A newborn Australian quartet offers in their debut effort a thrilling blend of dissonant Death Metal with flesh-ripping Black Metal and visceral grind madness.
Formed just two years ago by members of the underground Australian bands Hell Sounds, Descent and Snorlax, the furious Brisbane, Australia-based Death Metal/Grindcore unity Resin Tomb is unleashing upon us their debut self-titled EP, offering a blend of dissonant, intricate and soul-crushing Death Metal with flesh-ripping Black Metal and visceral grind madness at times as their signature sound, exuding a vibe not too far removed from one of their other projects, Snorlax. Recorded and mixed at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Simon at Empty Hall Studio, and featuring an old school, cadaverous artwork by Ethan Lee McCarthy (from bands like Primitive Man and Vermin Womb), the EP will decimate your senses with its five grotesque tracks full of bestial and serpentine riffs coupled with a skull-crushing percussion and guttural vocals, showcasing how vile the Dissonant Death Grind played by vocalist Matthew Budge, guitarist Brendan Auld, bassist Mitch Long and drummer Perry Vedelago can be.
Get ready to be smashed like an insect by Resin Tomb in the eerie and acid opening track Abrogate, blending the savagery of Grindcore with the obscurity of Black Metal while Matthew gnarls rabidly and Brendan cuts your skin deep with hi riffs, whereas Penance is even more devastating, sinister and atmospheric, presenting an amazing job done by Perry with his intricate and demonic beats, while Mirch’s bass generates a thunderous background perfect for the piercing roars by Mathew, therefore resulting in a lesson in contemporary Death and Black Metal infused with Deathcore elements. Then the strident riffs by Brendan ignite the also menacing Surfacing, an infernal Black Metal extravaganza spearheaded by the crushing drums by Perry while Matthew’s gruesome gnarls penetrate deep inside your psyche; and rumbling, vicious guitars and bass lines permeate the air in the short and absolutely violent Prostrated, with Brendan once again firing sheer darkness and wrath through his riffs, accompanied by the pounding beats by Perry and the always hellish growls by Matthew. And last but not least we have Bestial, where the name of the song says it all, bringing to our avid ears a brutal and of course bestial display of extreme music displaying the most visceral elements from Black and Death Metal. Furthermore, Brendan and Mitch are on fire with their stringed weapons, providing Matthew all he needs to shine with his deranged screams and gnarls, ending the album on a truly demented note.
Not only you can show your support to this sinister, up-and-coming horde from Australia by listening to their debut EP in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can (and should) also purchase a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or webstore in LP format or as an LP + longsleeve shirt bundle, or from Amazon. Also, don’t forget to give the boys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with their upcoming releases, live concerts (whenever this COVID-19 madness is over, of course) and other nice-to-know details about the band, keeping the flames of extreme music burning bright in the always prolific Australian metal scene.
Follow the story of a serial killer from his beginnings through stages of murder and torture in the form of crushing and visceral Death Metal made in the UK.
Formed in 2016 as a solo project by vocalist Glynn Neve and growing in early 2018 to include guitarists Martin Shipton and James Thompson, bassist Orla Blue Reed and drummer Donal McGee, Vesicarum are a visceral five-piece Death Metal band from Kent, UK bursting at the seams with brutal energy, featuring frantic, technical riffing topped off with Glynn’s signature vocal style, unleashing upon us now in 2020 their debut EP Reign Of Terror. By the way, the name “vesicarum”, meaning “to fester” in Latin, is an ode to the sinister nature of the band’s music and lyrical content. Featuring darker subjects including serial killers and The Ankou (The Graveyard Watcher), the central lyrical theme is hatred, while the band describes their music as an adrenaline rush that is a great escape from the stresses and strains of life. “The EP tells a story of a serial killer from his beginnings through stages of murder and torture,” states Glynn, complementing by saying that “The first four songs on the EP are about the killer and his development – however the last track [Undivine End] switches to the victim’s point of view – it was written to give the listener the impression of a victim tied up in the killer’s torture chamber awaiting his demise.”
Bringing to our ears a fusion of Groove and Death Metal, the sick bass punches by Orla match perfectly with the deep roars by Glynn in the opening track Reign Of Terror and its horror flick-inspired lyrics (“Using my nails to tear at the skin / My ghastly life is about to begin / I’m in a frenzy my head starts to spin / My patience in these scum is wearing real thin / Committing murder is a pleasurable sin / Always giving me a sinister grin / Acts of horror, such a beautiful thing / Pure fucking evil, pure fucking grim”), whereas The Sick And The Depraved sounds even groovier and more imposing from the very first second, with Glynn growling manically accompanied by the slashing riffs by James and Martin, also presenting elements from the Death Metal by renowned acts such as Obituary and Unleashed. Then it’s time for Donal to crush his drum set in Midnight Slasher, a true headbanger where the guitars by James and Martin are spitting fire while Orla generates a rumbling atmosphere in the background, feeling modern and at the same time loyal to classic Death Metal. Early Warning Signs Of A Serial Killer brings forward more insanity and fear in the form of extreme music, showcasing another bestial kitchen work by Donal and Orla while Glynn continues to distill his venomous, guttural vocals. In other words, simply crack your neck headbanging to this sick tune until the disturbing outro Undivine End captivates your senses, offering us all eerie instrumental passages that sound as if the whole song was taken form an actual horror movie.
The psychological terror blasted by Vesicarum through their undisputed Death Metal in Reign Of Terror can be better appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can show your deep passion for extreme music by purchasing the EP from Vesicarum’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon, and also by following the band on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, filling your ears with all the wrath, violence and heaviness flowing from the band’s crushing music and, therefore, leaving us all curious to witness the next chapter in the career of this up-and-coming UK-based squad in their reign of violence, insanity and metal.
