Category Archives: 2015 New Releases

Album Review – Vingulmork / Chiaroscuro (2015)

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Surrender to the dark side of Thrash Metal, offered to you by one of the most promising Scandinavian bands of the past few years.

Rating3

VINGULMORK - Chiaroscuro cover artAlthough the year of 2015 is almost coming to its end, it seems there are still tons of awesome metal bands with considerable amounts of fuel to burn, providing us fans unbounded reasons to keep banging our heads nonstop like maniacs. This is precisely the case with Norwegian Blackened Thrash Metal desecrators Vingulmork, who before the curtains of this chaotic year close are releasing their cataclysmic debut full-length album entitled Chiaroscuro. The name of the album might be the junction of the Italian words “chiaro” (clear or bright) and “oscuro” (dark), but don’t expect to find any light in their music. It’s sheer darkness, architected in such a thrilling and virulent way you’ll be mercilessly knocked out like Ronda Rousey before the album is over.

Forged in 2012 at the very depths of Oslo, Norway, Vingulmork released their debut EP named The Long March at the beginning of 2014, but it’s now with Chiaroscuro that this talented quartet aims at conquering the world of heavy music with their inhumane combination of the unquestioned verve from Thrash Metal with the evildoing and perversity of Black Metal. If you hold true passion for the music by bands such as Skeletonwitch, Old Man’s Child and Dissection, the music by Vingulmork (which translated from Old Norse means “the forest of fescues”) brings forward all the elements needed to foster that darkest side of yours.

And Vingulmork don’t give you a single second to breathe before their sonic devastation begins in the magnificent Collapse and Rebuild, a brutal composition that summarizes their music style by blending the riveting riffs from Thrash Metal with the obscure growls from Black Metal. In addition, Frontman Jostein Stensrud Køhn sounds like he’s possessed by an evil entity so aggressive his vocals are, while drummer Simen Kandola delivers beats inspired by the greatest drummers from the Bay Area Thrash. As destructive as the opening track, Hold Your Ground provides an accelerated feeling as if a heart attack is about to come, with guitarist Martin Kandola offering the listener his evil-inspired riffs amidst pure Thrash Metal music. And that’s just the beginning of Chiaroscuro, my friends.

Don’t get deceived by the calm acoustic intro from the chant beautifully entitled (I Am) The Darkness You Can Touch, as it quickly morphs into a dark sounding with elements of Death Metal that will violently kick you in the head. Jostein growling like a demon, together with some interesting breaks leading into some pure Black Metal moments and its lugubrious lyrics (“I will lay waste to your sense of belief / Replace all pleasure with anguish and grief / I will demolish all ways to control / I will take hold of and bury you”), turn this ode to obscurity into one of the top moments of the album without a shadow of a doubt. In The Haunting, the band delivers a melodic and ferocious onslaught of metallic music in less than 3 minutes, reminding me of the high-octane Thrash/Death Metal by Skeletonwitch, while Old Hate flirts with Melodic Death Metal but with extra dosages of wickedness added to the sounding, not to mention the great job done by Martin with his sick guitar riffs accompanied by the intricate bass lines by Steffen Grønneberg.

VINGULMORK band photo (3)With an enraged Simen on drums, their dark metal machine keeps rolling and smashing everyone and everything in From Promise, a straightforward tune that will ignite some serious mosh pits during their live performances, with highlights to the beyond bestial vocals by Jostein, and don’t stop banging your head or slamming into the pit because Vingulmork offer us all Painting Lives, another insane track where there’s even time for a catchy chorus that will stick into your mind for a long period of time (“Every moment counts / And everything amounts / To pull apart is not an art / And so we count all that amounts”).

The two last arias in Chiaroscuro are just as nefarious as the rest of the album, starting with the striking White Dress, Black Heart, with yet another demented performance by the entire band, in special by Jostein and Simen. This is at the same time the most Thrash Metal and the most Death Metal of all tracks, which obviously elevates its quality to a whole new level of carnage, also presenting thoughtful lyrics that make total sense if you know how harsh the winter can be (“The winter is grinding knives / It will take another life / Cutting through frozen flesh / Claims a mark in every bone”). And closing this top-notch album we have their most obscure and disturbed tune, It Will Suffice, where the band definitely embraces darkness by showcasing their strongest Black/Doom Metal vein. A lesson in extreme music by this incredible Norwegian act, where the music cuts like a sharp razor until it fades away into a melancholic and demonic finale.

To get a taste of what Vingulmork have to offer in Chiaroscuro, you can visit their Facebook page or take a listen at the official album preview by Crime Records, but I’m pretty sure you’ll almost instantly go grab your copy of the album at the Crime Records webstore or at CD Baby. Forget about the never-ending war between darkness and light, simply surrender to the dark side of Thrash Metal offered to you by one of the most promising Scandinavian bands of the past few years. You will not repent that.

Best moments of the album: Collapse and Rebuild, (I Am) The Darkness You Can Touch and White Dress, Black Heart.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Crime Records

Track listing
1. Collapse and Rebuild 3:38
2. Hold Your Ground 3:17
3. (I Am) The Darkness You Can Touch 5:24
4. The Haunting 2:36
5. Old Hate 2:59
6. From Promise 3:29
7. Painting Lives 3:34
8. White Dress, Black Heart 2:23
9. It Will Suffice 5:45

Band members
Jostein Stensrud Køhn – vocals
Martin Kandola – guitar
Steffen Grønneberg – bass
Simen Kandola – drums

Album Review – Pergana / The Visit EP (2015)

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Serenity, passion and liveliness, but above all high-end Symphonic Metal, directly from Paraguay into your heart, mind and soul.

Rating5

Pergana - The Visit Cover 2015This is the first time ever we at The Headbanging Moose get to review a band from Paraguay, and based on the high quality of the music by Symphonic Metal act Pergana I can’t wait to receive more and more material from the Paraguayan underground metal scene. Although Pergana’s brand new album The Visit might be just an EP containing four songs in a little less than 17 minutes, the potential and the passion for Heavy Metal are definitely there, allowing the band to undoubtedly aim higher and higher with their future releases.

