Category Archives: 2016 New Releases

Album Review – Drought / Rudra Bhakti EP (2016)

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Meditate to the sound of the tantric Black Metal by this creative and unusual Italian entity.

Rating5

cover“Ram Naam Satya Hey.”

If you access the official website for Italian Black Metal act Drought, you’ll be able to find the interesting definition the band uses for their music and what inspires them to write Black Metal. “Drought is an entity born to create distorted and majestic black metal art, focusing the quintessence of tantric and yogic concept”, says the band description, and let me tell you this is precisely what you’ll listen to in the four compositions that together form Rudra Bhakti, the eccentric debut EP by this tantric and obscure horde from Italy.

According to the band, the four songs found in the EP revolve around the transformation from man to the Übermensch, which is German for Superman or Superhuman, through the purification of the fire and the metaphor of the warrior, mainly taking inspiration from parts of Vijnanabhairava as well as personal experiences of meditation. Furthermore, fire is the main element manifested by Shiva, seen as a purifying factor, and also seen in this case as the awakening of a burning and dissolving energy, which brings chaos and destroys the boundaries of mortality to reach immortality. Do I need to say more, or are you ready to let the energy flowing from their music embrace you?

Obviously, what is perhaps the most tantric album to be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose so far couldn’t have had a more arcane and tantric start than Suryanamaskara (Entering The Gate Of The Raging Sun), offering over four minutes of background sounds, noises and “meditation” based on the concept of Surya Namaskara, as if the band wanted to prepare the listener for what’s about to come in the following track, entitled Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise). In this beautiful display of extreme music, fury and hatred emanate from vocals as well as from each and every instrument, working as a paradox to the tranquility seen in the previous track. In other words, its Black Metal blast beats and hellish vociferations will penetrate your ears and seize your mind, with the additional tantric elements (something very unusual in Extreme Metal) bringing a breath of fresh air to their music.

droughtInstantly connecting to the previous song, Reveal The Unlight (Sudden Awareness) brings forward an interesting and smooth transition from pure Black Metal to a fusion of Blackened Doom and Black Metal (maybe a sing of pitch black darkness taking over the music by Drought), where its guitar lines fire their own metallic “mantra”. And then again showcasing eerie passages and infernal beats and growls, we have a 12-minute aria named Collapse of Maya (Transfiguration Of The Warrior), a bold composition where you’ll witness all this Italian cult has to offer to the world of heavy music, with highlights to its complex drumming and all its breaks and funereal elements. The second half of this powerful tune gets really depressive and obscure, with a good dosage of Doom Metal added to the musicality before it suddenly fades into pure ambient music and, therefore, back to the initial meditative tone of the album, which goes on until the song’s peaceful ending.

Featuring a beautiful and occult artwork by Blacktooth Collective, Rudra Bhakti will show you how creative and distinct Drought can be, and in case you want to meditate to the sound of their tantric Black Metal, you can purchase the EP at the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or at the Sound Cave’s webshop. As this unique Black Metal act from Italy would say, “Ram naam Satya hai. Satya bolo gatya hai.”

Best moments of the album: Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Suryanamaskara (Entering The Gate Of The Raging Sun) 4:40
2. Fire Breating (Urdva Kundali Arise) 4:22
3. Reveal The Unlight (Sudden Awareness) 2:39
4. Collapse of Maya (Transfiguration Of The Warrior) 12:45

Band members
*Information not available*

Album Review – The Hypothesis / Origin (2016)

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A complete lineup change and almost four years to conclude an album? In the case of these Finnish metallers, it was definitely worth the wait.

Rating4

The_Hypothesis_cover_2400After what happened with Guns N’ Roses and their controversial album Chinese Democracy (2008), whenever a band suffers significant lineup changes and takes a good amount of time to release an album, people get really skeptical about the final result. Fortunately, that’s not the case with Finnish Modern Melodic Metal band The Hypothesis, who after a complete change in their lineup and four years locked in the middle of a dark forest of Viitasaari, in Central Finland, are finally releasing their debut full-length album, entitled Origin, an excellent display of modern and melodic heavy music.

Formed in the city of Kouvola, Finland in 2009, but currently based about 130km to the southwest of that, in the capital Helsinki, The Hypothesis have already built a solid reputation in Melodic Death Metal, playing in renowned festivals such as Nummirock and Qstock, and sharing the stage with names like Swallow The Sun, Scar Symmetry, Wolfheart and Before The Dawn. And that’s after having released only one EP, named Nightshade, back in 2010. And now, without further ado, it’s time to hit play and start moshing with those Finnish metallers.

Right from the first few notes in Shades to Escape, you’ll notice how much they love futuristic keyboard noises, providing a sound that’s very harmonious and polished as usual, but always as violent as this type of music demands. In addition, frontman Antti Seppälä offers sharp and harsh growls nicely complemented by some clean vocals to give more balance to the song, with the powerful riffs and solos by both guitarists Juuso Turkki and Asko Sartanen filling all the spaces left. Leak, an old school Melodic Death Metal with hints of Metalcore, sounds less experimental and a lot heavier and more vicious, with the precise drumming by Waltteri Väyrynen enhancing the electricity found in the music; while End of Your Days somehow “takes off” from where the opening track stopped, with Antti going on with his furious screams and both guitars blasting some awesome riffs, all supported by the song’s background keyboards and the intricate bass lines by Markku “Neissu” Ruuskanen.