Best moments of the album: The Sick And The Depraved and Early Warning Signs Of A Serial Killer.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 One Eyed Toad Records
Track listing 1. Reign Of Terror 6:23
2. The Sick And The Depraved 3:30
3. Midnight Slasher 4:33
4. Early Warning Signs Of A Serial Killer 3:20
5. Undivine End 2:14
Band members Glynn Neve – vocals
James Thompson – guitars
Martin Shipton – guitars
Orla Blue Reed – bass
Donal McGee – drums
A violent Black Metal declaration dripping obscurity and impiety from its essence, blasted by an evil horde hailing from the hot and steamy Brazilian labyrinths.
The hot and steamy Brazilian labyrinths keep on oozing the blackest secrets from the all hellish flaming arts, with guitarist Deoarsprofanum and drummer Thiago Splatter, also known from bands like Power From Hell, Velho and Pombajira, summoning the darkest powers on the day of the dead in 2019 to create a bestial revelation by the name of Obscure Relic in Duque de Caxias, a city on Guanabara Bay and part of Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area, playing the meanest and most devilish version of Black Metal you can think of. Now in 2020 Deoarsprofanum and Thiago Splatter, together with vocalist Thiago Caronte, guitarist and keyboardist Død and bassist Hellmaniac are unleashing upon humanity their debut EP titled First Black Communion, the follow-up to their 2020 demo Sons of Evil Power and, above all, a violent Black Metal declaration dripping obscurity and impiety from its essence, or if you prefer, the ultimate aggression statement for all non-believers which will nail you to everlasting joy for pain and suffering.
Stygian guitars form the depths of the underworld rev up the band’s demonic engines in the intro Descending… before they begin crushing our minds and souls with the title-track The First Black Communion, where Thiago Splatter demolishes his drums accompanied by the scorching riffs by Deoarsprofanum and Død, all spearheaded by the infernal, high-pitched gnarls by Thiago Caronte, resulting in a lecture in old school and primeval Black Metal. And we’re treated to more of their melodic but absolutely perturbing Black Metal in Master of All Forms, showcasing razor-edged riffs and a sense of despair permeating the air from start to finish, while Thiago Splatter sounds even more pulverizing on drums, and if you think they couldn’t sound more visceral and aggressive you need to take a listen at Enter the Infernal Realms, a putrid display of traditional Black Metal bringing forward Thiago Caronte’s satanic roars and the ass-kicking, rumbling bass punches by Hellmaniac. The last track of the album, For Blackerubins, offers the listener another round of demented screams, blast beats and slashing guitars, with both Deoarsprofanum and Død living up to the legacy of Scandinavian Black Metal with their wicked shredding, all flowing into the atmospheric outro Rising…, which puts a melancholic and eerie end to such short but heavy-as-hell EP of Black Metal.
You can give a shout to this talented horde hailing from Brazil through their official Facebook page, and of course purchase a copy of First Black Communion from the Hellprod Records’ BandCamp page or from their webstore in CD and tape formats, as well as from the Cianeto Discos’ BandCamp page or webstore. As aforementioned, First Black Communion is utterly violent and obscure, or in other words, it reeks of pure Black Metal, and if this is just the debut album by Obscure Relic I wonder how much evil and darkness this insane Brazilian horde can spread all over the world with their future releases.
Best moments of the album: The First Black Communion and Enter the Infernal Realms.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Hellprod Records/Cianeto Discos
Track listing 1. Descending… 1:03
2. The First Black Communion 3:58
3. Master of All Forms 4:00
4. Enter the Infernal Realms 3:37
5. For Blackerubins 3:25
6. Rising… 1:43
Band members Thiago Caronte – vocals
Deoarsprofanum – guitars
Død – guitars, keyboards
Hellmaniac – bass
Thiago Splatter – drums
A UK-based Symphonic Power Metal squad continues to chronicle the epic battles between men and dragons on the high seas of Andria in the second part of their new trilogy.
Fans of Rhapsody of Fire, Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica and Alestorm will be signing up to set sail with London, UK-based Symphonic Power Metal band Grimgotts with their brand new EP entitled Sagas, the second part of a trilogy that started earlier this year with the release of the EP Tales, and that will see its epic conclusion later in 2020 with the third EP Legends. Sagas continues to chronicle the epic battles between men and dragons on the high seas of the mythical land of Andria, which is by the way the band’s own original fantasy realm, just like what was told in the first EP of the trilogy and in their previous releases Lions of the Sea (2017) and Dragons of the Ages (2019), proving the band formed by frontman Andy Barton, guitarist David Hills, keyboardist Fabio Garau, bassist Nelson Moreira and drummer Mo Abdelgadir definitely know how to unite fantasy and heavy music with tons of symphonic and epicness flawlessly for the delight of metal fans across the seven seas (and beyond).
It’s time to sail together with the pirates from Grimgotts in the opening tune Northern Passage, a symphonic and epic feast led by the inspiring keys by Fabio and the always precise beats by Mo, while Andy declaims the song’s lyrics like a true bard. Put differently, simply grab your sword and join the band in their quest for metal, whereas the strident riffage by David ignites the even more metallic Power Metal tune Rise Again, accompanied by the rumbling bass by Nelson and the awesome balance between Andy’s vocal lines and Fabio’s magical keyboards, definitely making your day more exciting and fun. Then we have Plunder, Loot & Chantey, an absolutely perfect soundtrack for prancing around the fire while drinking a pint of mead, or if you prefer a more “technical” language, this is a very entertaining fusion of Symphonic Power Metal with Folk and Epic Metal, with Mo dictating the pace with his classic beats. And lastly, the band offers the faster and more traditional title-track Sagas, another great option for banging your heads with Grimgotts, with David and Fabio making an incendiary duo with their respective riffs and keys while Andy showcases all his talent as the band’s frontman, leaving us eager for the last EP of their trilogy in a not-so-distant future.
It feels like Grimgotts are following a treasure map with Tales, Sagas and Legends, with each EP and each song being a different adventure the listener needs to face before reaching the glorious end of the trilogy, and let’s all admit their formula is working really well, making us all excited and ready for their next challenge. Hence, don’t forget to follow those UK metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, to listen to more of their music on Spotify, and to grab your copy of Sagas (sooner than you can scream “ahoy!”) and all of their previous albums from their own BandCamp page, showing them your true support and proving you have what it takes to sail the unruly seas of Andria together with the boys from Grimgotts, spending your time signing metal anthems while drinking beer and raising your swords until the end of their exciting saga.
