Category Archives: 2017 New Releases

Album Review – Virulent Depravity / Fruit of the Poisoned Tree (2017)

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Technical Death Metal cannot get more intense, complex and devastating than what Tennessee-based guitarist, bassist and vocalist Colin Butler and his henchmen have to offer in their debut full-length album.

If you’re an admirer of the most technical form of Death Metal, you’ll be excited to know that Virulent Depravity, the brainchild of Nashville, Tennessee-based guitarist, bassist and vocalist Colin Butler, have just released their debut full-length album, a lesson in dexterity and devastation named Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, and that the final result goes beyond the boundaries of awesomeness. Featuring a classic artwork by American designer Justin Abraham (Apotheosys, A Loathing Requiem, Engulfed in Blackness), the album will appeal to fans of Spawn Of Possession, First Fragment, Archspire, Origin, Necrophagist, Deeds of Flesh, Decrepit Birth and tons of other Death Metal acts who unite the words “finesse” and “ravage” in the most electrifying and precise way imaginable.

Formed In 2015, Virulent Depravity might be a new name to many in the world of Death Metal, but its band members are far from being rookies in the fields of extreme music. The impressive musical abilities by Colin attracted the attention of well-known guitarist Malcolm Pugh (Inferi, A Loathing Requiem), who joined the band in 2016 on rhythm guitar and additional solos. Furthermore, the line-up is rounded out by Svart Crown drummer Kévin Paradis, whose incredible playing is the perfect foil to Colin and Malcolm’s dazzling performances, resulting in additional layers of complexity, speed and energy added to the already flammable music by Virulent Depravity, as you’ll be able to thoroughly enjoy in Fruit of the Poisoned Tree due to the album’s fantastic mixing and production.

Colin and Malcolm begin their technical shredding attack in the brutish but still very harmonious Serpentine Messiah, a perfect sample of modern Technical Death Metal where the beastly Kévin provides intricate beats and fills that complement all guitar and bass lines flawlessly, not to mention the sick guitar solo by guest musician Mark Hawkins. After such amazing start, how about a modernized and more metallic version of Cannibal Corpse, titled Spineless Obedience, a demolishing anthem tailored for slamming into the pit? The violent and fast growls by Colin effectively follow the song’s frantic riffs and beats, and once again it’s impressive how demented Kévin sounds with his beats. And their insanity in the form of extreme music goes on with another belligerent creation named Your Demise, where Colin and his bandmates deliver a precise fusion of fury and complexity, sounding more demonic than ever.

Blasting sheer violence through their riffs and solos, Colin and Malcolm have an outstanding performance in Desecrating Eden, while Kévin continues his maniacal onrush behind his drums (not to mention the song’s beyond technical ending), followed by the title-track Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, which not only maintains the intricacy at an absurdly high level, but it brings even more aggressiveness due to the amazing job done by Colin with his deranged gnarls and Kévin with his sick drumming. Put differently, no one can survive such apocalyptic tornado of Technical Death Metal. And guess what? In the next tune, named Bad Drug, they don’t waste a single second with intros or other shenanigans, firing pure Death Metal played to perfection, with its visceral lyrics complementing the song’s already vile musicality (“You’re so sick / You’re infecting the weak / You’re making excuses for all your mistakes / You waste of skin / You remind us all / No matter how high we become / We crash to the ground / You’ve had the devil inside you / You’ve been carrying scars for most of your life / Until finally you found a way to push it down”), also featuring an awesome guitar solo by guest musician Nick Padovani.

Colin definitely knows how to canalize all his hatred and wrath into his unstoppable growling as we can witness in Beyond the Point of No Return, an uproarious chant with progressive elements added to its musicality, in special to its extremely elaborate bass lines and vicious drumming. Then we have Only Human, where we face a calmer intro not seen in any of the previous songs. Although it takes a while for the music to take off, it fairly succeeds in keeping the album at a high level of violence; however, it doesn’t sound as exciting as all previous songs, even with its interesting progressive break and the great guitar oslo by guest musician Craig Peters. Back to a more demonic and rabid mode, Colin once again leads his horde growling like a beast in Mechanized Defilement, while Kévin adds so much intricacy to the musicality with his beats and fills it’s hard to explain in words. The song also features another kick-ass solo by another guest guitarist, this time Elijah Whitehead, resulting in a song that is excellent for some sick headbanging, slamming into the pit or simply enjoying its complex lines. Lastly, in Crushed by Futuristic Filth, we’re treated to a short atmospheric intro before all hell breaks loose in a majestic display of extreme music featuring absolutely mighty lyrics (“Sitting atop my throne of flesh and bone / My power is absolute / My subjects are waiting idly / Their silence is deafening / Embalmed in trash and kerosene / At once triumphant and disgusting”), obscure Latin chants by guest vocalist Nathan “Sounds” Bounds, a soulful guitar solo by guest musician Sims Cashion, a moody Jazz-ish break thanks to the keys by Jimmy Pitts, and a wonderful climatic ending on the piano also provided by Jimmy.

Why don’t you go to YouTube and take a very good listen at Fruit of the Poisoned Tree in its entirety? I’m sure you’ll get stunned by the precision with which Colin, Malcolm and Kévin blend melodious lines with total chaos. Then simply go to Facebook to start following such amazing band, and purchase the album at their BandCamp page, at The Artisan Era Records’ BandCamp or webstore (where you can choose between the regular CD or the special CD + T-shirt combo), on iTunes or on Amazon. Trust me, Technical Death Metal cannot get more complete and intense than this.

Best moments of the album: Serpentine Messiah, Fruit of the Poisoned Tree and Crushed by Futuristic Filth.

Worst moments of the album: Only Human.

Released in 2017 The Artisan Era Records

Track listing   
1. Serpentine Messiah 4:38
2. Spineless Obedience 4:01
3. Your Demise 4:02
4. Desecrating Eden 6:13
5. Fruit of the Poisoned Tree 4:01
6. Bad Drug 3:42
7. Beyond the Point of No Return 3:33
8. Only Human 7:48
9. Mechanized Defilement 6:05
10. Crushed by Futuristic Filth 7:41

Band members
Colin Butler – vocals, guitar, bass
Malcolm Pugh – lead & rhythm guitar
Kévin Paradis – drums

Guest musicians
Jimmy Pitts – keyboards on “Desecrating Eden” and “Crushed by Futuristic Filth”
Mark Hawkins – guitar solo on “Serpentine Messiah”
Nick Padovani – guitar solo on “Bad Drug”
Craig Peters – guitar solo on “Only Human”
Elijah Whitehead – guitar solo on “Mechanized Defilement”
Sims Cashion – guitar solo on “Crushed by Futuristic Filth”
Nathan “Sounds” Bounds – guest vocals and Latin chants on “Crushed by Futuristic Filth”

Album Review – Divine Element / Thaurachs Of Borsu (2017)

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In the hostile lands of Borsu, witness the passage of a soldier through various levels of consciousness about the reality of war, human society and the fabric of the cosmos itself, all embraced by the fury and epicness of Melodic Death and Black Metal.