After releasing their first promotional single in 2010 called Frozen Heart and an EP in 2011 entitled The Mirror of Silence, which led to their music being played in radio stations all over the American and European continents, Pergana seem to be on the right path with The Visit. Recorded and mixed at Blind Owl Studio (Paraguay) and mastered at the famous Finnvox Studios (Finland), it’s evident that the band drinks from the magical fountain of Scandinavian Symphonic Metal to write their music, but that doesn’t mean they do not add their own touch and personality to the compositions.

The first song of the EP, entitled Return to Innocence, reveals a bold and exciting musicality relying heavily on the synchronicity between the riffs by Matt Martinez and the keyboards by Adrian Benegas, with an absurdly catchy chorus that will make you sing along with the band for sure. Moreover, the vocals by the gorgeous frontwoman Angela Aquino are spot-on to what the music demands, reminding me of the voice tones from renowned divas such as Simone Simons and Floor Jansen.

Pergana - Promo Pic 2015Then we have the title-track, The Visit, presenting a more rhythmic and straightforward musicality and emotional lyrics commonly found in Symphonic Metal. Drummer Seba Ramirez doesn’t let the energy level go down, therefore maintaining a good flow of the music, also boosted by the excellent guitar solo by Matt. In The Whisper, Pergana offer a smooth sonority focused on the beautiful voice by Angela, growing into a pleasant semi-acoustic ballad where Angela obviously takes the lead but with a huge contribution by the other band members in crafting a serene and introspective ambience. In addition to that, I’m pretty sure fans of the genre will feel touched by the song’s lyrics.

And last but not least we have Redemption, recorded at Angels Cry Studios (Germany) and featuring bassist Oliver Holzwarth and drummer Alex Holzwarth, known as The Holzwarth Brothers, whose  solid skills enhance the song’s effectiveness. With its first part following a similar pattern than the previous tune (especially the melancholy emanating from the piano notes by Adrian), Angela once again showcases a very passionate performance before the second part of the song brings forward some traditional Hard Rock and Heavy Metal with hints of progressiveness added to it through its keyboards and riffs.

If Pergana will truly excel in the world of heavy music only time will tell, but in the meantime I recommend you pay a visit to their Facebook page and YouTube channel to know more about this talented band from the “distant kingdom” of Paraguay, and you can also purchase The Visit at the CD Baby website. If you want to feel serenity, passion and liveliness flowing directly into you heart, mind and soul, Pergana have what it takes to satisfy your most impassioned yearnings.

Best moments of the album: Return to Innocence.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1.Return to Innocence 4:09
2.The Visit 3:37
3.The Whisper 3:43
4.Redemption (feat. The Holzwarth Brothers) 5:04

Band members
Angela Aquino – vocals
Matt Martinez – guitars
Adrian Benegas – keyboards
Seba Ramirez – drums

Guest musicans
Oliver Holzwarth – bass on “Redemption”
Alex Holzwarth – drums on “Redemption”
Aldo Benegas – bass on “Return to Innocence” and “The Visit”
Gonzalo Codas – narration on “Redemption”

https://youtu.be/wbipUNK6kxc

Album Review – Ektomorf / Aggressor (2015)

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When you listen to this awesome album by one of the best Hungarian metal acts of all time, you’ll definitely become an aggressor.

Rating4

ektomorf_aggressorLast year, when I reviewed the excellent album Retribution, by Hungarian metallers Ektomorf, I said they were a promising band who were undoubtedly going to grow a lot in the following years due to the passion and energy they always invest into their furious mix of Groove and Thrash Metal. Well, it actually took a lot less than expect for them to reach a whole new level of savagery and become a pleasant reality in the world of heavy music, because the 46 minutes of groove and brutality found in their brand new album, entitled Aggressor, kick fuckin’ ass beyond dispute.

In addition, if you listen to Retribution and Aggressor in a row (a highly recommended activity if you’re at the gym, by the way), you’ll easily notice their evolution as musicians, in special frontman Zoltán “Zoli” Farkas who improved his hostile vocals considerably, therefore providing additional layers of fury to his band’s musicality. Not only that, their lyrics continue to be as violent as hell, totally no holds barred, which together with a more complex songwriting offer the listener one of the best Groove Metal albums of the year in my opinion.

The ominous and primeval Intro sets the tone for the massacre straightforwardly entitled I, where you can clearly see how they stepped up their aggressiveness, cohesiveness and technique if compared to most of their old songs. This is one of those tunes that will make your blood boil in a good way, pumping you up for whatever task you’re about to take on. And the title-track Aggressor is even better, making it hard not to break your fuckin’ neck to those insanely heavy riffs. Can you imagine the level of craziness this tune will cause during their live performances? Besides, the groovy bass lines by Szabolcs “Szabi” Murvai are what give the song its balance and punch, enhancing the overall quality of this great composition. In the dark Holocaust, composed “in the memory of the 6 million victims”, Ektomorf raise the flag of “never forgive, never forget” in Auschwitz, inspired by the music by Sepultura and the horrors his people suffered. If you don’t know, Zoli has European Roma/Gypsy roots, who were also massacred by the Nazi, perfectly depicted by this brutal Groove Metal tune with puncturing guitar lines and solos.

Move On gets closer to what they did in Retribution, delivering American Alternative Metal with extra doses of violence. It’s one of those songs drummer Róbert Jaksa might love playing, pounding his drums violently while the rest of the band extracts the fiercest sounds from their instruments, especially guitarist Tamás “Tomi” Schrottner; while Evil By Nature, featuring the iconic George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, is a flawless mix of the Groove/Thrash Metal by Ektomorf with the unparalleled Death Metal by Cannibal Corpse. Everyone knows I love the growls by Corpsegrinder, and I have to say they matched perfectly with Ektomorf’s musicality. In other words, this is an amazing vocal duo, like two beasts screaming against the rest of the world, with the lyrics being spot-on showing what the human being truly is (“Hate runs through your veins / Insanity in the unspoken words / Deaf from the screams of the devil / Hungry for blood / Hungry for death”). Furthermore, take a read at Zoli’s comments on how the vocals by Corpsegrinder were recorded, giving the song an even more visceral vibe: “We are friends with the Cannibal Corpse guys since a long time. Last year in November I spoke to George (Fisher) about doing a song together. The recent Budapest show of Cannibal Corpse then was the perfect opportunity to meet and record his parts. So I took small home recording studio gear with me and recorded vocals with George in the dressing room before their show. It was fun and turned out killer! The song’s title is “Evil By Nature” and you can be sure that it will smash your face!”

