Category Archives: 2014 New Releases

Album Review – Necropoli / I (2014)

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Unique and avant-garde Funeral Doom Metal from Italy, recommended for lovers of the darkest side of music.

Rating5

Forged by musicians Rodolfo Baroni and Dario Fabiani in the wonderful city of Rome, Italy, the music by Funeral Doom / Avantgarde Metal band Necropoli might not be an easy listening for people who usually stick to basic radio stuff, including even the most badass Rock N’ Roll radio stations. However, it’s indeed a delectable experimental voyage with lots of Dhrone, Death, Black and Downtempo influences, going way beyond the average Doom Metal most of us are used to, taking your senses to a whole new freakish level.

Their debut album, symbolically named I, can be considered an epitome of darkness in heavy music, with its truly long and devilish songs taking you down to a world where things like happiness, beauty and love do not exist at all. Just by looking at the album art you know this is not going to be just another commercial album full of cheesy content.

When you listen to the baby crying during the ominous intro in Ashes of my Soul, you can get a taste of how grim Necropoli can be. But it’s when their slow and dark Doom Metal really begins, with the deepest growls you can think of and its double bass and eerie synths giving the whole song a totally lugubrious atmosphere, that you’ll feel you’re like taking part of a ritual. In addition, its obscure lyrics (“This restless circle is complete / This maze will never set me free / The winds of eternity shall take away / The ashes of my soul…”) and its more than frightful ending complement the song very effectively.

Inner Space starts with some kind of weird electric or industrial sounds, and its intro goes on for almost three minutes before turning into ferocious Black Metal with sick guitar riffs and guttural vocals. It goes back to pure atmospheric music with sounds of ocean, seagulls and an acoustic guitar after seven minutes, finally becoming a Doom Metal tune to finish this dark sonic journey. A Step doesn’t make things happier or lighter, focusing on interesting piano keys blended with evil vocals and heavy riffs, all enhanced by depressive lyrics (“Opening his eyes and looking at the world around me, one single step / I got lost in it and maybe found myself many times in my path”) and an ending that is a fuckin’ massacre.

NECROPOLI band photoHowever, things get even more interesting in Silence Awaits Me, another ghostly tune filled by symphonic elements, getting closer to Death Metal in some moments and with so many rhythmic breaks it could easily be divided into three or four distinct songs.  Very epic and full of feeling, it encompasses 17 minutes of occultism and mystery that will please anyone that enjoys this type of music. And closing the album we have Curriculum Vitae (I have no idea why they chose this song name), the only track with less than 10 minutes of duration: it’s such a weird outro, consisting of demonic voices accompanied only by some persistent low synths, that I don’t know what to say about it. You’ll have to listen to it and take your own conclusions.

In summary, Necropoli’s debut album I, available at the band’s official Bandcamp page, is as unique and avant-garde as it can be, always focusing on a more unhappy and wicked side of life, of course, which doesn’t mean you’ll regret listening to it. Quite the contrary, I bet you’ll keep going back to it again and again to savor its complexity, heaviness and malice.

Best moments of the album: Silence Awaits Me.

Worst moments of the album: Curriculum Vitae.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Ashes of my Soul 10:37
2. Inner Space 11:47
3. A Step 12:13
4. Silence Awaits Me 17:06
5. Curriculum Vitae 4:04

Band members (Recording line up)
David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Rodolfo Baroni – guitar

Current line up
David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Francesco Romano – drums

Album Review – Selene / Paradise Over EP (2014)

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Directly from Northern Ireland, we might be witnessing the future face of Symphonic Power Metal.

Rating5

CoverAre you a fan of symphonic heavy music full of operatic vocals, Power Metal elements and a dense Gothic atmosphere the likes of Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Avantasia? If this is your type of “party”, you should take a listen at Paradise Over, the new EP by Symphonic Power Metal band Selene. Selene was founded in 2013 by guitarist/keyboardist John Connor (sorry, not the one from the Terminator franchise) and singer Shonagh Lyons, with the band name being inspired by Sonata Arctica’s “My Selene”, one of John Connor’s all-time favourite songs, becoming his personal tribute to his Finnish Power Metal heroes.

This new band from Northern Ireland released their first EP called Among the Frozen in 2013, which already received a lot of positive feedback from heavy music fans and reviewers all over the world. However, now with the addition of Cameron Ashlund-Glass (Darkest Era) on drums and Thomas Alford (Sandstone) on bass, their music became a lot more consistent and organic, strengthening the final result in Paradise Over.

From the very first minute of the opening track Facing the Mirror, with its smooth piano intro and guitar riffs the likes of Nightwish, the whole band and the overall production of the EP sound very solid and professional, inviting the listener to keep relishing every track in Paradise Over. In addition, the song is augmented by its emotional lyrics (“If I can’t love my-self, /how can I need some-one else?”), tailored for fans of the genre, and a beautiful performance by singer Shonagh Lyons.

band promoNot Enough starts with a vibrant intro and offers us a very symphonic and dense atmosphere throughout its entirety, making me wonder how interesting it would be if it was used as part of the soundtrack for any epic or fantasy movie such as The Hobbit, followed by the even more symphonic Still Dreaming, which could easily be played in any radio station in the world due to its pleasant instrumental and melancholic lyrics (“The darkness growing deep within my mind / Feels so real to me but I’m still dreaming”).

