Category Archives: Album Reviews

Album Review – Vorna / Ei Valo Minua Seuraa (2015)

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A stunning expedition through the depths of human mind, crafted by proficient Finnish metallers whom no light follows.

Rating3

vorna_cover640As I stated earlier this year in the review for the self-titled debut album by Stoner/Progressive Metal band Sata Kaskelottia, and also in the review for the 2005 classic Metallitotuus, by Power Metal band Teräsbetoni, anytime I receive material from a band from the land of ice and snow that’s sung in their mother tongue I get quite excited about what I’m about to listen to. It couldn’t be any different with Finnish Black/Pagan Metal orchestra Vorna (named after a character from the Finnish folklore), who have just release their second full-length album, an incredible full-bodied expedition through the depths of human mind entitled Ei Valo Minua Seuraa (or “No Light Follows Me”, in English).

Dealing with themes like nature, myths and struggles of mind, this ascendant six-piece group formed in 2008 in Tampere, Finland are an exquisite treat for all fans of Black, Pagan and Folk Metal, and their new album will blow your mind no matter how much you love (or even hate) those subgenres of metal music. From its minimalistic and gorgeous artwork, designed by Jarno Lahti (KAAMOS Illustration & Design Studio), to its intricate passages and somber atmosphere, Ei Valo Minua Seuraa offers all metalheads a memorable feast of darkness, all spiced up by the uniqueness of the Finnish language, of course.

The name chosen for the album is already legitimated by its opening track, the pleasant and dark Harmaudesta (“Away from Grey”), where the orchestrations blend perfectly with the harsh vocals by Vesa Salovaara, while the obscure keyboard notes by Saku Myyryläinen, together with the precise drumming by Mikael Vanninen, boost the song’s impact significantly. In Jälkemme (“Heritage”), a sense of epicness emanates through its soaring ambience, inducing a strong feeling that the battle is about to begin. In addition to that, Arttu Järvisalo and Henri Lammintausta do an excellent job with their flaming guitars by adding elements of Black and Viking Metal to their riffs.

vorna_promophoto_2015Their symphony of darkness goes on with a fusion of Melodic Black Metal and the band’s core Pagan Metal in Itsetön (“Soul Shriven”), a hellish waltz flawlessly crafted by the entire band until everything morphs into a melancholic ending; whereas Sieluni Varjossa (“In the Nightside of Self”) presents a sharper sonority thanks to the beats by Mikael and to the solid and resonant bass lines by Niilo Könönen. Moreover, the second half of the song is pure obscurity, perfect for afflicting your soul before the serene Vaipunut (“Of Life Descended”) arises full of melancholy and sorrow. It’s almost like a Dark Metal ballad, very interesting and gripping, showcasing the band’s versatility and Vesa’s clean vocals, which sound as powerful as his guttural.

All that sorrow keeps flowing in the amazing Yksin (“Alone”), with Saku leading Vorna’s metallic orchestra while Arttu and Henri continue to darken the music with their riffs, turning this song not only into the best of all tracks but, more important than that, into a beautiful aria of solitude, fear and sadness. And Vorna lead the listener to one final fight in Hiljaiset Rauniot (“Silent Ruins”), an emotive and razor-sharp chant with an inspiring intro and atmospheric keyboards, and where you can feel death is imminent through both the growls and clean vocals by Vesa, efficiently ending such a distinct album.

This proficient Finnish orchestra can be reached at their official Facebook page and YouTube channel, and their Stygian concerto Ei Valo Minua Seuraa can be purchased through the Inverse Store, Record Shop X or CDON.COM. Indeed no light follows Vorna, but that doesn’t mean their music is dull or unreverberant. Quite the contrary, Ei Valo Minua Seuraa is doubtless one of the brightest releases of the year.

Best moments of the album: Jälkemme, Vaipunut and Yksin.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Harmaudesta 3:57
2. Jälkemme 7:37
3. Itsetön 8:07
4. Sieluni Varjossa 6:58
5. Vaipunut 3:47
6. Yksin 6:40
7. Hiljaiset Rauniot 8:48

Band members
Vesa Salovaara – vocals
Arttu Järvisalo – guitars
Henri Lammintausta – guitars
Niilo Könönen – bass
Saku Myyryläinen – keyboards
Mikael Vanninen – drums

Album Review – The Prophet / Dying (2015)

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A consistent and striking album full of hatred, suffering and death, by an up-and-coming Russian band that aims at redefining Melodic Death Metal.

Rating4

the prophet_dyingIf you look up in any dictionary for the definition of the word Dying, you’ll find a few different meanings such as “on the point of death”, “occurring at or connected with the time that someone dies” or even “gradually ceasing to exist or function; in decline and about to disappear”. However, from now on there should be a new definition added to that list referring to the brand new release by Siberian Melodic Death Metal band The Prophet, a consistent and striking album overflowing hatred, suffering and, obviously, death.

