Earth Rot - Cthonian Virtues (2016)

Formed by two former members of Advent Sorrow, this four-piece act crafts a sort of chuggy groovy death with some black stuff mixed in. Aside from tremolo riffs, we have a hammering drum performance as well as a vocal front by Jared Bridgeman that switches between hoary grunts and fierce rasps. Earth Rot aren't simply just a bunch of death chug and tremolo riffs though, as Tom Slaughterhouse performs several ripping and memorable solo performances in manners that we just wouldn't expect from an album of this nature. Aside from that, Slaughterhouse also seems determined to not stick to any one single style, which gives us both the thunderous title cut and the blackened “Martyrdom Unsealed” on the same record. Earth Rot are yet another sign that the metal scene in Australia is not to be missed, as they rip and tear through every performance as if their very lives depend on the quality of it. These gentlemen released a full-length back in 2014 of which I don't remember ever remember abusing my eardrums to and I feel rather shameful for that.

There's only fifteen minutes of music here, but it's definitely worth listening to, with my only complaint that it should have been longer. I really hope these Aussies have another full-length planned for us either this year or the next, because I would have been fine with holding off on these four quality pieces (and I do mean quality, the record sounds even better than I can give it justice) until that particular album. I'm not sure what's in the future for Earth Rot, but as far as I've heard, I enjoy them quite a bit more than Advent Sorrow and hope this won't be the last I hear from them. These guys could really become something in the next few years, and with a record like this, I'm sold.

(5 Tracks, 15:00)

9/10

Absorb - Vision Apart (2015)

With a cover that resembles a traumatized Muppet, these German death metallers have returned with their first effort in five years. They released a full-length back in 2010 by the name of Dealing With Pain and fast-forwarding to now it seems like they've finally been able to get over it. These Germans definitely have their fingers on the trigger of both thrash and death metal, toying around with latter-era Death prog and making for a rather tasty meal right off the bat. Now we don't get right into the proggy stuff right away, as “Los Muertos De Hambre” gives us a bit of a chuggy death with clean/thrash vocals that I felt was a little weak. Memorable in that chorus, but pretty weak compared to the rest of the disc. Don't let that track fool you, because that's got to be some kind of fluke. Of course, all these songs sound different and it feels like the band are going through an identity crisis. The next track “Perfect Whore” has that whole prog/death feel and they've certainly got it down pact. Then you have “Undead” which almost sounds like grueling brutal death metal. It does change a bit to allow for some clean vocal sections and a bit more prog, but it sticks to it's guns. The last one here is “World Stops Turning” where the ridiculously thick growls emanating from the mouth of mutant monster Volker Schmidt continue their onslaught followed by even more prog and thrash riffs. I'm not really sure as to which direction these guys will turn in the future, but I wouldn't mind hearing more from them at this stage in the game. I'm sure they'll come out with a heavy hitter, as this little EP feels like a new demo and shows that the band is capable of a whole lot of really great things. Give it a spin, I think you'll like it.

(4 Tracks, 16:00)

8/10

Peripheral Cortex - Rupture (2016)

Hailing from Germany, these guys decided to move far away from all the hipsters and techno in order to play music that sounds more like Death, Morbid Angel and Necrophagist. Judging from this two-song demo, I can hear exactly that technical death metal mentality and it's good enough that I'm reviewing it here, I can tell you that. Even though they've just formed, there's enough meat here to chew on already with a potent approach to vocals that sounds as if the frontman has swallowed broken glass, as well as lot of tinkering in the guitar department that makes for not only something that kind of sounds like Carcass, but has some very nice solo moments as well as some flashy bits here and there. The record actually contains a rather strong production quality, which helps all the tiny leads to be heard throughout the mix and really makes a difference, as it shows off the band's skills. These guys definitely seem like they want to be the next Necrophagist and they're certainly welcome to it, but I'm going to need to hear more than two songs before I could even think about making that call. Necrophagist were monsters, there's no replacing them. That being said, this is still a very strong performance that technical death metal fans will love, especially if you love any of the aforementioned acts. Definitely worth a listen.

(2 Tracks, (9:00)

8/10

The Eyes Of Desolation - Awake In Dead (2016)

Costa Rica's The Eyes Of Desolation seek to be in the same vein as many of your favorite doom/death acts (Swallow The Sun, Daylight Dies) but they still have a bit of work ahead of them. This EP comes three years after the release of their debut, Songs For Desolated Hearts and shows the band more or less continuing with the same lineup they had on the previous recording. Dreary riffs, twinkly keyboards and sullen melodies make up this act, which actually does contain a rather potent backing growl as well as a pleasing vocal performance from frontman Carlomagno Varela who seems to have Peter Steele firmly in his heart. He still needs a little bit of work, but with time and practice he could definitely become something. The mix of scowls and gravel in the harsh vocal segments of “Crimson Sky” certainly give the song some staying power, in addition to Carlos Carazo's memorable keys. They have the right idea but there's some polishing needed here and I really want to be be to appreciate this act more in the future.