ektomorf 2015Getting back to a more traditional approach, in You Can’t Get More they keep thriving with their unique Eastern European metallic groove. At this point of the album it’s undeniable how Zoli has grown as a singer and a musician, showing you don’t need to stop screaming to evolve in your career, don’t you agree? And I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this already but all songs in Aggressor are connected, enhancing the album’s flow and effectiveness, which is the case in Emotionless World, where they add elements of Melodic Death Metal to the music in a sinister ambience crafted by its sick guitar riffs, and despite its chorus not being purely screamed it ends up working pretty well. Eastside showcases an acoustic intro before it gets as belligerent as possible, with its chorus being fueled by hints of Slipknot. It’s yet another awesome composition inspired by the most obscure periods of the Hungarian history, with Zoli and Tomi doing an amazing job firing sheer darkness through their guitars.

Scars is perhaps the most generic of all songs, lacking more creativity to get to the same level of awesomeness as the other songs, whereas Damned Nation is a beautiful display of how modern Groove Metal should be. Moreover, Zoli bursts his lungs out vociferating the song’s name during the chorus of this boisterous chant made for banging our heads nonstop. The next tune, You Lost, sounds extracted from their previous album Retribution, containing lots of similar elements such as groovy bass lines, rhythmic beats and a solid shift from guttural to clean vocals and vice-versa, followed by the simple but effective You’re Not For Me, which focuses on the screams by Zoli and of course the band’s traditional heaviness. Fans of the band will love this nice blend of a fast sounding and a more rhythmic and aggressive chorus that goes on until the song darkly fades away, being replaced by the purely acoustic track Memento, a melancholic tribute to their roots and to their culture, and maybe a smoother version of the “never forgive, never forget” message as you can see by the name of the song.

In summary, what are you waiting for to connect to Ektomorf on Facebook and to purchase Aggressor at the official AFM Recods webstore (I would personally go for the superb Limited Fanbox edition) or on iTunes? If there’s one lesson Ektomorf can teach all of us, it’s for sure the fact that whenever we listen to their primitive and robust metal music, we become true aggressors.

Best moments of the album: I, Aggressor, Evil By Nature and Eastside.

Worst moments of the album: Scars.

Released in 2015 AFM Records

Track listing
1. Intro 0:45
2. I 3:49
3. Aggressor 2:35
4. Holocaust 3:56
5. Move On 3:04
6. Evil By Nature (feat. George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher) 4:23
7. You Can’t Get More 3:22
8. Emotionless World 3:26
9. Eastside 4:17
10. Scars 3:42
11. Damned Nation 2:39
12. You Lost 2:56
13. You’re Not For Me 4:50
14. Memento 3:03

Band members
Zoltán “Zoli” Farkas – vocals, guitar
Tamás “Tomi” Schrottner – guitar
Szabolcs “Szabi” Murvai – bass
Róbert Jaksa – drums

Guest musician
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – additional vocals on “Evil By Nature”

Album Review – Answer With Metal / Handling The Blade (2015)

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When society asks you what you want to do with your life, you simply Answer With Metal.

Rating4

Handling the blade cd quality2When I first saw Canadian Heavy Metal act Answer With Metal, opening for German metallers Primal Fear here in Toronto in 2014, I had a very good impression of the band even without knowing absolutely anything about their music, banging my head and raising my fists to their powerful sound during the entire concert. Well, that’s what happens when you have a talented group of musicians delivering a well-balanced fusion of Thrash, Power and Heavy Metal, and that’s what you will find in their brand new full-length album, entitled Handling The Blade.

After releasing a few demos and a self-titled debut album since their inception back in 2008, this five-piece band from Stouffville, Ontario, Canada doesn’t hide their passion for icons such as Iron Maiden, Dio, Primal Fear, Megadeth, Children of Bodom, among others, translating this devotion to traditional heavy music into a spree of excellent compositions in Handling The Blade. Moreover, not only their new album pays a very honest homage to their metal heroes, but it also provides the listener their own touch of creativity and feeling, adding layers of electricity to what is already a thrilling display of Heavy Metal. In other words, I dare you to find a single moment of boredom or insipidity in the entire album, and if you don’t believe me just hit play and you’ll see how good Answer With Metal are.

Would the intro Bring Out Your Dead be a tribute to the legendary scene from the all-time classic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Anyway, when the music starts in the awesome The Plague what we have is a feast of old school riffs, rhythmic beats and high-pitched vocals, or everything we love from the bottom of our hearts in traditional Heavy Metal, working pretty much as a badass “business card” by lead singer Dan Nielsen. Highly influenced by bands such as Iced Earth, Megadeth and Primal Fear (and blending the musicality from all of them together), Marked For Death presents guitarists Andrew Jarvis and Matt Hadaway on fire with their shredding, accompanied by the forceful beats by drummer Alejandro Gonzalez, while Angel Of Rain leans towards the same fountain where Iron Maiden and Judas Priest have been recharging their power for decades. In addition, its awesome guitar lines complement the excellent job done by Dan on vocals, enhancing the song’s final punch.

In Tomb Of The Unknown King, bassist Jon Stallan kicks things off with his dark bass lines before the entire band comes delivering a very traditional sonority, evolving to an epic tune that will please all fans of complex metal music. Needless to say, with a name like that you can imagine how potent its lyrics are, and I’m sure you’ll have a good time singing them together with the band. Now let’s travel back in time to the 70’s with Electric Woman, an exciting chant by this skillful nonstop Heavy Metal machine that sounds like an old classic by Deep Purple or Thin Lizzy. It’s impossible not to enjoy this song, in special its electrifying chorus, and pay good attention to the synchronicity between guitars and bass as they do a great job in keeping the music cohesive and vibrant the entire time.

awmpromoThen we have Forbidden, another great tune full of feeling and energy where all band members have outstanding performances, but it’s Dan once again who steals the show with his potent vocal lines; followed by the title-track, Handling The Blade, which couldn’t sound more exciting thanks to Jon and Alejandro providing the rest of the band the perfect environment for delivering powerful guitar riffs and solos, thrilling screams and huge doses of electricity. In other words, it’s a perfect mix of traditional Heavy Metal with Thrash and Speed Metal, tailored for old school metalheads like us.