Dying is the third full-length album by this talented band formed in 2010 in the city of Tomsk, Russia (one of the oldest towns in Siberia), and it’s by far their most solid and professional one in terms of its overall production, quality of the compositions and connectivity among its nine hostile tracks. The album’s cadaverous artwork, designed by Armenian artist and multi-instrumentalist Mark Erskine (GraveDealer Studio), is just the icing on the cake, effectually complementing what the music by The Prophet proposes throughout the entire album.

Just a few seconds after their metallic cavalry arrives in the opening track Killers, The Prophet already start detonating their fast and furious Death Metal through the harsh screams by lead singer/guitarist Doctor and a high-octane rhythm brought forward by guitarist Jo-Sound, bassist Bathone and drummer Raziel, reminding me of the massacre that old school Arch Enemy used to present. The following track, On The Path, is perfect for banging your head like a maniac due to its Black Metal riffs and its darkened ambience, which is also present in Incantation Of Sorrow, with the slight difference that now it’s the drums that get closer to a Black Metal sonority.

Band-1Although Amid The Fogs Of Nothing has the most beautiful name of all songs in the album, it is just an instrumental tune that prepares the listener to “die” with the title-track, the heavy and crisp Dying. It’s yet another song with a strong Arch Enemy-ish vibe, or in other words, it’s very melodic and lethal at the same time, with highlights to the always desperate growls by Doctor and the razing riffs by both Doctor and Jo-Sound.

Relying on a truly unhappy and dark atmosphere, Let My Soul Out will not bring any joy or hope to your miserable life, especially due to the addition of elements from Blackened Doom and Doom Metal to its musicality; while Infection, a lot faster and more violent than most songs of the album, sounds as if Behemoth meet In Flames, therefore kicking you in the jugular without mercy. A Voice From Nowhere follows a similar pattern, offering sheer brutality and nonstop beats that morph into an eerie ending, whereas Bathone and Raziel guide the funereal Last Mourning Waltz, with its guitars acting like one last scream of agony before a sinister piano concludes the band’s journey to the other side.

There are many ways you can join The Prophet on their road to death and doom, including their  official Facebook page, VKontakte, YouTube and SoundCloud. And in case you want to purchase Dying, you can find it for sale at their BandCamp page or at the Russian label Musica Production’s page on eBay. Now all that’s left to do is adding the suggested new definition of “dying” to the dictionary, especially because the words “dying” or “death” have never made more sense in Melodic Death Metal than through the music by The Prophet.

Best moments of the album: Killers, Dying and Infection.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Musica Production

Track listing
1. Killers 3:23
2. On The Path 4:14
3.Incantation Of Sorrow 3:31
4. Amid The Fogs Of Nothing 2:05
5. Dying 4:05
6. Let My Soul Out 5:25
7. Infection 3:43
8. A Voice From Nowhere 2:52
9. Last Mourning Waltz 4:48

Band members
Doctor – vocals, guitars
Jo-Sound – guitars
Bathone – bass
Raziel – drums

Album Review – Dendritic Arbor / Sentient Village // Obsolescent Garden EP (2015)

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Follow the exploratory path of madness by a talented five-piece band whose main objective is to provide us distinct extreme music from multiple perspectives.

Rating5

“Different music from multiple perspectives.”

Dendriticarbor_Svog_cover-page-001If you visit the official Facebook page by American Progressive Black Metal quintet Dendritic Arbor, that’s the short and sweet description you’ll find about the eccentric music by this band hailing from the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, and let me tell you there couldn’t be better words to describe their challenging and lunatic creations and experimentations. I myself consider labeling them as “just” a Progressive Black Metal band a limitation to their unique scope and creativity,  but that’s something I’ll leave up to you to decide after you take a listen at their brand new EP entitled Sentient Village // Obsolescent Garden.

Formed in 2012, the band composed of Maxwell Beehner (guitars, vocals), Adam Henderson (guitars, vocals), Thomas Bittner (bass), Chris McCune (drums) and Kyle Lambert (responsible for the “noise”, or whatever that’s supposed to mean) is on a hot streak since their inception, releasing high-quality extreme music no matter if it’s just a single, a full-length album or an EP like Sentient Village // Obsolescent Garden. Featuring a more-than-unusual album art designed by Hannah MacAulay and Maxwell Beehner (Ageless Christian Records), this avant-garde four-track album will demolish you like a wrecking ball in its 20 minutes of psychedelic rage.

The weird noises in the beginning of Cotard Delusion (a rare mental illness in which an afflicted person holds the delusion that they are dead, either figuratively or literally) might deceive you a bit, making you think the music by Dendritic Arbor is not as heavy as promised, but as soon as the sonic carnage arises with an explosion of blast beats, absurdly demented guitar riffs and disgruntled howls and barks by both Maxwell and Adam, sounding like there’s a horde of hideous trolls making noises behind the band, you’ll realize these guys are not fooling around. However, things get even more demonic (and therefore better) in Failed Manifestations, a top-notch mix of Black, Death and Thrash Metal, all at once in a powergrinding turmoil, not to mention the “trolls” who keep vociferating their evil spell against mankind. In other words, it’s a complex, progressive and totally destructive nightmare for the faint of heart.

