Megadriver - Gaming Hell (2016)

The first of three full-length releases from the Brazilian VG Metal stalwarts, this compilation features a lot of material that differs heavily from their Genesis/Megadrive roots, as well as their 8-16 bit roots. There are still some classics to be found, but some of the stuff I found completely uninspiring and not at all memorable. “The Way Of The Assassin” features the band's frontman on vocals, and the guy has not improved any. It's a chore to get through and still makes me wonder as to why these guys have a singer at all. It's absolutely pointless for them. His tone is like an out of range Rob Halford and it's not pleasing to listen to. Most of you will probably skip that one right out. Then we get to “Revolution” which is also an Assassin's Creed track. I've never heard this one before, and am not sure if the original was done with guitar. It is however, one of the stronger tracks. We get a medicore cover of “Sons Of Liberty” from Metal Gear Solid 2, as well as the title theme for GTA Vice City. But then we get a real classic, which is “Streets Of Desolation” from Konami Batman (because that's just what it's called.) I'm thankful that the tune is faithful to the original and doesn't feature any clean vocal pieces from their frontman about Batman fighting the Joker. I'd have stabbed myself in the stomach and bled to death right then and there. I'll also add that this one has a nice solo on the end of it (not in the original, obviously.) Next, we have “Gank-Plank Galleon” from the original Donkey Kong Country. There was more of a funk and groove to the original when it kicked up to add guitars, but this rendition seems to carry more chug with it. After that, we get “Fire” which is actually from both the Ninja Turtles II Arcade cabinet (which you can play on your damn phone these days) as well as the NES port. It's quite close to the original and was one of the tracks that got me into heavier music, along with Konami Batman's “Streets Of Desolation” of course. Keep in mind, I was seven. I had no idea who Slayer or Metallica were. But I knew that I liked the sound of emulated guitars and wanted to hear real ones. Now here I am at thirty-one years of age, hearing more real guitars than I'd ever imagined.

The next one is “Wings Of Liberty” from Starcraft II, which is a game I've never so much as booted up. The next track we have actually has a funny story behind it. Here, it is called “Maximum Carnage.” But those of you who know your metal and rock history might remember the song's original title, “Carnage Rules” performed by Green Jelly. I've loved this song for years and have been chomping at the bit to do a vocal cover of the piece with more of a sinster and black metal edge – kind of like if Carnage himself had sung it. I also think that it's one of the heaviest punk songs I've heard, it has a ton of bite and remains on my playlist to this very day. I jam the shit out of that song and have for years. And yes, the lyrics are loosely based on Spider-Man. Now as for Megadriver's version, it is a little peculiar. I think Nino wanted to change the composition a little to sound different from the Green Jelly version and they also added some extra elements to it. It's not bad, but it has nothing on the original Green Jelly cut. After that, we have the worst abomination in the entire VG Metal genre and something I hope that I never hear again for the rest of my life.

Those of you who remember Valve's first Portal title might remember the little song “Still Alive” at the end. Well, these guys decided to give us a traditional metal version of the cut which is terrible. It has a one-star rating here on my WMP list and it will stay that way. This is just... cancer. I'll pretend that this one doesn't exist. Next we have “Get To The Choppa” from Tiger Heli and man, is it ever a welcome change of pace. After that we have “Area 7” from Blaster Master, and I've never gotten that far. It's a pretty traditional rendition and stands on it's own. Next we have “Warriors Of Metal” (almost to the end here, folks) which comes across as a very clean composition. It's definitely one of the stronger cuts on the record and fills with some very potent nodes in areas. Then we have “Brazil Stage” from a game called Sonic Wings 2. It's actually quite good, and stands as one of the best compositions on the album, if not the best. Now I'm not sure if that was because the piece itself was well composed, or that they added extra elements – but the end result comes off pretty memorable. Following this, we have another sung vocal piece in the form of “Song Of The Lonely Mountain” from The Hobbit. It's actually not too bad and the frontman manages to hit some pretty decent notes here. As you might expect, the track is a mixture of folk and power/thrash.