Then come the awesome title-track, Paradise Over, with drummer Cameron Ashlund-Glass dictating the rhythm and its strong keyboards and vocals reminding me of some Symphonic Metal classics by Nightwish, Epica and other female-fronted bands; and the very epic and powerful tune Fade Away, where drums and keyboards are in total synergy, together with another great performance by the gorgeous Shonagh. Lastly, the band brings forth the sorrowful ballad Hourglass Fading, which will please the hearts of all music lovers, closing the EP in a very beautiful way.

What does the future hold for Selene? Well, give them just a few more years and I bet their music will sound so much more powerful they might even become the face of Symphonic Power Metal, because if they were capable of producing such enthralling music independently we can have a very good idea of what they could do with proper support. So go to the band’s official BandCamp page to purchase their new EP Paradise Over, visit the official Selene Web Store for some other cool stuff such as their previous EP Among the Frozen and other bundles (which include keyrings and necklaces), and appreciate the music by this promising band from the “The 6 Counties”.

Best moments of the album: Not Enough and Paradise Over.

Worst moments of the album: Let’s wait for a full-length album to choose some bad moments (if there are any, of course).

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Facing the Mirror 5:08
2. Not Enough 5:03
3. Still Dreaming 4:34
4. Paradise Over 3:29
5. Fade Away 5:03
6. Hourglass Fading 3:16

Band members
Shonagh Lyons – vocals
John Connor – guitar, keyboard
Thomas Alford – bass
Cameron Ashlund-Glass – drums

Album Review – Gory Blister / The Fifth Fury (2014)

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It’s time for these talented Italian Death Metallers to unleash the Fifth Fury upon humanity.

Rating4

03. Gory Blister - ArtworkThis year has been more than amazing for Death Metal so far, as there have been tons of kick-ass albums, lots of shredding, huge doses of violence, and thousands of excellent reasons to bang our heads and slam into the circle pits. Joining that demented “2014 Hall of Rage” we welcome The Fifth Fury, the fifth full-length album by Italian Technical Death Metal band Gory Blister.

Formed in the 90’s in Milan, Italy, Gory Blister has recently been through some lineup changes, which includes vocalist John St John (Statica Nera, Orthodox) teaming up with the band in 2012 and more recently the addition of Emi Dattolo (Faust, Illogicist, Eternal Tragedy) as their new bassist. Those changes seem to have had a very positive effect to the band’s musicality and energy, which together with their usual lyric themes such as psychology, poetry and outer space result in some very entertaining extreme music, especially for fans of more technical and melodic Death Metal.

With its blazing guitar duo intro, the opening track Psycho Crave sets the tone of the whole album: a total fuckin’ music madness full of insane blast beats by Joe Laviola, which together with some interesting riffs provide an eerie atmosphere to the listener. Besides, its technical shredding sounds like a heavier version of Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons Arch Enemy, which in my opinion is always a good thing. Thresholds, a more brutal but very melodic tune, showcases what John St John is capable of doing with his voice, switching from deeper growls the likes of Krisiun and Deicide to more harsh vocals similar to Jeff Walker from Carcass.

gory blisterFollowing those two sonic tornadoes, the band keeps the momentum going with the fast drumming and ghastly vocals in Toxamine, which disturbing lyrics (“Stomach ulceration, hate perceived / Your blood doesn’t clot / In full clarity of mind / killing is your only wish / Your skin turns red”) turn it into one of the best songs of the album; and Devouring Me, another shredding attack led by Raff with a very melancholic intro. By the way, it’s amazing how an extreme band like Gory Blister can create such atmospheric music without keyboards or synths, don’t you agree?

The dark title-track, The Fifth Fury, narrates the story of “all furies”: First Fury (Tisiphone), Second Fury (Megaera), Third Fury (Alecto), Fourth Fury (Nemesis), and of course, the Fifth Fury created by the band. In Greek mythology, the Furies (or Erinyes) were female chthonic deities of vengeance, sometimes referred to as “infernal goddesses”. By that you can have an idea of how obscure and heavy this song is, also perfectly represented in the album art. Right after all that darkness, comes one of the best songs of the album, if not the best of all, named Prometheus Scars, with its ferocious instrumental, diabolic vocals and great guitar lines. In addition, it has  a meaningful storyline too, as “Prometheus is a Titan who sided with Zeus and the ascending Olympian gods in the vast cosmological struggle against Cronus and the other Titans.”

The last part of the album is not as awesome as all previous tracks, but that doesn’t mean it’s not badass too, starting with (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave, a decent track focusing on a more traditional Death Metal with highlights to the strong bass lines by Emi, followed by the very technical The Grey Machinery, with its hints of Black and Thrash Metal and potent guitar riffs and solos, and finally the bonus track Heretic Infected Orchestra, which starts with a somber piano before becoming a 100% orchestral song with no vocals at all, totally different from the rest of the album and something I would only expect from bands such as Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

To sum up, The Fifth Fury, which is available on iTunes and at the official Sliptrick Records online store, ends up being an absolutely fun and fresh heavy music album, especially due to the good distance kept from pedestrian Death Metal, and for offering us all some intelligent content to make us think and learn more about the topics “discussed”. May the Fifth Fury be unleashed upon us!

Best moments of the album: Psycho Crave, Toxamine and Prometheus Scars.

Worst moments of the album: (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave and The Grey Machinery.