Dendritic Arbor band pictureKeratoconus, which by the way is the name of a degenerative disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than the more normal gradual curve, offers the listener brutal slamming Black Metal with no shenanigans, with drummer Chris McCune simply crushing everything with his inhuman beats. And what the hell are those wicked lyrics about (“Ruby moonlight harvesting the growth. / golden fishbone, lodged into the throat. / guess whose eating from the trash again?”)? Anyway, Latex, the most progressive of the four tracks, is an eldritch canticle forged in the pits of hell, where the whole band focuses all their strength and vileness to generate an idiosyncratic sonority until it becomes just a fading eerie noise to put an end to the album.

In a nutshell, Dendritic Arbor are not among us to provide us relaxing or charming songs, but a disquieting tsunami of Extreme Metal aiming at your ill-fated soul and your filthy heart. And with Sentient Village // Obsolescent Garden, available at their BandCamp page, they continue their exploratory path of madness that will send to your ears, as aforementioned, distinct heavy music from multiple perspectives.

Best moments of the album: Failed Manifestations.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Cotard Delusion 3:44
2. Failed Manifestations 3:25
3. Keratoconus 6:08
4. Latex 7.37

Band members
Maxwell Beehner – guitars, vocals
Adam Henderson – guitars, vocals
Thomas Bittner – bass
Chris McCune – drums
Kyle Lambert – noise

Album Review – Nachtlieder / The Female Of The Species (2015)

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The Swedish Valkyrie of Black Metal returns with her aggressive night songs to tell us the spiteful story of Eve, the female of the species.

Rating5

IVR048_NACHTLIEDER_The_Female_Of_The_Species_1500pxThere couldn’t be a more suitable name than Nachtlieder for the Black Metal storm spearheaded by the skillful Swedish multi-instrumentalist Dagny Susanne. Nachtlieder is German for “night songs” or “songs of the night”, an epitome of the music found in The Female Of The Species, which is not only the brand new release by this talented Valkyrie from Gothenburg, Sweden, but also a concept album that will tell you the resentful story about Eve, the female of the species.

Unleashing her fury upon mankind since 2008, our female warrior has clearly expanded her horizons and aggressiveness from their debut album in 2013, evolving from feelings of desolation, loneliness and misanthropy to a much bolder and controversial theme. “The Garden of Eden is decaying,” she says, “and Eve’s sudden revelation of desolation and mortality has grown into spite. Stepping barefoot in the soil, she finds her path under the frozen leaves.”

In Malice, Come Closer, an incandescent Black Metal aria with hints of Atmospheric Doom, Dagny proves within less than two minutes how powerful women can sound in extreme music by offering the listener stunning sinister growls and sharp guitar riffs. And sounding even heavier and darker, Nightfall disseminates a sense of sorrow and despair that darkly reeks in the air, with lyrics that couldn’t be more Black Metal (“Stillness, sinister, crystal clear awakening / Open hands in a wordless prayer / A chilling pulse violently beating within / The silent horizon”) and a precise drumming by Martrum (by the way, drums are the only instrument not played by Dagny in the entire album).

IMG_3658-1Including elements of Doom Metal and Blackened Doom, which end up making it sound more obscure than raw Black Metal, Fatale keeps the album at a good level of quality, with highlights to its mesmerizing and diabolical riff; and if you enjoy faster and more extreme metal music, the amazing Lonely Mortal, a very well-crafted chant where Dagny shines brighter than a lonely star on a deadly winter night, will satisfy your most devilish cravings. Then, Eve gets back to a doom-ish sonority, a nefarious song with stronger keyboard notes by Dagny while the beats by Martrum get a lot more rhythmic.

You’ll need only a few seconds to know Silence And Devastation is going to be a blast of old school Black Metal from start to finish, not to mention how interesting it is to notice the way Dagny blends riffs and keyboards into one unique “entity”. Following all that heaviness we have the somber Cimmerian Child, with its grim rhythm and low-tuned riffs. Moreover, as “Cimmerian” relates to members of a mythical people who lived in perpetual mist and darkness near the land of the dead, the lyrics in this tune are spot-on to depict the result of their inbreeding (“Follow a path toward the light / Through the dense dark forest / Pretty little one / Brush the thorns from your cloak”). At long last, the album wouldn’t be complete without its title-track The Female Of The Species, closing the album in the most obscure and violent way possible. This is not only a thrilling 8-minute Black Metal opus, but also an excellent display of what our multi-instrumentalist diva of darkness is capable of and the direction her music might probably follow in her future releases.

In short, although The Female Of The Species might be considered by many as a raw Black Metal album, there’s a lot more than that offered by Nachtlieder both musically and thematically speaking. In case you want to know more about the Swedish Valkyrie of Black Metal and her distinct music, she can be reached directly via her Facebook page, and if you’re eager to relish the vindictive story told by Dagney in The Female Of The Species through her rampant and enthralling songs of the night, you can find it for sale at her official BandCamp page, as well as at the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page or official webshop.

Best moments of the album: Nightfall and Lonely Mortal.

Worst moments of the album: Fatale.