Best moments of the album: Rise Again and Plunder, Loot & Chantey.
She’s by far one of the best rock and metal singers of the current scene hands down. Owner of a beautiful, stunning and extremely potent voice, she’s also a songwriter, pianist, guitarist, vocal coach and designer, known for her awesome contributions to bands such as Dead Venus, Burning Witches and Surrilium, among other very interesting bands and projects, always ready to rock our hearts with her mesmerizing vocal lines. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our metal chick of the month of August, the ravishing Seraina Telli, the unstoppable musician from Aargau, one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland, who can flawlessly translate all her passion for music and art into emotional and inspiring compositions that will certainly captivate your hearts from the very first second. Having said that, are you ready to rock together with Seraina here on The Headbanging Moose?
A self-employed musician and vocal coach, Seraina has always wanted to make music and sing, and although she’s a team player who loves to play in bands she sees independent people as their role models, saying that she didn’t want to be a singer who just needs a band to play with her, but that she wanted to learn what it’s like to make music herself, playing different instruments and therefore being independent. Her looks and attire are also an important part of her musical persona, with all of her piercings, tattoos and her dyed hair providing a unique look that more than fits in the world of rock and metal music, but you’re wrong if you think Seraina is only a beautiful woman, as she has years of formal and professional study that provided her an invaluable background, allowing her to become the exceptional performer she is. Just to give you an idea of her undeniable talent, she took classical singing lessons between 2007 and 2008, studied at the Jazz & Rock School in Freiburg, Germany from 2010 to 2011, achieved a Bachelor of Arts at hKDM and International Music College also in Freiburg, with focus on Jazz, Rock and Pop, between 2012 and 2013, and attended the Musik- Akademie Basel in 2015.
In regards to her career with Swiss Heavy/Power Metal band Burning Witches, Seraina was the band’s frontwoman between 2015 and 2019, having recorded with the band their debut self-titled album in 2017 and their sophomore effort Hexenhammer in 2018, as well as a four-track live album released in 2018 titled Burning Alive, recorded on September 30, 2017 at the Z7 Club in Pratteln, Switzerland. There are a few official videos on YouTube from when Seraina was the band’s vocalist, such as Hexenhammer, Black Widow and Executed, and also some unofficial live footage including a concert in Mannheim, Germany in 2018, and a pocket show at Salzhaus Brugg in 2018. I’m not going to extend this tribute to Seraina with the origins of the Burning Witches, but as already mentioned when their guitarist and founding member Romana Kalkuhl was our metal chick of the month in July 2019, during a party at a festival she met Seraina, starting a very healthy and productive partnership between them, with Seraina’s ideas and experience from her studies at the Music Academy and her bands being exactly what Romana wanted for Burning Witches. Furthermore, although Seraina always mention Heavy Metal as one of her passions, at the moment she is determined to go full throttle with her own band Dead Venus, saying Progressive Rock has always been her thing; however, we can expect to see Seraina venturing through heavier and faster lands in a not-so-distant future without a shadow of a doubt.
As we already started talking about Seraina’s brainchild, female-fronted Progressive Rock unity Dead Venus, where she’s not only the band’s vocalist but she also plays acoustic guitars, keyboards and piano, let’s discuss a little about the origins of the band, their goals and what their music represents to Seraina. Formed in early 2015 by Seraina herself around a year after being singing for a German Neo-Progressive Rock band named Surrilium, Dead Venus is a triumvirate currently comprised of Seraina on vocals, obviously, together with bassist André Gärtner and drummer Mike Malloth, delivering music that’s at the same time charming, passionate and incendiary, applying her multidimensional vocals to bring the desired message with each and every song, that being through her piercing vocals or just by whispering the lyrics. As a matter of fact, Seraina mentioned that it’s difficult to tell when Dead Venus actually started, as she began writing songs at some point and then began studying music and developed it further with music theory, learning the instruments and techniques better, which helped in the development of the songs, before she started looking for people to play them with. Seraina placed an advertisement recruiting musicians for Dead Venus, getting a reply from Mike, who also referred André for the band, whom by the way she already knew through her father (who had always spoken very well of him).
Apart from a couple of singles, the trio recently released at the end of 2019 their debut album, a 12-track Progressive Rock extravaganza titled Bird of Paradise (available for a full listen on Spotify), pointing to a bright future for Seraina and her bandmates. In addition, Seraina said that their goals with Dead Venus do not include appealing to a broader or more demanding audience, saying their music already has enough pop character in it despite not being disco dance music, of course. She complemented by saying that what Dead Venus and any other band needs is an audience that listens and that feels inspired by the music being played, as long as the music is authentic like what she does with Dead Venus, putting no boundaries to what the trio can do. You can listen to their music and purchase their debut album by visiting the MUSIC page on their official website, or by subscribing to their YouTube channel, where you’ll find some amazing compositions (and videos) for the songs The Sirens Call, Bird of Paradise and Redemptionless in both regular and acoustic versions.
You can also enjoy Seraina’s unique voice in other interesting bands and projects, showcasing all her versatility and skills it doesn’t matter if it’s a rock band playing covers or a full-bodied progressive and symphonic act. For instance, she did female vocals for Swiss Melodic Heavy/Power Metal band Rizon from 2010 until 2014, having recorded with them the album Masquerade in 2012, which you can listen in its entirety HERE; and she’s been the vocalist for German Progressive Rock/Metal band Surrilium since 2011, having recorded with them the album Sir William in 2015. Seraina is also the vocalist for a distinct cover bands called Hit Grinder, taking hits that everyone knows and performing them in a unique way with heavy guitars, rocking drums and hard driving bass, giving those songs a more aggressive edge. The band is formed by Seraina on vocals, Stefan Schroff on the guitars, and a rotation between Yannick Schmidt and Emmi Lichtenhahn on bass and Franceso Gasparini and Alain Ackermann on drums, and you can get in touch with them and listen to more of their music on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, with their renditions of Sia’s Chandelier and Michael Jackson’s Bad showing you all of the band’s awesomeness.