Released in 2014 Sliptrick Records

Track listing
1. Psycho Crave 4:26
2. Thresholds 3:30
3. Toxamine 4:15
4. Devouring Me 4:18
5. The Fifth Fury 4:47
6. Prometheus Scars 3:32
7. (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave 3:52
8. The Grey Machinery 3:37

Bonus track
9. Heretic Infected Orchestra 3:34

Band members
John St John – vocals
Raff – guitar
Emi – bass guitar
Joe Laviola – drums

Album Review – Kilmara / Love Songs and Other Nightmares (2014)

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An exciting Power Metal “gemstone”, full of heavy riffs, melody and all other elements we love in this type of music, nicely carved by this very competent band from Barcelona.

Rating4

kilmara_coverFor most of us, the word “kilmara” might mean only a semi-precious green stone (also known as jade) used for jewelry, but it has also become a synonym of high-quality Heavy Metal, especially in the past decade. After over 10 years of existence, Melodic Power Metallers from Spain and Germany Kilmara are releasing their third full-length album, Love Songs and Other Nightmares, another “gemstone” carefully polished and ready to shine in their discography.

Let me start by saying that the new album by this Barcelona-based band was produced by none other than the exceptional Roland Grapow (Helloween, Masterplan) at Grapow Studios in Slovakia and published by Sony Music, and by that you can already have an idea of the professionalism you’ll find in each and every track from Love Songs and Other Nightmares. Only talent itself doesn’t bring any good results if not accompanied by a huge amount of dedication and hard work, and Kilmara are a great example of how putting those elements together translates into amusing and captivating music.

From the very first heavier-than-usual riffs of the opening track, Fantasy, Kilmara showcase a modern Power Metal, focusing on smoother and clearer vocal lines (very well done by singer Christian Wolfgang Kohl) instead of traditional high-pitched screams from other bands of the same genre. Not only this song has an awesome chorus, but the addition of some harsh vocals makes everything even more entertaining. Quick question: would Fantasy (or maybe Fantasy’s) be a gentlemen’s club in Spain or somewhere else? At least that’s what the lyrics seem to be talking about.

The galloping rhythm, conducted mainly by Javi Morillo’s excellent work on drums, and the soulful guitar solos keep the energy level up in The Devil’s Eye, followed by the soaring intro and thrilling riffs of The Break Up, another top moment of the album, with lyrics about ending a relationship. By the way, this song would be an awesome way to do so (or at least the break up would happen with an exciting soundtrack). Cold Rain sounds like a sequence to the previous track in terms of lyrics, with highlights to the way the band “prepares” the listener for the catchy chorus.

kilmaraThen Kilmara slow things down with Believe, a semi-ballad with nice instrumental, but not as exciting as the previous tracks, before accelerating everything again with Nothing to Me, a heavy tune with hints of Thrash Metal the likes of Anthrax, with its riffs and double bass dictating the rhythm plus some great lyrics to sing along (“There’s nothing you can say / There’s nothing you can do / There’s nothing that can take away / The damage that you do”). A more traditional Power Metal can be found in Usual Strangers, especially due to its good guitar duo and solos, while Alpha is more melodic, flirting with Symphonic Power Metal. And pay attention to its funny/sexist lyrics, you might see yourself in that situation one day (or maybe many times a week).

And at long last, Kilmara saved for the final part of Love Songs and Other Nightmares three completely different tracks for all types of fans: Insomnia is another good Power Metal track with some interesting lyrics; Play to Win focuses on a more Hard Rock sonority, with its excellent instrumental parts mixed with another good vocal performance by Christian; and finally we have the beautiful ballad Time Flies, with  its powerful chorus as the “main ingredient”. There’s also a German/Spanish version of this song as a bonus track that sounds even more emotive than the regular one, especially the awesome Spanish parts. I myself speak Spanish and, in my humble opinion, I would love to see more Spanish songs by Kilmara: they sound so amazingly powerful when singing in this language.

I guess I could not finish this review without mentioning how gorgeous the “cover girl”, created by Montreal’s own Jessica Allain, in Love Songs and Other Nightmares is. Is she even real? Anyway, this excellent Power Metal album is available at Amazon and iTunes, among other places online and at physical stores, so if you’re a true fan of Power Metal don’t waste your time and go grab this “gemstone” by Kilmara for your collection.

Best moments of the album: Fantasy, The Break Up and Nothing to Me.

Worst moments of the album: Believe and Alpha.

Released in 2014 Sony Music

Track listing
1. Fantasy 4:41
2. The Devil’s Eye 4:20
3. The Break Up 3:59
4. Cold Rain 6:01
5. Believe 4:31
6. Nothing to Me 4:01
7. Usual Strangers 4:51
8. Alpha 4:04
9. Insomnia 4:47
10. Play to Win 5:59
11. Time Flies 6:19

Bonus track
12. Time Flies (German/Spanish version) 6:19

Band members
Christian Wolfgang Kohl – vocals
Jonathan Portilo – guitar
Kike Torres – guitar
Raúl Ruiz – bass
Javi Morillo – drums

Album Review – Cannibal Corpse / A Skeletal Domain (2014)

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Long live the Corpse and their wicked domain of Death Metal.

