Album Review – Devolted / Broken Kings EP (2016)

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How about grabbing a pint, getting drunk and, to the sound of this promising Irish band, picking up a fight at a rowdy pub in Dublin?

Rating5

Devolted_-_Broken_Kings_2016-667x650If you’re a metalhead living in the Greater Dublin Area, in the Republic of Ireland, or if you’re a tourist visiting Dublin and looking for some good metal music in the city, I highly recommend you take a look at the official Facebook page of Heavy Metal/Hard Rock quartet Devolted and see if they’re playing anywhere in the city while you’re around. This “musical four-piece of reprobates” plays straightforward old school heavy music perfect for engaging in a pub fight, and where else can you find better pubs than in Dublin?

Bounded together in 2010 through their passion for Heavy Metal and beer, Devolted are releasing their second installment now in 2016, the fast-paced and very enjoyable EP entitled Broken Kings. After releasing their debut EP The Curious Case in 2014 and suffering a major lineup change in 2015, Devolted began focusing on more contemporary, sharper and groovier sounds, blending a shitload of styles and genres in their music to the point you have to get properly drunk to be able to list all of them. However, as already mentioned, the final result is far from being messy or untuneful. Quite the contrary, this totally uncompromised band managed to reach a unique musicality that will definitely inspire you to jump up and down with the band and (who knows) throw some good punches around.

The first track of the EP, My Monster, brings forward a rhythmic start with modern and heavy guitar lines, until lead singer and bassist Rafal Smyczynski screams a nice “FUCK!” and the festivities begin. Moreover, Devolted offer an interesting fusion of the aggressiveness by Pantera with Metalcore and Hard Rock during the entire song, with the bridge to the chorus being perfect for enlivening the listener’s experience.

Displaying elements from traditional Heavy Metal, Hardcore and Metalcore, Dogs Of War is another solid composition tailored for setting fire to a Rock N’ Roll party, and you can easily notice how much guitarists Mark O’Reilly and Killian Chellar might love the unparalleled riffs by guitar heroes Dimebag Darrell and Michael Amott. In God Of Light, drummer Dominik Tokarski begins pounding his drums until the whole band joins him in a parade of inebriate vocals, metallic riffs and a pure headbanging rhythm. Hints of Groove and Stoner Metal add an extra flavor to the music, and while Rafal screams the song title, the riffs blasted by Mark and Killian will fill your ears with pure good old Rock N’ Roll.

online resolutionLast but not least, the title-track Broken Kings begins by displaying an interesting merger of Melodic Death Metal and Hardcore through the excellent job done on guitars as well as on drums. This is undoubtedly the most electrifying tune of the EP where all band members are on beast mode, with highlights to its backing vocals providing the necessary support to Rafal and his Pantera-inspired vocals, as well as its guitar solo which simply helps it in being the most complete of the four tracks. In other words, this composition will leave you eager for more of Devolted’s solid rock music.

Knowing how much Dubliners love metal music, I can’t believe this is the first review to ever be done for a band from such a special city. Well, at least it was worth the wait, as Devolted simply kick fuckin’ ass with their storm of rock and metal. And in order to know more about the band, go visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation, and don’t forget to support Irish Heavy Metal by purchasing Broken Kings at their BandCamp page or on iTunes. After getting used to their music, all you have to do is head to the nearest Irish pub, grab a couple of pints, get drunk and, to the sound of Devolted, start a nice brawl with some strangers (or even with your friends), how about that?

Best moments of the album: Broken Kings.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. My Monster 4:36
2. Dogs Of War 3:37
3. God Of Light 4:05
4. Broken Kings 4:40

Band members
Rafal Smyczynski – vocals, bass
Mark O’Reilly – guitar, backing vocals
Killian Chellar – guitar, backing vocals
Dominik Tokarski – drums

Album Review – ZØRORMR / The Aftermath EP (2016)

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Enjoy these six powerful and distinct Black Metal chants that together bring to a conclusion the first era in the history of this excellent extreme project from Poland. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Rating5

coverAs today is June 6, 2016 (or 6/6/16), the eleventh edition of the world-famous International Day of Slayer, there’s nothing better than relishing this date with a good dosage of dark and heavy music, and the chosen soundtrack for such a distinct celebration this year by The Headbanging Moose is the six-track diabolical EP entitled The Aftermath, meticulously crafted in the dark shadows of Opole, a city located in southern Poland, by Black Metal one-man army ZØRORMR. Born on the ruins of a dark ambient project named I.A. Serpentor in the beginning of 2010, ZØRORMR already released the albums Kval (2010), HIS (2013) and Corpus Hermeticum (2015), with The Aftermath closing the first era in the history of this excellent project led by Polish artist and multi-instrumentalist Moloch.