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Perhaps one of the most delicious works by Seraina is her personal YouTube channel, where she puts her heart and soul into delivering beautiful versions of several rock, pop and metal classics, usually only accompanied by her own piano. Simply visit her YouTube channel and you’ll be able to enjoy our talented singer kicking ass with her versions for Red hot Chilli Pepper’s classic Under the Bridge as a studio project band from the hKDM Music High School in Freiburg, Edgar Alan Poe’s The Haunted Palace, Rush’s masterpiece Closer to the Heart together with a children’s choir, Nancy Wilson’s The Nearness of You, The Misfits’ Dig Up Her Bones live at a pub in Zurich, Jason Mraz’s I Won’t Give Up, Sting’s The Hounds of Winter, Lady Gaga’s Million Reasons, John Lennon’s Imagine, and a very special version for Christina Aguilera’s Keep on Singin’ My Song, as according to Seraina herself Christina Aguilera was one of her teenage heroes and one of the reasons she started singing when she was around 13 years old. And let’s keep talking about her idols and influences, with bands like Opeth, Pain of Salvation and the almighty Judas Priest being among her favorite bands of all time. Seraina even mentioned in one of her interviews that playing with one of those three bands would be a dream come true for her, complementing by saying it would be beyond fantastic to be able to talk, interact and especially sing with the one and only Metal God Rob Halford.
When questioned about the fact she was in an all-girls band during her time with Burning Witches, our striking banshee said in the beginning the idea of only playing with other women in a band was quite funny for all of them, and that they never expected it to be such a big topic, having to face sexist comments and other situations related to the male/female gender differences. Needless to say, that didn’t have any impact on the way Seraina performs on stage, saying the most difficult part is actually dealing with her own emotions and feelings to make sure her voice perfectly sends the desired message. In addition, she said she usually has it under control, using the appropriate techniques to have the best results while playing live. Seraina is also responsible for designing her own outfits, saying it’s actually more like a hobby for her despite the fact she wanted to become a fashion designer before singing, mainly because it’s very time consuming. And regarding metal festivals, she said during her time with Burning Witches they always wanted to play something big such as Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock Festival and Hellfest, but we must all agree that now with Dead Venus her focus is a lot more on smaller, more intimate venues and crowds.
When asked about her singing style, her limits as a vocalist and her writing and composing process, Seraina said she always puts her heart and soul into singing, it doesn’t matter if it’s a heavy-as-hell metal song or a serene rock ballad, complementing by saying that it’s all a matter of practice to know and understand your limits and what’s causing that barrier, such as breathing techniques and discipline. For example, she said she doesn’t do much Opera singing as she’s not professionally trained in it, but maybe with some time and by applying the right techniques she can reach a good performance singing it. Her process for writing and composing her songs is also very detailed and honest, with Seraina usually writing something on the piano and then complementing it with the guitar, not working with sequences and, therefore, sounding a lot more organic. She also said the order in which she writes the lyrics and the music is never the same, always depending on the song being composed and the situation she’s in, with most of the ideas for the music by Dead Venus coming from her past experiences, especially due to her anger, energy and creativity as a teenager, saying it wasn’t easy in the beginning for her as she doesn’t come from a family of musicians like several other artists.
If you also enjoy watching Seraina perform and not only listen to her powerful voice, you’ll notice she always carries a special chain or necklace, a symbol of luck that’s linked to her family. She said she had a very strong bond with her sister when they were kids, which by the way lasts until today, with the necklace being a gift she got for her 12th birthday from her stepfather that symbolizes two parts that are connected together and forever. As a matter of fact, the Dead Venus logo is a variation of that symbol, a Celtic cross knot with an “S” at the end. Talking about stunning looks in rock and metal, Seraina was asked what she would say if one day a band like Arch Enemy invited her to sing for them, and albeit she said she simply loves the charisma, the voice and the looks by the she-wolf Alissia White-Gluz, she said she couldn’t see herself fronting such distinct band.
Lastly, as an artist that has been making music for a long time despite her young age, Seraina said she will always pursue a career in music no matter what, saying she got to know a lot of good people with both Dead Venus and Burning Witches that provide her all the support she needs to keep moving forward. She sees a lot of potential with Dead Venus, the type of music she has always wanted to do, but you can also hire her to feature on your next album doing backing vocals or singing one or more songs, for example, as she has already done a few studio and advertising jobs in her career. She can even sing in German (or Swiss German) if you prefer, and you can actually check Seraina speaking (not singing, though) in her mother tongue in a short interview where she talks about what it means for her to be from Aargau, how much she loves her hometown, and her life in the city. I guess after knowing about her personal life, her career and her passion for heavy music, there’s nothing better than banging our heads to Seraina’s piercing vocals or simply sitting down, relaxing and enjoying her more delicate creations, resting assured we’ll hear a lot more from such talented artist in the coming years.
An uncanny entity from Portugal is unleashing upon us a savage beast that lives up to the legacy of dirt and raw old school Black Metal.
The gates to the underworld are open in the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal, thanks to the venomous and unrelenting fusion of Black and Death Metal played by a mysterious entity that goes by the name of Barbaric Horde, ready to decimate your senses and leave you completely disoriented after the 28 minutes of infernal music found in their debut full-length opus, nicely titled Axe of Superior Savagery, are over. Featuring an old school artwork by Warhead Art and layout by Maciej Kamuda Art, Axe of Superior Savagery is a much bolder beast than their 2016 demo Gasmask Perpetrators and their 2017 demo Tainted Impurity, while at the same time keeping the band’s utterly raw and dirty core musicality intact, therefore living up to the legacy of the early days of Black Metal.
