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

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

Rating4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: None.

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

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

Band members
*Information not available*

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

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

Rating4

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best moments of the album: Threnody and Początek Wrażeń.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Pagan Records

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

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

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

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

Rating4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Lethal District.

Released in 2015 Hellstorm Recordz

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

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

Album Review – Antlion / The Prescient (2015)

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A progressive, technical and “psychedethic” album by a Canadian band that has all it takes to dominate the world of Death Metal.

Rating4

antlion artHave you ever heard of the expression “psychedethic” in your life? That’s how Canadian Progressive/Technical Death Metal band Antlion refers to their music, a powerful combination of the wrath found in Death Metal with an unbounded burst of groove and progressiveness. Based on what their debut full-length album The Prescient has to offer, I must agree this new term created by the band should be added to the dictionary, and as soon as you hit play you’ll have the perfect explanation to that in the form of high-quality Canadian metal.

Although the band was formed in 2012 in the city of Ottawa, Canada, it’s just now in 2015 that they’re releasing their first material, which for me at least indicates they might be extremely rigorous with the quality of their compositions, right? Anyway, featuring a more-than-psychedelic album art by Chris Volion (The Gilley van Weirden Workshop), The Prescient has all it takes to get deep into your mind and make you feel completely dazed, so exquisite the album is. And especially if you’re a musician, pay good attention to the details those guys offer within each and every song, and you might have encountered a new favorite band for your collection.

What seems like it’s going to be just relaxing progressive music in the opening track, Incubation, suddenly turns into a wild feast of Progressive Death Metal for fans of Tool and Mastodon, with guitarists Shane Williams and Joe Kruger giving a lesson in creativity with their strings. In the amazing Hubris, imagination and complexity keep walking hand in hand, with drummer Arend Nijhuis stealing the spotlight with his breaks and double bass, sounding as if Dream Theater and Cannibal Corpse merged into one band. And Cycle of Failure presents Jazz elements in a crazy journey guided by Shane and Joe, as if there were three or four songs in one due to its progressiveness.

The next tune, named Hive, flirts with Melodic Deah Metal by providing the listener awesome guttural vocals and flowing electricity. It’s definitely one of the best tracks of the album due to its excellent riffs and rhythm, not to mention its violent ending, before A Seer’s Elegy showcases another display of heaviness and creativity by the band, with Adam kicking ass on both vocals and bass. I would say this song has all the “attributes” of a serial killer, being violent but extremely methodical and/or surgical at the same time.

Spire offers an awesome blend of Groove and Progressive Metal (it can’t get any crazier than this!), with its background effects enhancing the song’s oddity and, once again, Arend providing the listener incredible beats and breaks. And as a final treat for us metalheads, Antlion bring forth an insane two-piece title-track, with the first part, The Prescient (Part I), delivering madness, beautiful riffs and lots of variations, being heavier than most tracks of the album mainly due to its resonant bass lines; and the second part,The Prescient (Part II), concluding the album in a solid and progressive way, again including hints of Jazz to provide extra layers of intricacy to it.

All this metallic lunacy can be found at their official Facebook page and YouTube channel, and you can find The Prescient for sale at the band’s BandCamp page. If you’re not only a connoisseur of Death Metal, but also a fan of visionary metal bands, I must say The Prescient might have a significant impact on your headbanging life, as it’s indeed an important breakthrough in this “psychedethic” band’s path to conquer the world of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Hubris and Hive.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Incubation 4:46
2. Hubris 5:55
3. Cycle of Failure 6:02
4. Hive 4:34
5. A Seer’s Elegy 4:10
6. Spire 6:18
7. The Prescient (Part I) 3:53
8. The Prescient (Part II) 4:37

Band members
Adam Pell – vocals, bass
Shane Williams – guitar
Joe Kruger – guitar
Arend Nijhuis – drums

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2015-12-01

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If you want to get more information about any of the bands featured at The Metal Moose Show, simply Google the band and/or the song name to find their official website and Facebook page and, more important than that, attend their live concerts and buy their music. Here at The Headbanging Moose you can find a detailed review of Swedish Groove Death Metal band Chugger (just click on the link below to read the review). Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!