Finally, we have something a bit “interesting” for me to talk about, as I know this piece very well. Extremely well. I've put my own vocals on it and you can listen to the track right on my YouTube channel, except it'll be buried under gameplay videos. I recorded the cut for my solo record back in 2010 Black Therapy, and it was essentially done as both a hobby project and a way to get the word out about the bands that performed many of the instrumentals I used. Note the version of the track that I recorded my vocals to is a much lower quality version than this one, but comparing “El Origen De La Oscuridad” to “Into The Sea” leaves me with the feeling that I completely obliterated this guy. You can listen to both cuts back to back and let me know what you think. My version is a bit more chorus-heavy and possibly a bit darker than the one Megadriver did here, but they went for a more traditonal sound and style. It's a shame, because these guys did perform some much heavier material, like “Grim Lord Of The Mound” which was a sort of factor in how I got my title and named this place. It all started with an inside joke started from a demo instrumental I did to that cut and showed to a local guitarist I knew. The name “Grim Lord” stuck after that, and hence; the Tower. So I have a lot of respect to these guys, GWAR (which inspired the silly lyrics I was doing on that cut) and the guitarist I knew for helping to bring all of this to form. That being said, Gaming Hell is probably the worst of the three releases in this set, even though there are some strong and rather exceptional pieces to be found here and I certainly won't deny that.

(16 Tracks, 53:00)

6/10

TMHM - Stage Names (2016)

Canada's TMHM (The Man and His Machine) have been around for five years now and have self released three EP's as well as two live discs throughout their lengthy tenure. This recording marks the act's first full-length and official debut, which as of this writing is also a self-released recording. The only difference here, is that that album was recorded in Rain City Studios, where acts like Misery Signals, Japandroids and Baptists were also put through the three-step process of recording, mixing and mastering.

Although this is the act's first debut release, it still feels like an EP due to length, but I guess that is to be expected from a band who is most likely (and I'm just taking a guess – not even an educated one) used to writing and recording smaller albums in an EP format. It merely graces over twenty-two minutes of overall playtime. The sound I can describe as a mix of Nu-Metal, post, punk and core, which certainly doesn't turn me away due to the Nu-Metal elements alone. Those of you who've been with us a long time will know that I grew up in the age of Nu-Metal and first cut my teeth on this music. Though I've reviewed and enjoy more extreme approaches as well, I've always had a soft spot for this kind of music.

We start right with the very Nu-Metal style of “Bad Luck In Belleville” which seems to echo some of the heavier moments of acts like Primer 55. The vocal end of things is definitely a bit loud and even somewhat obnoxious in the mix, but I think that adds some real heart and feeling to the music. When we get into “Toxic Mix” we're listening to a post-metal piece which almost carries a bit of punk with it. The punk and groove elements punch up with “18 Oz” which might not be for everyone, but it's got a hell of a lot of piss and vinegar. “Threadcounts” changes the style of the band to a punk influenced core or powerviolence if you will. I guess I'm a bit reminded of Gallows without the sing-along parts. The powerviolence seems to carry right on over into the title cut, which is quite raucous, but I'm almost afraid that the frontman is about to blow a blood vessel.

“Better Half” changes the style a bit to aloow for more down-tuned bass, but the Nu-Metal influence has been removed almost completely in favor of something that sounds like more of what we've just heard. It's not a bad approach, but it makes me feel that the beginning of the disc might be a bit misleading to listeners. TMHM certainly have a lot of fight in them though, I can say that. The rest of the record doesn't offer much more than we've heard at this point, so you should already be aware of what you're getting now. Saying little more about the album, if you like incredibly noisy approaches that combine punk along with various metal elements, you'll certainly find something in what I can consider a rather solid and outspoken release.

It sounds like the voice of a generation, in which a cacophony of words amount to distress and frustration towards society and it's machinations as a whole. I believe this is the sound of the rebellion, though I'm not quite sure what the rebellion is against these days. The wealthy capitalist machine cannot be beaten in a physical manner, one will merely have to wait until it finishes it's tenure and goes kaput all on it's own. 

People obviously seem a bit disrupted by the current system of economics and government, which of course will bring about some sort of change in paradigm. Though that change in paradigm, I believe; had already been planned from the get-go. It is much easier to get people to rebel against and remove something themselves, than to just completely have it removed altogether – especially when they'll find that the next system probably won't work as well as this one. But what can I say? Progress has a price. Give this one a listen if you're full of rage and angst against the infernal machine.