And this uncanny Portuguese entity quickly arises from the pits of hell with the fulminating opening track Tyrant of the Dark Trynity, offering our putrid ears a high dosage of evil in the form of insane blast beats, crude riffs and Stygian vociferations. Put differently, it can’t get any more underground than this, followed by Antichrist Command, bringing forward blasphemous, acid lyrics (“Flames of holocaust unconquerable / A new world alliance / Forged on the caustic fires of vengeance / Hideous fiends throw the kings head to the rats / One by one the knife will do god’s work”) amidst another infernal and visceral display of Black Metal infused with Death Metal elements. Then rumbling, doomed bass lines permeate the air in the also wicked Venomous Infernal Carnage, with extreme aggression flowing from their riffage while the song’s apocalyptic and tribal beats give the overall sonority a sense of despair and violence; and even more disturbing than its predecessors, Barbaric Provocation is a lesson in primeval Black Metal showcasing gruesome gnarls and roars, while the guitars and bass keep reverberating and piercing our ears mercilessly.
Furious and frantic drums dictate the rhythm in the ode to darkness and blasphemy titled Bow Before the Altar of Satan, where razor-edged guitar riffs will cut your skin deep and make you bleed in the name of extreme music, whereas the title-track Axe of Superior Savagery will simply smash your skull with its fusion of the rawest forms of Black and Death Metal. Hence, it couldn’t have sounded more demonic, as if Cannibal Corpse and Mayhem merged into one single entity of pure evil. Vicious guitars and a menacing, bold atmosphere are the main ingredients in the also disturbing chat Storms of Primitive Violence, sounding and feeling berserk and insane form start to finish, also presenting a very raw sound that will please all fans of the genre, before they offer us all one final blast of demented sounds not recommended for the lighthearted in the form of Wrath of Goetic Glorification, where truly demonic growls from the depths of the underworld lead this sick display of pure and unfiltered Black Metal, ending the album on a perturbing note.
Barbaric Horde’s infuriated display of Black and Death Metal can be better appreciated in its entirety on YouTube, and you can also show your support to the underground of the underground by listening to more of their music on Spotify and by purchasing Axe of Superior Savagery from the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp or webstore, from Rex Diaboli’s BandCamp or Big Cartel, or from Discogs. This eerie Portuguese horde, which I suspect is formed by two devilish members, is showing a lot of potential with Axe of Superior Savagery, aiming at carving their name in the Portuguese metal scene as one of the most barbaric, inhumane and dirty entities playing our beloved Black Metal, consequently putting a huge smile on Satan’s face for effectively representing him in our decaying and rotten world through their hellish music.
Best moments of the album: Antichrist Command and Bow Before the Altar of Satan.
Worst moments of the album:Venomous Infernal Carnage.
Released in 2020 Godz ov War Productions/Rex Diaboli
Track listing 1. Tyrant of the Dark Trynity 4:23
2. Antichrist Command 3:02
3. Venomous Infernal Carnage 4:32
4. Barbaric Provocation 2:57
5. Bow Before the Altar of Satan 3:27
6. Axe of Superior Savagery 3:03
7. Storms of Primitive Violence 3:34
8. Wrath of Goetic Glorification 3:31
It’s time to boogie with a rebellious Heavy N’ Roll squad from Lithuania, rocking until you drop to the sound of their electrifying new album.
Founded in 2010 in Šiauliai, a city in northern Lithuania, by members of the distinct local underground bands Stranger Aeons (Progressive Metal), Argharus (Black Metal) and Virus (Hard N’ Heavy), the unrelenting five-piece act known as Pekla, which by the way means “heck” in English, plays what can be described as a fusion of Heavy and Speed Metal with a Rock N’ Roll attitude, drawing inspiration from iconic bands like Motörhead, Tank and Venom with a touch of social critique to their lyrics. Now in 2020 the band currently formed by Mindaugas Jurkevičius on vocals, Marius and Rokas Girčius on the guitars, Gytis Šimkevičius on bass and Justinas Jakubauskas on drums is unleashing upon us Boogie With Satan, the fourth full-length effort in their up-and-coming career. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Lapės Records by Laurynas Baškys, and featuring a beyond direct artwork by Gintarė Narga and an array of guest musicians form the local scene, Boogie with Satan goes straight to the point, sounding fast, acid and fun from start to finish.
Featuring lead guitar solos by Juozapas Bočkus (Alcotopia), #rapidez is a Motörhead-infused Punk-ish feast of demented beats and pulverizing riffs led by the inebriate vocals by Mindaugas, inviting us all to slam into the mosh pit like there’s no tomorrow, followed by Goddamn Suicide Zombies, bringing to our ears more of their frantic, visceral Rock N’ Roll blended with 80’s Speed Metal, with Marius and Rokas doing a great job with their incendiary riffage, resulting in a great option for breaking your neck headbanging while also enjoying a cold beer. Back to a more insane sonority, guests Lina Vaštakaitė and Paulius Navickas from Phrenetix lend their guitars skills to the band in Scrollers, while Mindaugas and Lina keep barking rabidly for our total delight, whereas in the rhythmic, dark and metallic The Game the unstoppable Gytis is kicking ass with his bass jabs, accompanied by the venomous beats by Justinas in a heavier-than-hell Rock N’ Roll extravaganza. And guests Matas Jančauskas and Minvydas Bindokas from Tručas are on fire with their respective deranged screams and sick guitar solos in The Tube Is Red, a frantic display of classic Heavy and Speed Metal by Pekla.