The_Hypothesis_promopic_largeOnce again exhibiting a futuristic and metallic aura, Scarface is a decent composition that unfortunately doesn’t live up to the energy found throughout the rest of the album, with its rhythm sounding a bit confusing (or maybe too progressive compared to what the other songs offer). Exit puts the band back on track with its high level of violence and nonstop action, boosted by an amazing guitar solo by guest musician Daniel Freyberg. Moreover, Markku can’t stop pounding his thunderous strings in this modern and melodic Death Metal chant tailored for fans of the genre, and almost immediately they connect it to Atonement, another song presenting potent riffs and high-end solos by Juuso and Asko where Antti showcases some clean vocals before going back to his demonic mode.

In Eye for an Eye, the rhythmic beats by Waltteri craft the perfect sonic tornado for Antti to fire desperate and harsh vocal lines in the best song of the album. This is how a Melodic Death Metal band should always add progressive elements to their musicality, not to mention its yet again flawless keyboard notes. On the other hand, Weak Story, despite its instrumental pieces being as good as the rest of the album (in special its guitar solos), brings forward out-of-place clean vocals that sound taken from a generic Metalcore song. And closing the album we have the interesting instrumental song Second Chance, where the modern elements added to its polished production turn it into a nice experimental voyage in Melodic Death Metal. Besides, you can pretend to be Antti and add your own lyrics and vocals to it, how about that? Or you can simply relax and relish the beautiful guitar riffs and rumbling bass lines offered by the band during the whole song as well.

This up-and-coming band from Finland can be found on Facebook and on YouTube, and you can purchase Origin at the Inverse Records’ webshop, on iTunes or on Amazon. It might have taken almost four years for The Hypothesis to conclude their first full-length record, but after listening to it you’ll realize it was definitely worth the wait thanks to all the energy and passion those guys put into the making of the album.

Best moments of the album: Leak, Exit and Eye for an Eye.

Worst moments of the album: Scarface and Weak Story.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Shades to Escape 4:20
2. Leak 4:25
3. End of Your Days 4:47
4. Scarface 3:51
5. Exit 3:34
6. Atonement 3:28
7. Eye for an Eye 4:46
8. Weak Story 4:03
9. Second Chance (Instrumental) 4:43

Band members
Antti Seppälä – vocals
Juuso Turkki – guitar
Asko Sartanen – guitar
Markku “Neissu” Ruuskanen – bass
Waltteri Väyrynen – drums

Guest musician
Daniel Freyberg – guitar solo on “Exit”

Album Review – Pyramido / Vatten (2016)

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Dive into the troubled waters of Swedish Sludge and Doom Metal and feel all its heaviness, sorrow and insanity flowing through your veins.

Rating5

Pyramido-Vatten CoverVatten, the brand new album by Swedish Sludge/Doom Metal act Pyramido, is one of those albums that will twist your mind with its eerie noises, heaviness and growls (exclusively in Swedish), whereas at the same time will make you feel really good while listening to it. You’ll be introduced to a different music perspective in Vatten, something only bands from places like Scandinavia, where creativity is a core piece of people’s lives, are capable of doing. And although the name of the album means “water” in Swedish (not to mention that among their previous releases there are albums called Salt and Sand), this is not a concept album about water nor part of any “trilogy” about the elements.

This is not only the fourth full-length album in the already solid career by this Malmö-based five-piece band formed in 2006, but a step further in terms of melodies, complexity and feeling. Moreover, it’s quite interesting to see the contrast between the serenity found in the artwork designed by Swedish artist Anna Widengård together with lead singer Ronnie Källback and all the sonic turmoil engendered by Pyramido, therefore enhancing our senses as the music progresses. With that said, are you ready to swim in troubled Swedish waters?

Feel the thunderous sound of the old school Doom Metal bass guitar by Dan Widing, while guitarists Henrik Wendel and Dan Hedlund alternate between Black Metal riffs and sludgy and obscure Stoner Metal lines in the opening track, entitled En Linje i Sanden (“a line in the sand”), where albeit most of us won’t understand a word from its Swedish lyrics we can still have a lot of fun with the deranged screams by Ronnie. In Att Bida Sin Tid (“to bide his time”), sorrow and darkness grow through the steady and heavy beats by Sticky Manchester, which are effectively complemented by the song’s melodic guitars while Ronnie gets even more anguished on vocals (and that anger and hopelessness goes on until the end of the song for our total delight).

Pyramido av Fredrik Hylten-CavalliusTempus (“tense”) brings forward the metallic bass lines by Dan and an introspective feeling, being absolutely sluggish and perfect for breaking your neck while headbanging in solitude. Furthermore, a huge amount of despair and pain flows from Ronnie’s wicked growls, supported by the soulful guitars by Henrik and Dan. And there’s no hope in sight based on the resonant Doom Metal crafted by Pyramido, gathering elements from masters of doom like Celtic Frost and Black Sabbath and delivering an infernal hymn entitled Aktion (“action”) that will certainly please all fans of the genre. I love the main riff of this song, keeping up with the legacy from the aforementioned iconic bands and turning this into the best of all tracks in Vatten.

As one last shot of Pyramido’s addictive and sorrowful Stoner Metal we have En Rak Linje (“a straight line”), where the work on the guitars is once again superb and increases the song’s melancholy. In addition, the break at around three minutes brings a little peace to our minds before Ronnie comes back with his desperate growling, until the song reaches its somber but smooth conclusion in this 8-minute salutation to all things Doom Metal.