(8 Tracks, 22:00)

7/10

Nox Formulae - The Hidden Paths To Black Ecstasy (2016)

Hailing from Greece, The Hidden Paths To Black Ecstasy is the group's debut release on Dark Descent. The act consider themselves to be a bit more than an act, actually and would consider The Hidden Paths To Black Ecstasy to be a “sonic grimiore” of some sort. As in, it is a literal book of black magic in the form of black metal. They also consider themselves to be Luciferian fanatics, and seem to have developed an entire foundation based on several orders of LHP. While that is all well and good, I'm not here to review the disc for it's occult qualities, but for it's musical qualities – and I found those to be quite pure and fresh. Nox Formulae sound like the kind of black metal act that actually has force and feeling behind it. It has that “raw yet produced” quality that makes it stand out, especially in craftsmanship.

Wolfsbane 1.1 is a hell of a guitarist and he's capable of bringing out some very bright leads to what can at times be rather dark and oppressive soundscapes, just like we like them. Mezkal also stands out well in the mix, utilizing a large variety of drum frills which change the music from everything to standard-fare black metal, to something a bit more groove-laden, like mid-era Satyricon. If you're looking for something truly traditional from these Greeks, beware – because you're not going to find it here.

As far as the band's frontmen, they perform in much of the same fashion that we'd expect from occult black metal, like theatrical shouts and spoken word sections in addition to the harsh scowls (which are definitely the best point of their vocal work.) It's a bit unusual for a band to have three vocalists, but Monkshood 333 (which I am assuming is responsible for the scowls) along with added bits by Nightshade (probably not named after the NES classic) and Kurgasiaz seem to work well enough together to make a listener believe that these three voices are coming from just one individual. In my book, that's quite stellar.

The record itself is only about forty-five minutes long, but it's approach of mixing what at times can be bludgeoning black metal with more disco-friendly beats (and hey, I'm not judging here – I love that kind of approach) while at the same time peppering the disc with sections of atmopshere and lead melodies (we might as well call them guitar solos, even though they seem to be pushed towards the back a bit) makes for a listen that doesn't get old.

Most of what I've read as far as the concept of the record is concerned seems to mix various occult schools in with something like H.P. Lovecraft, but that to me represents not only a modernization of the sound as a whole, but of the occulticism behind it. It would not be foolish or erroneous to consider The Hidden Paths To Black Ecstasy a new-school approach to black metal, as by all means; that is what we are getting here. It still resembles black metal to me, but it doesn't leave me with many of the lumbering approaches that I have heard from hordes of black metal acts on a day to day basis. I still cannot tell you why most of the end sections of these tracks, which consist mainly of a notable guitar solo or melody, sound so muffled in the back – I'm still not sure why that is. Even the creepy melody that begins “O.D. Dominion” sounds a bit muffled, but it's really nothing to complain about too much. At least it is an audible melody, which is more than what I would get from some of the other bands in the genre.

Greece has always had a certain touch which black metal that I've always considered very interesting and efficient, which might have something to do with how popular the Luciferian archetypes have become over there within it's rock scene (keep in mind that Rotting Christ are considered a rock band in Greece, and are considered one of the country's best) and the possible influence that many of those could have within the collective subconscious of these musicians. Greek black metal aways seems to have a very artistic and sometimes even a beautiful approach, depending on the act – which I think has much to do with that beautified Luciferian egregore by which an entire belief basis has been molded from. Truly Greece is becoming Lucifer's country, which I see no issue with, especially if they continue to make impressive black metal like this for many more years to come.

It's worth mentioning that aside from the large number of atheists in France, there had been (and still is to some extent) a great deal of Luciferian related occult black metal acts there as well. I don't tend to like the French approaches as much as the Grecian ones though, there's just something truly unique about them. However, I do not think it's fair to say that Greek black metal has ever had a subpar release, or that French black metal has never had an amazing release. The reviews on this blog would allow a listener to discern both of those points easily.