It’s definitely impossible to stand still to the adrenaline and fire flowing from the scorching title-track Boogie With Satan, where Marius and Rokas sound like two sharp swords slashing everything and everyone that crosses their path with their guitars, while the band puts the pedal to the metal in another high-octane metal hymn titled The Stuff, featuring guest solos by Jurgis Sakalauskas from Cunabula, sounding like Megadeth and Motörhead had a bastard son baptized in fire by Slayer and The Exploited, or in other words, it exhales pure heaviness and electricity. Then let’s all go to school and crush our skulls into the pit together with Pekla in School Of Rock’n’Roll, where Mindaugas’ roars are nicely supported by the song’s Punk Rock backing vocals while Justinas dictates the rhythm with both his fast and furious drums and more rhythmic, intricate beats; and guest Kostas Balčiūnas from Cunabula also fires a sick guitar solo in Swype Rite, while guest vocalist Domantas Žvinys from Orb brings a touch of rebelliousness to their music. In addition, Gytis is once again precise with his bass, showcasing all his dexterity with his low-tuned strings. Albeit not as electrifying as the rest of the album, it’s still a very enjoyable composition, flowing smoothly before the sinister outro …and Cut puts a sinister ending to such vibrant album of rock and metal music.
You can explode your ears with the inebriate and insurgent Boogie with Satan in full on Spotify, follow Pekla on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, and of course purchase this precious gem of Lithuanian Heavy N’ Roll from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Inferna Profundus Records’ webstore or from Discogs, supporting underground metal not only from Lithuania but from anywhere else in the world where the words “heavy” and “fast” always make a delicious combination. If you have what it takes to boogie with the guys from Pekla, then Boogie with Satan is a must-have album to be added to your collection, inspiring you to headbang, drink and rock until you drop and, consequently, making your life slightly better.
Best moments of the album: #rapidez, Scrollers and The Stuff.
Worst moments of the album:Swype Rite.
Released in 2020 Independent
Track listing 1. #rapidez 2:23
2. Goddamn Suicide Zombies 3:53
3. Scrollers 3:15
4. The Game 4:38
5. The Tube Is Red 3:20
6. Boogie With Satan 2:51
7. The Stuff 3:13
8. School Of Rock’n’Roll 3:22
9. Swype Rite 4:23
10. …and Cut 2:30
Band members Mindaugas Jurkevičius – vocals
Marius Godelis – guitars
Rokas Girčius – guitars
Gytis Šimkevičius – bass
Justinas Jakubauskas – drums
Guest musicians Juozapas Bočkus – lead guitars on “#rapidez”
Lina Vaštakaitė – lead guitars and vocals on “Scrollers”
Paulius Navickas – lead guitars on “Scrollers”
Matas Jančauskas – lead vocals on “The Tube Is Red”, backing vocals on “The Tube Is Red” and “Boogie With Satan”
Minvydas Bindokas – lead guitars on “The Tube Is Red”
Jurgis Sakalauskas – lead guitars on “The Stuff”
Kostas Balčiūnas – lead guitars on “Swype Rite”
Domantas Žvinys – lead vocals on “Swype Rite”, backing vocals on “#rapidez”, “Goddam Suicide Zombies”, “Scrollers”, “The Stuff”, “School Of Rock’n’Roll” and “Swype Rite”
Join Primal Fear’s undisputed rock brigade and become a true metal commando to the sound of their breathtaking new album.
Just like what happens with other renowned hardworking metal bands form all over the world, German Power Metal masters Primal Fear seem to follow a “strict” schedule of releasing a new album every two years, and that’s without counting their compilations and live albums. Well, let’s say that two-year formula followed by frontman Ralf Scheepers, bassist Mat Sinner, guitarists Magnus Karlsson, Alex Beyrodt and Tom Naumann, and newcomer Michael Ehré on drums has been working amazingly for the band, keeping them sharp, ready to rock and always hungry for more. Primal Fear have been on a roll for decades already, with all of their latest albums, those being Delivering the Black (2014), Rulebreaker (2016) and more recently Apocalypse (2018) being a lesson in Heavy and Power Metal with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements added to their trademark sound, and their streak seems far from being over with their 2020 opus Metal Commando, not only the thirteenth studio album in their undisputed career, but also as the name of the album already states, a lecture in our good old Heavy Metal.
The crisp and electrifying guitars by Magnus, Alex and Tom rev up the band’s engines in the exciting opening track I Am Alive, a traditional Power Metal tune by Primal Fear to properly kick things off with Ralf majestically delivering his usual (and absolutely awesome) high-pitched vocal lines, followed by Along Came the Devil, blending the classic metal music by Judas Priest with Primal Fear’s characteristic sound (also reminding me a lot of their own Apocalypse bonus track “Fight Against All Evil”, by the way), and with Mat and Michael making a thunderous duo with their bass jabs and rhythmic beats, respectively. In the inspiring Halo we’re treated to straightforward, thrilling lyrics (“One man genocide / Broken halos / Wings that used to fly / Into the dark / Angel in the light / And disappear / I can see your halo”) while the music transpires pure Power Metal for our total delight, with Ralf once again stealing the spotlight with his blazing screams, whereas less visceral and more melodic than its predecessors, Hear Me Calling is a very pleasant Hard Rock tune showcasing meaningful lyrics intertwined with the always razor-edged, hypnotizing guitar job done by Magnus, Alex and Tom, keeping the album at a high level of awesomeness.
And Michael pounds his drums with tons of power in the heavy-as-hell The Lost & the Forgotten, with Ralf and Mat generating a fantastic paradox between their soaring screams and rumbling bass punches, making it impossible to stand still to their headbanging feast. Then slashing riffs and fast and furious beats are the main ingredients in the high-octane My Name Is Fear, a lesson in German Power and Heavy Metal displaying a flawless fusion of harmony and rage (and fear, of course), all spiced up by the insane solos blasted by the band’s guitar triumvirate, and after so many metal anthems it’s time for a soothing ballad titled I Will Be Gone, where Ralf obviously thrives with another passionate performance while his bandmates generate an ethereal ambience perfect for embracing your loved ones on a cold winter night, followed by an ode to all things Rock N’ Roll entitled Raise Your Fists, where their riffs and solos will pierce your ears while Michael dictates the pace with his classic beats. Put differently, there’s nothing better than raising our fists and banging our heads to Primal Fear’s old school Heavy Metal, don’t you agree?