Released in 2015 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Malice, Come Closer 4:20
2. Nightfall 4:34
3. Fatale 4:14
4. Lonely Mortal 4:39
5. Eve 5:16
6. Silence And Devastation 3:58
7. Cimmerian Child 4:34
8. The Female Of The Species 8:25

Band members
Dagny Susanne – vocals, all instruments
Martrum – drums

Album Review – Bouquet of Dead Crows / Of The Night (2015)

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Take a good listen at this classy rock album by a very talented British quartet and you might be able to understand what a “bouquet of dead crows” is all about.

Rating5

bodc_of the nightAlthough it might be a bit tough for most of us to imagine how a “bouquet of dead crows” would look like, a group of talented rockers hailing from Cambridge, UK can definitely help us in turning this difficult task into a pleasant Rock N’ Roll party, especially if you’re a fan of female-fronted bands. This is what you’ll find in the smooth and trenchant Of The Night, the brand new album by British Alternative Rock/Metal act Bouquet of Dead Crows.

Formed in 2013, Bouquet of Dead Crows truly know how to combine big riffs with big melodies, presenting a sequence of very consistent and rousing compositions led by lead singer Antoinette Cooper and guitarist Neil Bruce. Featuring an exquisite artwork by Stewart Harris Designs, Of The Night is perfect for a day on the road by yourself or with your significant other, a relaxing Sunday afternoon or any other situation where you need to soothe your spirit without giving up the electricity we all love in Pop Rock.

Instruments begin to arise from an acoustic intro in the opening track Everything Is Temporary until the beautiful voice by Antoinette Cooper fills your ears with passion and melancholy, followed by Epicentre, showcasing strong bass lines by Graeme Clarke and heavier guitar riffs by Neil to counterbalance with Antoinette’s voice. In other words, this nice tune proves how romantic and metallic the band can sound at the same time, which is also valid for Just A Little More, another great display of Alternative Rock/Metal with some progressive elements added to boost its pleasant rhythm. When this song is over, I’m sure you’ll be eager for more of it.

Graeme kicks off Without You with his resonant bass before it becomes a gentle ballad, focused on its touching lyrics about what true love is (“Hold me close, don’t let me go, because I just can’t go on without you…”). In my humble opinion, this charming song has all it takes to become a radio hit, it’s just a matter of it getting in the hands of the right people. The next song, Drownout, which by the way is another excellent choice for a rock n’ roll radio playlist, provides some “mystery” to the listener due to its elaborate bass lines and guitar solo, including a thoughtful chorus perfect for singing along with the band in a moment of reflection (“Rising up through the current / Must break free / Peaceful water laps at our skin / Letting us be”).

bodc_live 2015Then we have The Fundamental Flaw Of Solitude, a modern Rock N’ Roll chant with hints of Blues Rock and electric performances by Antoinette and Neil; and The Silent Path (Time Goes By), a minimalist but very effective song tailored for lovers of ballads with Folk Rock influences. And adding a good amount of horsepower to their musicality, Bouquet of Dead Crows fire pure Rock N’ Roll the way we love in Don’t Panic!, with the whole band providing Antoinette what’s needed for her to shine and turn this into one of the best songs of the album (if not the best), not to mention another great guitar solo by Neil.

Before Of The Night is over (and showing how well they master the art of switching between high-octane rock music and beautiful ballads), this talented British quartet still delivers the touching Like A Flower, with its poetic lyrics flawlessly declaimed by Antoinette (“The shadows fall away / Lost in the tranquility of the night / The sun warms the face / Tilted up like a flower / Sending the angst astray”), and Endless, a 7-minute rock journey with awesome guitar lines by Neil and another charge of catchy lyrics to sing together with the band, until it reaches its end on a high note.

In case alternative rock music is your cup of tea, you can get in touch with Bouquet of Dead Crows through their Facebook page, and obviously listen to Of The Night and purchase it at the official German Shepherd Records BandCamp page. Perhaps after taking a good listen to the entire album, all by yourself or together with someone you love, you might be able to create a good depiction of a “bouquet of dead crows” inside your mind to the sound of this classy rock band from the UK.

Best moments of the album: Drownout, Don’t Panic! and Like A Flower.

Worst moments of the album: Everything Is Temporary.

Released in 2015 German Shepherd Records

Track listing
1. Everything Is Temporary 3:29
2. Epicentre 3:08
3. Just A Little More 2:56
4. Without You 4:44
5. Drownout 3:47
6. The Fundamental Flaw Of Solitude 4:06
7. The Silent Path (Time Goes By) 2:51
8. Don’t Panic! 3:02
9. Like A Flower 3:50
10. Endless 7:04

Band members
Antoinette Cooper – vocals
Neil Bruce – guitars, ukulele
Graeme Clarke – bass, acoustic guitar
Andrew Coxall – drums, percussion, programming

Album Review – Novallo / Novallo II EP (2015)

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A wicked fusion of metal, rock, pop, electronic, jazz and tons of other contrasting genres, crafted by a talented and promising American band.

