on this album and meaningful solos at that - solos that were spent a great deal of time on, solos that you can really feel; as well as guitar melodies that are just electrifying. My Dying Bride should take a note from these guys, as the gloom and gothic nature of this album turned out ultimately better and for good reason - the melody was there.

Yes, you will even have spoken words of gothic prose on this album, but they will flow well with the melodies and take you away into a realm of misery of despair. Atmospheres and captivating melody certainly make this every bit of that comeback album I was waiting for, with crisp production and the ability to really feel the riffs like never before. Technology is a marvel and to use it in such a way that allows me to absorb the wonderful guitar work on this disc is a damned good use of it, I'd say. As with a doom album of this nature, expect dreary acoustics and poetic prose in addition to the heavier moments, which certainly crown over My Dying Bride's attempt at the same thing. Of course, I hadn't expected to hear the female chanting on the back of "A Lonely Passage 5:21" but did certainly welcome it.

There is only one song on this disc that I absolutely despised, and that was "A Father's Providence 5:02" because it just came out horribly. What in the hell were they thinking with that vocal style? If that's a guest, he needs to not be on this album and try out for some beatdown hardcore band. I want to like the song for it's musicality and wonderful spoken pieces, but there is absolutely no muting that guy who seems to be attempting a vocal style that Nicholas Barker (Paradise Lost) attempted and succeeded with on a few PL albums. Please, leave it to Nicholas, guys. That vocal style ruined a perfectly good song.

But even despite that slight slip, we've still got a very powerful Saturnus record here that's worth checking out for all fans of doom/death metal. Though not as prolific as some bands in the genre, Saturnus do make it count when they record a new release and this one certainly seems them recharged with a new sense of energy and devotion to their music. Perhaps it was better that Veronika died, if only to make way for this monumental disc which is just as thunderous as it is melancholy.

If you've passed this one by for some odd and unknowable reason, now is the chance to go get it. However you folks do that nowadays.

Bonus Track: Included is "Limbs Of Crystal Clear 6:37" from the band's 1994 demo, which I haven't even heard before. Oddly enough, the band decided to not re-record the track and leave it as is - raw quality and all. In it, you'll get a feel for the very beginnings of Saturnus. It might have been mastered and cleaned up a little, but it's nothing amazing. But I will say that the band was a bit heavier in their old days.

Highlights: Litany Of Rain, Wind Torn, A Lonely Passage, Forest Of Insomnia, Between (9 Tracks, 74:00)

8/10



Destruction - Spiritual Genocide (2012 Special Edition) - Destruction's new disc seems to more of a 30th anniversary album for the band, if nothing else. Don't expect anything new on the disc; but if you're a die-hard thrasher the disc will give you just what you're looking for. There are some change-ups and it doesn't stay completely constant, but it is a thrash album with the majority of tracks in the range of 4 minutes.

For the most part, the disc is nothing but fast-paced, face-melting thrash metal and that's a good thing. There's no crap thrown around on here, it's just thrash. However, there are a few questionable parts as I've noted like on the slower title track, "Spiritual Genocide 3:39" and the odd intro to "To Dust You Will Decay 4:21."

Guests (like Tom Angelripper from Sodom) are featured on "Legacy Of The Past 4:50" which is a tribute to the majesty that is metal. If you can't already tell from the lyrics, there are many album titles used in them. Very easy to point out. I'll also talk about "Carnivore 4:28" which has that Venom mentality about a femme fatale. Yet I'm also wondering if it's a tribute to Pete Steele's old thrash band before Type O Negative of the same name? Being that this a metal tribute album, it would make perfect sense.

"Spiritual Genocide" is a great tribute to metal, but it doesn't really offer much from the band that we haven't heard before. Destruction certainly sound strong here, but it's nothing that we haven't heard from them before. I mean, face it - it's better than anything Metallica's done for quite a while as far as true thrash goes, but other than that - it's just a thrash disc. I know that's what Destruction intended on creating and that's what they made. Take that for what it's worth, I guess. It's a solid album, but just a thrash album.

Bonus Tracks:

The first femme fatale track is "Princess Of The Night 3:51" which is a capable track. I certainly like it, it reminds me of Venom for sure. Definitely has that feel of classic thrash. (Update: It's a Saxon cover I've never heard. Saxon, I'm quite familiar with - but not this particular track. Will try to remedy that this year.)

The second femme fatale track is "Carnivore" again, but this is a guest version of the track which also includes Tom Angelripper, so there's that for extra incentive on the digipack version of the disc.

Apparently, the Japanese version got a Motorhead cover of "Hammerhead." But unfortunately, I don't have that cover. But I'm sure there are those of you who will go out looking for it. This album has 66% on Metal Archives right now, but with the bonus tracks, it makes it just slightly better and warrants a 7 or 70% rating.

Highlights: Spiritual Genocide, Renegades, No Signs Of Repentance, Legacy Of The Past, Under Violent Sledge, Princess Of The Night (Saxon Cover), Carnivore (Guest Version) (13 tracks, 49:00)

7/10



NonExist - From My Cold Dead Hands (2012) - The last Non-Exist album came out in 2002. That was ten years ago. Children have grown into teenagers and teenagers have grown into adults. I was one of those teens that grew up in that period. After "Deus Deceptor" (Get your hands on this if you can, it's a fucking classic) came out with no follow-ups, I was convinced that the band was done for. So when I saw that this had come out and appeared under my radar, (just like the new Sammath Naur, which I will get to next list!) I was quite excited for it. The ratings were terrible though, for some reason and I could not figure out for the life of me why.