On The Metal Moose Show this week:

1. Born N Raised – King Hate
2. Crows Cage – American Monster
3. Darkest Era – Elohim
4. Empire Falling – Guilty
5. Gravel Hitch – Transformed
6. Memory Of A Melody – Phantoms And Shadows
7. Steel Gypsy – Direction
8. The Crimson Veil – Embers Before Ashes
9. The Muted Pitch – Plummet
10. Vehement Animosity – Entropy
11. Wilt – The Elder
12. Chugger – Human Plague
13. Deathtronic – Anno 1423
14. Electric Revolution – Here We Go
15. VHS – Hairspray And Bloodspray
16. Barren Earth – Frozen Processions
17. Horrific Disease – Newborn Reapers
18. Threatpoint – Careful What You Wish For
19. Lynchpin – God Complex
20. Kerosene – Lie
21. XUL – Battle Storm

Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | iTunes

Metal Chick of the Month – Dr. Mikannibal

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mikannibal01

I Live You Die… Your Life Is Mine.

If you have never, ever in your entire life heard or seen anything about the jaw-dropping, unusual and skillful Japanese goddess Dr. Mikannibal, the saxophonist and also one of the lead singers of Japanese Black/Avant-garde Metal band Sigh, you have no idea of what you’re missing. Furthermore, nothing that you will read here is fake or made-up: Dr. Mikannibal is indeed a unique performer, and I dare you to find another woman so off-the-wall in music, even in the weird realms of Industrial, Gothic and especially Black Metal. For instance, she loves to record topless, has the odd habit of eating bugs and also enjoys drinking blood. Do I need to say more?

Our electrifying Asian bombshell, whose real name is Mika, was born on January 23 in the city of Sendai-shi (also known as “The City of Trees”) in Miyagi, Japan, located around 350km from the capital Tokyo. Dr. Mikannibal is in a long-term relationship with Sigh’s multi-instrumentalist Mirai Kawashima, and although she suffered a miscarriage three months into pregnancy in 2013, in April 2014 she took the stage of Inferno Metal Festival in Oslo, Norway with “Baby’s In Here” written on her belly. I wasn’t able to find anything online about her pregnancy after that, so let’s hope that Mika and Mirai had a beautiful and healthy baby together (which is probably what happened) and are now enjoying their parenthood to the sound of heavy music.

Named one of the “Sexiest Women in Metal” by Revolver Magazine, the title of Doctor added to her stage moniker is far from being jest, as she actually has a Ph.D. in Physics and still finds time to work as a scientist at her home in Florida, where she has been living for the past few years. Moreover, as expected from any person that’s at the same time a scientist and a black metaller, Dr. Mikannibal is an atheist (as well as Mirai) and whenever the band sings about hell she said in one of her interviews there’s no religious meaning behind it. It’s simply a representation of human beings going through hell, describing those scenes through their music.

In regards to her music career, Dr. Mikannibal has been playing saxophone since she was 12, being able to play the alto, tenor and baritone sax. She mentioned all are basically the same and she does that to add more power to her music, although it’s more difficult than playing just the alto sax, of course. However, it wasn’t until she joined Sigh that she took her saxophone skills to the studio and on stage at a professional level. Before joining Sigh she only did vocals for different metal bands, starting with indie Japanese Melodic Death Metal band 29Jaguar, with whom she recorded the demo 29Anger in 2005, and Japanese Melodic Thrash/Death Metal band Providence.