Rating4

cover artRanging from the delightful turmoil brought forth by Progressive Metal to the catchy tunes from modern Pop/Rock, the vibrant experimentations by American Alternative/Experimental Metal band Novallo will definitely hit you like a bullet train at full speed and put you to dance, bang your head or simply move your body in any unconventional way you might enjoy. And let me tell you that such a weird sounding ends up making the task of putting a label to Novallo extremely hard. I personally can’t say if they’re a pop version of Dream Theater or a heavier version of Justin Timberlake, if not both at the same time.

Founded in the city of Columbus, Ohio (the 15th largest city in the United States) in 2006, Novallo released their self-titled debut EP in 2012, earning them some considerable recognition and appreciation by a growing fan base, as well as a spot on the 2015 edition of the Rock on the Range festival (as the only unsigned band on the bill, by the way), playing on May 16 alongside renowned acts such as  Saxon, Ministry, Babymetal, Godsmack, In Flames and Judas Priest. Now, after beginning to solidify their path to stardom, they’re back with a brand new EP entitled Novallo II, another wicked fusion of unlike music genres crafted by these talented and professional musicians.

How crazy, electronic and innovative can an intro be? Take a listen at Wake and you’ll see, right before Betty Phage Goes to Bronxton offers you a  unique mix of Alternative and Progressive Metal with hints of Jazz and electronic music. Put differently, it’s a very fun tune that’s appealing and complex all at once, something not so common in music nowadays. Drummer Nick Salvatore kicks ass behind his drum set hands down, which is also the case in the even more electronic I AM, a well-crafted rock-ish version of dance music where it’s pretty easy to notice their influences from the King of Pop Michael Jackson.

novalloA lot heavier than all other tracks from the EP, Sideways Bird nicely blends elements from Groove Metal with Alternative Rock. Besides, I dare you to try to make any sense out of the song’s loco lyrics (“First ride hitched on a glitch – am I coming or going? / Insanity photographed consciousness flowing. / Discount tricks shaped like bits from the back corner store man. / Liquid crime – amplified to extract and delete even more.”). In contrast, Give Gravity a Choice is significantly smoother and more progressive, with its calm passages and stronger soundings creating together a relaxing environment enhanced by the solid vocals by Sam Gitiban, who provides the song all the necessary energy and balance.

Showcasing freakish electronic effects that sound like something you would find in a Mario Bros. videogame, White Phoenix keeps the madness rolling thanks to the sick riffs by Gino Bambino and the precise breaks by Nick Salvatore, not to mention the brilliant work done by Brandon Johnson with his metallic bass lines. And although the movie-ish outro Sleep might put an end to the album, we all know the band is just starting their promising journey through the world of eccentric music.

To sum up, what Novallo has to offer in Novallo II, available at their BandCamp page (or you can take a peek at what the band can do at their YouTube channel, if you prefer), is indeed unique, or maybe I should say substantially distinct when compared to almost any other band or artist you can think of. Their music will most probably suit you no matter if you’re one of those orthodox fans of Progressive Metal that looks down on anything that doesn’t contain a billion intricate notes and riffs, or if you don’t give a shit about complexity as long as you can feed your inner dancer with the music. In other words, whilst you have a craving for a special type of music, Novallo definitely have the righteous tunes to fulfill all your needs.

Best moments of the album: Betty Phage Goes to Bronxton and Sideways Bird.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Wake 0:29
2. Betty Phage Goes to Bronxton 3:07
3. I AM 3:35
4. Sideways Bird 3:35
5. Give Gravity a Choice 5:18
6. White Phoenix 4:21
7. Sleep 1:05

Band members
Sam Gitiban – vocals
Gino Bambino – guitar
Brandon Johnson – bass
Nick Salvatore – drums, percussion

Album Review – Mastication Of Brutality Uncontrolled / Preemptive Space Warfare (2015)

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Do you have what it takes to survive a flesh ripping Brutal Death Metal Slam Alien Apocalypse attack?

Rating5

MOBU -Preemptive Space WarfareAre you ready for a flesh ripping Brutal Death Metal Slam Alien Apocalypse attack? Well, at least that’s how German/Swiss Technical Slamming Death Metal band Mastication Of Brutality Uncontrolled, also known as M.O.B.U., define the sonic dementia found in their debut full-length album, entitled Preemptive Space Warfare, and they’re not kidding when they say their music will rip your flesh off so bestial it is.

Formed in 2007 as a side project by members of other brutal slamming bands from Germany such as Incesticide and Provocation, this Death Metal steamroller became a full-bodied band by the end of 2009, reaching their apex of devastation now in 2015 with Preemptive Space Warfare, curiously and properly released this Halloween to haunt the souls of those who don’t have the required dexterity or competence to see beauty behind all the cruelty disgorged through the band’s merciless instruments.

Preemptive Space Warfare is probably one of the coolest intros I’ve ever heard in my life, where M.O.B.U. courteously give us around two minutes for stretching our muscles before their psychotic slamming extravaganza takes off, starting with the visceral Mother Earth Abortion, an extremely technical and noisy tune. I truly love how poetic the lyrics in Brutal Death Metal are and how easy it is to follow them, especially when they sound just like “beeh beeh beeh beeh beeeeeh” almost all the time. Of course, that wouldn’t be possible without the deep growls by lead singer Manuel, one of the main catalysts of their musical holocaust.