Rating4

Cannibal Corpse_A Skeketal DomainIn my humble opinion, the most important legacy the city of Buffalo, New York (also known as “The Queen City”) will ever leave to humanity is the unrivalled twisted music by American Death Metal heavyweights Cannibal Corpse. Not only that, I personally consider George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, Alex Webster & Co. the best, most cohesive and most amusing Death Metal band of all time, and now once again they prove us all why they’re so awesome with the excellent A Skeletal Domain, the thirteenth studio album in their path of ruthless devastation.

One might ask how they keep being relevant in heavy music after all those years, maintaining their musicality almost intact but without sounding repetitive at the same time. Well, although every Cannibal Corpse album has the band’s hallmarks such as their gruesome lyrics and intrinsic brutal instrumental and vocals, those guys somehow manage to reinvent themselves and offer something distinct in each of their releases. For instance, A Skeletal Domain provides us a darker and more freakish sounding than their previous albums, as mentioned by bassist Alex Webster in some recent interviews. Just take a look at the Stygian album art and you’ll have an idea of how eerie this album is.

In order to kick off the album the best way possible, the band invites us to join them in this dark domain of music with the aggressive High Velocity Impact Spatter, which right after a quick Horror movie-ish intro becomes a Death Metal feast full of excellent riffs, solos and creativity led by bassist Alex Webster and guitarists Pat O’Brien and Rob Barrett. Moreover, the initial roar by Mr. Corpsegrinder and the desperate way he screams the chorus prove once again why he’s and will always be the true voice of Cannibal Corpse. Following that sonic massacre we have Sadistic Embodiment, a song that couldn’t be more Cannibal Corpse than that, with Alex Webster kicking ass one more time and Paul Mazurkiewicz always killing on drums; and Kill or Become, a song about a zombie outbreak with a beautiful message in the lyrics (“Fire up the chainsaw / Hack all their heads off / Fire up the chainsaw / Hack their fucking heads off”), with the instrumental parts reminding me of another Cannibal Corpse track, “As Deep as the Knife Will Go”, intensified by a sick guitar solo by Rob Barrett. Do I need to mention it is more than perfect to be part of any truly disgusting zombie movie soundtrack?

Cannibal CorpseAnd their rampant Death Metal extravaganza goes on with the amazing title-track, A Skeletal Domain, another lesson in bestiality with highlights to its insane double bass and superb riffs. I simply love the chorus and how Corpsegrinder “recites” the lyrics, especially when he says people are turning into some kind of creatures that are “not a zombie not a human”. Can you imagine how grotesque those creatures are? Anyway, Headlong into Carnage is a straightforward song made for breaking your neck due to the intensity which you’ll bang your head, where the instrumental parts sound like old school Thrash Metal in many moments, followed by The Murderer’s Pact, which is more melodic than all previous tracks and where Corpsegrinder’s voice and the guitar riffs end up making a very interesting duo.

Funeral Cremation, with its Black Metal elements and very macabre lyrics, and the “smooth” Ice-Pick Lobotomy, with its complex musicality (especially the bass lines and all the guitar shredding), keep the overall quality of the album really high, while Vector of Cruelty, despite not being as powerful as the other tracks, offers us pure traditional Death Metal with some interesting rhythmic breaks. And what can I say about the fast and furious Bloodstained Cement? The violence in its lyrics is outstanding (“Smash his skull onto the pavement / Make the bastard pay / Don’t stop until it cracks / And spills out his brain”), and I cannot wait for the absurd circle pits this song will generate if played live.

Lastly, there’s still time for more extreme music with Asphyxiate to Resuscitate, with another awesome performance by Mr. Corpsegrinder and some excellent drumming blended really well with some sick guitar lines and solos, and the fast and heavy neck-breaking tune Hollowed Bodies, with its evil guttural vocals and Paul Mazurkiewicz stealing the show again, to finish exterminating whoever is still alive. However, regardless of all that savagery, the guys from Cannibal Corpse are far from being heartless individuals, as A Skeletal Domain is dedicated to the memory of Michael Trengert, who was the managing director of Silverdust Records and former promoter at Nuclear Blast and manager of Metal Blade Records Europe. He passed away on September 23, 2013, leaving many friends all over the world.

In addition, as I’ve already mentioned a billion times before, there would be no Cannibal corpse without bassist Alex Webster. As a matter of fact, that guy is not just a regular Death Metal bassist like those ones you can barely listen to and who usually don’t make any difference to their bands’ musicality. The architect and mastermind behind the realm of the Corpse is a fuckin’ wild beast responsible for the darkest, sickest, most innovative, most fiendish and most intricate bass lines one can ever imagine in the world of extreme music, elevating the quality of their records so much even some people who loathe traditional Death Metal have to acknowledge how good Cannibal Corpse are. Pay attention to all the bass lines in each and every song from A Skeletal Domain, they’re beyond impressive!

In summary, A Skeletal Domain might not be as magnificent as Vile (1996), Kill (2006) or Torture (2012), which I consider the best Cannibal Corpse albums of all time, but it is indeed an amazing record that will surely keep the Corpse alive after almost 30 years of wildness, expanding their perverse domain of Death Metal and, of course, it’s also an excellent choice to invest your hard-earned money (go for the “A Skeletal Domain Deluxe Bundle”, it’s just plain awesome) if you’re a real fan of traditional Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: High Velocity Impact Spatter, A Skeletal Domain and Bloodstained Cement.