A comeback that has been slowly brewing since a few years now. Formed in 2002 in the city of Athens, Greece, Melodic Death/Black Metal act Divine Element was the first band of Spectral Lore’s multi-instrumentalist Ayloss and vocalist Antonis, releasing their self-titled debut album back in 2010. After a hiatus of almost seven years, Divine Element are finally back with the stunning Thaurachs of Borsu, the first chapter in many future ones to come under a new and ambitious conceptual undertaking, the combination of metal with fantasy literature and world-making. Featuring a classy artwork by Chilean artist Matias Trabold Rehren, Thaurachs of Borsu is based on the same-titled novel written by Ayloss, which will be unveiled not long after the album release (to be followed by short stories from Antonis), set on a medieval fantasy universe envisioned by the band.

Thaurachs of Borsu chronicles the passage of a soldier through various levels of consciousness about the reality of war, human society and the fabric of the cosmos itself, as the gritty and daring warriors of his nation, Borsu, fight to regain their ancestral homeland from a much more powerful enemy. Musically speaking, the album ties together several styles of metal to serve the higher purpose of epic storytelling, albeit taking notice to never fall into the typical clichés of “soundtrack metal”, keeping an old-school approach mostly centered around Death and Black Metal of the heavy, melodic variety. Put differently, after hitting play you’ll find yourself wandering through the lands of Borsu, ready for battle and eager for some blood, banging your head nonstop to the majestic heavy music played by Antonis and Ayloss, with the precise and masterful support of German drummer Hannes Grossman (Alkaloid, Hannes Grossman, Shapeshift) to make their sound even more enthralling.

A Realignment With Destiny is a fantastic epic intro to the battle that’s about to come, the title-track Thaurachs Of Borsu, where Antonis and Ayloss begin their crushing onslaught in total sync with the Amon Amarth-inspired beats by Hannes. In other words, this is superb metal music, dense and profound, with all instruments filling all spaces with sheer aggression and might. In addition, how not to fall in love for those monumental lyrics (“The valley folk to the mountains’ slopes withdrew / Surrounded only by unwrought stone / The sea lords to the dry desert driven / Οswan roams frenzied in a soundless plain / Mestyr hangs discouraged with a rusting blade / And all hearts bellow in a silent wailing / A resignation to oblivion”)?

In Onto The Trail Of Betrayal, Antonis’ potent deep growls keep rumbling the earth while the instrumental pieces invest in a more Black Metal sonority. Moreover, the intricate beats by Hannes go along flawlessly with the cutting riffs by Ayloss, resulting in eight minutes of the best underground Melodic Death and Black Metal you can get anywhere, where they not only play superior music but the story being told is also a work-of-art. Then in Beyond This Sea we’re treated to a calm and melancholic start before the sound of the sea and the guitar lines blend in a beautiful manner, creating a potent atmosphere for the metallic sounds that are about to come. Adding elements of Blackened Doom and Folk Metal to their menacing Melodic Death Metal, the result couldn’t sound more imposing and appealing, with highlights to how vocals and guitar follow the exact same lines.

The movie-inspired bridge Interlude (The Point Of No Return) sounds even more majestic than the album’s intro, warming up your fighting soul for the crushing Call Of The Blade, a gripping fusion of the music played by Amon Amarth with traditional Folk Metal, with Antonis sounding like a beast on vocals, enhancing the impact of the song’s already powerful lyrics (“The land speaks to me in an alien tongue / Though my blood was born in these shores / What will I find, if I dig to unearth these roots / The echo of old thoughts faints quickly here / As the collective energy rises triumphant / Powered by the fiery will of a few”). Traitor’s Last Stand is another belligerent tune by Divine Element, showcasing almost eight minutes of heavier-than-hell riffs, electrifying passages and enlivening breaks. Furthermore, Hannes brings a high dosage of intricacy to the overall musicality with his drumming, while Antonis keeps telling the story with precision and passion through his anger-fueled growls. The last part of the song exhales epicness, gradually morphing into the cinematic outro Augury For A Shapeless Future, where the gorgeous sound of a rough ocean, together with the orchestrations in the background, make it the perfect climatic ending for the album.

No words can describe with the right amount of detail how amazing Thaurachs Of Borsu is, which is why I highly recommend you go take a listen at the album in its entirety HERE, and also visit the band’s official Facebook page for more information and their YouTube channel for more awesomeness in the form of heavy music. Also, there are several locations where you can purchase Thaurachs Of Borsu, such as Divine Element’s BandCamp, the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp or webstore, and the Season of Mist’s webstore, as well as on Amazon and at Discogs. And while we wait for the next chapter in the career of Divine Element, we have plenty to enjoy and absorb in this superb album where heavy music and a thrilling story-telling couldn’t be more connected, impactful and vibrant.

Best moments of the album: Thaurachs Of Borsu, Beyond This Sea and Call Of The Blade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing   
1. A Realignment With Destiny 2:13
2. Thaurachs Of Borsu 4:52
3. Onto The Trail Of Betrayal 7:45
4. Beyond This Sea 4:54
5. Interlude (The Point Of No Return) 1:30
6. Call Of The Blade 6:34
7. Traitor’s Last Stand 7:36
8. Augury For A Shapeless Future 2:39

Band members
Antonis – vocals
Ayloss – guitars, bass, synths

Guest musician
Hannes Grossman – drums (session)

Album Review – Eli van Pike / Welcome to My Dark Side (2017)

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Welcome to the dark and melodic world of Gothic Metal, Neue Deutsche Härte and Industrial Metal ruled by three outstanding musicians who will certainly fuel your inner passion for industrialized sounds.

Combining the best elements of Gothic Metal, Neue Deutsche Härte and Industrial Metal, creating their own identity and remaining true to a tougher musical line, German-American Industrial Metal entity Eli van Pike is releasing its debut album Welcome to My Dark Side, comprised of ten unique compositions with its lyrics being in both German and English, often representing a mirror of the abysses of the human psyche. Not only is this new project highly recommended for admirers of the music played by renowned acts such as Rammstein, Eisbrecher, Oomph! and Lindemann, but it’s also a very interesting option for newcomers who are always seeking for darker sounds with a strong melodic vein.