MOBU Bandpic_300dpiIn the also calamitous Brutal Laser Devastation, drummer Basti M. sounds like a machine gun while Manuel keeps grunting like a wild boar being dissected alive, not to mention how cool the riffs by guitarist Flo are. Then we have Milkstreet Mass Collision, a brutal Death Metal onslaught with some amazing riffs that remind me of old school Cannibal Corpse, and Life-Form Adoption, which confirms this is kind of a “concept” album as all songs are about alien invasions and the outer space (although I don’t think you will care about that as soon as you start being smashed inside the sick circle-pits generated by this song). And Human Resources keeps slamming nonstop, with highlights to its killer drums guiding the seismic activity caused by the band.

Manuel takes a quick break to recharge his snarling while the rest of the band displays their skills in the instrumental Prophecy Of The Apocalypse (Interlude), and as soon as the demolishing chant Orbital Corpses begins, showcasing great synchronicity between its heavy riffs and brutal beats, you can have a pretty good idea of all the bruises you might get all over your body during one of their concerts if this song is played live. Infrastructure Destruction, a high-octane tribute to Death Metal, offers the listener the band’s unique vomiting growls and harmful beats, turning this sick chant into a nightmare for the faint-hearted, but it’s in New Space Order that M.O.B.U. go above and beyond. How can a brutal slamming band like this have a 7-minute song in their repertoire? The only thing I can say about this song is that it’s the end of the world in the form of music.

Now that you have a better understanding of what a “flesh ripping Brutal Death Metal Slam Alien Apocalypse attack” is, go show your support for M.O.B.U. at their Facebook page, and of course purchase the unrelenting Preemptive Space Warfare at the Rotten Roll Rex BandCamp page or webstore, as well as on eBay. And if you’re not convinced yet of the disturbing firepower spawned by the music by M.O.B.U., or if you think you can easily survive their slamming assault, simply take a quick listen at the album teaser and be prepared to have your mind brutally swarmed with alien swine fluids.

Best moments of the album: Mother Earth Abortion, Brutal Laser Devastation and Infrastructure Destruction.

Worst moments of the album: Milkstreet Mass Collision.

Released in 2015 Rotten Roll Rex

Track listing
1. Preemptive Space Warfare 2:10
2. Mother Earth Abortion 3:36
3. Brutal Laser Devastation 3:04
4. Milkstreet Mass Collision 2:04
5. Life-Form Adoption 3:48
6. Human Resources 4:16
7. Prophecy Of The Apocalypse (Interlude) 1:45
8. Orbital Corpses 2:22
9. Infrastructure Destruction 3:32
10. New Space Order 7:42

Band members
Manuel – vocals
Flo – guitars
Basti S. – bass
Basti M. – drums

Album Review – Serpents Lair / Circumambulating the Stillborn (2015)

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If you’re one of those black metallers who can only live in darkness to survive the downfall of our putrescent society, this album is for you.

Rating4

serpents lair coverLet’s keep the streak of darkness alive and burning at The Headbanging Moose with yet another nefarious, caustic and sulphurous Black Metal brigade, this time hailing from the blazing fires of Sjælland, a large island that’s part of Denmark and that’s home to the capital Copenhagen and to the city of Roskilde, among other smaller towns and villages. The band in question is called Serpents Lair, and they’re bringing forth their debut full-length album entitled Circumambulating the Stillborn, a series of dissonant and kaleidoscopic Black Metal hymns tailored for diehard metallers who chose darkness as their sanctuary.

Formed in 2013, Serpents Lair already took the underworld of metal music by storm in 2014, when they released their demo named MMXIV. What was already evil in that demo became even more heinous in Circumambulating the Stillborn due not only to the refined production of the new album, which can also be seen on the amazing cover art by Misanthropic-Art Illustrations, but mainly to the advancements in their compositions, putting together a classic Black Metal sonority with the heartache and sorrow of Doom Metal and Blackened Doom.

What starts like an aria at the house of worship, named by the band as Epipháneia, suddenly becomes a Black Metal attack entitled Epistemology of Death, sounding cleaner than usual but still putrid and devilish. This 9-minute opus, which was one of their demo tracks, offers the listener winged riffs and beats interspersed with obscure and sluggish passages, always blustering those desperate growls and howls of dark music.

serpents lair photoThe title-track, Circumambulating the Stillborn, an old school Black Metal tune with piercing riffs and unholy lyrics (“We salute thee harbingers of the end of man / Oh ye true nihilists, bringer of empty chalices / For thou shalt be the error correcting itself / As thouest thirst to death / In denial of the nothing you bring”), sounds diabolically mesmerizing especially when it slows down; while Mortui Vivos Docent presents an ominous and ritualistic intro before morphing into a profane mass, displaying a demonic musicality with aggressive vocals and fiendish riffs. Furthermore, it never gets too heavy or too fast, just vile enough to disturb our minds from start to finish.