No matter how much you enjoy Sludge and Doom Metal, you have to experience listening to the music by Pyramido at least once to truly understand what this dark subgenre of heavy music is all about. And if you’re already a longtime fan of the sluggish and low-tuned heaviness found in the music by bands like Pyramido, you can purchase Vatten at the band’s official BandCamp page, and also at the Halo of Flies’ BandCamp page or webshop. As soon as you have Vatten on your hands, simply dive into its troubled waters of Sludge and Doom Metal to feel all its heaviness, sorrow and insanity flowing through your veins.

Best moments of the album: Aktion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Halo of Flies

Track listing
1. En Linje i Sanden 7:32
2. Att Bida Sin Tid 6:50
3. Tempus 6:49
4. Aktion 8:14
5. En Rak Linje 8:15

Band members
Ronnie Källback – vocals
Henrik Wendel – guitar
Dan Hedlund – guitar
Dan Widing – bass
Sticky Manchester – drums

Album Review – Witches Of Doom / Deadlights (2016)

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The Italian coven of Doom and Gothic Metal returns in full force to put another electrifying Rock N’ Roll spell on you.

Rating4

WOD_DeadlightsAfter releasing their debut album Obey back in 2014, I knew it was just a matter of time until Italian Goth-Stoner-Doom Metal act Witches Of Doom returned with more of their mesmerizing Rock N’ Roll extravaganza. Two years have gone by since that amazing album, and here we have the Rome-based warlocks Danilo “Groova” Piludu on vocals, Federico “Fed” Venditti on the guitar, Jacopo Cartelli on bass, Graziano “Eric” Corrado on keyboards and Andrea “Budi” Budicin on drums offering all fans of old school dark music the likes of Type O Negative, Moonspell and The Cult their brand new album whimsically entitled Deadlights which, just like its predecessor, will put you to dance, drink and make love like there’s no tomorrow.

Although I’m not a professional musician, producer or anything similar to that, I must say the upward growth in the overall quality of the album in terms of its production and sound is one of those things that not only helped Witches Of Doom explore new horizons and add new elements to their music, but it also shows how professional those Italian metallers are and how much they are focused on what they do. Thus, due to the enhanced quality of their music and to the brand new songs added to their portfolio, I think the band is more than ready to reach new heights and start spreading their exciting music throughout the world by touring in places like the United States, Canada and South America, either by themselves or as one of the attractions of some music festivals held in those regions.

While we wait for their first world tour, let’s rock to the sound of the superb opening track in Deadlights, called Lizard Tongue, where after an alternative and electronic we are embraced by a modernized goth atmosphere and the band’s pure Rock N’ Roll attitude. These guys know how to bring that magic aura from the 80’s to our present days, with frontman Danilo being better than ever with his inebriate and dark vocals, perfectly declaiming the song’s catchy lyrics (“Daughter of a thousand sins / Angel praying for your last wish / The city crawls in the dead of night / A knife cuts deep flesh open wide / Trick or treat is the only law / Merchant on the killing floor / The city crawls in the dead of night / A knife cuts deep flesh open wide”). In Run with the Wolf, an eerie waltz mixed with symphonic elements in what’s probably their most obscure composition to date, keyboardist Andrea crafts the perfect doomed ambience, supported by the low-tuned bass lines by Jacopo; whereas in Deface (The Things That Made Me a Man), heavier and weirder than usual due to the rumbling bass by Jacopo and the always passionate guitar riffs and experimentations by the band’s mastermind Fed, the listener faces a solid blend of Gothic Rock with Alternative Rock and Metal.

WOD 2016Melancholy and sorrow flow from the beautiful Winter Coming, where Danilo once again provides an additional layer of emotion to the musicality with his vocal lines (not to mention the song’s sorrowful lyrics), followed by Homeless, another shot of wickedness provided by this talented band with the groovy bass lines by Jacopo and the progressive drumming by Andrea enhancing the song’s punch. In other words, this could become a radio hit anytime, anywhere. And get ready to be hypnotized by the Black Voodoo Girl, with its Gothic start getting heavier and darker until it becomes another one of the band’s “striptease” hymns. The keyboard passages by Graziano match perfectly with the heavy riffs by Fed and the somber vocals by Danilo, and you’ll surely have a good time singing its chorus along with the band.

In Mater Mortis, what begins as an epic chant quickly morphs into a futuristic tune, more specifically into an ode to the music from the 80’s with highlights to its awesome keyboards, and this instrumental voyage sets the tone for Gospel for War, a badass Gothic/Stoner Rock chant tailored for fans of Rock N’ Roll pub fights where Fed keeps blasting his excellent riffs while Andrea takes his drumming to a whole new and amazing level of intricacy. And last but not least, bringing elements from non-metal genres like Jazz and Blues to their sounding, the band offers us all the introspective and soulful I Don’t Want to Be a Star, showcasing smooth but fierce piano notes by Eric and strong performances by Danilo on vocals and by Fed with his fiery solos. If you love long and experimental songs with the energy and feeling of Rock N’ Roll, you might have found your new favorite song in rock music.