Formed in 2016 by German musician Thorsten Eligehausen (Schandpfahl, Cradle Of Haze) together with German multi-instrumentalist Marc Vanderberg (Devil May Care) and American singer Ken Pike (Firesphere), therefore the name Eli van Pike, composed of parts of the names of the band members, the project debuted in 2016 with the singles Even Heros Fall and Tears of War, getting in the focus of the Gothic and Industrial Metal scene. In 2017, after releasing an EP titled Herzschlag, it’s time for Thorsten and his crew to reach new heights with their debut full-length album, and I’m sure you’ll find yourself singing, dancing or simply banging your head to most of the songs of the album due to its high level of electricity and feeling.

And the eccentric Eli van Pike begin their industrialized attack on a high note with the Teutonic hymn Made in Germany, with the keys by Thorsten together with the brutal riffs by Marc forging a fierce and pleasant Industrial Metal sounding, also presenting a great balance between the clean vocals by Ken and the deeper growls by Thorsten. Herzschlag, or “heartbeat” in German, a powerful Neue Deutsche Härte hymn with the heaviness from guitars and drums being boosted by the song’s old school keyboards, transpires a Rammstein-inspired vibe, in special through the obscure vocals by Thorsten, but it’s in the next song that their metallic vein gets to a whole new level of insanity. Faster and crazier (but still very melodic), the thrilling 1-2-frei is pure Neue Deutsche Härte, with the addictive guitar lines by Marc being the icing on the cake of such industrialized hymn.

Although it’s hard to “accept” a ballad in an Industrial Metal album, World on Fire kind of works well: it might not the best ballad in the world, but its solid instrumental and decent lyrics make it a lot more enjoyable. Back to a much harder and more obscure sonority, Tears of War is exciting from start to finish, with the German words vocalized by Thorsten darkening the music even more while Marc keeps kicking ass with his riffs and Ken once again brings epicness to the overall result with his passionate vocals. Slowing down a bit, the band offers us One Last Rose, a fusion of Industrial Metal with 80’s Gothic Rock and Metal, hence presenting all the elements of a dark hit, with highlights to the song’s melodic vocals in sync with its piercing synths, followed by Peter, 41,  another industrialized composition that will rock the hell out of you. Moreover, Thorsten sounds simply amazing with his cryptic, deep voice, while Marc continues to add electricity and groove to the music with his strings.

The title-track Welcome to My Dark Side is a fantastic display of modern and fresh Neue Deutsche Härte, offering the listener heavy sounds mixed with gentle vocals and sharp keyboards, also showcasing a Dark Metal aura in the background the likes of Moonspell. After such amazing display of dark music, Eli van Pike’s blackened, mechanized attack goes on with a frantic creation entitled Amen, bringing forward three minutes of Stygian vocals by Thorsten supported by the slashing riffs by Marc. In other words, this is another one of their songs that will certainly put people to dance at an underground metal party. However, instead of closing the album with such magnificent tune, the trio ventures through the realms of acoustic ballads in Valentine’s Day, and let me be honest with you, in my humble opinion acoustic guitars should never be used in any Industrial Metal album under any circumstances. It’s not that the song is bad, but it’s completely disconnected from the rest of the album, sounding like filler in the end. Maybe with some electronic elements in the background this western-ish ballad could have been more enjoyable, or at least more in line with the concept behind Eli van Pike.

Anyway, despite this slight lapse of electricity, overall Welcome to My Dark Side is a damn good album taking into account the fact that the band has been together for just a short period of time. In case you want to know more about the project, go check their Facebook page and listen to their music on YouTube or Spotify, and buy Welcome to My Dark Side on BandCamp, at the darkSIGN-Records’ webstore, on iTunes, on Amazon or on Qobuz. And always remember, you’re welcome to join the dark side of Industrial Metal created by Eli van Pike any time, a project so compelling it will definitely fuel your inner passion for industrialized sounds.

Best moments of the album: 1-2-frei, Tears of War, Welcome to my Dark Side and Amen.

Worst moments of the album: World on Fire and Valentine’s Day.

Released in 2017 darkSIGN-Records

Track listing 
1. Made in Germany 4:10
2. Herzschlag 3:45
3. 1-2-frei 2:54
4. World on Fire 4:02
5. Tears of War 4:57
6. One Last Rose 3:40
7. Peter, 41 3:34
8. Welcome to My Dark Side 3:17
9. Amen 2:59
10. Valentine’s Day 2:28

Band members
Thorsten Eligehausen – vocals, keyboards
Marc Vanderberg – guitars, drum & bass programming
Ken Pike – vocals

Album Review – In a Testube / Immigration Anthems (2017)

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Embark on the alternative voyage proposed by four skillful musicians from Greece, full of contrasting and groovy sounds, modern day-inspired lyrics and an energetic attitude.

With live appearances in a multitude of festivals and cities across Greece, Greek Alternative Metal act In a Testube has already shared the stage in their career with influential artists of the local and international scene such as Devil Wears Prada, Rotting Christ, Jane Doe and Need. Fans have described the band’s music as an amalgam of different styles, approaching the soundscape of Korn, Nine Inch Nails, System Of a Down, A Perfect Circle, Alice in Chains and Gojira, with the occasional inclusion of experimental touches which fuse American alternative styles to the more melodic approach of European artists.

Hailing from the city of Thessaloníki, In a Testube were conceived as a group in 1999 by friends and producers Dennis Konstantinidis and Theo Arabatzis, who together recorded a demo during the summer of that same year. The band even built a studio for the recording and production of their debut album Eleven, which took place between May 2005 and January 2006. Now in 2017, with a solid lineup comprised of Dennis Konstantinidis on vocals and guitar, Panos Papadopoulos on guitar, Petros Kabanis on bass and Konstantinos Mentesidis on drums, In a Testube are releasing an entertaining album of fresh metal and rock music entitled Immigration Anthems, featuring a clever artwork designed by guitarist Panos himself (who’s also known as “PeeAy”) and nothing less than thirteen compositions full of alternative and groovy sounds, modern day-inspired lyrics and an energetic attitude by all band members.

“God made man in his own image.” It’s with these words that the band kicks off the opening track, entitled Believe, slowly building the music by adding element after element until it reaches its final rockin’ rhythm and electrified vibe, with Dennis bringing some rebelliousness to the musicality with his raspy vocals. Sounding more contemporary and alternative, In the End is a mid-tempo Rock N’ Roll composition where the bass lines by Petros and the steady beats by Konstantinos dictate the rhythm; followed by C.I.C.O., the acronym for “Change Is Coming On”, a song about the need to change the way we do everything (“Tell me one thing / what could get worse? / It feels like we are cursed / with this darkness in you / the more, the worse is for you / No one showed us the line / and we are screwed big time / with the things that we do / I feel I have to change”). It’s definitely darker and heavier than the previous tunes thanks to the metallic riffs by Dennis and his bandmate Panos, as well as the always sick low-tuned bass by Petros. And blending modern Hard Rock with alternative elements in the background like what bands such as Dommin usually do, Hey Lilly showcases a great job done by Dennis in his personal “talk” with a woman called Lilly.