And those flaming guitars don’t give any sign of slowing down as they keep kicking ass in the last two songs of the album. Gates Of Hell, which name exhales the might from the 80’s by itself, takes progressiveness and heaviness to the second power, with highlights to the amazing riffs and bass lines halfway through it, whereas if you thought they would close the album with an acoustic ballad or an introspective song you’ll be surprised (and kicked in the head) by Heavens On Its Way. This song brings more of their high-octane metal music, with Alejandro sounding as if he wanted to destroy his drum kit before the album is over. In addition to that, its chaotic ending is so gripping you’ll get stunned and, consequently, avid for more of the music by this up-and-coming Canadian band.

As aforementioned, there isn’t a single second where Answer With Metal sound uninspired, tired or bland in Handling The Blade, an excellent album by a band that’s poised to become one of the big names of the metallic scene in Canada in a not-so-distant future. And if you want to get in touch with them, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation profile, and grab your copy of Handling The Blade at their official Big Cartel page. After enjoying this rousing exhibit of Heavy Metal, if anyone asks you what you want to do with your life from now on, I bet you already know the answer, right?

Best moments of the album: The Plague, Electric Woman and Handling The Blade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Bring Out Your Dead 1:15
2. The Plague 3:38
3. Marked For Death 3:22
4. Angel Of Rain 5:25
5. Tomb Of The Unknown King 5:27
6. Electric Woman 4:56
7. Forbidden 5:52
8. Handling The Blade 5:55
9. Gates Of Hell 4:44
10. Heavens On Its Way 4:19

Band members
Dan Nielsen – vocals
Andrew Jarvis – lead guitar
Matt Hadaway – rhythm guitar
Jon Stallan – bass guitar
Alejandro Gonzalez – drums

Album Review – Warmask / Better You Start to Run EP (2015)

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This Halloween, put your war mask on and get ready for a violent and metallic bloodshed by this talented Brazilian Thrash Metal act.

Rating5

warmask_epAs today is one of the most anticipated days of the year, the always fun Halloween, I have the perfect treat for you who doesn’t care that much about trick-or-treating or carving pumpkins, but instead prefers enjoying a cold beer, listening to some good metal music and slamming into the pit with your closest friends. I’m talking about the brand new EP by Brazilian Thrash/Groove Metal power trio Warmask, entitled Better You Start to Run, and as you might have already notice they’re properly masked and ready to haunt your soul and crush you with their merciless music not only during this All Saints’ Eve but also for many years to come, based on the exceptional quality of their music.

Hailing from the city of Caxias do Sul, located in the province of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, this masked trinity follows a straightforward and effective pattern in their compositions, and although they do not sound purely innovative in what they do they surely keep the fire of metal burning bright with their endless stamina, indisputable dexterity and insurgent aggression. Besides, when the music in question is Thrash Metal, a subgenre of heavy music where most fans value the level of energy and violence flowing through the instruments rather than complexity or creativity, this is all you need to kick ass.

The first song, Inner War, showcases rumbling and solid Thrash/Death Metal with tons of groove thanks to the powerful bass lines by Eduardo Ramos, with the awesome growls by singer/guitarist Paulo Henrique adding depth and ferocity to the overall result. Fans of Sepultura and Lamb Of God will connect to this tune immediately, and I’m pretty sure it will break your fuckin’ neck if you’re not careful enough. Well, who said you’re supposed to be careful while listening to high-quality metal music, right?

warmaskEven groovier and with hints of that Psychedelic Rock from the 70’s,Your Time To Fall brings lots of variations led by drummer Jonathan Reinheimer, while Paulo keeps screaming and delivering his razing riffs like there’s no tomorrow. And yet again leaning towards the modern metal played by Lamb Of God, this masked power trio continues their path of rhythmic destruction in No More Life, including elements of Doom Metal and Southern Rock the likes of Down and Crowbar. After a while, the song becomes a vicious onslaught of Thrash Metal before things slow down again and those sluggish and heavy riffs get back in action, increasing the song’s impact and quality.

Lastly, in No Way To Knowing the band doesn’t take it easy at all on the aggressiveness, with highlights to Paulo’s harsh growls especially when screaming the name of the song. In addition to that, pay attention to the excellent solo by Paulo as it adds an extra dose of harmony to the song. Unfortunately after less than 15 minutes the EP is over, but as Warmask are already working on a brand new full-length album to be released as soon as possible we can rest assured we’ll have more of their rebellious tunes to bang our heads nonstop in the future.

In summary, if the future releases by Warmask are as powerful as what’s found in Better You Start to Run, those guys will go places without a shadow of a doubt. In order to get in touch with these talented Thrash Metal insurrectionists, go check their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and you can also take a listen at the entire EP at their SoundCloud page. Well, it’s Halloween, so why don’t you put your war mask on and get ready for a violent and metallic bloodshed by this promising Brazilian power trio? I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Best moments of the album: Inner War.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Inner War 4:09
2. Your Time To Fall 3:44
3. No More Life 5:27
4. No Way To Knowing 3:38

Band members
Paulo Henrique – vocals, guitars
Eduardo Ramos – bass
Jonathan Reinheimer – drums

Album Review – Ape Unit / Turd EP (2015)

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Leave five demented Italian apes by themselves for just 10 minutes and what do you get? Total devastation, obviously.

Rating5

Ape Unit_TurdIf you have no idea how impactful the sound of Grindcore can be, you better get ready for an intense sonic earthquake that, despite lasting for only around 10 minutes, will surely leave you disoriented and probably all covered in bruises due to its bestial rage. I’m talking about Turd, the new album by Italian Grindcore/Powerviolence lunatics Ape Unit, a delight for fans of the deranged music by acts such as Napalm Death, Terrorizer, Fuck The Facts and Ratos De Porão, and a true nightmare for “soccer moms” all over the world.

Forged in the year of 2008 in the town of Cuneo, Italy, around 150km east of the city of Genoa, Ape Unit offer a basic but very efficient formula that consists of short and wicked lyrics blended with immensurable amounts of craziness and grinding powerviolence. In other words, don’t expect to find anything philosophical or introspective in their music, all you will find is a very good reason for slamming into the pit like a rabid gorilla. In case you still don’t get it, simply take a good look at the chaotic state of the primates in the amazing artwork by renowned artist Craoman and you’ll have a comprehensive representation of the music by Ape Unit.