In summary, the music presented in Deadlights, which features a stunning artwork by Italian artist Carlo Muselli (who by the way is the big boss at Sliptrick Records) and is available on iTunes or on Amazon, has everything a true fan of heavy rock always looks for and more, and in order to know more about the Witches Of Doom, including their future plans and tour dates, don’t forget to go check their official Facebook page. This skilled coven of Doom and Gothic Metal is not among us to simply play some rock tunes, but in special to put an electrifying Rock N’ Roll spell on all of us, lovers of dark and rhythmic heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Lizard Tongue, Black Voodoo Girl and Gospel for War.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Sliptrick Records

Track listing
1. Lizard Tongue 4:13
2. Run with the Wolf 4:49
3. Deface (The Things That Made Me a Man) 5:45
4. Winter Coming 4:35
5. Homeless 5:32
6. Black Voodoo Girl 4:46
7. Mater Mortis 3:01
8. Gospel for War 4:35
9. I Don’t Want to Be a Star 6:59

Band members
Danilo “Groova” Piludu – vocals
Federico “Fed” Venditti – guitars
Jacopo Cartelli – bass
Graziano “Eric” Corrado – keyboards
Andrea “Budi” Budicin – drums

Album Review – Burial / Unholy Sedition (2016)

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Profane, rebellious and vicious music for all diehard lovers of Black Metal, piercing your ravenous ears directly from the UK.

Rating5

CD DigiPak 4 Panel 1 TrayThe good old city of Manchester, England might be known worldwide by the everlasting rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United, two of the biggest soccer teams in the world, but since 2005 the city has also become a synonym to extreme music due to the scalding Blackened Death Metal forged by an up-and-coming power trio that goes by the name of Burial. After releasing a demo in 2008 named Shadowed by Satan, the EP Dissidence in 2010 and more recently their debut full-length album Beneath the Light in 2013, those black metallers are back with their second opus, entitled Unholy Sedition, a must for lovers of Black Metal, nuns, beer and Satan.

Fans of the music played by bands like Satyricon in their early days will have a great time listening to what this underground British act is capable of offering, being visceral but extremely technical at the same time. In addition, if you already know Burial you’ll notice a slight change in their musicality from their previous album, dropping part of the Death Metal sound and delivering an all-out Black Metal assault. In case this is your first contact with the band, get ready for 30 minutes of brutality in the form of the short, fast and devastating tunes found in Unholy Sedition. You won’t regret being blasted by the band’s ferocious music, I should say.

After a quick distorted intro, the opening track Infernal Spirit brings forward brutal Black Metal led by the bestial beats by drummer David Buchan, while lead singer and bassist Derek Carley varies his vocals from devilish screams to cavernous growls; and without a break they start firing the following tune, entitled Malevolent Possession, displaying some pulverizing riffs by guitarist Richard Barraclough. Not only that, even when they slow down a bit during this enraged song their heaviness remains at an outstanding level. Their malignancy keeps flowing in Satanic Immolation, a sick Black Metal song with hints of Death Metal where it’s amusing how violent the band can get in less than three minutes, with Derek’s vocals sounding exactly as many old school Black Metal vocalists.

Burial Band photoIn the high-speed havoc Coven of Death, David is unstoppable behind his drums, providing Richard the support he needs to craft his blazing riffs before we’re treated to Nothing Awaits, where a Blackened Doom-inspired intro powered by the gruesome vociferations by Derek suddenly explodes into vile Black Metal, with highlights to the metallic guitar lines by Richard. This is perhaps their best song to date, an excellent composition sounding as three distinct songs in one, and therefore showcasing the band’s highly developed abilities with their instruments. And in the rhythmic and dense Defile The Sacrament, right after a somber intro that goes on for almost two minutes, we have a furious fusion of Black and Death Metal with Derek barking like a rabid beast.

Cast To The Flames can be considered the most old school Black Metal of all tracks with the blast beats by David being its guiding “star”, never letting the level of dark energy go down; whereas Beyond Redemption seems to be the most Death Metal of all mainly due to the deep guttural growls by Derek, with its beats at the speed of light demolishing everything and everyone that stands in their way. Before Uholy Sedition comes to its end, Burial offer us all more of their putrid growls and a heavy atmosphere in the Black Metal hymn Devoured By The Earth, displaying sheer violence and gore in the form of music with highlights to the groovy and boisterous drumming by David. And lastly, we have the remarkably short but sensational Extreme Metal anthem Nun Fucking Black Metal, which not only has a beautiful name but also pays homage all things Black Metal, concluding the album on a high note with amazing performances by all band members.

In case you want to know more about the music by Burial, go visit their Facebook or ReverbNation pages, and if you’re interesting in putting your hands on a copy of Unholy Sedition, you can find the album for sale at the UKEM Records’ BandCamp page or webstore (it’s out of stock according to the website, though), or at the band’s official Big Cartel page, where you can also find a nice exclusive bundle including a physical copy of the album and a T-shirt for a very decent price. It’s profane and rebellious Black Metal for diehard lovers of the genre, and also a great option for newcomers to get introduced to the world of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Satanic Immolation, Nothing Awaits and Nun Fucking Black Metal.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 UKEM Records

Track listing
1. Infernal Spirit 3:03
2. Malevolent Possession 4:00
3. Satanic Immolation 2:22
4. Coven Of Death 2:07
5. Nothing Awaits 3:35
6. Defile The Sacrament 4:14
7. Cast To The Flames 2:55
8. Beyond Redemption 3:57
9. Devoured By The Earth 3:47
10. Nun Fucking Black Metal 1:12

Band members
Derek Carley – vocals, bass
Richard Barraclough – guitar
David Buchan – drums

Album Review – Defision / A Thousand Bullets EP (2016)

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Five high-octane compositions ranging from traditional Heavy Metal to Rock N’ Roll and Death Metal, showcasing all the abilities by this talented and electrified act from Greece.