Immediately thoughts of "Oh fuck! Don't tell me that NonExist finally made another one, only to bomb completely!" went into my head, but I batted them out of my head like bothersome flies. I told myself that I was going to get the album and judge it for myself. So there at work one day, I sat unpacking boxes and said "this is the moment of truth" as I pressed the play button on my MP3 player. But what I heard was quite surprising and much different then I expected.

This two man project from Johan Liiva (ex-Arch Enemy, Hearse) and Johan Reinholdz (Andromeda, Skyfire) has in a way been revitalized with a new energy. The other disc actually sounded a little like black thrash with classic rock instrumentals and great melodies, but this one is a highly structured and experimental work with plenty of interesting ideas. One of these is featured on the title track, "From My Cold Dead Hands 5:48" which goes to so many different places, it's unreal. It's been a long while since I've heard a song that teleported you all over the goddamned place in the way that that one does. But this continues with "Days Without End 4:22" which isn't afraid to throw an awesome guitar solo into the mix. Then there's the opener "Dark And Tortured Universe 3:40" which brings a much more vicious assault backed by drum butchery. Of course, the vocals aren't perfect - but that riff/blast section is.

"The Flesh Falls From The Bone 3:40" however is one that I could do without as far as some of the vocals, but it's hard to wonder why the man decided to use an almost spoken approach to the vocals during the blasts, rather than something harsher. There's definitely heavy vocal approaches used here, but at sometimes it just sounds off key and doesn't work well with the melody assault I'm getting in the background. A gothic style croon actually appears in this one too, right before another one of those amazing solos. It really is a jack of all trades disc, but will probably be trashed (sadly.)

I also need to mention that there are only two people on this release and that's probably another reason why it took so long to release. It says that the project was recorded from (2009-2012) on the project's information sheet, and that's because Johan Reinholdz is responsible for the guitars, bass, synths, programming, and clean spoken vocals. Apparently the drums on this disc were programmed and that pissed some people off. I personally don't notice that much a difference. "Fire At Will 5:24" blasts in and it sounds just fine. The guitars on the disc are crisp and clear, the electronics are used when needed and don't overfill the album and each of the tracks on the album carry their own merit, rather than all sounding the same. Certainly, it sounds like the NonExist all of the way through to the very end of the album, but at least they didn't do what they could've done and rehashed the same album. If they hadn't gone the route of technicality and experimentalism in addition to great guitar riffs and melodies, I have no idea what this would've turned into.

Some might say that they just didn't like Johan Liiva's voice on here and I can understand that. It's a bit boisterous and might put some listener's off. Again, it is very difficult for any fan of heavy metal music to deny the guitar work on the album, even if the drums are not real. There are some truly great leads and melodies here and if you're really listening to this album, you're going to have no choice but to notice them.

Sure, it's short - there's only 40 minutes of playing time here; but I'd still recommend that you give an old band another try. People were born in the time since the last album was released and those people need to go check out this album. Yes, I'm sure there are ten year old metalheads out there. It might be better to get your kids checking this one out, instead of the core stuff and the umm... well, Gagnum Style. Wop. Wop.

Wop + Wop = Music?

Humanity + Wop = X Where X is equal a plane hitting the ground and then incinerating, leaving nothing but ash in it's wake.

Horrible media trends aside, definitely go check this one out for yourself regardless of what the critics say. The physical disc has not yet released, but it will have five covers, one of which (Megadeth - In My Darkest Hour) has been considered by MetalSucks to be one of the worst Megadeth covers ever. I haven't personally heard it, so I can't judge. But the site did like "Fire At Will" and that's a good track, so it balances out. I can't say that I'm familiar with any of the other bands that they are covering though.

Nevertheless, just check out the album. If one Megadeth cover kills it for you, then I'm truly sorry. But for the rest of us who judge albums by their content and not by their bonuses, there is certainly some worthwhile musicianship and some interesting ideas embedded into this relatively cheap mp3 album that's only 8.99 on CD Baby. It's 9 tracks for 9.00. If you don't like certain tracks, then only get the ones you do like at a 1.00 a track.

I'd at least recommend you pay a dollar for the title track. It's well worth that dollar.

Highlights: Days Without End, Fire At Will, From My Cold Dead Hands, Lost In Darkness And Confusion (9 Tracks, 39:00)

7/10



Holy Knights - Between Daylight And Pain (2012 Jap W/ Bonus Track) - Holy Knights are a Neo-classical power thrash band who originally split up in 2002 and reunited in 2012. At any rate, this new album is a showcase of the band's strengths and for the most part it's all done rather well. You can expect the same neo-classical laden (hence why it got ported to Japan with an exclusive bonus track) power thrash for a large portion of the album, and it certainly has it's share of orchestral atmospheres being overblown as humanly possible. Yet it still manages to shine and shows that these gentlemen were right to get back together. I highly recommend a trip through this melodic and beautiful beast.

While powerful solos and strong vocals like on "Mistery 5:10, Beyond The Mist 5:40", Glass Room 5:18, "Awake 4:15" fill this disc with absolute wonderment, tracks like "Wasted Time 4:50" and closer "The Turning To Madness 6:01" are definite low points that should be further analyzed. The longest track on the album should surely include some metal moments, right? But nope, there is not even a hint of metal on that closer which makes it very boring and makes me scratch my damn head.

As for that bonus track, "Resolution 4:58" it's actually sung in Japanese as sort of a tribute. Apparently, Japan loves this kind of stuff and so do I. Perhaps I should move there, like the otaku bastard that I am. I also believe that "Resolution" should be where "The Turning To Madness" is. Exchanging a track devoid of metal for one with metal is a great idea, as far as I'm concerned.

Highlights: Mistery, Beyond The Mist, Glass Room, Awake, Resolution (Bonus) (9 Tracks, 46:00)

7/10