Dr. Mikannibal joined Sigh back in 2007, having already recorded with the band the following albums: A Tribute to Venom EP (2008), Scenes from Hell (2010), The Curse of Izanagi EP (2010), the split album Swine of Hades (2011), and more recently In Somniphobia (2012) and Graveward (2015). From all those releases, the only one where our metal goddess did not play her wicked saxophone was A Tribute to Venom EP, but anyway you can enjoy her devilish vocals in their cover versions for the Black Metal classics Countess Bathory, Black Metal and Witching Hour. If you want to take a listen at her skills as both the vocalist and saxophonist of Sigh, a few suggested songs are The Transfiguration Fear and Far Beneath The In-Between and Kaedit Nos Pestis. Lastly, after joining Sigh, she recorded sax and vocals in the 2012 album Worms in the Keys by international Avant-garde Rock/Metal project Self Spiller, and was also a guest saxophonist on track Boiled In Hell Broth & Grave Dust (Intro), from the 2010 album The Murder of Jesus the Jew by British Experimental Black Metal band The Meads of Asphodel, and on A Hollow Bridge, from the album Mapping the Moment with the Logic of Dreams by Romanian Progressive Black Metal band Bloodway. Apart from her career as a musician, Dr. Mikannibal has also ventured in the world of journalism, as for example her interview with At The Gates vocalist Tomas Lindberg in Tokyo, Japan on August 5, 2013 for the Metal Moment podcast.

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Nonetheless, it’s on stage that our sexy doctor really stands out with her lunatic vocals and ferocious saxophone playing, her skimpy lingerie, skirts and dresses, and of course her infamous hot wax bath. Yes, that’s exactly what you have in your mind right now: a provocative Asian girl dripping hot wax from candles all over her attractive body. Check these two videos on YouTube where you’ll be able to see how wild she’s when performing live, the first playing the song The Soul Grave at the Roadburn Festival in Tilburg, Netherlands in 2013, and the second showing you her hot wax bath in Taipei, Taiwan in 2012. Isn’t she adorable?

But wait, there’s still a lot more to talk about our fearless diva: because she loves her pet lizards (or geckos) and was really curious as to what they eat, she started to gather more details on bug eating, attended a “bug eating party”, learned how to cook roaches and other bugs properly and voilà! There you have a sexy bug-eater woman! Oddly enough, Dr. Mikannibal explained everything she does is not meant to attract the attention of anyone. “Some people in Japan traditionally eat grasshoppers. In the north part of Japan, they eat bugs. Eating roaches is not common in Japan, but it’s not a made-up story to get attention. It’s just something I do.”, she said in one of her interviews.

Obviously, a woman like that who wears such revealing see-through outfits in front of thousands of people has to be very comfortable with her body and appearance. She accepts and embraces the idea of being a sex symbol, although such distinction is not one of her main goals in her career. Not only that, when our gorgeous Nipponese lady is about to record anything new at home or in the studio, she does that topless (yes, topless!), simply due to the fact that she feels a lot more comfortable that way as she hates sweating a lot. She mentioned once the first thing she does when she arrives home is taking off her clothes, saying that’s something very natural and pleasant for her. Well, I guess there are lots of people who would love to attend the recording sessions by Sigh and be face-to-face in the studio with Dr. Mikannibal, one of the most remarkable women in contemporary Extreme Metal.

Dr. Mikannibal’s Official Facebook page
Dr. Mikannibal’s Official Twitter
Sigh’s Official Facebook page
Sigh’s Official Twitter 

“I do wear sexy costumes, and I wear less clothes than other metal chicks do in other bands. It’s not intentional. I don’t do it to try and get attention from men. I just wear what I wear because I like it. I love myself, my looks and my body, and I like to show it off on stage. That’s the whole idea.”  – Dr. Mikannibal

Album Review – Dzhatinga / Black Wings (2015)

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Spread your black wings and fly away to the dark realms of Death Metal constructed by these excellent Belarusian metallers.

Rating4

coverThe Republic of Belarus is usually known for its enchanting culture, its pristine forests and nature, and obviously for its historical importance as part of the imposing Soviet Union. However, the country has been turning into a mandatory stopover in recent years for fans of heavy and complex music, as previously seen with Progressive Death Metal band Irreversible Mechanism and now with Deathcore/Death Metal newcomers Dzhatinga, who are releasing in 2015 their debut full-length album Black Wings.