Featuring a hellish artwork by Russian artist Timur Khabirov and with the support of guest musicians Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt on lead guitar and Icanraz on drums (both from Polish Symphonic Black/Death Metal act Devilish Impressions), The Aftermath consists of four tracks recorded during the Corpus Hermeticum session (with 3 of them never heard before), produced by Arek “Malta” Malczewski (a longtime producer for Blackened Death Metal titans Behemoth), as well as two bonus tracks from the HIS and Kval sessions. The music itself is a hybrid of the works by bands like Rotting Christ, Naglfar and other important names fom extreme music, being also heavily inspired by Heavy Metal from the 80’s.

A heavy storm announces darkness has arrived in The Last Judgement, a classy Black Metal composition with hints of Doom Metal and symphonic elements that kicks off the EP on a high note. Moloch vigorously leads this black mass with his demonic growls and riffs, while Icanraz displays all his skills by blending an occult and tribal drumming with traditional Black Metal blast beats. The Crawling Chaos presents another smooth intro that evolves to lugubrious Black Metal, enhanced by an additional layer of intricacy comprised of interesting Blackened Doom elements, which help the band craft a disturbing and demonic ambience. In addition to that, the infernal screams by Moloch will torture your soul, whereas Quazarre does an outstanding job with his precise guitar solos.

molochThe Adversary is yet again a solid and dense composition offered to the listener by this incredible Polish project, with the sick drumming by Icanraz generating an amazing uproar for Moloch to spill his somber vociferations upon us. And there’s no place to hide from ZØRORMR, as all that heaviness and vileness goes on in the title-track, the grim The Aftermath. Moloch definitely knows how to craft gripping intros to his creations, with the song’s obscure rhythm together with its beautiful piano notes resembling a dark funeral march. In other words, this is an instrumental song that could easily be used as the soundtrack of a demented horror movie.

The first bonus tack, entitled Arise Cthulhu, Arise!, goes full Black Metal, presenting a disquieting musicality perfect for fans of old school extreme music. Every single moment of the song is filled with malevolence and causticity, which is obviously a good thing in Black Metal and, consequently, turns this chant into the best of all six tracks in The Aftermath. Lastly, the second bonus track Zørormr, which carries the name of the band, brings forward sharper riffs and a cutting sonority, concluding the EP in a thrilling way. Despite being another instrumental track by ZØRORMR, it’s fairly different from “The Aftermath” due to the Thrash and Death Metal hints added to it, showcasing the wide musical range Moloch is capable of reaching with his music.

In summary, not only the music found in The Aftermath keeps up with the creations of the biggest Extreme Metal icons from Poland, but it also provides an accurate and outright epitome of everything ZØRORMR have already provided to the world of heavy music, as well as what to expect from this striking project by Moloch in the future. In case you want to follow the “evilution” of ZØRORMR, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and if you want to buy a copy of The Aftermath you can find it for sale at the Via Nocturna’s webstore or BandCamp page. Arise ZØRORMR, Arise!

Best moments of the album: The Adversary and Arise Cthulhu, Arise!

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. The Last Judgement 6:29
2. The Crawling Chaos 5:15
3. The Adversary 2:54
4. The Aftermath 3:53

Bonus tracks
5. Arise Cthulhu, Arise! 3:27
6. Zørormr 3:01

Band members
Moloch – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards

Guest musicians
Przemysław “Quazarre” Olbryt – lead guitar
Icanraz  – drums

Album Review – Drought / Rudra Bhakti EP (2016)

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

Rating5

cover“Ram Naam Satya Hey.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Avantgarde Music

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

Band members
*Information not available*

Concert Review – Primal Fear & Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody (The Mod Club, Toronto, ON, 06/01/2016)

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In metal we trust, for metal we live. And last night in Toronto was just another beautiful attestation of all that passion for heavy music, courtesy of the indomitable Primal Fear and the epic Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody.

