Keeper - The Space Between Your Teeth (2016)

California's Keeper play a type of rather raucous doom metal, which seems to edge towards the more darkest of moods. This isn't quite your Candlemass or Manilla Road, it's something with a bit more emotional gravity and although these songs are named “The King” and “The Fool” respectively, the dumped out pill bottle with the wedding ring inside of it tells me that they're not singing about fanciful realms filled with mighty warriors and great beasts. No, The Space Between Your Teeth seems to take a more human approach, which only the darkest and palest realms in this genre can take. It's not funeral doom, either. There's too much life in it, so I'd put it closer to something a bit more ravenous. The vocals especially describe this, as I'm literally being confronted with a man who is one-hundred percent completely pissed off and frustrated with his life, society and the world at large. I can relate, as many of you have (and soon will) witness in my next musical offering. I'm not sure if these guys will tour or anything of that matter, but if conditions were ever ripe for my band to tour a couple of states, I'd definitely want to play a show with these guys. Keeper make the kind of doom that you feel right down in the pit of your gut. It's the sound of real pain and anguish, not bullshit like “my girlfriend left me” even though that admittedly does suck. But I don't think such a cardboard instance in society is worthy of true sorrow like has been experienced here. Some might want to throw the sludge title on here because of the vocal approach and maybe how the bass sounds, but in all honesty that's just silly. Musically, there's nothing “sludge” about these guys, it's just melodic doom metal with thundering drums and horrendously scowling vocals. But we'll let the hipsters have their terms, as “sludge/doom” becomes quickly thrown in. If I were to grade this record by means of personal opinion, I would definitely say that I prefer the nearly twenty minutes of “The King” over “The Fool” which contains a lot of drone and drum portions that I feel take away from the melodies and sorrows laden here. I'm all for experimentation, but when it sounds like you're trying to echo a cement mixer in there, I feel that I'm far too covered in concrete to identify. Keeper offer two extremely long and slightly varied approaches on the disc, and the one you'll prefer more will depend completely on taste. You may even wind up liking them both. But with a frontman like that, by which such passion flows forth from his venomous jaws, it's very easy to see how these guys could become a household name in the genre. (The Grim Lord)

4/5

Valyria - Steel Inquisition Single (2016)

Previously known as Winter's Legacy, this Canadian Melodic/Death Power Metal act released an EP back in '14 by the name of Collatus. Now they're releasing a short single to most likely promote their next offering which will be upon us soon enough. First of all, the track starts off rather heavy with absolutely blistering drums and melodies that remind me heavily of Ensiferum or Rhapsody of Fire. There's also a bit of Neoclassicism here, which makes for an elegant, yet surprisingly brutal and slightly modernized piece. Cam Dakus (Bass) is considered the band's lead vocalist, but both guitarists (Andrew Traynor and Jeremy Puffer) use more of a death core approach to vocals, which duels with the clean vocal approach and makes for a rather accessible sound. But where these guys really excel is in structure and atmosphere. As I said, this track reminds me of something like Rhapsody of Fire, Ensiferum or Wintersun, albeit an early approach that will get better with more time and experience. Even so, both the axemen show that they've got the style down and manage a pretty nice solo piece in lieu of all the pomp. It definitely has that “epic melodeath” style sound and you don't need me to tell you that. It's quite promising and much better than I would have expected at first. They've got the chops down and this track works for me – but let's see what else these guys can do. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Goatcraft (Slovakia) - Oletheros (2016)

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

3.5/5

Deathraid - Submit To The Will Of Chaos (2016 Reissue)

These insane Italians were active from '97 to '01 and are no longer together, but the only demo they've ever put out is being reissued somehow and I'm here to observe that. But first, let's talk a little bit about these guys. First, they were known for very obscene gigs, which caused them to be banned from several venues. They also spent all their money on drugs and alcohol and were known as thieves and burglars. They also used to cut each others arms before gigs and all sorts of other things. It's obvious that they were trying to be “extremely extreme” and it's a surprise that they're still among the living. In any case, the only real recording that we have from them has surfaced and it's a rather rough death/thrash album. It's not all that long, but it's all we're probably ever going to hear from the band that has been defunct for almost twenty years now and I'd hope that these guys are making better life choices in their later years. Folks, this shit may sound cool until it comes back to bite you in the ass. Be a musician, be an artist – not a fucking delinquent.

Pep talk out of the way, these guys had some pretty awesome shit to showcase. Wrathlord was an absolute madman on the kit, as Convulsion belted out lyrics as quickly as he could, with a noticeable ferocity. Susiak and Skum both knew their way around thrash and death metal, bringing in some killer riffs and Sarcofago influence, which also found it's way into their solos. There's a lot of Sarcofago worship on this disc and that's not a problem for me. You're getting an almost grindy performance sometimes due to just how punishing it is, and these guys really could have been something if they'd spent more time on their music instead of just trying to be fucking crazy. If you want a set of brass knuckles delivered right to your eardrums, then check out this chaotic mess of absolute mayhem. Speaking of Mayhem, it seems that they were an obvious influence on the band as well. But they didn't set anything on fire, so I guess they played it a lot safer than the Norwegian church burners (which Ridley Scott is set to make a move about now, how the times have changed) and have lived to see other musical acts. Deathraid is done for, but you can still hear Convulse in his newer project, the stoner/doom act Midryasi; and Susiak is now in death metallers Horrid. As for Wrathlord, his awesome drum skills continued in Clothes Of Death, DoomSword, Fury N Grace, Wotan and some former projects that he played in. It's good to see that these guys survived those crazy years of their life, regardless of the equally crazy music that they made here, and that Submit To The Will Of Chaos isn't the only thing we'll ever hear from them. Some acts, well... they aren't so lucky. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Beastmaker - You Must Sin EP (2016)

California's Beastmaker produce a sort of doom that almost sounds like it has it's hands in occult rock, and there's nothing wrong with that. This review is actually based on the '45 release, which just features two songs, “You Must Sin” and “Eyes Are Watching” so you can't compare it to the EP version on Bandcamp, which actually has more songs that I haven't even gotten the privilege to hear. But I will say that if you really like Sabbath, you'll find something on the album's second cut, “Eyes Are Watching” which reminds me one-hundred percent of classic Ozzy fronted Sabbath, albeit with a more feminine touch to the vocals. Trevor William Church is responsible for that uncommon touch, which sounds different for this type of metal. But one can say that acts like Candlemass and Sabbath never really have been ones for a deep vocal approach and Ozzy's vocals were far from what we'd consider “masculine.” Still, it's a formula that works, contains a bevvy of nostalgia and should give doom fans something to smile about. Church is also responsible for the riffs on this record along with the thick bass riffs of John Tucker, as skins are being handled by Andres Alejandro Saldate. Both of these guys pound their instruments mercilessly, making for thumps loud enough to raise the devil, or whatever spirits they're trying to summon here. It's nothing amazing at this point, but doom fans will like it and that's what matters. Look out for the band's forthcoming debut, Lusus Naturae coming later in the year. (The Grim Lord)

3/5

Asphodelus - Dying Beauty & The Silent Sky

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

4.5/5

BabyMetal - Metal Resistance (2016 Bonsai Bonus)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(12 Tracks, 54:00)

8/10