Rating5

Outside - Cover OnlyIn 1920, when the King of Greece, Alexander I, visited the city of Dedeagach, the local authorities decided to rename the city Alexandroúpoli (or “city of Alexander”) in the Greek King’s honour. Almost 100 years later, five talented musicians got together in that exact same city to found the excellent Heavy Metal act Defision, who after a couple of years are finally releasing their debut EP entitled A Thousand Bullets, containing five high-octane compositions that will please all types of fans from traditional Heavy Metal to Thrash Metal and even more contemporary Alternative Metal.

Actually, it’s quite hard to label the music by this five-piece group due to all the elements from distinct subgenres of heavy music added to their work, creating a fresh and unique sounding for each of the five tracks in A Thousand Bullets. You’ll be surprised with the versatility of all band members, especially with lead singer George Keivanidis who can provide you some powerful lines the likes of Blaze Bayley or Biff Byford, and quickly turn his vocals into deep growls as if he became a brutal Death Metal vocalist by magic. After listening to the entire EP I started wondering what those guys could do with some proper support from a record label, but as this is a review for A Thousand Bullets let’s focus on the music the band has already generated to blow our ears and leave that discussion for a later date.

Alternative and progressive elements kick off the first tune of the EP, named Paragon Of Misery, which after a while gets closer to a more traditional sonority, blending the Heavy Metal by Iron Maiden (coming from the rhythmic beats by Christos Panagis) with the badass Rock N’ Roll by Chrome Division (found in the vocals by George Keivanidis and the riffs by Stratos Vrachiolias and Giannis Kaltsidis). As already mentioned, it’s not an easy task to try to put a label on their style. Anyway, it’s quite interesting how despite the good production of the EP Defision can sound dirty and raw (always a good thing in heavy music), which is the case in Fallen Demon, a song about heaven and hell perfect for enjoying a beer at a pub while watching the band masterfully playing it. In addition, Stratos and Giannis once again bring it with their solid guitar riffs and solos, elevating the song’s quality even more.

defisionWorld In Chains, by far my favorite of all five songs, is a lot faster and heavier than its predecessors thanks to the electrifying drumming by Christos, with George taking his vocals to a more demonic level through deeper growls and howls while singing its aggressive lyrics (“The freedom of choice, / an illusion of man / Revealing the truth / does not fit the plan / Submissive and scared, / congenital slaves / We crawl on our knees, / from cradle to grave”). In other words, this is an awesome Rock N’ Roll chant with elements of Death Metal and Stoner Metal added to it, in special during its precise break after around two minutes, poised to become an underground metal hit in their homeland.

The brief intro War Never Changes brings forward sirens and shots warning us all that war is about to start in the melodic and progressive Medal Of Honor, a Heavy Metal tune about the fortunes of war (“Thousands of bullets run through my mind / freezing my soul to the core. / For all the people I killed / fighting through battlefields. / Hundreds of children lie dead on the ground, / their faces haunting my dreams, / yet still I’m leading the play, in this insanity.”), showcasing violent vocals by George and passionate performances by Stratos and Giannis, who shred their guitars mercilessly while bassist Periklis Epitropou doesn’t stop pounding his thunderous instrument. If you’re a metalhead with a strong passion for songs about the battlefield, this last track from A Thousand Bullets is highly recommended to you.

To sum up, although the band has just started paving their path in the world of heavy music, having only a five-track EP released so far, I strongly believe they have all it takes to become one of the most promising bands hailing from Greece in the coming years. And if you want to know a little more about Defision and their plans for the future, go take a look at their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud profile, where you’ll be able to listen to all songs from A Thousand Bullets as many times as you want.

Best moments of the album: Paragon Of Misery and World In Chains.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Paragon Of Misery 3:31
2. Fallen Demon 3:59
3. World In Chains 3:48
4. War Never Changes 0:28
5. Medal Of Honor 4:11

Band members
George Keivanidis – vocals
Stratos Vrachiolias – guitar
Giannis Kaltsidis – guitar
Periklis Epitropou – bass
Christos Panagis – drums

Album Review – Necronomicon / Advent of The Human God (2016)

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Behold the descent of the human god upon humanity to the symphonic and scorching Black Metal delivered by the most prominent Canadian horde of all time.

Rating4

Necronomicon_AHG_2000x2000_Rev_02If the original meaning of “Necronomicon” is a fictional grimoire (or textbook of magic), appearing in the stories by horror writer H. P. Lovecraft, I believe we should refer to what Canadian Symphonic Black/Death Metal veterans Necronomicon offer us in their brand new opus entitled Advent of The Human God as a sonic compilation of evil spells. Discharging a lethal dose of symphonic and scorching Blackened Death Metal through their music, this power trio from the city of Montreal, Quebec takes no prisoners in their battle against religion, and nothing better than their artistic view of the descent of a human god upon humanity to showcase the always negative outcomes caused by our blind faith.

Fans of controversial bands like Behemoth, Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir will connect instantly with the lyrics and themes explored by Necronomicon in their new album, which are in line with what was presented in their previous releases such as Rise of The Elder Ones (2013), Return of The Witch (2010) and Pharaoh of Gods (1999). Featuring a beautiful and ungodly artwork by Canadian artist and musician Filip Ivanović and having bassist Mars debuting on the low-keys, Advent of The Human God is another step further in the solid career of this precious gem made in Canada, which obviously translates into pure awesomeness for fans of extreme music.