In Cloc, one of the heaviest of all songs, we face metallic riffs spiced up with hints of progressiveness, sounding at times like Gojira and Mastodon, with Petros and Konstantinos kicking ass in the band’s “kitchen” while Dennis enhances his aggressiveness on vocals. The radio-friendly tune Limitless begins with an eerie narration before getting truly alternative and electrified, drawing influences from bands like Korn and Linkin Park, with highlights to the precise performance by Dennis on vocals; whereas in Together as Two a promising start suddenly flows into a generic formula that doesn’t know if it’s a ballad or an Alternative Rock song. In other words, its instrumental parts are relatively well-engendered, but the song never really takes off. However, in Lucky Thirteen we’re treated to an eccentric atmosphere and tons of alternative elements added to the musicality, and just like “Limitless” this is a song perfect for some radio exposure, with Konstantinos leading the rhythm with his groovy and potent beats.

This talented Greek quartet keeps delivering top-tier Alternative Rock and Metal through their precise beats and heavy but melodic guitars in Many Things (and after listening to it you’ll have to agree they’re a “hit machine”), but it’s when they get more metal like in Flying Away that they thrive even more. It’s another tune with hints of Progressive Metal, presenting amazing guitar and bass lines, as well as the once again kick-ass beats by Konstantinos. Digital Eyes is a slow-paced, dark creation by In a Testube with the bass by Petros sounding menacing, reminding me a little of some contemporary songs by Metallica in regards to its rhythm, therefore bringing a fresh taste to the album in special due to its beautiful ending. In Slipping Away, the longest and most progressive of all tracks, the band blends elements from Groove Metal and Alternative Rock in a solid way, going from smooth and modern passages to hardcore growls and potent riffs, not to mention Petros’ awesome bass punches and the song’s crazy and innovative last part, morphing into the outro Mythu, which nicely wraps up the musical journey offered by the band.

You can embark on the modern and alternative voyage proposed by In a Testube by following them on Facebook and listening to their music on YouTube or ReverbNation, and purchase Immigration Anthems (which can be enjoyed in full HERE) through the New Dream Records’ webshop, on iTunes or on Amazon. These guys love what they do, they love good music, and it’s just a matter of time until several radio stations not only in Greece but all over the world begin blasting their solid creations through our speakers, no doubt about that.

Best moments of the album: C.I.C.O., Cloc, Flying Away and Digital Eyes.

Worst moments of the album: Together as Two.

Released in 2017 New Dream Records

Track listing
1. Believe 3:30
2. In the End 3:31
3. C.I.C.O. 4:28
4. Hey Lilly 4:14
5. Cloc 5:52
6. Limitless 5:33
7. Together as Two 5:11
8. Lucky Thirteen 4:13
9. Many Things 4:02
10. Flying Away 4:30
11. Digital Eyes 5:48
12. Slipping Away 6:52
13. Mythu 3:30

Band members
Dennis Konstantinidis – vocals, guitar
Panos Papadopoulos – guitar
Petros Kabanis – bass
Konstantinos Mentesidis – drums 

Guest musician
Nikos Magnisalis – Kavali solo on “Digital Eyes”

Album Review – Stone Cadaver / Reject Remove Replace (2017)

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Proudly raising the flag of Stoner Metal high in their beautiful homeland, this Danish power trio delivers a catchy, raw and filthy album inspired by the amazing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal of the 70’s.

Old school proto-metal guitar and gritty, distorted bass combine with fat, organic drums to concoct an evil gumbo of dirty 70’s-inspired stoner riffs, topped off with a few pinches of catchy doom grooves that is bound to fill that empty hole in your stomach. If none of that makes sense to you, it’s because you don’t know Danish Stoner Rock/Metal power trio Stone Cadaver, a band formed in 2013 in the city of Aarhus, Denmark that’s all about heavy and groovy Stoner Metal set within a compositional framework inspired by the Hard Rock and early metal of the 1970’s. Mixing the likes of Pentagram, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Electric Wizard in their music, the power trio comprised of lead singer and guitarist Anders Bech Nielsen, bassist Andreas Slocinski and drummer Jesper Hauptmann Christensen has finally released their debut album, entitled Reject Remove Replace, an album that was, for all intents and purposes, recorded live in the studio, beautifully crystallizing the band’s raw and filthy sound.

As a whole, Reject Remove Replace comprises the band’s most focused material to date, as explained by Anders. “We have tried to create an album like in the old days. You know, one that you’ll want to listen to from beginning to end. In this regard, you could call it a concept album, the concept being a unified, musical whole.” Despite not being a regular concept album like what several other bands usually do, what Anders says about Reject Remove Replace somehow makes sense, because instead of telling the story of a battle, a specific moment in the history of mankind or a fantasy story based on a book, Stone Cadaver tell the story of the album itself through their music. And if not even after reading all this you have any idea of what Stone Cadaver are, simply listen to the music found in Reject Remove Replace and take your own conclusions about the band and their acid musicality.

The initial riff by Anders in the opening track, titled Sscum, sets the tone for the entire album, being sluggish, dirty and raw. It takes us on a journey back to the 70’s, with Jesper delivering precise heavy beats during the whole song, while its lyrics are as demented as possible (“Misguided cause / On a course to nowhere / The snapping jaws / Of a beast with walleyed stare / You wear the signs / Of genocide and minds’ decay / The six straight lines / You’re so eager to display”). In We Need Your Fucking Blood, Andreas begins smashing his bass mercilessly, emanating a rumbling metallic sound, before the music evolves to a potent blend of Stoner Metal and Rock N’ Roll also presenting soulful guitar solos and a thunderous atmosphere. Moreover, Anders not only kicks ass with his crude riffs, but he also thrives with his psychedelic vocal lines.

Suffer The Scorn brings forward more whimsical words by Stone Cadaver (“The problem is you seem to forget / That time is what you make of it / It’s possible to carve it up / And take command to an extent / But it’s not your fault / Life’s so tough, you can’t help it / To reverse the failure / All I have to do is break the mould”), enhanced by the song’s headbanging, pounding rhythm led by Jesper, while Anders and Andreas keep slashing their strings beautifully. Then we have the instrumental bridge Ruins In The Sand, where acoustic guitars and sharp bass lines warm up the listener for the rockin’ anthem Hands Of Death, with the power trio being simply on fire, blasting cutting riffs and solos, low-tuned bass punches and intricate beats nonstop. Furthermore, the level of acidity and progressiveness in this composition is way above average, with Stone Cadaver providing all that’s needed to break your fuckin’ neck into tiny pieces.