OPENING ACT: Vesperia

NorthAmerica-PFLTR-TourLet me start this review by thanking Mother Nature for being so amazing to all Torontonians since the end of winter, providing us some beautiful sunny days, warmer-than-usual temperatures and almost no precipitation. And when the weather is as good as now, there’s nothing better than going out with your friends and loved ones for a beer and some good old Heavy Metal, right? If you’re a true metalhead, a true lover of old school Power Metal, last night was the perfect occasion for that to the sound of three excellent heavy bands at the cozy The Mod Club, starting with Canadian Epic/Progressive Death Metal band VESPERIA.

IMG_1344Promoting their latest installment, their 2015 EP entitled The Iron Tempests, which by the way helped them win the 2015 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada (and consequently play at the biggest metal festival on earth the same year), this talented quartet showcased all their refined abilities with their instruments during their entire performance, with this demolishing and intricate uproar made in Canada being masterfully led by lead singer and bassist Morgan Rider. Unfortunately I do not have the setlist for their presentation (I know they played songs like Iron Saga and In the Hall of the Mountain King), but I can assure you each and every song sounded just amazing on stage. If you’re searching for a new band that offers complex passages, blazing riffs and an endless amount of stamina in their music, Vesperia might be exactly what you’ve been craving for.

Band members
Morgan Rider – vocals, bass
Frankie Caracci – lead guitars
Casey Elliott – guitars
Dylan Gowan – drums

PRIMAL FEAR

IMG_1353After Vesperia was over, all the metalheads at the venue had a short break to have another beer or quickly go to the washroom before German power metallers PRIMAL FEAR came crushing our ears with their thunderous and metallic music. When you’re a band like Primal Fear, all you have to do to hypnotize the audience right away is kicking off the concert with one of your best compositions to date, and last night not only they did that, but they chose my favorite tune of all to start their setlist, the flammable and thrilling Final Embrace. After that masterpiece, the unstoppable Ralf Scheepers, Mat Sinner & Co. kept firing some of their biggest classics blended with brand new songs from the awesome Rulebreaker, and the reaction of the fans to the new songs couldn’t have been better. Well, you know an album is goddamn amazing when fans really want to listen to new songs on the show, right?

IMG_1370From all new songs played, the ones that drew the most excited screams from the fans and made everyone at the venue raise their fists in the air were Rulebreaker and The End Is Near, not to mention their beautiful performance during the power ballad The Sky Is Burning. In regards to their top-notch metal classics, as a huge fan of the band I must say Angel in Black, Sign of Fear and Metal Is Forever drove the audience crazy while they were being played. Who doesn’t love to scream the words “There is blood there is pain / But my agony is not in vain / Cause there’s life after death / And I’m sure coming back to attack / As an angel in black” together with Ralf and the rest of the band?

IMG_1360The entire band was incredible as usual, with highlights to the explosive performances by Mat and the new drummer Francesco Jovino. Obviously, I don’t need to describe the perfection which Ralf sang all songs of the setlist, nor how guitarists Alex Beyrodt and Tom Naumann blasted some potent riffs and solos throughout the whole concert. The only issue during this entire North American tour was the absence of their third guitarist, Magnus Karlsson, despite having recorded the new album. Three guitarists live would have been awesome, but anyway, it was another exceptional performance by one of the best Power Metal acts in the world (just as good as their 2014 concert in Toronto), and after the encore was over with two more classics, Rollercoaster (another one of their songs I truly love) and Running In The Dust, the German troopers were gone and it was time to set the stage for the last concert of the night. I was expecting Primal Fear to headline the night, but that’s fine, we all got our share of their brilliant Power Metal. There was absolutely nothing to complain about that.

Setlist
Countdown to Insanity/Jaws of Death
Final Embrace
In Metal We Trust
Angel in Black
Rulebreaker
Sign of Fear
The Sky Is Burning
Nuclear Fire
Angels of Mercy
The End Is Near
When Death Comes Knocking
Chainbreaker
Metal Is Forever

Encore:
Rollercoaster
Running In The Dust

Band members
Ralf Scheepers – vocals
Mat Sinner – bass, backing vocals
Alex Beyrodt – guitars
Tom Naumann – guitars, backing vocals
Francesco Jovino – drums

LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY

IMG_1388It was indeed a huge surprise for me that Italian Epic/Cinematic Metal band LUCA TURILLI’S RHAPSODY was the main attraction of the night. Nothing against them, but I believe Primal Fear are a lot more relevant to the world of heavy music than Luca and his crew, especially after all the countless changes the band has suffered through the years. Honestly, I lost count of how many times the band switched from one name to another, all the band members coming and going, and so on. I don’t know anymore if a song was originally recorded by Rhapsody, by Rhapsody of Fire, by Luca Turilli’s Rhapsody or by any other of those weird ramifications. If you’re a fan of any of those bands (or just a fan of one of them, who knows), please forgive me for my ignorance.