The symphonic and epic intro The Descent grows until the tile-track Advent of The Human God comes smashing us all with its blasting beats and dark melody, with the iconic lead singer and guitarist Rob “The Witch” Tremblay firing his deep vociferations in this work-of-art the likes of Dimmu Borgir and Behemoth. And this is just the beginning, because The Golden Gods starts right where the previous track ended, with drummer Rick blasting his heavy artillery of darkness until all instruments join him and all hell breaks loose. In addition to that, Rob provides some wicked solos that only enhance the song’s quality, making the overall result very progressive and obviously thrilling.

Necronomicon - photo - Credit - Myriam Francoeur 6Sounding like if it was extracted from a futuristic horror movie, the symphonic instrumental tune Okkultis Trinity will captivate you and drag you to the underworld, where the ferocious Unification of The Four Pillars will crush your spine and distort your mind, showcasing yet another flawless performance by Rick on drums while Rob leads the musicality with his solid riffs and growls, all nicely complemented by the symphonic elements and choir in the background. And in Crown of Thorns, its “opening of an evil ceremony” morphs into brutal and merciless Black Metal (with huge doses of harmony to give more balance to it), and this sonic earthquake keeps kicking ass throughout the entire song for our absolute delectation.

Leaning towards the musicality by Behemoth, The Fjord is slightly slower but as demonic and aggressive as usual, displaying a great synchronicity between Rob and Rick, which ends up creating an imposing atmosphere perfect for nonstop circle pits and brutal headbanging; whereas the sinister and atmospheric Gaia, another movie-like instrumental bridge, slowly sets the stage for the puissant I (Bringer Of Light), which needs only two seconds to hit you like a lightning bolt. This precise fusion of Symphonic Black Metal and Blackened Death Metal presents a completely infuriated and possessed Rob, who helps increase the song’s effectiveness in special during its powerful chorus. Innocence And Wrath, a cover version for the intro from Celtic Frost’s 1985 cult album To Mega Therion, doesn’t do much for the album as it’s just a short instrumental track, and Alchemy Of The Avatar, a symphonic and melodic onslaught of Black Metal, concludes the album with Rick firing unstoppable beats and fills while Rob switches his voice to a more satanic level and back to his regular deep growls, with all these elements helping the music flow into a climatic ending.

In case you’re from another planet and haven’t heard anything about Necronomicon yet, I suggest you go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation profile, and in order to get your copy of Advent of The Human God you should visit their BandCamp page or Season of Mist’s official webstore. As aforementioned, the advent of a human god upon humanity couldn’t have a better soundtrack than the unique Blackened Death Metal by this skillful Canadian horde.

Best moments of the album: Advent of The Human God, Unification of The Four Pillars and I (Bringer Of Light).

Worst moments of the album: Innocence And Wrath.

Released in 2016 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. The Descent 1:18
2. Advent of The Human God 5:27
3. The Golden Gods 4:13
4. Okkultis Trinity 2:27
5. Unification of The Four Pillars 3:27
6. Crown of Thorns 4:30
7. The Fjord 4:39
8. Gaia 2:43
9. I (Bringer Of Light) 4:04
10. Innocence And Wrath (Celtic Frost Cover) 1:08
11. Alchemy Of The Avatar 5:14

Band members
Rob “The Witch” Tremblay – vocals, guitar
Mars – bass
Rick – drums

Album Review – False Gods / Wasteland EP (2016)

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Doom Metal from Long Island has never been that sludgy, heavy and awesome.

Rating5

false gods_wastelandIf you’re a heavy music fan heading to the multicultural city of New York anytime soon, I recommend you check the agenda of Sludge/Doom Metal act False Gods, because if there’s one thing those metallers are capable of doing is delivering kick-ass music as heavy as hell. Inspired by the dark music crafted by bands such as Black Sabbath, Crowbar and Corrosion of Confomity, False Gods blend the traditional sounding of Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal with hints of Hardcore injected into their musicality due to the humongous amount of excellent bands that play that type of music in their area, and as a result we have their debut EP entitled Wasteland.

Would the title of the EP be a reference to their hometown Patchogue, a village on the south shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, located about two hours from New York? Anyway, formed in 2015, this talented four-piece group aims at creating music with no boundaries, always adding to their compositions elements found in the music by distinct extreme bands like Eyehategod, Black Flag and Carnivore, as well as the aforementioned biggest influences of the band. And although Wasteland is comprised of only five tracks, there’s enough material, hatred and energy for you to bang your head nonstop and have a few pints while listening to the band’s unruly metal music.

Can you feel the drums pounding your brain in the opening track, named Despot? Well, when the guitars by Greg March and especially the angered grasps by Mike Stack join those beats by Paulie Stack, we’re treated to the darkest form of sludge Metal available, with highlights to the solid and exciting second half of this grim chant. Following that promising start, the title-track Wasteland brings forward a traditional doom-ish ambience where Mike has all he needs to sound visceral and crusty, with his barks getting to a point they sound like coming out of a Grindcore vocalist (or a dying pig, in a good way of course). And get ready for the song’s ending, with an angry Paulie pounding his drums pitifully for our total delight.

false godsMy favorite of the five songs is undoubtedly Grant Me Revenge, a dynamic and thrilling fusion of Sludge Metal with Thrash and Death Metal where Greg has an amazing performance firing his disturbing riffs, no matter if the speed of the song is as fast as a traditional thrashy tune or if it’s sludger than a classic Doom Metal hymn. I must say we should all give a lot of respect to False Gods for what they put together in this amazing song, and I really hope they provide us more of this modern and at the same time old school Sludge Metal in a not-so-distant future (most probably when they release their first full-length album).