And they still have a lot of Rock N’ Roll fuel to burn, offering the listener more of their piercing Stoner Rock and Metal in Removal Of The Eye, showcasing a high-speed musicality led by Jesper and his unstoppable beats, while Anders and Andreas give a lesson in lunatic guitar and bass sounds. And lastly, Dead Horses (pts. I & II), the longest of all tracks, brings the spirit of a mighty horse inside it,sounding almost tribal at times, with its primeval aura together with the old school Stoner Rock by Stone Cadaver making the whole musical voyage even more interesting. As if the journey wasn’t already crazy enough, the song’s last two and a half minutes are simply a smooth, psychedelic amalgamation of bass and guitar sounds, taking the listener to a different dimension.

Not even the way Stone Cadaver name their instruments is ordinary. Anders is responsible for the “6-String Demonic Vocalizer”, Andreas Slocinski takes care of the “4-String Detuned Low-End Slaughter”, and Jesper is the man behind the “Tactical Assault Battery”, which connects to how crude and visceral their music sounds. If you like to explore the rough grounds of Stoner Metal, Stone Cadaver and their Reject Remove Replace are a highly recommended option, and you can get more details on the band through their Facebook page, listen to their music on YouTube or on Spotify, and grab your copy of the album through their BandCamp page, Record Heaven, Kicktrack Music Store, iTunes or Amazon. And then you might finally understand the purpose of the music by Stone Cadaver, who are definitely raising the flag of Stoner Metal and Rock high in their beautiful homeland.

Best moments of the album: We Need Your Fucking Blood, Hands Of Death and Removal Of The Eye.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 LongLife Records

Track listing
1. Sscum 5:37
2. We Need Your Fucking Blood 6:48
3. Suffer The Scorn 5:16
4. Ruins In The Sand 1:53
5. Hands Of Death 6:32
6. Removal Of The Eye 4:32
7. Dead Horses (pts. I & II) 8:45

Band members
Anders Bech Nielsen – vocals, guitar
Andreas Slocinski – bass
Jesper Hauptmann – drums

Album Review – Ghost Horizon / The Erotics of Disgust EP (2017)

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Four distinct compositions that will pierce into your mind and soul in a beautiful way, brought forth by a musician that definitely knows how to transform his deepest feelings into great music.

If you’re an admirer of the most obscure and melancholic forms of Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal, I have some very good news for you. Critically acclaimed Post-Black Metal act Ghost Horizon is back with a brand new EP, titled The Erotics of Disgust, a follow-up (but with a considerably different sounding) to the band’s previous EP Astral Possessions, released in 2016.  This time around, this Phoenix-based project consists of founder Dan Stollings on vocals and all stringed instruments, and newcomer “Frog” Magus (Norse) on drums, who together brought into being four distinct compositions that will pierce into your soul and crush your feelings in a beautiful way.

Dan commented that the EP “has been waiting in the darkness for quite a while now – it’s been completed for months. It’s been hard to let this EP into the world, because in a lot of ways, I’m sharing some pretty deep emotions that I would never talk about otherwise. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs in the process of its creation, and I think that’s reflected pretty heavily in the music. The decision to do the vocals myself was also a part of this realization that in order to portray exactly what I’m thinking, I need to use my own voice. Nothing on this album is perfect. I didn’t want it to be perfect. At first I went into writing with the mentality that this will be the best produced thing I’ve ever done, but after finishing the vocals, I realized this thing needs to be raw. And so it was.” After reading such powerful words by Dan, I’m sure you’re more than curious to listen to The Erotics of Disgust, but once again let me warn you that the music might be too dark for the average listener.

Radiant Eyes presents an introspective beginning for this new phase of Ghost Horizon, gradually morphing into a dark amalgamation of Blackened Doom and Post-Black Metal with hints of progressiveness enhancing the song’s depressive sonority. Moreover, “Frog” Magus does an amazing job on drums, maintaining the song’s dense rhythm flowing smoothly. In So Hollow, not only Dan surprises us with his clean vocals supported by a gentle ambience, but the song’s lyrics also prove that he’s definitely a skillful poet of darkness (“You can take it all / Everything we know / You can break it all / You chose a path I cannot follow / You left a heart in me so hollow / Changing skies above / Breaking hearts below / On again / True love / Off again / Bruised love”). This is modern and gripping Atmospheric Black Metal that brings at the same time peace and hopelessness to our hearts, making us eager for more of the music by Ghost Horizon.

Following a similar pattern to the previous song, This Forever Flow also presents delicate guitars and bass lines together with the Doom Metal-inspired beats by “Frog”, with its last piece getting heavier due to the harsh growls by Dan without losing its core subtlety. Besides, how not to get touched by its profound lyrics (“Fading from my heart is the will to be one / Fear in my words – last words to my love / Fire fading quickly, your lips have left me cold / The ending of a romance with the ending left untold”)? Lastly, featuring guitarist and composer Tyler Allen on guest vocals, Ghost Horizon deliver a full-bodied darkened composition bursting with anguish, despair and melancholy entitled Whispers, with its Black Metal riffs and blast beats bringing an extra dosage of obscurity to the overall musicality. In my humble opinion, it’s the best and most complete of the four songs of the EP, the type of music I would like to see Dan explore even more with his future releases.

In summary, although many people have a lot of difficulties to talk about their deepest feelings, it seems that Dan has simply mastered how to express his own feelings through the music by Ghost Horizon. However, you have to be very open-minded and absorb each second of The Erotics of Disgust in order to fully understand the whole message delivered by Dan this time, letting your mind and soul minutely merge with the music found on this fine album. And you can always get to know Ghost Horizon in more detail through their Facebook page and listen to their music on Spotify, as well as purchase your copy of The Erotics of Disgust on BandCamp, at the Tridroid Records’ webshop, on Cd Baby, on Amazon or on iTunes. The Erotics of Disgust is certainly not Dan’s last stint with his Ghost Horizon, which means there’s still a lot to come from such distinct act, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Best moments of the album: Whispers.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 Independent

Track listing
1. Radiant Eyes 4:11
2. So Hollow 4:05
3. This Forever Flow 5:01
4. Whispers 4:34

Band members
Dan Stollings – all stringed instruments, vocals
“Frog” Magus – drums

Guest musician
Tyler Allen – additional vocals on “Whispers”

Album Review – Dirty Machine / Discord (2017)

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Enjoy the debut album by a tenacious Nu Metal outfit that has all it takes to successfully spread their metallic and groovy wings all over the world.