I'd actually still recommend the EP as you'll definitely find a few memorable cuts on the one I mentioned as well as “I Found My Place” which proves that The Eyes Of Desolation are a noteworthy act. “Fighting For Your Cause” was a bit too Goth-Pop, but I'm sure that there are people who'll dig it. Whatever the case, I'd hope that these guys continue and I'd certainly love to hear more from them in the future. While still a bit rough, this EP proves that these gentlemen have the right idea and I'll be keeping my eye on them.

For right now, it's a decent album. But that's okay, because it feels like a fresh start from an act with it's fingers firmly planted in right direction. I'm not sure what the LP sounded like, but this EP certainly has promise and potential. Goth metal fans are encouraged to give it a listen.

(4 Tracks, 23:00)

7/10

Enlighten - Illvmantithis (2016)

The second EP from this Portuguese black metal two-piece, Illvmantithis certainly sounds different, and that's in a good way. I have no idea as to what method they're employing to make the riffs sound so oblong and twisted in the mix, but it's definitely working for me, almost as if Cynic played black metal. The scowls feel absolutely feversome in the mix, with K really nailing it there and giving me a rather bleak and misanthropic performance that seems to go hand in hand with his bizarrely progressive playing style. A is the drummer here, pretty much giving you the kind of tap tap tap performance that you would expect from the kit, the real star being in K's wonderfully bleak and awesome melodies. Yes, this is the reason why I chose to review this one as you all know how much I love bleak leads in black metal. Though we only get “Pallor” and “Shroud” here, it's enough for us to go on and gives us a feeling for what these guys might offer with a full-length. They don't want to play the same old black metal, especially now, with a record that feels nearly removed from traditionalism and seeks more dreadful and depressing territory. I'm fine with that, just so long as a K doesn't switch to a godawful howl. They have a bit that they could work on, but I certainly wouldn't turn this EP away either. It just depends on how you like your black metal, which can be as different as how you take your coffee. Usually depends on the person.

(2 Tracks, 11:00)

7/10

Tengger Cavalry - Mountain Side (2016)

Originally around twenty minutes long, I have a couple of bonus tracks (yes, on an EP) from these Chinese born (but now New York implants) Mongolian folk-metallers. That's not something you hear every day, which is the reason I'm reviewing it as well. If you've ever checked these guys out on YouTube or social media, you'll see that they use a lot of battles from Chinese films as music videos and the music fits quite well. But why wouldn't it? That being said, Mountain Side is much different than the band's Blood Sacrifice Shaman record released last year. Instead of heavy death metal influenced pieces, we're almost getting something that sounds like a mix between modern metal and traditional Chinese acoustic folk music. There are a lot of outside elements on this record that make it more of an atmopshere and appreciation for traditional Chinese music, though I'm not sure how the country feels about metal these days. I remember watching the documetary Global Metal a while back, and learned that things are not as tolerated over there as they are here. Which is why I'm glad they came to the states to give us a taste of China.

The vocals here almost feel like a mutter, as the guitars wail and the drums carry on a more traditional and less metallic vibe. There are still moments where the electric is plugged in, but you have to respect the fact that they wanted to something a bit different than their previous seven releases. In addition to the main track, we also get an interesting acoustic version as well as an um.... club mix? We also get an instrumental of the track, so let us hope you like it. In addition to that, we have a new recording of “War Horse” in this style, as well as “Krutaya Goya” and an interlude. All of these sort of mix together to form an atmosphere quite unlike any that we've heard from the band before and it sounds quite spiritual in some instances.

There are three bonus tracks as well, like I mentioned. We get a fiery version of “Tengger Cavalry” that features the band in a raw, live setting and sounds completely unfiltered. It might be a bit tough to hear, but Tengger Cavalry have yet to make millions of dollars in which to gain a high quality performance. This is just fine, and it sounds like what you'd expect from one of their shows, which is pretty damn amazing. There is absolutely NO ONE doing this kind of metal, so you'd better get your ears on this EP as soon as you can. Even the two bonus folk jams are worth checking out. They'll give you a little bit of insight as to how such a large ensemble of metal and Chinese mysticism combine to form a sound like none other.

(11 Tracks, 31:00)

7/10

Volker - Self-Titled (2016)

Featuring members of Otargos, Noein, Demented, Lifestream and Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, this cold wave/dark metal project is certainly worth checking out for the mere surprise of it all. Though it's just a sample, these eleven minutes offer something unlike anything we've heard from any of the previous bands these guys have been in. It's definitely metal, but with an angry feminine tinge to it that sounds like something from modern American female fronted metal. I'm reminded of a black metal version of Kittie by this, which will make a few of you want to rip your hair out, I'm sure. It definitely has that sort of angry pop/punk vibe that I shouldn't be recommending, but this reviewer thinks the disc is more of a “hey, this project actually exists and I wonder how far they'll get” than a “I think this is going to be the next big thing.”

Jen Nyx screams and sings and whimpers throughout the disc, making it sound like a weird mix of Christina Aguillera and Otep Shamaya. Ulrich W. plays Satyricon friendly modern black metal riffs, making for a weird mix that I could only consider a sort of black/pop/punk, if you can believe it. I'm not sure where such a band will go in the future, but if Kaotoxin is looking for more exposure in the mainstream metal scene, then this is definitely that goldmine band to do it. A lot of people wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole, but it's not terrible either. I'm actually curious to the final product, but this EP won't be for everyone.

(4 Tracks, 11:00)

6/10