IMG_1386Anyway, what can I say about a band that claims to play “Cinematic Metal”? All fans were able to actually witness the soundtrack to an epic battle movie, one of those fantasy blockbusters full of dragons, knights, princesses and so on. The band itself looks very theatrical (and sometimes even cartoon-ish), and their performance was a lot better than what I was expecting, especially the idiosyncratic moves and facial expressions by the band’s leader, Mr. Luca Turilli. It was fun watching him firing his complex riffs while prancing around the stage with his stylish hair and a Guess T-shirt. Truly unique, I should say.

Although I got lost in time with all the changes that affected the original Rhapsody, it was a pleasure to see the band playing old classics like Unholy Warcry (my favorite of their setlist) and Emerald Sword, whereas at the same time their Game Of Thrones-themed drum solo was a very welcome surprise for all fans. My only complaint about their concert was the excessive usage of pre-recorded sounds used for all orchestrations and choir. I bet when they play at any European festivals that shouldn’t be a problem, but for smaller venues it sometimes sounds like a metal karaoke. That’s not the band’s fault, though, just a minor annoying detail in their decent performance. Now please excuse me, as I have to grab my sword, my shield and get ready for battle.

Setlist
Nova Genesis (Ad Splendorem Angeli Triumphantis)
Knightrider of Doom
Rosenkreuz (The Rose and the Cross)
Land of Immortals
Unholy Warcry
Son of Pain
Prometheus
Drum Solo (Game Of Thrones Theme)
Il Cigno Nero
Guitar Solo
The Pride of the Tyrant
Demonheart
Bass Solo
Dawn of Victory

Encore:
Quantum X
Emerald Sword
Outro

Band members
Alessandro Conti – vocals
Luca Turilli – guitars
Dominique Leurquin – guitars
Patrice Guers – bass
Alex Landenburg – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Terra Teratos

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terra01

Hic et ubique odor mortis… Hic jacet Aeternitas est.

Very few women in the world of heavy music are as reserved, taciturn and mysterious as our metal chick this month. Dark and visionary, the idiosyncratic Russian musician/artist Katerina Khoroshiltseva, best known as Terra Teratos, has been playing a very important role (even if she doesn’t want to or doesn’t like the idea) in the obscure and sexist realm of Extreme Metal. She has been breaking many barriers and paradigms with her powerful music through the years, no matter which band or project she’s involved with, becoming an inspiration for many other women that are starting their careers in Black Metal and an icon for admirers of the darkest side of music.

In regards to her personal life, Terra Teratos is so reclusive to the point that there isn’t much information available about her likes and dislikes, personal background or any other intimate details. For instance, except for her Google+ profile, YouTube channel, BandCamp and SoundCloud page, where she publishes selected songs from all her different projects and bands, she’s not present in any of the major social medias such as Facebook and Twitter, keeping her life private even if that means restraining the reach of her work as an artist. Well, at least for me it looks like that’s her goal anyway, remaining as underground as possible and far away from any commercial labels.

Apart from her real name, all we know about Terra Teratos is that she comes from the city of Voronezh, Russia, about 540km south of the Russian capital Moscow and 300km from the border of Ukraine. And that’s it, everything else revolves around her music, her projects and her vision of the world we live in. With that said, let’s focus on each one of her main bands/projects at a time (Terra Teratos and Furva Ambiguitas), and then provide some extra details about her inspirations, experiences and creative process as a musician, as well as her opinion about different topics related to music and life in general.

Perhaps the one-woman project Terra Teratos is the most interesting or distinct work of her career, not only because she’s responsible for all instruments and vocals, but mainly due to the origins and essence of the music crafted. Terra Teratos is an Experimental/Dark Ambient Black Metal project originated in 2006, stemming from the unification of several other individual projects including Teratos (Avant-garde piano music), Mertvye Pesni (only vocals, medieval folk and funeral rituals), Goetia (Dark Ambient), Rokot Voln (Black Ambient), Tierdrama (Black Metal), N.O.V.A.R.A. (Cyber Black Metal), Chaos (Ambient/Psychedelic Noise) and Tern (Symphonic Ambient), all considered a preparation for what the whole project is today. The music, as you can imagine, is an extremely complex and experimental mix of Black, Funeral and Doom Metal, enriched by symphonic elements, eerie noises and a dark atmosphere. To date, the following albums have been released by Terra Teratos: the demo Asphodel (2006), the EP Never (2007), the full-length “trilogy” Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part 1 (2007), Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part Zero (2009) and Meditations About Secret of My Dark Destiny Part 2 (2010), and more recently the EP Ambrosia (2013). In order to feel what Terra Teratos is all about, you should take a good listen at songs such as Evil, My Evil and III, or go to her official BandCamp page for more obscurity in the form of music.