Hailing from the rockin’ Los Angeles, California, a city that never sleeps, Nu Metal outfit Dirty Machine has been proudly carrying the flag of Alternative and Nu Metal since their inception in 2012, pulling major influences from bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, Linkin Park and Sevendust, having already shared the stage with renowned acts like Ghost, Sixx AM, Disturbed and Trivium. The band has quickly built a rabid underground following, especially in the Kansas City area due to getting regular airtime on the leading Kansas City rock station 98.9 The Rock and headlining the Jägermeister Stage at the 2016 Kansas City Rockfest.

Now in 2017 the band has joined forces with Zombie Shark Records to release their debut album, entitled Discord, featuring eight uproarious composition (plus three bonus songs) blending the most electrifying elements from Groove and Rap Metal that will inspire you to jump up and down and have a very good time with your friends. Moreover, Dirty Machine’s music is so cohesive and catchy that you’ll find yourself singing the songs along with the band and tapping on your desk even if you’re not a fan of Nu Metal at all, and that says a lot about a band that has all it takes to successfully spread their metallic and groovy wings all over the world.

Their modern fusion of the Nu Metal by Limp Bizkit and the Rap Metal by Bodycount is crystal clear from the very first second in the exciting title-track Discord, showcasing great sync between the aggressive rapper lines by lead singer David Leach and the clean vocals by guitarist and vocalist Darren Davis, as well as endless heaviness boosted by the song’s solid melody. The next tune, titled Seeds, is ready to be played on any radio station, where not even the harsher vocals by David make it too aggressive for some air time, while the guitars by Darren and his bandmate Arnold Quezada bring the right amount of fire to their musicality. And taking their pugnacity to a whole new level, Self Made Hero feels like an alternate version of Slipknot led by the song’s blazing guitars thoroughly blended with the wicked samples by DJ Ecusa. Put differently, this is one of those songs to keep jumping up and down nonstop during their live concerts.

Social Recoil is another excellent display of fresh and thrilling Nu Metal, with Mike Weekley smashing his drums while Arnold and Darren follow him with their crushing riffs, not to mention the insane amount of groove coming from the low-tuned, metallic bass by Nathan Young. Now, are you ready for a “fight” with DJ Ecusa? That’s what you’ll get in Ecusa’s Nightmare, a three-minute whimsical party full of weird noises and voices, with the rest of the band effectively supporting this talented DJ and his “stunts”; and connecting instantly with the wicked feast led by DJ Ecusa we have Built, bringing more of Dirty Machine’s Limp Bizkit-Korn-Sevendust-inspired sounding, where the duo David and Darren keeps delivering amazing vocal lines, powerfully complementing each other, while Nathan and Mike sound as thunderous as possible with their bass punches and beats, respectively.

Although C4 is as heavy and groovy as the rest of the album, for some reason it doesn’t click to me, with its vocal lines being a bit disconnected from the instrumental pieces. Not only that, the guitars don’t sound as inspired as in the rest of the album, which makes me agree with the funny message sent by David at the end of the song saying not-so-nice things about the song itself. Fortunately, everything gets back on track with Wonka, where the band sounds faster, crazier and heavier than ever. This is what Dirty Machine need to do to really pump us up, providing a balanced mix of heavy riffs from Alternative Metal and witty vocals from Rap Metal and Hardcore. Not only this is a wise choice to close the album, but the demented screams by Darren add a lot of anger to the overall result, turning it into one of my favorite compositions in Discord.

If you want to know more details about the music and career of Dirty Machine, go to their Facebook page and YouTube channel for an overdose of high-end Nu Metal, and you can also support this dirty sextet by purchasing Discord at the Zombie Shark Records’ BandCamp, on iTunes or on Amazon. As Dirty Machine are a very active band, who knows, you might even get them in action in LA or any other city in the United States blasting their Nu Metal in one of your visits to their homeland, and I bet you’ll get addicted to their catchy and groovy music without even noticing.

Best moments of the album: Discord, Seeds, Self Made Hero and Wonka.

Worst moments of the album: C4.

Released in 2017 Zombie Shark Records

Track listing
1. Discord 3:18
2. Seeds 4:15
3. Self Made Hero 3:22
4. Social Recoil 3:42
5. Ecusa’s Nightmare 2:55
6. Built 3:32
7. C4 2:45
8. Wonka 3:47

Bonus tracks
9. Refuse To Follow 3:46
10. Victory 3:47
11. J-Dead 3:58

Band members
David Leach (Dirty Davo) – vocals
Arnold Quezada (Hedge) – guitar
Darren Davis – guitar, vocals
Nathan Young (Youngblood) – bass, backing vocals
Mike Weekley (Nightmare) – drums
DJ Ecusa – turntables & samples

Album Review – Crucify the Faith / New Breed EP (2017)

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Enjoy this short and sweet display of excellent Deathcore, brought forth by a promising squad of young and restless metallers from Finland.

Combining several distinct genres of heavy music into their compositions, Helsinki-based five-piece Melodic Deathcore group Crucify the Faith has been making a name for themselves as one of the new faces of modern Metalcore in their homeland Finland since their inception in 2014, with their sound being compared to renowned acts such as Bullet For My Valentine, Avenged Sevenfold and Suicide Silence. For instance, after the release of the band’s debut single “The World is Mine” in 2015, the band won second place in Finland’s largest band competition named Emergenza Festival, and that was when the band members were still only 16-18 years old, to make things even more impressive.

Fast forward to 2017 and here we have Crucify the Faith delivering the world their debut EP entitled New Breed, fully recorded and produced by the band itself. With each band member having a different musical background, from Hip Hop to Deathcore, and adding their personal touch to the music, New Breed ends up displaying a very cohesive musicality full of melody, feeling and electricity, therefore representing the heart and soul of Crucify the Faith in great fashion. Of course the band still has a long way to go in their quest for fame and recognition, but based on the quality of the music found in New Breed I should say they couldn’t have started their journey in a better way.

The opening track Make It Through already offers the listener an explosion of Melodic Death Metal led by the intense riffs by Jermu Laine and Jere Kontiainen, while Aki Juvonen screams manically with all his strength. Furthermore, his clean vocals might not be as impactful as his growls, but they’re still effective and positive to the music, not to mention the additional female vocals by guest musician Roosa Ahonen which bring even more balance to the overall melody. In The Strong Will Survive we face more of the band’s melodic lines the likes of Arch Enemy, with its lyrics being a straightforward display of modern Melodic Death Metal (“And the sky above you will fall / Before I’ll give up my dream! / I wish you could see it all / See what I’m trying to reach for! / I will not let my pain break through, / I will stand through it all. / I wish you would stand beside me help me / Pay the price of the cause.”). In addition, drummer Valtteri Estola seems to truly enjoy slamming his drum set, while Jermu and Jere show they not only kick ass with their riffs, but their solos are also flammable as hell.