The opening track, entitled Puberal Baphomet, and you better get used to beautiful song names like this one, evolves from a heavy and imposing intro to a frantic devastation with highlights to all the screaming by lead singer Mariano Somà, which is very melodic and groovy despite sounding like a carnivorous mutant creature. In Mullet For My Valentine, follow the lyrics if you can while you enjoy its awesome Grindcore vibe (“The only way to rape my crush apart / The 80s: true men and true metal / You must love me / Even if I am a fat ass I’ve got the hairdo of the Gods! / I’ll stay gold: I’m like Jacob B.”); whereas the brutal slamming tune Your Body Will Become My Abat-Jour showcases riffs and drums at an insane speed and ferocity, and of course if you’re a circle- pit lover this is the perfect soundtrack for you to practice your passion.

Ape UnitIn The Will To Smith they get considerably faster with hints of Death Metal added to the song’s musicality, especially through the badass bass lines by Umberto Salvetti, turning it into one minute of visceral barbarism. And could they sound even more demonic in less than 40 seconds? Well, the answer is a song named Tropical Mode-ON, which pretty much feels like being hit by a truck. The following tune, Don’t Touch The Forbidden Congas, talks about a curious “curse”, telling us what happens to your body if you touch the “forbidden congas”, before the vicious Grindcore tune Orango Juice comes kicking you in the head with its Slayer-ish riffs. Besides, I’m not really sure what to say about its lyrics, so you can take your own conclusions about them (“Satan’s coming back to town / To find out another victim / Four legs and one cock / Beg down on your knees / This is the way you beg and suck my dick, now! / So long and thanks for all the juice! / Hail Satanas – Dominus – Satanas / Orango juice down your throat, in your mouth”).

Sperm Bank Robbery presents a “delicate” sounding for an even “cuter” story told while the whole band lacerates their instruments, followed by Children Of Boredom, a merciless ode to the place where the band comes from showcasing the best lyrics of all songs in Turd (“Cuneo, born and raised / But I’m not the Fresh Prince / Tell me now what I should do / Gianna Gancia is not the cure / Fed up of this fucking shit / Children of Boredom”). Last but not least, how about a song called Go Kart Kobain, a demented tune firing sheer violence in your face in less than a minute? And just out of curiosity, this song is a tribute to the iconic American musician Seth Putnam (R.I.P.), the founder of Grindcore band Anal Cunt.

In order to be properly be shredded apart by this excellent Italian quintet, go check their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and if you’re a true fan of violent music go grab your copy of their atomic bomb Turd at their BandCamp or Big Cartel. Needless to say, this solid Grindcore album is the result of leaving five demented Italian apes by themselves for just 10 minutes. And we all love it, of course.

Best moments of the album: Your Body Will Become My Abat-Jour and Don’t Touch The Forbidden Congas.

Worst moments of the album: Sperm Bank Robbery.

Released in 2015 Uterus Productions/Here And Now Records/Zas Autoproduzioni/Distrozione/Don Carlos Productions/Tadca Records/Vollmer Industries

Track listing
1. Puberal Baphomet 2:13
2. Mullet For My Valentine 0:46
3. Your Body Will Become My Abat-Jour 1:09
4. The Will To Smith 0:56
5. Tropical Mode-ON 0:34
6. Don’t Touch The Forbidden Congas 1:53
7. Orango Juice 0:45
8. Sperm Bank Robbery 0:57
9. Children Of Boredom 0:54
10. Go Kart Kobain 0:41

Band members
Mariano Somà – vocals
Marco Losano – guitars
Alberto Cornero – guitars
Umberto Salvetti – bass
Steve Bianco – drums

Guest musician
Mattia Gatti – additional vocals on “Your Body Will Become My
Abat-Jour”

Album Review – Disturbed / Immortalized (2015)

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If you love Mr. David Draiman and his crew more than anything in your life, just go for it.

Rating5

disturbed_immortalizedDiehard fans of Alternative Metal can take a rest now and enjoy some peace of heart (or maybe not), as American Heavy Metal icons Disturbed finally released a couple of months ago a brand new album after a long hiatus, entitled Immortalized. And although the sixth studio album in their career (the first since their 2010 release Asylum) might be far from being a masterpiece and won’t change anything in the heavy music scene as we know it, it will surely put you to scream, jump up and down and raise your fists in the air together with Mr. David Draiman and his crew. But that will most probably happen only if you’re addicted to their music, so to speak.

Perhaps the main “issue” with the new album by the band that helped put Chicago, Illinois on the worldwide map of Alternative Metal is not the lack of innovation, but the extreme repetitiousness and hollowness of all lyrics. It’s nothing that ruins the album or makes it unbearable to listen to, but at least for me it feels like many songs are just filler and only their most devoted fans will end up digging them. Anyway, it’s still Disturbed with yet another excellent artwork featuring “The Guy”, designed by Raymond Swanland, and you’ll surely have a good time listening to it at home, work, school or in your car, but other than two or three truly strong songs the rest of the album doesn’t achieve its full potential and will be forgotten pretty soon.

The album begins with The Eye of the Storm, an alternative intro that sets the tone for what’s about to come, the incredible title-track Immortalized, which by the way is the best song of the album by far. You’ll need just a couple of seconds to realize it’s Disturbed at its finest, from its razing riffs to the unique voice by Mr. David Draiman, with its chorus being one of those things you’ll feel honored to raise your fists and sing together with the band (“Oh, in the calm before the storm / Another legend will be born / Another battle will be won / We will rise / Oh, so heed the call of confrontation / Today we feed on domination / Secure a legacy that will never die / Be immortalized”). The Vengeful One is another instant classic where the band offers their fans a unique fighting chant with an imposing rhythm and fierce lyrics, and I bet this song will be a permanent piece of their setlist from now on.