In Howl of the Banshee the band brings forth more of their trademark sonority presenting blast beats, singalong lyrics and another amazing performance by Mat with his unstoppable bass. Moreover, it’s easy to imagine Ralf kicking ass on stage singing this excellent tune to a huge crowd at a summer metal festival, while in Afterlife guess what Magnus, Alex and Tom do to our senses with their axes? It’s indeed another round of scorching, metallic riffs and wicked solos boosted by Ralf’s fulminating vocals, being therefore highly recommended for slamming into the circle pit, before our senses are fully captivated by the 13-minute aria Infinity, where Ralf beautifully declaims the song’s dark words (“Sitting here in the morning / Remembering what my father said / Another day is dawning / And demons are touching me / The rain is falling / And washes away the tears / It’s an early warning / The roar of my fears”) while his bandmates craft a hammering and bold atmosphere, resulting in a brilliant festival of breathtaking solos and flowing smoothly until its dense and cinematic grand finale. In addition, I would highly recommend you go for one of the special editions of the album to get four amazing bonus tracks, the instrumental intro Rising Fear, the pounding and melodic Leave Me Alone, the 80’s-inspired Hard Rock chant Second to None and the bestial Crucify Me, as they’re all worth the extra investment hands down.
Primal Fear Metal Commando Box
Do you consider yourself a true metal fan? If your answer to this very simple question is a sounding YES, raising your fists and banging your head while answering it, then you must add Metal Commando to your Heavy Metal collection, and you can do so by purchasing the album from the Nuclear Blast webstore, or you can also buy a digital copy of it or stream it in full by clicking HERE, but if I were you I would certainly go for the Metal Commando Box available at the Napalm Records webstore, including the digipak double CD version of the album, a double vinyl with an exclusive color, a poster and a slipmat. Hence, you can also follow Ralf, Mat & Co. on Facebook and on Instagram to stay up to date with all things Primal Fear, and listen to Metal Commando and all of their previous albums on Spotify. Then, and only then, you’ll be ready to become a commando and join Primal Fear’s one and only metal brigade, armed to the teeth with their classy and piercing Power Metal while braving the battlegrounds of our everyday lives.
Best moments of the album: Halo, Hear Me Calling, The Lost & the Forgotten, My Name Is Fear and Infinity.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Nuclear Blast
Track listing 1. I Am Alive 4:34
2. Along Came the Devil 4:21
3. Halo 4:19
4. Hear Me Calling 4:39
5. The Lost & the Forgotten 4:08
6. My Name Is Fear 4:04
7. I Will Be Gone 4:26
8. Raise Your Fists 3:52
9. Howl of the Banshee 4:54
10. Afterlife 4:29
11. Infinity 13:12
Deluxe Digipak/Japanese Edition bonus tracks 12. Rising Fear 1:39
13. Leave Me Alone 4:04
14. Second to None 4:12
15. Crucify Me 4:06
Band members Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, backing vocals
Magnus Karlsson – guitars, keyboards
Alex Beyrodt – guitars
Tom Naumann – guitars
Michael Ehré – drums
Adopting a more progressive sound, this unstoppable UK-based Alternative Rock unity is more than ready to rock your world with the first half of their third full-length album.
After embellishing the airwaves with their refined fusion of Alternative Rock and Metal with nuances of Rock N’ Roll and Hard Rock in their previous efforts, those being their 2015 debut album Of The Night and their 2018 release Motus Octo, Cambridge, UK’s own Bouquet of Dead Crows are back from outer space with the first part of their third full-length album Hemispheres, the six-track EP titled Hemispheres Part 1: Celestial. Adopting a more progressive sound with their trademark riffs with big melodies approach being enhanced to incorporate more layered and nuanced elements, the band currently comprised of Antoinette Cooper on vocals, Neil Bruce on the guitars, newcomer Karen Gadd on bass, and Andrew Coxall on drums and synths is more than ready to rock your world with Celestial, also preparing us all for the second half of their musical journey, Cerebral, scheduled for a late 2020 or maybe even an early 2021 release.
Recorded at the beginning of the year at Parlour Studios, mixed and produced by Neil Haynes, and featuring a stylish artwork by longtime collaborator Stewart Harris, from Stewart Harris Designs, Celestial has an overall theme of mental health, which is a topic all band members are very passionate about. With each song, they’ve written about issues that affect them individually and personally. There’s been a lot of stigma about depression and anxiety over the years, and as the mood slowly shifts, this album captures the zeitgeist of our current unpredictable day-to-day life, the fears we are all experiencing right now. In addition, although written before the pandemic that the world is currently experiencing, a lot of the lyrics do seem strangely prescient and also very relevant, such as the chorus of the title track which says that “it’s not the end of the world this time, it feels like the end of the world every time.”
Atmospheric and eerie from the very first second, the Sci-Fi intro Terraformer will captivate your senses and warm you up for the British Rock extravaganza titled Before The Storm, where Neil and Karen are in absolute sync with their riffs and bass, respectively, providing Antoinette exactly what she needs to shine on vocals while also bringing elements of Jazz to their core alternative essence, flowing smoothly into the gentle and enfolding Caged, where Andrew does a superb job with both his beats and his ethereal synths. In addition, Karen brings the groove to the overall result, also full of nice breaks and variations, whereas Neil begins slashing his strings in great fashion in the fast and thrilling Left to Rot, the most metallic of all songs of the EP with Antoinette adding a touch of finesse to the rumbling sounds blasted by her bandmates with her piercing vocals. Then it’s time to celebrate all giant monsters from the Japanese culture like Godzilla and Gamera in Kaiju Hijinks, another explosion of groove and adrenaline by the quartet presenting elements from Stoner Rock and Jazz to make things more interesting, not to mention the razor-edged riffs by Neil, followed by the title-track for the full album, Hemispheres, an introspective and futuristic song that evolves into a gentle Hard Rock ballad led by Andrew’s rhythmic drums and Neil’s classic riffs, ending the EP on a high note and setting the bar high for the second act Cerebral in the coming months.