Worst moments of the album: The Murderer’s Pact and Vector of Cruelty.

Released in 2014 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. High Velocity Impact Spatter 4:06
2. Sadistic Embodiment 3:17
3. Kill or Become 3:50
4. A Skeletal Domain 3:38
5. Headlong into Carnage 3:01
6. The Murderer’s Pact 5:05
7. Funeral Cremation 3:41
8. Ice-Pick Lobotomy 3:16
9. Vector of Cruelty 3:25
10. Bloodstained Cement 3:41
11. Asphyxiate to Resuscitate 3:47
12. Hollowed Bodies 3:05

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Pat O’Brien – guitar
Rob Barrett – guitar
Alex Webster – bass
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

Album Review – Dimenzion:Psychosphere / Collapse (2014)

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These Norwegian “industrialists” are spot on with their cold and futuristic apocalyptic metal.

Rating4

DIMENZION PSYCHOSPHERE - Collapse cover artIf you’re a fan of Industrial Metal bands that are a lot more “metal” than “industrial”, but that still have that cool electronic touch and a unique futuristic concept in each of their albums, such as the incomparable Rammstein, Ministry and Fear Factory, you should take a shot at Collapse, the new album by Norwegian Industrial Metal band Dimenzion:Psychosphere. After a few self-released EP’s and their debut album entitled DNA Phantom Effect (2012), Collapse is their first full-length album signed to a record label (Crime Records), and by far the best in terms of recording and production quality.

Based in the town of Mandal, Norway, this band does not play your average Industrial Metal, but a fresh and creative mix of industrial and heavy music elements, or as Dimenzion:Psychosphere themselves prefer to say, they play “cold apocalyptic metal from the north”. That crazy definition is corroborated by the band members’ monikers (The President, The Architect, The Trooper, The Scientist and The Engineer) and by their apparel, which can be described as a hybrid between Slipknot and Call Of Duty: Black Ops. You have to agree it can’t get any more bizarre than that.

And when all that visual and concept bizarreness translates into music as soon as the excellent opening track The Machine starts, everything makes a lot more sense: Dimenzion:Psychosphere breed a heavy and embodied mix of Industrial and Nu Metal, a kind of musicality only German Industrial Metal giants Rammstein would be able to produce, with highlights to its very entertaining and intelligent lyrics (“The walking machine’s still singing / The time has come to seize control / To which values are you clinging / To whom do you owe your soul?”). The following track, the groovy Fury, keeps up with the futuristic theme by offering us a truly mechanical atmosphere, which together with the “march” halfway through the song and its extremely heavy drums and bass make the whole song even more effective.

DIMENZION PSYCHOSPHERE band photo 2With its Fear Factory-ish intro and its dense and slow riffs enhanced by a dark “assembly line” rhythm, the song Void can be considered the representation of the band’s Industrial Doom Metal side, while the superb Epistemophobia should be used as part of the soundtrack to a futuristic suspense movie, especially due to the symphonic elements added by The Scientist with his insane synths. Moreover, if you don’t know what the name of this song means, Epistemophobia is the fear of knowledge, which ends up being the principle of the lyrics. In my opinion, I wouldn’t consider this lyric theme too futuristic, but extremely realistic (and painful) based on all the shit we see people doing all over the world. Does anyone still think the human being is actually evolving?

Anyway, the next track, Slaves, focus on more melodic lines, with its direct lyrics (“WE’RE ALL A BUNCH OF FUCKIN SLAVES”) and synths being responsible for generating a strong atmosphere once again, followed by the longest track of all, Psychodorm, full of modern American Metal elements the likes of Slipknot. Moreover, the “machinery” sonority created by all instruments is outstanding, boosted by a very cohesive melancholic tune after four minutes, which goes on until the end of the song. And last but not least, the title-track Collapse sort of kicks off from where the previous song ended, maintaining the same eerie sonority, with an amazing vocal performance by lead singer The President. The ending of this song (and the entire album) is very obscure, predicting there’s no sign of a “happy ending” for our society, which I totally agree.

The album art designed by TrippleOneVision is a terrific complement to the album concept, reminding us of the futuristic mechanical artwork found in many (if not all) albums by Fear Factory, and another sign of how professional and committed Dimenzion:Psychosphere are to their work. In short, Collapse, which will soon be available at the official Crime Records Webshop, doesn’t bring any optimistic message to humanity, but it surely provides fans of heavy music an exceptionally good soundtrack to apocalypse, so turn the volume up, relax and enjoy this awkward music journey until the world completely falls apart.

Best moments of the album: The Machine and Epistemophobia.

Worst moments of the album: Void.

Released in 2014 Crime Records

Track listing
1. The Machine 5:02
2. Fury 4:15
3. Void 6:26
4. Epistemophobia 5:18
5. Slaves 4:29
6. Psychodorm 8:49
7. Collapse 7:19

 Band members
The President – vocals
The Architect – guitar, vocals
The Trooper – bass
The Scientist – synth
The Engineer – drums

Album Review – Lelahell / Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane (2014)

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Pure aggressive Death Metal full of meaningful content? That’s exactly what this bright Algerian band offers us with their music.

Rating4

coverLelahel is an angel of the zodiac exercising dominion over love, art, science and fortune, bringing light and good luck to mankind. However, when an extra ‘l’ is added to its name, it’s time for Algerian Death Metal band Lelahell to attack all human beings with their first full-length album, the impetuous Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, an album which fans of bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Vital Remains will be able to relish while at the same time they learn more about the culture of that Islamic country located in North Africa.