In any case, I think Dark Descent really found a great acquisition here with Nox Formulae and they continue to show the strength of that mighty Luciferian archetype, by which I hope never falters or fails to inspire these great works of modern art.

(9 Tracks, 45:00)

8/10

Beyond Enclosure - Dungeon Of Total Void (2016)

Portugal's Beyond Enclosure is an S&M themed industrial project molded by the hands of Samantha Diabolik, who handles commands, devices, electronics, metal and research with additional influence by The Analyst (ex-Sektor 304), who is also responsible for some of the record's electronic pieces. They're recommended for fans of IRM (which as you remember, made me feel uneasy) and Sewer Goddess (although I wouldn't consider this record to be even remotely close to what I've heard from them.)

I've listened to gobs of industrial material from Malignant Records over the past few years, but this one proves to be a little stranger than some of the material I've heard previously. Aside from the whirs and industrial scraping that we'd expect, there's a very odd vocal element here, which makes me think that I'm almost privy to some sort of conversation between two or more humanoid robots. “Autoerotik Punishment” seems to throw me directly into an atmopshere in which a pained robot seems to be reflecting upon it's life while standing on a soapbox at the same time. A shouting voice in the background seems to work in tandem with this fembot, which seems a bit more human. Not all of the tracks feature such a heavy vocal presence (which I actually seem to prefer a bit more) and allow a steady metallic landscape to permeate throughout, leaving more of a traditional power electronics feel to the music as a whole. The weirdness of the aformentioned is appreciated, but sometimes it is the more subtle approaches that work best. Though I do have a major complaint about the level of feedback featured at the end of “Electronic Submission” and I feel that it is something worth letting you know ahead of time.

As I 've said, I have listened to several records in this vein of all sorts of different electronic and industrial landscapes, with very little issues as far as what I would consider harmful or damaging to one's ears. I'm not exactly sure what these two were trying to do, but while I was listening to this and reading a digital comic, I soon noticed an ear-piercing amount of feedback that was very painful to listen to. This is no fault of the band, but it is definitely a track that I would recommend cutting off before the ending, because it quite simply can harm your ears a bit. This is a first for me, I've never experienced a record that was actually able to cause pain in my eardrums before, so I'll have to give it to Beyond Enclosure for this one. I should also mention that there are a few more painful sets of feedback in “Vortex Of Steel Into Flesh” but not nearly as bad as “Electrical Surrender.”

As we continue with “Basement Paraphilia”, the approach becomes more mechanical with Diabolik using her natural tone of voice, rather than the pained robot I heard earlier. There are still some sections where effects appear to bring in a sort of robotic quality, especially towards the end. It often feels like many of the vocal sections are spoken word pieces, which is also not uncommon for the genre. Industrial seems to have always been a vehicle for opinion, in which the electronic elements have always explored quite well. “Forceful Aquisition Of Faith” sees Diabolik's vocals horrendously warped and changed to sound like that of a terrifying robot overlord. There is very little to be said in lieu of atmopshere here, it is just a slight muffle of static, but it sets the tone for the rustling winds. S&M is supposed to have a strong sexual nature, but from the sounds of the vocal sections that I've witnessed on here, I don't think I would ask for pleasure from the monstrous tank-like robots by which I'm witnessing on the disc.

Dungeon Of Total Void feels like the kind of indie S&M horror film that should be made, where alien robots attempt to dominate and submit mankind to all of their fiendish pleasures before taking over the world completely. I'm thinking about something far worse than the Decepticons as well, imagine if Giger had the chance to design these things – it would have almost been like another Alien. It's not like something I've heard from Malignant Records before, in it's slightly minimalist yet foreboding structures. What the electronics don't exactly accomplish, the vocal end of the performance does – and that's where industrial fans will find favor with it.

Definitely give it a listen, preferably while in the throes of a good science-fiction tale (book or comic, it doesn't matter) as this record could really spruce up that reading session and provide a proper atmosphere, especially if you happen to have gotten hold of something which literally involves sadomasochistic robots out to destroy the human race. I'm not sure if a story like that has been written yet, but I wouldn't count out that kind of subject matter so soon.