The title-track New Breed bursts with sheer heaviness and aggression, with high dosages of anger and hatred flowing from Aki’s growls, from its neck-breaking riffs and from its imposing atmosphere, while the calmer break halfway through it gives time for the listener to breathe before the band gets back with more metallic sounds. Despite its melancholic intro, This Generation Falls quickly morphs into more of the belligerent Deathcore by Crucify The Faith, with bassist Lauri Kurkela making sure the song’s background is as heavy and groovy as possible, consequently building the desired ambience for Aki to powerfully blast his demented growls. And in the last track of the EP, named Unreal, Aki invests into deeper growls, with the music being a frantic fusion of Melodic Death Metal and Metalcore. Furthermore, Valtteri and Lauri are on fire with their beats and rumbling strings, respectively, with the whole music matching perfectly the song’s lyrics about the war between science and religion inside our minds (“You created madness and desire. / You are the god that controls the fire. / And still you think, / That above I control and give the signs, / That are the work of your over developed mind.”).

Do you want to give a shot at the excellent Deathcore brought forth by this squad of young and restless metallers from Finland with their brand new EP? First, go to YouTube or to Spotify where you can listen to the full EP and get more familiar with the music by Crucify the Faith. Then visit their Facebook page and follow them to be the first to know about their projects and tour dates. And last but not least, buy their music on iTunes and show your honest support to another promising band from the usually cold but always as-metal-as-hell Republic of Finland.

Best moments of the album: The Strong Will Survive and New Breed.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Make It Through 5:19
2. The Strong Will Survive 4:33
3. New Breed 4:27
4. This Generation Falls 4:40
5. Unreal 4:02

Band members
Aki Juvonen – vocals
Jermu Laine – guitar
Jere Kontiainen – guitar
Lauri Kurkela – bass
Valtteri Estola – drums

Guest musician
Roosa Ahonen – additional female vocals on “Make It Through”

https://youtu.be/r9j9lGUtIVk

Album Review – Steel Panther / Lower the Bar (2017)

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The most depraved band in the world raises the bar once again with an ode to all the debauchery and joy of the golden age of Hard Rock, Glam and Heavy Metal.

After the considerable letdown that was All You Can Eat, released  by American Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band Steel Panther in 2014, I got a little worried about the future of one of the funniest metal acts in the history of music. Their jokes were not as good as before, their lyrics were way too repetitive, and there were no memorable anthems like in their previous albums. However, it seems that Michael Starr (vocals), Satchel (guitars), Lexxi Foxxx (bass) and Stix Zadinia (drums) have got their mojo back in Lower the Bar, their fourth major-label studio album and an ode to all the debauchery and joy of the golden age of Hair and Glam Metal.

Let’s be honest, after the first official video of the album was released exclusively on Pornhub, we knew Lower the Bar would bring back the good old Steel Panther we learned to love through the years. Musically speaking, the album kicks ass with its crisp production, enhancing even more the already potent impact of each instrument like a gigantic dildo would do to a young woman. Moreover, there’s a lot to enjoy in this album, from pure Hard Rock to a mellow ballad, from a Rock N’ Roll anthem to their personal tribute to a classic band from the 80’s, and so on. Put differently, it’s two in the pink, one in the stink, and Steel Panther blowing your speakers with the electricity flowing from Lower the Bar.

And Steel Panther blast great old school Glam Metal to kick off the party in Goin’ in the Backdoor, with Satchel delivering his always amazing riffs and solos while Michael Starr proves he’s by far one of the best singers in Hard Rock today, resulting in a solid musicality that lives up to the best songs of their career. The following song, Anything Goes, has all it takes to become a classic during their live concerts: its rhythm is perfect for headbanging, a beer and some tits at a rock n’ roll party, while its lyrics are absolutely mental (“Break out the tanks / Hand grenades / Minus Charlie Sheen / Cuz I don’t want AIDS”). Satchel, Lexxi and Stix definitely know how to generate pure Hard Rock, turning this into a fun rockin’ anthem for admirers of depraved music. In Poontang Boomerang, the song that had its official video debuted on Pornhub (which was in my opinion a fantastic idea), the music is pretty much a witty homage to Hard Rock icons Warrant, as it sounds a lot like their all-time hit “Cherry Pie”, but of course this one is nastier, sexier and more demented; whereas in That’s When You Came In we’re treated to an acoustic intro beautifully delivered by Michael and Satchel, slowly becoming one of those “romantic” and “touching” power ballads by Steel Panther, not to mention Satchel’s amazing solo before the song’s last piece.

My favorite song of the album, the fantastic Wrong Side of the Tracks (Out In Beverly Hills), is a blazin’ high-octane anthem highly recommended for your road trip playlist, with Michael kicking ass on vocals while Lexxi and Stix keep exhaling pure Rock N’ Roll with their bass lines and beats, which obviously means they have to play this awesome tune during their live concerts. Now the Fun Starts, a dark-ish low-tuned composition that kind of puts the listener in a trance, might be used to open their concerts, in special because there’s a lot going on in the lyrics that can be considered a warm-up for the show.  Getting back to their high voltage mode we have Pussy Ain’t Free, a modern and fresh Hard Rock tune with a Glam Metal twist and another top moment in Lower the Bar, with Satchel and Lexxi being on fire with their strings. And if you think the name of the song is already sexist, how about those lyrics (“Don’t need a certified public accountant / To run the numbers on my dick and balls / Don’t need to look at every Amex statement / Already know I’m getting charged for the booty calls”)? Anyway, Wasted Too Much Time might not be a bad song, musically speaking it’s quite fine and even reminds me of some Hard Rock classic ballads from the 80’s and 90’s, but it lacks that mighty punch from the rest of the album.

Mixing up the gripping Hard Rock by Scorpions and Motley Crüe with 80’s Pop Rock (in special its synths), I Got What You Want presents a very pleasant sonority with Michael having an amazing performance, supported  by the song’s old school backing vocals; whereas Walk of Shame ventures through the fields of American Country Rock with hints of Blues and obviously their kick-ass Glam Metal core. Stix dictates the rhythm with his groovy beats, while Michael sends a thoughtful message to all women (“No wonder then, every weekend is the same / Your vagina’s still eighteen / Baby, stand up tall and walk that walk of shame / That walk of shame / Go on, girl!”). And lastly, She’s Tight is their top-notch cover version of a summer-like hit, being heavier and more metallic than the original version and even featuring Robin Zander, lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the Rock N’ Roll band Cheap Trick, the band that recorded the original song back in the 80’s. I’m sure Robin is really happy with what Michael and the guys did not only with the music, but with the official video for it (by the way, Michael’s “Cheap Slut” shirt was a great tribute to Robin and his band).