Of course, this is a Death Metal album, so do not expect to listen to anything that’s not as heavy as hell. The differential in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, as you can see by the name of the album (Abderrahmane is the transliteration of Abdur Rahman in French-speaking North Africa, meaning “servant of the most merciful”) and also the names of most songs, is the fact that the band makes it clear where they come from by adding elements of their culture to their symphony of violence. Consequently, their music becomes a lot more robust and appealing to fans of extreme music than if it was just the basic Death Metal many other bands play. This is something unique bands such as Sepultura and Chthonic do all the time, like in the masterpieces Roots and Bú-Tik, and you know how amazing those albums are.

After the quick intro Mazaghran, which is the name of a town and commune in Mostaganem Province, Algeria, you’ll already notice that cultural influence in Al Intissar, an Arabic word that means “victory” or “triumph” in English, with its blast beats, devilish and deep guttural vocals, and especially its very traditional Death Metal guitar growls showing you how brutal heavy music should be done. Voices Revealed has a more direct musicality than the opening track, but doesn’t sound so inspired, while Kalimet Essir is a true sonic massacre, guided by a dark tune generated by its guitar lines and fast drums (which you can see HERE). The only thing I couldn’t figure out was the meaning of the words “Kalimet Essir”, maybe the band could help me with this one.

lelahellThe nonstop violent Death Metal in Hypnose is highly recommended for insane mosh pits, with highlights to its good chorus and interesting drumming variations, followed by the short instrumental Imzad. This is another great example of how culture and music walk hand in hand, as “Imzad music is a characteristic feature of Tuareg communities and is performed by women on a single-stringed bowed instrument known as the Imzad.”, adding an extra Arabic touch to the whole album.

Fans of the old Cannibal Corpse will surely enjoy Am I In Hell?, with its Thrash Metal elements, really deep guttural and an ending that’s more than perfect for some brutal headbanging, and pretty much the same can be said about Hillal, or “crescent moon” in English, as this song is as violent and fast as it can be, energized by its evil vocal lines. Lastly, closing the album we have the almost Black Metal of Black Hands, the most obscure of all tracks (especially its riffs) where even the vocal parts are more inclined to Black Metal, with a cleaner guitar solo amidst all destruction to give more balance to the song; and the sheer brutality of the riffs and bass lines in Mizmar, another song that strengthens the connections Lelahell has with their homeland, as “Mizmar is also a term used for a group of musicians, usually a duo or trio, that play a mizmar (flute) instrument along with an accompaniment of one or two double-sided bass drums, known in Arabic as tabl baladi or simply tabl.”

The interesting cover artwork by Kaamos Illustration, who has already worked with bands such as Hypocrisy and Pain, also has lots of elements from the Algerian culture, including the stylish band’s logo, showcasing once again how the guys from Lelahell are true to their roots. Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, available at the official Horror Pain Gore Death Productions webshop and BandCamp page, is more than just Death Metal: it’s good music with content, something so difficult to find even in heavy music these days.

Best moments of the album: Al Intissar, Hillal and Black Hands.

Worst moments of the album: Voices Revealed.

Released in 2014 Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Track listing
1. Mazaghran (Intro) 0:19
2. Al Intissar 5:11
3. Voices Revealed 4:00
4. Kalimet Essir 5:00
5. Hypnose 5:43
6. Imzad 0:48
7. Am I In Hell? 4:45
8. Hillal 5:27
9. Black Hands 4:48
10. Mizmar 4:58

Band members
Lelahel – guitars, vocals
Nihil – bass
Slaveblaster – drums

Album Review – Crucified Barbara / In The Red (2014)

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Our beloved Swedish rock goddesses return to give Rock N’ Roll to you and put it in the soul of everyone.

Rating4

coverIt was already time for Swedish bombshells of Rock N’ Roll Crucified Barbara to be back with more of their unmatched heavy rock and their tough attitude. After the awesome releases In Distortion We Trust (2005), ‘Til Death Do Us Party (2009) and The Midnight Chase (2012), those incredible hardrockers offer us, avid metalheads all over the world, another kick-ass album overflowing aggressiveness, sexy tunes and infinite stamina, the electrifying In The Red.

Although all of their albums are so solid and ravishing it’s extremely hard to choose the best one, there’s one major thing that drew my attention on In The Red: the total absence of any type of ballad. The whole album is pure motherfuckin’ heavy and fast rock, with not a single song being slow or romantic at all, and that, my friends, will please the hearts of pretty much all of their diehard fans for sure. In other words, don’t you just love when those sexy beasts simply assault us like that, with no mercy of our bodies and souls?