Regarding Depressive Black/Funeral Doom Metal project Furva Ambiguitas (also known as FAAS), which started in 2007 as Terra Teratos’ own idea and is Latin for “obscure ambiguity”, she is responsible for all vocals, keyboards, programming and lyrics, while Russian musician Anton Mrak is responsible for all stringed instruments. The duo has released so far the following odes to occultism and mysticism: the demo At the Bottom of the River (2007), and the full-length albums In Articulo Mortis (2009) and Sacer (2012). There are several interesting songs from that project, as for example Invocation to Hecate, Abyssus Abyssum Invocat, Primus Inter Pares and Debitum, among other dark compositions.

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Besides those two main projects, Terra Teratos is also involved with Black Metal band Terribilis, which you can check by listening to the songs Чтобы Потухли Глаза…, На Заклание к Черту! and Баллада (Пять коней), as well as other past bands and guest appearances like Goetia, Lethargia (under the curious name of PanTera or Pantera), Rokot Voln, Tierdrama, Мертвые Песни, Н.О.В.А.Р.А., Rainwill, Absenthe, Burelom, Dregva and Humanizer. I don’t know about you, but for me that more than proves this Russian woman lives for obscure music.

And all that obscurity has a huge influence in the way she sees music and life in general, keeping a good distance from any cliché or pedestrian art. For instance, Terra Teratos believes a band’s name should match with what the listener is expecting, in other words, it should reflect the band’s harmony or the author’s personality, otherwise it’s completely meaningless and hollow. In addition, she also believes that there’s no way any digital source can replace a live analog sound, and as much as you try to imitate it you’ll never get its true identity,. Also, she said there’s no specific scene where her music can fit in, as she stays away from any competitiveness in the world of art. With that said, I guess we can say her music is truly unique and biotic, different from most bands and artists we know and perfectly representing her view of the world, her dreams, reflections and internal needs, becoming more and more organic through time.

Her definition of Black Metal is also very peculiar and totally in line with her ideas and beliefs, as she sees it as a musical and poetic demonstration of the Death cult. In her own words, “the sense of existence of this genre is beyond a pure art. As Hermann Hesse put this in his ‘Demian’, ‘The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. Who would be born must first destroy a world.’ A genuine transformation demands a never-ending staying in the bifurcation points which replace each other. That also caused praising of Darkness, Evil, Chaos, War, total correlation with an archetype of the Devil, immersion into the images being the most frightening for an ordinary person – that is, everything, for what we honor the real Black Metal so much, and what the Black Metal really is…” Don’t worry if you don’t understand it at first, what really matters in this case is that Terra Teratos proves through her words how Black Metal is more than just a music genre in her life.

Lastly, when questioned about the future of Terra Teratos, she mentioned the project exists without any time frames, without any objectives being set or plans being made. As long as there’s still something arising, Terra Teratos will exist. And we all hope that’s the case for many years to come.

Terra Teratos’ Official Website
Furva Ambiguitas’ Official Website

“Black Metal for me is a musical and poetic demonstration of the Death cult. It is necessary to understand that it is not so much about literal perception of the Death, but the Death as a symbol of total transformation, a transgressive act of coming to an essentially other level, a ruthless separator in all its aspects.” – Terra Teratos

Album Review – The Hypothesis / Origin (2016)

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

Rating4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Scarface and Weak Story.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

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

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

Guest musician
Daniel Freyberg – guitar solo on “Exit”

Album Review – Pyramido / Vatten (2016)

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

Rating5

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best moments of the album: Aktion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Halo of Flies

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

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

Album Review – Witches Of Doom / Deadlights (2016)

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

Rating4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Sliptrick Records

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

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

Album Review – Burial / Unholy Sedition (2016)

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

Rating5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 UKEM Records

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

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

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

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

Rating5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

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

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