If you thought things couldn’t get more doomed, Serpents Lair bring you an outstanding ode to torment named The Serpentine Gnosis. It is Blackened Doom breathing sulfur from the pits of hell, with its killer drumming and possessed roars only making things even more gripping. And after an eerie instrumental tune named Dwelling on the Threshold to Tartarus, the band burns our souls with the amazing Devouring Wrathe, an ancient form of Black Metal with the album’s high-end production intensifying its blasphemous words (“Spare no praying man, / As he is not of glorious potential / Invite the odious omnipotence / To descend with divine purpose / Let it revelate itself / Upon the congregations of so called righteousness”), its relentless riffs and a morbid feeling of hopelessness to close the album.

In summary, the doomed Black Metal crafted by Serpents Lair at their unhallowed den undoubtedly deserves a shot, in special if you’re one of those metallers who can only live in darkness to survive the downfall of our putrescent society. With that said, you can listen to their music on their YouTube channel, and find Circumambulating the Stillborn for sale at their BandCamp page, at the Fallen Empire Records webstore (US) or at the Duplicate Records webstore (Europe). Just go for it if you have the guts.

Best moments of the album: Circumambulating the Stillborn and The Serpentine Gnosis.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Hellthrasher Productions/Fallen Empire Records/Duplicate Records

Track listing
1. Epipháneia 1:30
2. Epistemology of Death 9:22
3. Circumambulating the Stillborn 5:17
4. Mortui Vivos Docent 8:30
5. The Serpentine Gnosis 8:57
6. Dwelling on the Threshold to Tartarus 2:55
7. Devouring Wrathe 7:04

Band members
*Information not available*

Album Review – Kult Mogił / Anxiety Never Descending (2015)

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1

Surrender to all the darkness and derangement bred by this very talented Eastern European cult of graves, one that will definitely not make dying any easier for you.

Rating4

Kult Mogil album cover finalEstablished in October 2014 in the city of Tarnów, Poland (around 300km south of the capital Warsaw), Blackened Death Metal miscreants Kult Mogił are making a significant impact on the Polish metal scene with their idiosyncratic synthesis of all things evil, dark and disturbing into their compositions, provoking the rise of a cult that will surely grow in the coming years. And that cult makes total sense as per the band’s name, which according to Kult Mogił themselves means “cult of graves”, or a “burial place with or without tombstones”.

After the release of their first demo K+M+B in the beginning of 2015, which generated a lot of heat to Kult Mogił, the band returns now at the end of the year with their first full-length album, entitled Anxiety Never Descending, a bold and ambitious praise to darkness and death that will unsettle your soul from start to finish, if you’re brave enough to listen to it in its entirety, of course. “This record will not make dying any easier for you”, the band commented, and I guess that pretty much summarizes what Anxiety Never Descending will do to you.

Although the title-track Anxiety Never Descending might sound extremely raw at first, you’ll notice it’s at the same time very technical, especially its riffs, increasing its overall impact, not to mention singer Karmiciel Wszy Zdrowych vociferating his blasphemous lines like an evil troll. The following track, named Threnody, provides the listener top-notch Blackened Doom with a disturbing ambience and lyrics leaning towards the occult (“I am at war / With anxiety / Between the centuries / Cursing my eyes / Lifeless orbs”), with drummer Kalkulator Chronometrażysta dictating the song’s rhythm, alternating from sluggish beats to Black Metal blasts. Put differently, this is a highly recommended opus for diehard fans of the most devilish forms of extreme music available.

Kult_Mogil_foto_001In the also excellent Serene Ponds, Kult Mogił fire another wicked junction of Black and Doom Metal, with highlights to the eerie guitar sounds by both Karmiciel Wszy Zdrowych and Thisworld Outof, turning it into a demented aria of despair, and by the time the song is over I bet your heart will be a lot heavier than usual. Początek Wrażeń, which I believe would translate to “first impressions” or something similar to that, is a menacing version of the Blackened Death Metal played by Behemoth sung entirely in Polish, therefore sounding as creepy as possible if that’s not one of the languages you speak fluently. To be fair, instead of just singing, Karmiciel Wszy Zdrowych is darkly declaiming the lyrics. And no matter what he’s saying, it shouldn’t be good.

The Width of a Forehead provides such a wicked intro, which by the way goes on for almost two minutes, it’s hard not to feel stunned before it becomes the slowest and most disturbing Doom Metal you can think of, a sonic representation of a descent to hell with no return and no hope in sight. And finally, if you know the song called “Black Snow” by Triptykon you’ll love Palliative Messiah, an ode to the heartless and pitch-black kingdom of Doom Metal with a chaotic ending that will leave a scar on your soul forever, energized by its cryptic lyrics (“Then I met the palliative messiah / I see this meeting / In the greenness of a stunted scrub / Somewhere on a slope / I asked: / What is the sex of death?”).

In order to purchase this Extreme Metal extravaganza entitled Anxiety Never Descending, you can go to the Pagan Records BandCamp page or official webshop (the album is still in its pre-order stage, becoming available on December 24). And then, just then, surrender to all the darkness and derangement bred by this very talented Eastern European cult of graves, one that, as mentioned before, will definitely not make dying any easier for you.