Hailing from the city of Minsk, Belarus, like their countrymen from Irreversible Mechanism, the band was formed just earlier this year by brothers Alexey Krapitsky (vocals, guitar) and Dmitry Krapitsky (bass), but their music sounds so solid and professional it feels like they’ve been on the road for a good time already. Furthermore, another interesting fact about Black Wings is that the way the songs (or “acts”) are named and sorted gives the idea the album is a theatrical play, which is reinforced by the ominous and beautiful artwork by Belarusian artist Elena Zharkova. And don’t expect to find any clean singing in the entire album, as Dzhatinga is a lot heavier than almost all Metalcore, Deathcore and Melodic Death Metal bands you might know.

The eerie intro Into The Abyss kicks off Black Wings by setting the stage to the extremely heavy Act I: Faith Devourer, which I personally wouldn’t call Melodic Death Metal but a more modern version of Death Metal, with the outstanding production of the album enhancing the impact of each instrument. Not only Alexey Krapitsky is a talented guitarist, but the way he uses his voice as an eldritch instrument, going from deep guttural to maniacal screams, truly adds a lot of kick to the song. Keeping the level of aggression high, Act II: Neverwhere showcases a futuristic sounding with an old school vibe and tons of brutality, not to mention the excellent guitar lines by Alexey Krapitsky and Alexey Yalovsky, followed by Act III: Bearpaw, an amazing tune that sounds like a heavier version of the Industrial Metal played by Fear Factory. Its lyrics might be simple but are indeed very precise (“My fur is like armor, my claws like blades. / The colour of your hope was lost in the shades. / Show me your fear, give me your life! / Your turn to die!”), and the additional harsh vocals by the awesome singer Anastasia Palamar (Exist M), being sexy and beastly at the same time, turn it into the best act of Black Wings in my opinion.

dzhatingaPassion To Kill (Prelude) is even more obscure than the album intro, being the perfect bridge from the first three acts to the following three, starting with a groovy massacre named Act IV: Their Knock, with highlights to the great job done by drummer Denis Kozyrev by adding hints of progressiveness to the music with his intricate beats, and to the vocals by Alexey Krapitsky, slightly more guttural than before. Then we have Act V: Seasoned With Pain, a hefty assault of Groove and Death Metal focused on its cannibalistic/vampirical lyrics (“Your flesh, your blood is so sweet for me. / My teeth are sharp. They will make you free. / Your taste is so subtle, so delicious. / Your heart and your brain is seasoned with your pain.”), and finally Act VI: Black Wings, featuring additional harsh vocals by Vitaly Shalak (Stanmarsh, Andrea Gail), where Dzhatinga keep devouring our souls with their wicked musicality despite being more introspective than the other acts, with the resonant bass lines by Dmitry guiding the song to its desolate ending.

In order to spread your black wings and fly away to the dark world constructed by Dzhatinga and their music, go visit their Facebook page, VKontakte and in special their SoundCloud page, where you can listen to Black Wings in its entirety and enjoy some high-end Death Metal directly from Belarus, a country that, as aforementioned, is gaining more and more significance and respect in the world of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Act II: Neverwhere and Act III: Bearpaw.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Into The Abyss (Intro) 1:13
2. Act I: Faith Devourer 3:49
3. Act II: Neverwhere 3:54
4. Act III: Bearpaw (feat. Anastasia Palamar) 4:11
5. Passion To Kill (Prelude) 1:21
6. Act IV: Their Knock 4:12
7. Act V: Seasoned With Pain 3:41
8. Act VI: Black Wings (feat. Vitaly Shalak) 4:31

Band members
Alexey Krapitsky – vocals, guitar
Alexey Yalovsky – guitar
Dmitry Krapitsky – bass
Denis Kozyrev – drums

Guest musicians
Anastasia Palamar – additional harsh vocals on “Act III: Bearpaw”
Vitaly Shalak – additional harsh vocals on “Act VI: Black Wings”

Album Review – Extirpation / Wings of Decadence (2015)

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If the sonic cataclysm brought forth by this demented Italian band doesn’t wake you up, you should definitely go see a doctor.