If you thought the previous songs in Wasteland were sludgy, you’ll be surprised by the obscurity found in Worship As Intellectual Tyranny, thanks mainly to the magic Brian “Bro Town” Krasinkey does with his potent bass lines. This song proves that sometimes Sludge and Doom Metal can be heavier than the meanest form of Black Metal depending on how talented the members of a band are, which is the case with False Gods. And lastly, the longest of all five tracks, named I Can See You (For What You Truly Are), closes the EP on “doom mode” with its six minutes of shadows and grief, with Paulie providing spot-on beats while Greg and Bro Town smash their chords like there’s no tomorrow, culminating in a darkened and climatic ending.

I guess Doom Metal from Long Island has never been that good, and in order to know more about this promising quartet go check their Facebook and SoundCloud, and obviously go grab your copy of Wasteland at the band’s official BandCamp or at CD Baby. As I said before, despite this excellent EP being just a “sample” of what False Gods can do, it still has enough darkness and heaviness for you, diehard fan of Sludge Metal, and after listening to it you’ll be eager for more of their disquieting sounding.

Best moments of the album: Grant Me Revenge.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Despot 4:51
2. Wasteland 5:15
3. Grant Me Revenge 4:11
4. Worship As Intellectual Tyranny 4:02
5. I Can See You (For What You Truly Are) 5:48

Band members
Mike Stack – vocals
Greg March – guitar
Brian “Bro Town” Krasinkey – bass
Paulie Stack – drums

Album Review – Howls Of Ebb / Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows (2016)

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Derranged howls, mesmerizing riffs, distorted screeches and hellish beats. These are the main ingredients for one of the most unique and interesting heavy albums from the past few years, brought forth by an eccentric duo from San Francisco, California.

Rating4

IVR058 - HOWLS OF EBB - Cursus ImpasseSometimes I think I overuse the words “weird”, “eerie” and “unnatural” in our reviews at The Headbanging Moose, but after taking a listen at Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows, the first full-length release by American Black/Death Metal act Howls Of Ebb, you’ll have to agree with me there are no better words to describe the distinct music crafted by this talented duo from San Francisco, California. This is not an album for the regular fan of heavy music, but a journey though the most distorted thoughts and horrifying visions created deep down the human mind.

After releasing their debut EP Vigils of the 3rd Eye in 2014 and the MLP The Marrow Veil in 2015, it’s time for Howls Of Ebb to expand their deranged horizons and offer another blast of the freakish drug they call music, forged in the pitch black darkness of their evil den in the United States. Simply look at the names of the songs and tell me if you’ve ever seen anything as crazy as that in your entire life as a metalhead, but when you hit play you’ll realize those names are even too “soft” for all the insanity and outcry coming out of the screams and strings by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund and the beats by Roteen’ Blisssss, not to mention the eccentric cover art named “Theoin II”, by Italian artist Agostino Arrivabene.

Zee-Luuuvft-HuundIn the opening track, curiously entitled The 6th Octopul’th Grin, distorted and piercing noises and growls attack the listener mercilessly, with its Doom Metal beats and wicked riffs creating a tempestuous ambience, therefore turning this amazing song in the perfect soundtrack to a soul-torturing horror flick. If you survive this demented tune, you’ll be smashed by a furious Progressive Black Metal turmoil named Cabals Of Molder, where the guitar sounds like anguished screams by an evil entity from hell, being perfectly complemented by its constantly-changing rhythm and the grim vocals by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund.

The slower and sinister tune Maat Mons’ Fume offers a creepy atmosphere enhanced by its somber lyrics (“Fetid foul upon Sullied Jowls / Endlessly propagate! / We send gifts from afar / Now, Giant Red Tomb Agitate!”), with both guitars and drums growing into a thunderous level of aggression that goes on until a purely Doom Metal ending (guided by the low-tune bass lines by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund) put an end to this hellish creation. There was only one thing that came to my mind while listening to 7 Ascetic Cinders, 8 Dowries of gA’nOm: this is the type of song that would never, ever play in any radio station so anti-mainstream it is, which in the end means it reached its main goal, right? This multi-song brings forward seven minutes of distortions, vociferations and demonic echoes not for the average listener, and it’s interesting how each instrument sounds “individualist” at first, but together they work extremely well.

Roteen' BlisssssGaunt Vertigo is a smooth but dark instrumental bridge that prepares the listener to The Subliminal Lock – A Precursor To Vengeance, an explosion of Black Metal and Blackened Doom showcasing lyrics as bizarre as possible (“Come Dark Morbid Zen! / Illusory sub-Gnosis takes deeper root / Fleshly cowls crawl deep in the soot / The wick is raised, eyes in pursuit / Come Dark Morbid Zen!”), with the instrumental pieces always “surprising” the listener with all tempo changes, distorted passages and mesmerizing riffs and screeches. And as one last raid we have The Apocryphalic Wick, where after its initial three minutes of wicked noises, an obscure feeling grows uncontrollably until demonic growls open the gates of the underworld. Moreover, the despair in the voice by Zee-Luuuvft-Huund is superb, as if he’s getting asphyxiated due to his soul being consumed by darkness.

This unusual and interesting opus can be found on sale at the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp, or at the Cagliari Records’ BandCamp or webstore. And if you like the  weird effect caused by the noises from Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows penetrating your ears, go give Howls Of Ebb a shout at their Facebook page. Or maybe I should say you must give them a deranged howl instead, it all depends on how much your soul gets darkened by their music.