Best moments of the album: Threnody and Początek Wrażeń.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Pagan Records

Track listing
1. Anxiety Never Descending 5:10
2. Threnody 6:51
3. Serene Ponds 6:59
4. Początek Wrażeń 6:24
5. The Width of a Forehead 5:20
6. Palliative Messiah 8:34

Band members
Karmiciel Wszy Zdrowych – vocals, guitars, bass, accordion
Thisworld Outof – guitars, bass
Kalkulator Chronometrażysta – drums

Album Review – [EVERTRAPPED] / Under The Deep (2015)

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Do you want to know what lies under the deepest and darkest regions of the human soul? This vicious and ruthless album might have all the answers you’ve been searching for.

Rating4

Album Cover - Evertrapped - Undert The DeepEveryone knows how fertile and multifaceted the metallic scene in Montreal, Quebec, Canada has always been. There are so many excellent bands hailing from all parts of the city it’s hard to pick just a few, and since 2007 there’s another amazing act added to that distinct group delivering heavy and groovy chants for the delight of fans of Melodic Death Metal, peculiarly named [EVERTRAPPED]. That’s right, this five-piece band has their name intentionally written with enclosed brackets, which according to the band members signifies the trappings of modern life for all of us and how people, despite their best attempts to break out of the mold, are still affixed to a simple controlled existence and futility.

If you’re a fan of the cataclysmic sounding by bands such as Arch Enemy, Whitechapel, Mnemic, Lamb Of God and Threat Signal, among others, you’ll definitely enjoy what [EVERTRAPPED] have to offer with their brand new album, entitled Under The Deep, an exploration of the deepest reaches of human madness, the darkest regions of the soul and the blackest part of the human heart. Both the music and the lyrics in Under The Deep follow that modern and obscure concept, elevating the impact of the sharp venom blasted by this talented quintet throughout the entire album.

Under The Deep kicks off with the sinister and calm intro […], offering some piano notes before the guitars and a charming female voice appear to help build the ambience for the devastating Arise From The Ashes, sounding like almost pure Death Metal so heavy it is. James Brookes comes crushing everything with his deranged growls, whereas it’s easy to notice how technical drummer Eric Lemire is even amidst all the destruction crafted by the whole band. The massacre goes on in the sick tune entitled Underneath The Deep, one of those songs to break your fuckin’ neck headbanging where James gets even more demonic on vocals, but at the same time with the melodic guitar lines by Frederick Dupuis and Vincent Benoit giving more balance to the final result.

Evertrapped - Press Photo - credit - Luc DelormeIn Palace Of Injustice, [EVERTRAPPED] get closer to the musicality by Lamb Of God, firing merciless beats and huge doses of anger and insanity in an extremely dense and dark way, ripping your heart and soul until the song’s eccentric ending; while in Hypnotized By Hatred, a kick-ass tune that flirts with Black Metal in some instances, the band adds thrashier and darker elements to the music, switching from sheer speed to neck-breaking riffs and vice-versa a few times before the song is over. And there will be blood in the following song, another blackened chant entitled Blood Of The Fallen, where James growls like a beast while the other band members smash their instruments, creating a truly brutish atmosphere. It’s incredibly heavier than any Melodic Death Metal band on earth, with highlights to its spot-on guitar solos.

Lethal District shows us all that the band never gets tired at all of being so brutal, despite this being a more progressive song with interesting breaks thanks to the excellent job done by bassist John Yates and drummer Eric Lemire. Then we have another solid and technical display of their boisterous metal named Burning Through Vengeance, offering us relentless beats enhanced by its background atmosphere together with a very melodic and imposing rhythm, followed by the rhythmic and dark Reaper, with the harsh screams by James leading the music to a total state of dementia while Frederick and Vicent keep discharging powerful riffs and solos through their guitars. And last but not least, there was no better way to close the album than piercing our ears and lacerating our minds with the deadly tune Embrace The End. Simply bang your head nonstop to this awesome riff until the song’s climatic ending, it’s definitely worth the pain.

Do you want to know what lies under the deepest and darkest regions of the human soul? If you’re up for this thrilling challenge, all you have to do is visit the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, as well as their BandCamp page in case you you want to take a better listen to Under The Deep and obviously purchase the album. And when you get deep down there, be ready to have your heart poisoned (in a good way) by the music by [EVERTRAPPED] and have your soul unleashed from your hollow existence.

Best moments of the album: Underneath The Deep, Hypnotized By Hatred and Blood Of The Fallen.

Worst moments of the album: Lethal District.

Released in 2015 Hellstorm Recordz

Track listing
1. […] 1:58
2. Arise From The Ashes 5:40
3. Underneath The Deep 5:50
4. Palace Of Injustice 6:06
5. Hypnotized By Hatred 5:26
6. Blood Of The Fallen 5:05
7. Lethal District 6:28
8. Burning Through Vengeance 5:36
9. Reaper 5:30
10. Embrace The End 5:55

Band members
James Brookes – vocals
Frederick Dupuis – rhythm and lead guitars
Vincent Benoit – rhythm and lead guitars
John Yates – bass
Eric Lemire – drums