Celestial, which is available for a full listen on YouTube (as six very entertaining visualizers) and on Spotify, is definitely a step forward in the career of Bouquet of Dead Crows, and in order to show those rockers your true appreciation don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and of course to grab your copy of the EP from the German Shepherd Records’ BandCamp page, from Music Glue, from Apple Music or from Amazon. After putting your hands on this excellent EP, you’ll have the perfect soundtrack for rockin’ around your house or in your car during such strange times we’re living, while we all wait for Antoinette, Neil & Co. to deliver more of their stylish Rock N’ Roll with the next chapter in their evolutionary career, Cerebral.
Best moments of the album: Left to Rot and Kaiju Hijinks.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 German Shepherd Records
Track listing 1. Terraformer 1:32
2. Before The Storm 2:34
3. Caged 3:49
4. Left to Rot 3:31
5. Kaiju Hijinks 2:36
6. Hemispheres 5:22
Band members Antoinette Cooper – vocals
Neil Bruce – guitars
Karen Gadd – bass, backing vocals
Andrew Coxall – drums, synths, programming, backing vocals
Capturing the music of the flies buzzing to the sight and stench of inhuman cruelty, this Dallas, Texas-based act will pulverize your senses with the boiling, filthy sound of their debut opus.
Capturing the music of the flies buzzing to the sight and stench of inhuman cruelty in their wicked creations, Dallas, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal/Deathslam six-piece act Texas Murder Crew will pulverize your senses with the boiling, filthy sound of their debut EP entitled Everyone’s Last Breath, drowning you as you reach in agonized desperation for a hand held out in pity. Featuring the dual guttural vocals of Logan Ross and Brent Wells, offering differing shades of sickening brutality, a thick wave of riffs by guitarist Kevin Clark (Devourment, Kill Everything), crushing foundations by bassist Timothy Dewayne Ratcliff and drummer Benjie Quezada, and hallucinatory shadows and the buzzing of the flies by Terry Burleson and his samplers, Everyone’s Last Breath is a must-have album for fans of underground brutality and rage, sounding absolutely verminous and gruesome, and having your body twitching, hungry for violence throughout its 17 minutes of unrelenting extreme music.
As soon as you hit play, a truly cinematic, somber intro grows in intensity until all hell breaks loose, preparing the listener for the pulverizing Curse of Humanity, with Brent and Logan making a bestial vocal duo with their sick gnarls and screeches while Kevin and Timothy decimate their stringed weapons mercilessly, resulting in a Brutal Slamming Death Metal avalanche infused with tons of groove and infinite aggressiveness. Destroy the Witness is another devastating lesson in Death Metal where Logan fires his Cannibal Corpse-inspired riffs while Timothy and Benjie shake the foundations of the earth with their thunderous instruments, not to mention how inhumane the vocals by both Brent and Logan sound, and if you thought they were going to slow down their savagery you’re utterly wrong, as the band keeps smashing our skulls in Beneath My Feet, offering us all three minutes of putrid, wicked Death Metal where Kevin once again takes the lead with his sick riffage. The band’s demented vocal duo continues to bark and vomit their gruesome words in the title-track Everyone’s Last Breath, with Benjie sounding like a stone crusher on drums, or in other words, this is a dense and cohesive Death Metal feast that perfectly represents the band’s dexterity and passion for brutality. Finally, Terry kicks off the closing tune Stronghold with his sinister samplers, being gradually joined by the violent sounds blasted by his bandmates, requiring only a little less than two minutes to annihilate us all.
There are multiple locations where you can put your dirty and blood-soaked hands on Everyone’s Last Breath, such as the band’s own webstore, Comatose Music’s BandCamp and webstore, Amazon, and other alternative options such as Randy’s Record Shop and Saturn. Also, let’s show the guys from Texas murder Crew our total support by following them on Facebook and on Instagram to know more about their music, tour dates and plans for the future, keeping the fires of Brutal Death Metal alive for many years to come and, of course, making sure those talented death metallers will keep delivering their wicked and brutal creations until their very last breath.
Best moments of the album: Curse of Humanity and Everyone’s Last Breath.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Comatose Music
Track listing 1. Intro 1:39
2. Curse of Humanity 3:31
3. Destroy the Witness 4:00
4. Beneath My Feet 2:50
5. Everyone’s Last Breath 4:19
6. Stronghold 1:29
Band members Brent Wells – vocals
Logan Ross – vocals
Kevin Clark – guitars
Timothy Dewayne Ratcliff – bass
Terry Burleson – samplers, backing vocals
Benjie Quezada – drums
Formed just two years ago by members of the underground Australian bands Hell Sounds, Descent and Snorlax, the furious Brisbane, Australia-based Death Metal/Grindcore unity Resin Tomb is unleashing upon us their debut self-titled EP, offering a blend of dissonant, intricate and soul-crushing Death Metal with flesh-ripping Black Metal and visceral grind madness at times as their signature sound, exuding a vibe not too far removed from one of their other projects, Snorlax. Recorded and mixed at Black Blood Audio, mastered by Simon at Empty Hall Studio, and featuring an old school, cadaverous artwork by Ethan Lee McCarthy (from bands like Primitive Man and Vermin Womb), the EP will decimate your senses with its five grotesque tracks full of bestial and serpentine riffs coupled with a skull-crushing percussion and guttural vocals, showcasing how vile the Dissonant Death Grind played by vocalist Matthew Budge, guitarist Brendan Auld, bassist Mitch Long and drummer Perry Vedelago can be.
Not only you can show your support to this sinister, up-and-coming horde from Australia by listening to their debut EP in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can (and should) also purchase a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Brilliant Emperor Records’ BandCamp page or webstore in LP format or as an LP + longsleeve shirt bundle, or from Amazon. Also, don’t forget to give the boys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with their upcoming releases, live concerts (whenever this COVID-19 madness is over, of course) and other nice-to-know details about the band, keeping the flames of extreme music burning bright in the always prolific Australian metal scene.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 