And their badass Rock N’ Roll party couldn’t kick off on a higher note than with the frantic I Sell My Kids For Rock’N’Roll, which is not only a great name for a song, but also a superb no-frills feast of ultra-hard-riffs and addictive lyrics, with highlights to the mighty bass lines by Ida Evlieye. It’s so thrilling that I challenge you to stand still during this song and to not play it again and again in your car, at home or anywhere else you might be. To Kill A Man, the first single released a while ago, is just an average song, but it’s a good example of how Mia Coldheart’s voice is sounding a lot stronger in In The Red than in any of their previous albums, while the spectacular Electric Sky has their beautiful trademark musicality, being the perfect choice for hitting the road while singing its chorus nonstop, with kudos to Nicki Wicked for her amazing drumming during the song.

crucified barbaraThen we have what can be called “Beer Rock” (or music tailored for drinking beer) in The Ghost Inside, a fast-tempo song with a 70’s Rock intro the likes of Black Sabbath, lots of cool riffs and melodic variations, and the straightforward 80’s Hard Rock in Don’t Call On Me, where their “Motörhead” side strikes again, with the always incredible Mia reaching some really high vocal notes. However, it’s in the title-track In The Red, a thrilling tune with a catchy chorus, where her voice goes even beyond that, enhanced by the awesome job done on guitars by Mia herself and Sweden’s number one blonde stunner Klara Force, and therefore turning the song into one of the best moments of the album.

Lunatic #1 reminds me a lot of “Kid from the Upperclass” from their previous album, with its cool lyrics pushing it to probably being one of their selected new songs for their upcoming live performances, while Shadows was born to be a Rock N’ Roll radio hit, with all instruments in perfect synergy and Nicki amazingly pounding her drums from start to finish. By the way, not only Nicki, but all members of the band seem to have almost reached their peak in terms of what they can do with their instruments in In The Red: they sound a lot more polished and cohesive now (needless to mention, of course, their undeniable talent as musicians), but at the same time they managed to keep that crude resonance so important for true Rock N’ Roll to happen. It’s really exciting to see a band evolving like that, don’t you think?

Fortunately for all of us, there’s a lot more to come before the party is over: the southern sonority in Finders Keepers is not bad, but it doesn’t keep up with the rest of the album; Do You Want Me, with its riffs full of feeling, talks about sex, love and troubled relationships (“Do you want me / I can never be your sacred angel”), just like many of Crucified Barbara’s top songs; and finally, the band closes the album with another fast and raw Rock N’ Roll tune the likes of Motörhead, Follow The Stream, leaving us eager for more of their powerful and invigorating music.

In 1973, British rock band Argent sang for the first time “God gave Rock N’ Roll to you / Gave Rock N’ Roll to you / Put it in the soul of everyone”. Then, in 1991, American Hard Rock giants KISS immortalized those lyrics forever in our hearts. And finally, here we are many years later banging our heads to the rock music by Crucified Barbara who, despite not singing the exact same words, are truly making them become reality and helping us enjoy our lives a lot more. Thus, call them goddesses, demonesses, heroines, female warriors or anything else: as long as they keep on playing such delightful music and putting awesome Rock N’ Roll in our souls, that’s all that really matters.

Best moments of the album: I Sell My Kids For Rock’N’Roll, Electric Sky and In The Red.

Worst moments of the album: To Kill A Man and Finders Keepers.

Released in 2014 Despotz Records

Track listing
1. I Sell My Kids For Rock’N’Roll 2:54
2. To Kill A Man 3:21
3. Electric Sky 3:56
4. The Ghost Inside 4:32
5. Don’t Call On Me 4:02
6. In The Red 3:48
7. Lunatic #1 3:11
8. Shadows 3:25
9. Finders Keepers 2:53
10. Do You Want Me 3:35
11. Follow The Stream 3:46

Band members
Mia Coldheart – vocals, guitar
Klara Force – guitar, backing vocals
Ida Evileye – bass guitar, backing vocals
Nicki Wicked – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – In Flames / Siren Charms (2014)

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A mediocre album by Swedish Melodic Death Metal giants, possibly the worst they will ever release in their career.

Rating8

in flames_siren charmsWhat’s happening with the most prominent Melodic Death Metal bands from Sweden in 2014? After the just average new album by Arch Enemy, it’s time for Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons In Flames to release what’s probably their weakest album of all time, the pedestrian Siren Charms, their eleventh studio album and also an unfortunate stain on their remarkable career.

Before fans come cursing me or anything like that, let me say I’m not asking for a new The Jester Race (1996) or Clayman (2000). Quite the contrary, I’m an advocate of bands that evolve during their careers, or even some that completely change their music style. I even like their previous album, the controversial Sounds of a Playground Fading (2011), and didn’t find any issues in the music by In Flames without founding guitarist Jesper Strömblad. However, in my opinion, there’s an invisible boundary for what a band can or cannot do with their music, and that’s something called INSPIRATION, which is pretty much inexistent in Siren Charms.

The opening track, In Plain View, can be considered a very good summary of the whole album: weird vocals by Anders Fridén, more noise than melody (or maybe just noise and no melody at all), and where are those good old characteristic riffs they became famous for? Although slightly heavier than the previous track and despite its interesting intro, Everything’s Gone becomes something so uninspired after a while and all instruments sound so sloppy together it’s really hard not to quickly skip to the next track; and if you do that, Paralyzed makes things even worse, with all its electronic elements being totally disposable. Once again, what happened to Anders’ voice?