Best moments of the album: The 6th Octopul’th Grin and Maat Mons’ Fume.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. The 6th Octopul’th Grin 5:31
2. Cabals Of Molder 6:14
3. Maat Mons’ Fume 8:14
4. 7 Ascetic Cinders, 8 Dowries of gA’nOm 7:09
5. Gaunt Vertigo 1:20
6. The Subliminal Lock – A Precursor To Vengeance 6:23
7. The Apocryphalic Wick 7:21

Band members
Zee-Luuuvft-Huund – vibrations, low auras, polysyllabic morbid mysticisms (a.k.a. vocals, guitar, bass)
Roteen’ Blisssss – cadence of limp and duress, bronze aura (a.k.a. drums)

Album Review – Dö / Tuho (2016)

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If you were born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music, the Dööm Metal blasted by this fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth.

Rating3

Dö_Tuho(CoverArt)If you’ve been following The Headbanging Moose for a while, you’ve already been in contact with the up-and-coming Finnish Doom/Stoner Metal power trio Dö. In fact, these talented guys from Helsinki, Finland do not play your regular Doom Metal, but instead they play what we can call “Dööm Metal”, and if the music found in their 2015 EP Den wasn’t dark enough for you, those three unholy bastards are back from the depths of their distinct city with another blast of hellish riffs, mesmerizing beats and low-tuned keys and growls in the form of Tuho, their first (and awesome) full-length opus.

Tuho is the Finnish word for “destruction”, and there couldn’t be a better definition for the sludgy and obscure turmoil beautifully crafted by Dö. Despite the change in their lineup due to the departure of drummer Peat Rex, the band keeps firing their characteristic demonic sounding flawlessly, now with Joe E. Deliverance (where “E” stands for “Epic”) taking care of the ritualistic beats and pulse that make their music so captivating. While listening to Tuho, although you will be facing 42 minutes of damnation, grief and sorrow, I’m absolutely certain you will enjoy every single second and go back to the starting point as soon as the last song is over, just like what you normally do with any album by Black Sabbath, Dö’s biggest influence and guiding (dark) star in the world of Doom Metal.

Relax, take a deep breath and fill your mind with your darkest thoughts, because this is what Dö want you to do during the wicked opening track Born Under Black Wings. The Sabbath-like riff by guitarist Big Dog guides its tribal intro, making this the perfect drug for Doom and Stoner Metal addicts, while lead singer and bassist Deaf Hank barks the most obscure and anguished vocals and growls you can imagine. Needless to say how unhappy the lyrics are during the song’s eight evil minutes, with Deaf Hank reminding us at the end of the song that “There’s no Messiah!” (and he’s damn right about that). And following that powerful start we have Everblast II (The Aftermath), a doomed massacre tailored for fans of the dark side of music where newcomer Joe E. Deliverance seems excited to destroy his drums the way he smashes them. Furthermore, the spot-on guitar solos by Big Dog add more feeling and intricacy to the overall sonority, fueling the whole trio to generate even more destructive and ill-tempered music, and consequently getting to a point the uproar will break your neck so heavy it becomes.

Dö_Promo2In Ex Oblivione, or “the amnesty” from Latin, a slow and eerie intro grows into a pure Doom Metal instrumental tune where you can sense that all three band members are in some sort of trance. It’s hard to say which musician has the best performance in this solid song due to the high quality of the music coming out of all instruments, and as I don’t want to pick a fight with any of them I’ll leave it for you to decide, sounds good? But before you choose your favorite member of the band, enjoy the distorted noises flowing from the bass guitar by Deaf Hank until a violent guitar riff comes crushing our spines in Kylmä, or “cold” from Finnish (and we all know how cold Finland can be). I must say that this guy sounds truly demonic when growling in his mother tongue in this impressive display of Sludge and Doom Metal, with some effective hints of Black and Death Metal thoroughly added to its last part, which ends up making the song transpire violence, malignancy and sorrow.

Hail the Fire, a gentle acoustic tune that sounds introspective and heavy even without being electric, works as an intro to their boldest composition to date, entitled Forsaken Be Thy Name. Be prepared for 12 minutes of awesome distortions, low-tuned bass lines and hypnotizing beats, where Dö professionally (and pleasantly) blend the music by icons such as Black Sabbath, Triptykon and Celtic Frost, among others, with their unique Scandinavian punch. The second half of this vile hymn becomes a completely different song, still sounding Doom Metal but slightly more melodic, ending with a soulful solo by the talented Big Dog and properly concluding another thrilling chapter in the career of those Finnish metallers.

You can listen to Tuho in its entirety HERE, and while you do that go check the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, and don’t forget to grab a copy of this masterpiece of damnation at their BandCamp page or at the Ozium Records’ webstore. If you were also born under black wings and love the taste of destruction in music like what these fantastic power trio from “Hellsinki” can generate, their Dööm Metal is all you need to keep enjoying your miserable and excruciating time on earth. Yes, that thing you usually call “life”.

Best moments of the album: Born Under Black Wings, Everblast II (The Aftermath) and Kylmä.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Born Under Black Wings 8:06
2. Everblast II (The Aftermath) 6:00
3. Ex Oblivione 6:28
4. Kylmä 7:09
5. Hail the Fire 2:26
6. Forsaken Be Thy Name 12:14

Band members
Deaf Hank – vocals, bass
Big Dog – guitar, backing vocals
Joe E. Deliverance – drums, backing vocals