In a nutshell, if you never get tired of Steel Panther’s sexist and dirty jokes, I’m sure you’ll love Lower the Bar, and album that does exactly the opposite of what its name says, raising the band’s bar once again in heavy music. In addition, there’s always new entertaining material on their YouTube channel, such as the one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime Lower the Bar Awards, which at least for me is already more important and honest than the Grammy Awards, don’t you agree? Anyway, you can buy some interesting Lower the Bar bundles at their official webstore, including one with a beer stein and one with a shirt. And no, there are no bundles with dildos, inflatable whores or anything like that. At least not yet.

Best moments of the album: Anything Goes, Wrong Side of the Tracks (Out In Beverly Hills) and Pussy Ain’t Free.

Worst moments of the album: Wasted Too Much Time.

Released in 2017 Kobalt Label Services

Track listing
1. Goin’ in the Backdoor 3:10
2. Anything Goes 3:01
3. Poontang Boomerang 3:22
4. That’s When You Came In 3:46
5. Wrong Side of the Tracks (Out In Beverly Hills) 3:07
6. Now the Fun Starts 3:43
7. Pussy Ain’t Free 3:56
8. Wasted Too Much Time 3:50
9. I Got What You Want 4:13
10. Walk of Shame 4:11
11. She’s Tight (Cheap Trick cover feat. Robin Zander) 2:54

Band members
Michael Starr – lead vocals
Satchel – lead, rhythm and acoustic guitars, backing vocals
Lexxi Foxxx – bass guitar, backing vocals
Stix Zadinia – drums, percussion, backing vocals

Guest musicians
Robin Zander – additional vocals on “She’s Tight”
Rudy Sarzo – bass on “Wrong Side of the Tracks (Out In Beverly Hills)”
Michael Catton – background vocals on “I Got What You Want”
Chris Catton – background vocals on “I Got What You Want”

Album Review – Mutank / W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. EP (2017)

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They have a lot of thrashing songs that have abbreviated titles, and they kick some serious ass with their old school music and hardcore attitude.

They have a lot of thrashing songs that have abbreviated titles on their menu, and all those songs will certainly put you to slam into the circle pit with their endless electricity and catchy melodies. I’m talking about Canadian Crossover/Trash Metal act Mutank, who have just released a new EP titled W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. (which according to the band means “We Have Alotta Thrash Songs That Have Abbreviated Titles”). Displaying a kick-ass old school cover art by Andrei Bouzikov (Holycide, Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch), W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. is not just a set of five amazing Crossover Thrash songs, but it’s also a follow-up to the band’s 2014 debut album M.E.C.H. METAL, which carved Mutank’s name in the Montreal Thrash scene and led them to play at Wacken Open Air that same year, as well as a taste of what’s to come as the band will have a full-length album to follow the EP later this year.

Inspired by Megadeth, Overkill, Iron Maiden, Municipal Waste, Mike Patton and the golden age of Thrash Metal, this Montreal-based quartet describes their sound as a “T-Rex skateboarding down a volcano”, which is exactly what you’ll find in W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. “Our upcoming EP W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. sort of started as a joke. I just thought it would be funny to force an acronym for ‘what’s that?’ and I came up with ‘We Have Alottta Thrash Songs That Have Abbreviate Titles’. From there we came up with the concept of an EP with a bunch of forced acronym titles. The EP itself was written somewhat conceptually with the individual songs being very short thrash songs that come together to make one longer progressive thrash track, which harkens back to the title since we don’t even know what it is! We have a ton of new material in the works as well, people can expect new stuff sooner rather than later!”

In the opening track, titled  L.I.F.E. (“Lament Infinity, Forlorn Eternity”), we’re treated to the sharp, thrilling guitar riffs and solos by Costa Skoulikas and Lee Whiskey in one minute of old school Thrash Metal, warming up the listener for I.D.I.O.T. (“I’ll Do It Over Tomorrow”), with its sick lyrics being nicely declaimed by lead singer and bassist Stephen Reynolds (“My brain’s a backed-up toilet / Can’t function cuz’ somebody soiled it / The posterior of prosperity / Thoughts too inbred to decongest / They’re unrelated so it can’t be incest / As I plunge into depravity”), whose rumbling bass also adds an extra kick to the song. Slam into the pit, have a beer with your buddies or simply bang your head nonstop to this uncompromised and electrified tune, before Mutank brings forth more shredding and thunderous bass lines for our avid ears in the faster and more hardcore mosh pit-generator P.O.P.U.L.O.U.S. (“Price Of Progress: Ugly Little Organisms Undermining Society”). This awesome composition sounds like the Thrash Metal played by Anthrax with Mutank’s own touch, turning it into the best track of the EP in my opinion.

F.O.G. (“Frailty Of Genius”) can be summarized as a minute and a half of pure madness led by the groovy beast by drummer Ahmed Daas and the inebriate vocals by Stephen, who once again sings the song’s old school demented lyrics with all his strength (“I walk around saying “It’s too late” / I know it ain’t / I guess that’s why I hold my breath under the water / ’til I come back up and drown in air”). And D.E.A.T.H. (“Divine Evaluation Awaits Thee Human”), the longest of all tracks, is also the one with the highest amount of complexity, showcasing thrashing guitars and a badass attitude, with Stephen and Ahmed sounding simply bestial with their bass and drums, respectively.

In ten minutes, Mutank slam more than several bands in their entire careers, and that says a lot about the overall quality of the music found in W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. You can get to know more about Mutank and their wicked acronyms and abbreviations at their Facebook page, listen to their high-voltage music on YouTube and on SoundCloud, and purchase W.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T. through their BandCamp page. I was trying to come up with a fun abbreviation to conclude this review, but you know what? Leave those to Mutank, as they definitely know how to condense words and, more important than that, amazing music into their short but extremely fun compositions.

Best moments of the album: I.D.I.O.T. and P.O.P.U.L.O.U.S.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 Boonsdale Records

Track listing
1. L.I.F.E. (Instrumental) 1:01
2. I.D.I.O.T. 2:06
3. P.O.P.U.L.O.U.S. 1:40
4. F.O.G. 1:33
5. D.E.A.T.H. 3:50

Band members
Stephen Reynolds – vocals, bass
Costa Skoulikas – guitar
Lee Whiskey – guitar
Ahmed Daas – drums