(8 Tracks, 56:00)

8/10

Skognatt - Landscape Of Ice (2016)

Skognatt is a German one-man symphonic black metal act, and having listened to it a couple of times, I've got to agree with some of the other reviewers here on the Bandcamp page. This record is just a ten minute taste, but it's enough of a taste to get you sucked in.

From those opening gothic organs, I immediately thought of Necromantic Worship and the vocal end of things didn't disappoint either. There's not much said regarding the man behind the act, and I feel that it adds to the mystique if I don't say anything at all regarding those details. If he wamted to be known, he would have posted that information on the page.

The atmosphere remains chilly, fronted with a bloodcurdling scowl that nearly sounds inhuman. Judging by those doom riffs, there's a little bit of dread to be felt within the performance, as well as some well-placed acoustic folk. The drums are programmed, but this is a situation in which the program fits the music quite well, and it is admittedly very tough for me to tell the difference with today's technology.

Both “Winter Nights” and “Landscape Of Ice” seem compositionally similar at base, but I'd certainly rather two strong cuts on a disc instead of just one. There are also some rather indelible riffs to be found within the recording, particularly at the very end of it's title cut. Those show real warrant, which I feel will be greater expanded upon with future outputs. Skognatt is a project which seems to beat at the very core of the frozen black heart of the genre.

Not only is it morose, but it also retains the metallic semblances that keep it both heavy as well as frightening. I'm certainly keeping my eye on what I'd consider to be an unquestionably grim and emphatically necessary act. The smile that crept across my face when confronted with such a gothic frozen treat truly said it all, and I merely wish to share the same devilish desserts with you.

At just one euro, you would be a fool to pass up on this one. If you were waiting for us to actually review something grim, well... here it is. Enjoy!

(2 Tracks, 10:00)

8/10

UFOsonic Generator - The Evil Sonic Possession (2016)

I wasn't really sure what kind of album I was going to get with this one, but it was actually pretty damn groovy – and really listenable. The band considers themselves a type of “Heavy Wicked Drunken Doom & Roll From Outer Space” and are influenced by bands like Pentagram, Uriah Heep and Lucifer's Friend as well as Candlemass and Cathedral. But I hear far more of that Pentagram and Uriah Heep feel to the music than I would Candlemass or Cathedral.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about the band other than the fact that the email contact I have for them here is Italian, so I'm guessing they are also an Italian act as with many Minotauro releases. But there's an interesting tidbit on the band's Facebook profile that considers frontman Gojira, “lustful screams from Japan.” I won't look too far into that however, because it's probably a bit foolish and I strongly doubt he is Japanese, even though that would quite surprise me. What you need to know about these guys is that they jam in the same vein as Orange Goblin or perhaps even something like The Sword. This is traditional Sabbathy jam-doom, and it's not all that foreboding. But it does make for a good time.

As far as Gojira's vocals are concerned, his wails are hit or miss and don't really matter as far as the rest of the performance is concerned. When I'm faced with the disc, I mainly hear the thick heavy bass with an additional drum front and some rather nice lead melodies from time to time. I'm often reminded of acts like Wolfmother even, just because of the whole rock n' roll tendency that seems to suffuse through the album. These guys love to rock and they love to roll, which is what this record proves pretty well. You have to appreciate the music before you come into it though. This is a decidedly older approach to the doom genre and doesn't contain all of the bells and whistles of more modern acts. There aren't any metal extremities or electronics, no female vocals or shoegaze riffs. It's pretty much the same sound that you grew up with, only filtered through the lens of even older music like Blue Cheer or Mountain. It's old, folks – but that doesn't mean it's outdated or broken. As I've heard it said; “being old is not a crime” and that's what I feel that UFOsonic Generator substantiate rather well with The Evil Sonic Possession.

There's even a little bit of a “heavy hippie” mentality here, which is I guess where the whole trip factor comes in, even though there aren't any huge atmospheric drug trip moments like you might expect. Many of the songs sound quite similar though, and the album seems to be the kind of disc that you can just play any cut from and get the same experience. I could easily hear Ozzy on the vocals here, which is what makes this collaborative effort of doom and rock courtesy of D.D Morris (guitar), Miguel Bell (awesome bass riffs), S. McManchester (drums) and Gojira well worth checking out.