It’s in Open Your Eyes that the aforementioned issues begin: despite being another solid tune where Draiman and guitarist Dan Donegan do a great job together, it’s recommended for longtime fans of the band only as it doesn’t offer anything new, and besides, the chorus ends up getting way too repetitive after a while. And if they wanted to send an inspiring message through the song The Light, I’m sad to say they failed miserably, not only because its instrumental parts are significantly bland but also because its lyrics couldn’t sound more generic. It might be enjoyable for fans who love anything that comes from the band, but for fans of a wider range of heavy music it’s a real bummer. Then we have the interesting What Are You Waiting For, which reminds me of some of their songs from their 2000 classic The Sickness mixed with their 2005 release Ten Thousand Fists. In spite of the repetitiveness of the lyrics and chorus it’s indeed a very pleasant tune, with highlights to the excellent job done by drummer Mike Wengren.

You’re Mine starts in a “scary” Pop/Dance way, fortunately evolving to a much bolder and heavier sonority and therefore without doing any harm to the album; followed by Who, and let me tell you that if you’re not a fan of the band you won’t even notice the transition from the previous song to this one. However, this one is a lot more elaborate and deserves a better listen, with its solid riffs and beats providing Draiman all he needs to deliver his classic vocal lines. Once again lyrics get too repetitive in Save Our Last Goodbye, with its heavy riffs being what really stand out and give the song some significant energy. It should work a lot better if played live, though.

disturbed 2015I’ll never ever understand the reason for a band like Disturbed to record the hideous Fire It Up. I’m not pro or against it, I just think this is not Disturbed, where its weak instrumental  and even weaker lyrics feel like Draiman had the terrible idea to partner with Snoop Dogg so infantile they are (“Fire it up, I like to fire it up / and it feels so right / Fire it up, ’cause when I fire it up / I feel like serenity / I feel like serenity… is mine”). Disturbed should sing about fighting, about the human psyche, hatred and pain, and leave the superficial stuff to R&B and other crap. At least The Sound of Silence keeps up with the band’s tradition of unusual cover songs, this time paying a tribute to Simon & Garfunkel. It’s interesting how Draiman changed his voice for this song, and albeit it’s nothing outstanding and not even close to their awesome version for “Land of Confusion”, it’s still a nice variation to the band’s sounding.

Never Wrong sounds like the early days of Disturbed with its pure Alternative Metal vibe and Draiman showcasing his powerful vocals in a thrilling way. In addition, the entire band is on fire, elevating the song’s electricity and making it a perfect choice for some action inside the pit during their live performances. And lastly, the album ends with yet another decent but not outstanding song named Who Taught You How to Hate, also tailored for old fans of the band, with its repetitive but good-to-sing-along lyrics. And if you get any of the special editions of the album, I personally consider Legion of Monsters the most exciting bonus track of all.

To sum up, Distrubed are offering a decent Disturbed album for Disturbed fans, and that’s it. Nothing truly new, no breakthroughs or any type of new concepts added to it. Draiman knows what he’s doing and what his fans want, and that’s exactly what he did in Immortalized. If you love the music by Disturbed more than anything in your life, just go for it and you won’t feel disappointed at all. If Disturbed are simply another band in your playlist, take a shot at Immortalized and you’ll find some pretty good moments in it, but don’t expect it to have a relevant impact on the way you see music today. As long as you have fun listening to it, it’s mission accomplished for Draiman and his bandmates.

Best moments of the album: Immortalized, The Vengeful One and Never Wrong.

Worst moments of the album: The Light and Fire It Up.

Released in 2015 Reprise Records

Track listing
1. The Eye of the Storm 1:20
2. Immortalized 4:17
3. The Vengeful One 4:12
4. Open Your Eyes 3:57
5. The Light 4:16
6. What Are You Waiting For 4:03
7. You’re Mine 4:55
8. Who 4:46
9. Save Our Last Goodbye 4:59
10. Fire It Up 4:05
11. The Sound of Silence (Simon & Garfunkel cover) 4:08
12. Never Wrong 3:33
13. Who Taught You How to Hate 4:57

Deluxe edition bonus tracks
14.Tyrant 3:49
15.Legion of Monsters 4:23
16.The Brave and the Bold 4:34

Exclusive digital bonus track
17. Warning Sign 3:28

Exclusive vinyl pictures disc bonus track
18. The Vengeful One (Instrumental) 4:12

Band members
David Draiman – vocals
Dan Donegan – guitar
John Moyer – bass
Mike Wengren – drums

Album Review – VHOD / Dreamcleaver (2015)

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A must-listen experimental and rapturous Death Metal album presented by a long-serving Canadian metaller.

Rating4

VHOD_DREAMCLEAVER-album_coverConceived by sole member Chris Shaver in early 2014 in the city of Armstrong, located in British Columbia, Canada, as a merger of Chris’ past bands Godcursed (2004-2014), Morbid Darkness (1989-2014) and Worms Of The Birth (2011-2014), what you will find in the music by Experimental Death Metal project VHOD is a metallic torrent of different genres and subgenres of heavy music, blending elements from all his past works with new concepts and a substantial amount of progressiveness. If you’re already familiar with the music Chris is capable of crafting, you’ll undoubtedly love VHOD, and if you’re a newcomer to his 25-year old metal kingdom, get ready for an amazing sonic experience.

It took Chris a few months at his own studio (Artery Studios) to finalize VHOD’s first full-length album, entitled Dreamcleaver, featuring exclusive artwork by artist Jeni Fitts (Provoking Drama), and the result couldn’t have been more ferocious and harmonious, which makes me wonder how satisfied Chris might be right now with his newborn “creature”. Although this isn’t his first release under the VHOD banner, having already recorded a considerable amount of singles and EP’s, including a four-piece concept EP for his Tor-saga, it’s now in Dreamcleaver where Chris was able to showcase all his abilities as a musician, also pointing to the direction his music will most probably follow from now on.

As soon as you start listening to the opening track Still The Blood, with highlights to its truly metallic sounding and the primeval growls by Chris, you’ll find yourself in the eye of a Death/Thrash Metal tornado. This is indeed a progressive and at the same time visceral tune, with nice guitar solos at the end to provide it some extra fuel, followed by the less progressive and extremely destructive The Spectre’s Behest, where Chris puts the “pedal to Death Metal” and multiplies his offensive abilities, reaching an incredible level of devastation in an more than exciting chant. And again bringing elements of Thrash Metal, On The Tree Of Woe presents our multi-instrumentalist warrior vociferating his lines while instrumental parts create an atmosphere of evil and bestiality. Despite its piercing guitar riffs and endless electricity being the most important elements of the entire song, its second part also deserves our attention, when Chris focuses on a more introspective and apocalyptical vibe.