Through Oblivion is another terrible song where you can barely listen to the guitars, sounding like some garbage not even Korn is capable of recording, while With Eyes Wide Open, despite being a lot more melodic, is not the musicality we were all expecting from this band. And don’t think the title-track will do any good for the album, as Siren Charms is another disappointment with nothing outstanding in it, especially its really weak vocal lines. Fortunately, When the World Explodes sounds like Anders finally woke up and decided to scream properly. It’s the closest we get to what In Flames do best (and the best song of the album by far), with highlights to its much better riffs and the awesome female vocals by Swedish soprano Emilia Feldt.

in flamesThe lead single chosen by the band, Rusted Nail, is just average (not to say it has lots of horrible moments), with its guitar lines saving it from being a total disaster, followed by the slow and tiring Dead Eyes and the slightly more exciting Monsters in the Ballroom, showcasing the best clean vocals of the entire album and an interesting guitar solo. And to end this disaster in a “St. Anger” style, we have more of the same tasteless musicality in Filtered Truth, which sounds like a demo version of something most bands would throw away without thinking twice. And I’m glad I just got the simplest version of the album with no bonus tracks, because it was an arduous job to listen to this album in its entirety (more than once, by the way).

In Flames will forever kick ass live, but I’m a little concerned about what their concerts will become in a near future. I mean, who will enjoy watching them playing most of the songs, if any, from Siren Charms, when they have so many amazing classics in their previous albums? Have they reached that unwanted stage of their career where they will just release new albums for money, no matter how bad they sound, as long as they keep headlining tours and festivals and fans keep paying to see them live anyway? I really hope not, so let’s just consider Siren Charms a lapse in their creative process, completely forget about it, and wait for their following releases.

Best moments of the album: When the World Explodes.

Worst moments of the album: Paralyzed, Through Oblivion, Siren Charms and Dead Eyes.

Released in 2014 Sony Music

Track listing
1. In Plain View 4:05
2. Everything’s Gone 3:24
3. Paralyzed 4:15
4. Through Oblivion 3:37
5. With Eyes Wide Open 3:58
6. Siren Charms 3:05
7. When the World Explodes 4:39
8. Rusted Nail 4:55
9. Dead Eyes 5:23
10. Monsters in the Ballroom 3:53
11. Filtered Truth 3:31

Band members
Anders Fridén – vocals
Björn Gelotte – guitar
Niclas Engelin – guitar
Peter Iwers – bass
Daniel Svensson – drums, percussion

Guest musicians
Emilia Feldt – guest vocals on “When the World Explodes”
German Jesterheads (In Flames fans) – guest vocals on “Rusted Nail”

 

Album Review – Seneron / Parasites and Poets (2014)

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Heavy riffs, catchy choruses and tons of Rock N’ Roll straight from Northern Ireland.

Rating5

1. cd frontI’m almost sure you’ve never listened to any Heavy Metal or Hard Rock bands from Northern Ireland, except maybe for Alternative Metal band Therapy? if you’re one of those guys that love old and alternative stuff. Thus, in order to expand your heavy music boundaries, how about going to Derry (or Londonderry), the second-largest city in Northern Ireland, to enjoy the exciting Rock N’ Roll by Alternative Rock band Seneron and their debut album entitled Parasites and Poets?

This talented three-piece band united elements from some of their biggest influences, such as Foo Fighters, Nirvana and Green Day, with traditional Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll, creating some cohesive and powerful music that will please all fans of heavy music without a shadow of a doubt. Are they the most creative band in the world? Of course not, but sometimes sticking to the foundations of heavy rock is all you need to generate entertaining stuff.

Parasites and Poets begins with the Rock N’ Roll vibe of Don’t Cave In, which by the way was the lead single chosen by the band to promote the new album. It was indeed the perfect choice, as fans of the heaviest stuff from Foo Fighters will love this due to its Hard Rock riffs and chorus, with its raw vocals adding a good kick not only to this song but to the whole album. Talk the Walk keeps up with its predecessor, offering the listener some heavy and rhythmic rock music, with the catchy chorus (“Stop stop stop the talking / Do the walking”) and the nice drumming by John Hamilton being its highlights, followed by the also interesting Breath, where you’ll find riffs inspired by modern Punk Rock music like The Offspring and Green Day. Despite being a lighter track that could easily become a radio hit, that doesn’t mean it lacks the energy expected in a Rock N’ Roll song.

seneronThe following track, Dig Deep, reminds me a lot of the music done by many excellent Southern Rock bands, with its direct and effective sonority (especially its heavy bass lines) turning it into one of the best songs of the entire album. Then we have What a Way to Go, which will inspire you for banging your head and having a beer (its  chorus doesn’t keep the momentum, though), and It All Ends Here, where the band focuses on a more traditional Rock N’ Roll, but it ends up not being as catchy as the other songs.

And the album ends with two more professional and enjoyable performances by Seneron: Freakshow has a very cohesive sonority, with highlights to its nice chorus; while Outbound offers us everything a good Hard Rock song needs, from heavy riffs mixed with slower melodic parts, to strong vocals lines. You can visit Seneron’s SoundCloud, BandCamp and ReverbNation pages for more information about the band and their high-end rock music. If you’re a fan of honest straightforward heavy rock, just go for it. You won’t be disappointed at all.

Best moments of the album: Don’t Cave In and Dig Deep.

Worst moments of the album: It All Ends Here.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Don’t Cave In 4:05
2. Talk the Walk 3:17
3. Breath 3:14
4. Dig Deep 3:27
5. What a Way to Go 3:27
6. It All Ends Here 4:23
7. Freakshow 3:13
8. Outbound 3:17

Band members
John Shields – vocals, guitars
Ivor Ferris – bass, vocals
John Hamilton – drums