I think I've listened to this disc about three times now and it was a very fluid listen the first time around. I found myself unexpectedly bobbing my head to the music, so one could say that it spoke to me. I'm not really sure about all the occult and Satanic terminology here, but I'd treat it the same as any Sabbath record really – it's all about the performance. Ozzy was so drugged up out of his mind that I had no idea what he was singing about half the time, and I'm pretty sure that he didn't either. Of course, I'm in so much physical pain right now that a disc like this certainly seems like good medicine. I'm not a doctor, but maybe it'll make you feel a little better too. It's definitely infectious, but in a good way. If you love music, that is.

(7 Tracks, 38:00)

9/10

Etrusgrave - Aita's Sentence (2016)

If you're a fan of traditional heavy metal in the vein of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Virgin Steele or UDO, then you will certainly love Italy's Etrusgrave. The band have been around since 2004, but released their debut record, Masters Of Fate in 2008. They haven't released an album since 2010's Tophet, marking Aita's Sentence the band's first album in six years. It is also interesting to note that their name is a combination of the terms “Etruscan” and “Grave.”

Not much has changed since the band's last record, aside from the addition of drummer Stefano Giugioli which means that these guys are pretty much the same band that they were six years ago. I really can't say, as this is the first release I've ever heard from them. Yet I can certainly accrue something from the listen – they're not bad. Not bad at all. As a matter of fact, they have some real staying power and will appeal mainly to those looking for a style of production that feels a little bit more organic. When I listen to this record, I can tell that there are actually musicians in the studio, recording their instruments live with little to no edits during the mixing process. As it sounds raw, perhaps frontman Tiziano Sbaragli won't quite hit every note perfectly and maybe Fulberto Serena's guitar will have a little bit more feedback and hiss than necessary. But those are just the sort of things that you should expect with a warmer performance, which almost echoes what the band can undoubtedly offer in a live setting. Fortunately, Aita's Sentence is a record I would love to hear in just that kind of setting, with the Priest meets Saxon feel of opener “Anxiety” or the Virgin Steele influence apparent in “Festering Slash” (yes, Sbaragli can hit the kind of almost feminine tones that David DeFeis is known for and it is sometimes to a startling degree) as well as the Queensryche aura that I'm getting from the album's title cut. Maiden riffs seem to appear “Coward” as well, showing that Etrusgrave are a heavy metal act who have done their research into what made the genre so memorable in the eighties.

Aside from Sbaragli, we also have quite a bit of compositional research coming right from the direction of Serena's guitars. The man can clearly play, and in so many different styles that I would say range from traditional heavy metal all of the way up to progressive and classic rock music. There's no doubt that listeners are getting a wonderful performance in this area, which is only peppered by the extent of his mind-guitar solo efforts. Yes, I said mind-boggling and I truly meant that. You will just have to listen to the disc yourself to verify that, and by all-means, a guitar solo nut like myself will challenge you to that.

Most of the time, I open up my mailbox and have no real idea what kind of records I'm going to receive when I open the packages, so there's no expectation in the very beginning. I don't even know what kind of bands I'm getting sometimes, so you just have to hope for the best. This one, well... it was pretty awesome. Not only does Serena play up a storm, but Sbaragli hits some extremely high and unexpected notes throughout. Most listeners won't even expect the degree of vocal perfomance that they're getting here and it's even more reason to check it out and give it a listen immediately if you're a fan of metal in it's golden age. I'm not even bored by the record after a long time listening to it, because there's just so much that I've noticed and I've liked about the performance. 

Admittedly to some, the record might sound a little thin and the bass isn't very thunderous in the mix, neither would I say are the drums. Though both seem to keep up a relatively decent pace and I wouldn't fault bassist Luigi Paoletti or skinsman Stefano Giuggioli for this issue, as they are merely crafting the tempo and building the foundation upon which the vocal and lead guitar end of the act truly soar. I don't think listeners will be checking this one out for either of those instruments, and feel that they would probably sound better performed live along with the proscenial elements of the act which altogether feel like they would truly take wing on the stage. Without a doubt, check it out. 

(7 Tracks, 48:00)

8/10