The next track, So Pass Away/Locus Mortis, is not only a solid tune where progressive lines and pure hardcore riffs are perfectly blended, but the bestial growling by Chris (especially during its chorus) makes it feel like the Death Metal played by Cannibal Corpse when they slow down, but still as heavy as hell, with its somewhat anguished ending increasing its impact. And in the Death/Doom Metal song Dragon Sand, a “solitary” beat kicks it off before melancholy and hopelessness begin emanating from its riffs and rhythm, with that dark energy going on until the end of the song in a great display of musicianship. Focusing on a more traditional and faster musicality, we have Reap The Harvest, offering a good mixture of blast beats and heavy riffs and solos, and if Chris puts together a band for live performances I believe this is one of the best songs to be added to the setlist.

5In Now Underground,  “forget” about the devilish Death Metal offered so far, as there’s a switch to a completely different sounding the likes of Opeth, or in other words, a darker version of Progressive Metal. Chris delivers high doses of experimentations and a somber ambience in a surprisingly enjoyable break from the previous madness, but that’s just until the high-speed Flesh For Our Swords begins: this tune proves that VHOD can provide an infinite mix of genres and subgenres of heavy music with its Melodic Death Metal vibe boosted by the old school growls by Chris. Moreover, it doesn’t actually feel like “just” a one-man band due to its organic sounding and infinite electricity, not to mention its awesome bass lines punching you in the head all the time. Lastly, Obsequies is only an eerie instrumental “intro” (which could have been slightly shorter, by the way) to the title-track Dreamcleaver, an amazing exhibit of fast and furious Death Metal, including elements from Punk Rock, Hardcore, Thrash Metal and more. It’s the best song of the album in my humble opinion and a lesson in how to transform guitar riffs into endless fuel for the sonic havoc proposed, as even with almost eight minutes the music never loses its grip. In addition, Chris’ vocals remind me of Johan Hegg from Amon Amarth, giving the song a more pugnacious approach.

To sum up, VHOD might be considered just a project by many, including its architect Chris Shaver, but the quality of the music presented by this one-man infantry in Dreamcleaver is so impressive it becomes a must-listen for lovers of extreme and multi-layered metal. All things VHOD can be found at the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and you will soon find Dreamcleaver for purchase at VHOD’s BandCamp page or at the Inverse Records webshop, if you consider yourself one of those death metallers who carry that passion for progressiveness in your black heart.

Best moments of the album: The Spectre’s Behest, So Pass Away/Locus Mortis and Dreamcleaver.

Worst moments of the album: Obsequies.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Still The Blood 5:07
2. The Spectre’s Behest 3:36
3. On The Tree Of Woe 7:09
4. So Pass Away/Locus Mortis 6:56
5. Dragon Sand 7:23
6. Reap The Harvest 4:37
7. Now Underground 5:21
8. Flesh For Our Swords 5:20
9. Obsequies 3:23
10. Dreamcleaver 7:49

Band members
Chris Shaver – vocals, all Instruments

Album Review – Gateway / Gateway (2015)

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May the world come to its tragic end to the sound of the barbaric and inhuman Doom Metal by this promising one-man army from Belgium.

Rating5

C03What does it need for a person to sound so savage, heavy and depressive, to the point you can’t tell if it’s just a regular human being or a grotesque creature of darkness that’s responsible for that eerie and sluggish resonance? If you really want to know the answer for that difficult question, I suggest you take a listen at the self-titled debut album by Belgian Medieval Doom/Death Metal one-man army Gateway. But be extremely careful, because once you start listening to this ode to horror influenced by the likes of Autopsy, Mortician and Evoken there’s no turning back, it’s a one-way journey down to the pits of hell.

Hailing from Bruges, Belgium, the talented musician Robin Van Oyen, who’s by the way responsible for vocals and all other instruments in Gateway, brings forth a concept album inspired by his hometown, offering the listener some depraved tales of ritualistic horror, torture and pain, blending the most obscure and mischievous elements from Death, Doom, Black and Sludge Metal you can think of. The final result, like what we witnessed last year in his three-track demo Aeternae, goes beyond the boundaries of inhumanity and suffering, grinding your body and mind like a genuinely repulsive torture device.

While listening to the wicked intro Prolegomenon, it’s more than obvious that what’s about to come is going to be disturbing, which is precisely what happens in Vox Occultus, a merciless parade of Occult Doom Metal supported by its reverberating riffs. In addition, as per the “unofficial” guide of old school Doom Metal, its drums are there with the unique mission to make the whole thing even more diabolical, and I’m not really sure what to say about the subhuman growls by Robin Van Oyen except for the fact that they won’t let you sleep well at night. Are you still breathing? Because in the following track, Kha’laam, Gateway forged a mystical Doom Metal aria by masterfully blending elements from Tryptikon, Black Sabbath and Celtic Frost, with its primeval rhythm contributing to its mordacity and elevating it to a whole new level of darkness. It doesn’t matter how intricate this tune is, it remains utterly loyal to the foundations of Doom Metal.

Gateway - white logoDon’t expect to see any bright light in the music by Gateway, as the ode to despair continues with yet another grim composition entitled Impaled, where Robin keeps howling like an ancient demon amidst a lugubrious atmosphere that will compel your heart to grow darker and darker; followed by Corrumpert Interludium, a song that will break your fuckin’ neck in a solid display of extreme music, with its riffs giving you goosebumps so demonic they are. I love the name of the next track, Vile Temptress, it transpires darkness and flawlessly connects with its spellbinding rhythm, as if the witch herself wanted to hypnotize us and take us all to her evil kingdom (“I am a witch… AND I CURSE YOU!”). This tune proves that extreme music doesn’t need to be fast at all times to be frightful, don’t you agree?

In the excellent Hollow, it looks like Robin’s plan is to drag us all to hell to the sound of his torture-inspired musicality, this time slightly faster and with an even more enraged growling, growing in desperation until the song’s fiendish ending; before The Shores of Daruk closes the album with almost ten minutes of hatred and occultism, guiding us into the unknown. I don’t know where those shores are exactly but it’s definitely not a happy place, getting even more supernatural halfway through it and evolving to a sorrowful ending. Thus, if you survive this tormented feast of Extreme Metal, you’re indeed a true doom metaller, but if you still want more you can enjoy the brutal and extremely well-engendered Portaclus, an amazing gift to fans who get the physical copy of the album, and of course a visceral exhibit of what Gateway is capable of.

Are you willing to keep having your body and soul tormented by this promising Belgian one-man band? Simply check out Gateway’s Facebook and YouTube, and in order to buy your copy of Gateway go to the band’s official BandCamp page, to the Hellthrasher Productions BandCamp or to their official webstore. When the gates of hell are open and gruesome bands such as Gateway arise from darkness, you know that if the world is actually coming to an atrocious end, may that be to the sound of the rawest and most demonic Doom Metal imaginable.

Best moments of the album: Kha’laam and Vile Temptress.

Worst moments of the album: Corrumpert Interludium.

Released in 2015 Hellthrasher Productions

Track listing
1. Prolegomenon (Intro) 1:08
2. Vox Occultus 6:16
3. Kha’laam 3:43
4. Impaled 6:58
5. Corrumpert Interludium 2:38
6. Vile Temptress 5:07
7. Hollow 5:00
8. The Shores Of Daruk 9:27

CD bonus track
9.Portaclus 3:32

Band members
Robin Van Oyen – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Festering / From The Grave (2015)

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These undead Portuguese metallers are back from the grave to tear our flesh apart and provide us some high-quality old school Death Metal.

Rating5

Festering-FrontCover_smallJust like any gory and macabre zombie flick, there are times in our lives when people or things that we thought were dead and gone for good make an impactful return to feast on our flesh and haunt our souls. If you’re addicted to sordid old school Death Metal the likes of Dismember, Entombed and Grave, you won’t mind being devoured by the undead Portuguese Death Metal band Festering who, as per the name of their brand new album, are back From The Grave to tear all of us apart.

After releasing a split album back in 1992 and remaining dormant for almost two decades, this talented band from Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Portugal was reformed in 2011, releasing a demo tape entitled From The Grave and an EP named Exhumed, both in 2012. Now in 2015, following the same gruesome path of those releases, their debut full-length album From The Grave, which features cover illustration and artworks by renowned artist César Valladares (Asphyx, Nominon, Graveyard, among many others), will provide the listener a full-bodied portrait of what these cold-blooded Portuguese metallers are capable of.

The quick and sinister intro Festering initiates the sonic cannibalism that becomes extremely barbaric in Exhumed, an old school Death Metal song with absolutely no shenanigans, just straightforward devastation where riffs and growls take the spotlight (as expected), also showcasing drums highly influenced by the blast beats of Black Metal but slightly groovier. Following that promising start, we have the perverse Infected and its hints of Doom Metal, with the bestial vocals by Pedro Gonçalves inspired by old Sepultura and Morbid Angel. It’s a great song for headbanging led by its wicked riffs, where the band accelerates the rhythm, slows it down and goes on with that alternation a few more times, reaching an outstanding result in the end.

The Myth Of Creation can be considered a circle-pit generator chant, with drummer Norberto Arrais kicking ass behind his kit while the guitar lines by João Galego seem as if they’re going to decapitate us so sharp they are, not to mention the aggressiveness of the low-tuned bass lines by Koja Mutilator. And if you think Festering will give you a break you’re damn wrong, because they keep kicking you in the head with their nonstop viciousness in Consuming From Within, a very traditional tune with lots of groove, feeling sometimes like a tribute to Cannibal Corpse and other classic gory bands due to its lyrics (“Open sores all over my body and exuding a foul scent / With an intense suffering, the anguish spend my days / With the excruciating pain that runs through my body / And wanton my flesh like a cold steel blade”); followed by the “infected” musicality and dirty melody found in Submerged In Emptiness, with highlights to the rhythmic beats by Norberto. This tune lives up to the sanguinary tradition of Death Metal, or in other words, it’s fast, heavy and wicked, and we love all that.

Promo-PictureThe next track, Bloodline, has a deranged ambience boosted by the demented deep growls by Pedro, with its hardcore riffs and extreme violence being the icing on the cake of this sensational feast of blood and death that should work marvelously if played live. Moreover, kudos to João for his spot-on guitar solo, adding more electricity to the overall result. In the Blackened Doom Metal tune Proliferation Of Infected Leucocytes their demonic side arises, and if you pay good attention to the music you’ll find hints of Rock N’ Roll and Southern Metal in it, increasing its complexity and harmony but obviously always keeping it carnivorous. Lastly, closing the album we have the slashing Ascent Of The Blessed, where the combination of its direct shredding and high-speed drums turns it into an excellent option for mosh pits, with Pedro once again delivering his amazing sick roars to give life (or death) to the song’s lyrics (“The angels all ascended, / The demons left behind / A new generation was born / From their hatred and cruelty – We”), and the shortest of all tracks, Psychic Convulsions Of Neurasthenia, a beautiful name for a violent composition with highlights to the evil bass lines by Koja.

There are several places where you can find more details about the music by Festering, such as their YouTube channel and especially at their ReverbNation page, and grab your copy of From The Grave at the band’s BandCamp, at the Caverna Abismal Records BandCamp, or at the Caverna Abismal Records webstore. As aforementioned, these talented (and undead) metallers are back from the grave not only to tear our flesh apart but, more important than that, to also provide us all high-quality old school Death Metal. But that’s if you’re not afraid of living dead musicians, of course.

Best moments of the album: Infected, Submerged In Emptiness and Bloodline.

Worst moments of the album: Proliferation Of Infected Leucocytes.

Released in 2015 Caverna Abismal Records/War Productions/Sinais Produções

Track listing
1. Festering (Intro) 0:23
2. Exhumed 3:15
3. Infected 4:36
4. The Myth Of Creation 4:15
5. Consuming From Within 4:21
6. Submerged In Emptiness 4:36
7. Bloodline 4:13
8. Proliferation Of Infected Leucocytes 3:36
9. Ascent Of The Blessed 5:21
10. Psychic Convulsions Of Neurasthenia 2:53

Band members
Pedro Gonçalves – vocals
João Galego – guitars
Koja Mutilator – bass
Norberto Arrais – drums