Rating5

extirpation_wings of decadenceIn case you’re having one of those sluggish and monotonous days that seem to last for the whole eternity, I have the perfect remedy to cure your boredom and make you feel so electrified you’ll even start banging your head against the wall in exultation. Open up some space in your room or wherever you are, take a deep breath, do some good stretching and finally hit play and enjoy Wings of Decadence, the brand new music havoc by Italian Black/Thrash Metal act Extirpation.

Bred in the darkest catacombs of Milan, Italy in July 2009, Extirpation have been growing in the underground scene with each of their releases, gaining some considerable recognition internationally and therefore leading them to start playing outside the Italian territory in countries such as Switzerland, France, Belgium and Romania. Judging by the speed and heaviness found in Wings of Decadence (including the sick old school artwork designed by their own vocalist/bassist Darak), I believe we can all have a very good idea of how cataclysmic their concerts around Europe might be.

Extirpation open the album with a merciless massacre entitled Controlled By Rage, where its razing riffs build a raw and obscure sounding enhanced by the harsh vocals by Darak (who actually sounds like an enraged goblin) and by drummer Elia smashing his drum set like there’s no tomorrow with a Punk Rock/Hardcore vibe added to his beats. If you don’t go into shock after listening to this ode to dementia, you’ll have your spinal cord smashed by Thrash The Enemy, a visceral Thrash Metal tune straight to your face where Eros and Magikk make sure their riffs and solos keep puncturing your ears without rest, followed by Sick Life, a brutal Thrashcore/Goregrind feast darkened by its deranged vocals, perfect for slamming into the most insane mosh pits you can imagine.

extirpationOath Of The Death, with its amazing infernal intro, offers the listener sheer devastation blending Black, Death and Thrash Metal with the meanest and most disturbing form of Punk Rock possible, not to mention the hot streak of destruction Darak and Elia are on; while Desires of Dust, despite slowing things down a bit, is still dark and putrid, with highlights to another devilish performance by Darak. And get ready for humongous dosages of hardcore riffs and bestial beats and growls in Consumed System, which not only keeps up with the musical consistency found in all previous tracks, but also presents guitar lines that are perhaps the closest to the purest form of Black Metal you will find in the whole album.

Not a single moment of peace or tranquility is present in Fall in The Dark: it’s violence taken to the extreme, where Elia continues his belligerent onslaught on drums while the rest of the band keeps breathing fire through their instruments and harsh vocals. The same can be said about Daily Struggle, an unrelenting display of Blackened Thrash Metal blended with Hardcore and Death Metal highly recommended for the soundtrack of the apocalypse, which makes me wonder how many people will have serious injuries if they slam into the pit whenever this immoderate tune is played live. In the short and sweet Eternal Moments, they truly sound like a band formed by evil entities like orcs or trolls shredding everything to pieces so inhuman it feels, maybe one of the most carnivorous tunes I’ve ever heard, before the title-track Wings of Decadence closes the album sounding as if the music is coming from the pits of hell, with Darak barking like a demon while the entire band is simply destroying whatever crosses their path with a mix of heaviness, feeling and anger.

In summary, the music in Wings of Decadence might be too harsh or pugnacious for the majority of the society we live in, but for fans of old school Black and Thrash Metal it’s indeed a bundle of joy with its ten hellish chants. You can get more details about the music by Extirpation at their Facebook page, and you can find their new album for sale at their BandCamp page or at the Nightbreaker Productions webstore. And if even after taking a listen at Wings of Decadence you still find yourself yawning of tiresomeness, I’m sorry but you should desperately see a doctor.

Best moments of the album: Thrash The Enemy, Oath Of The Death and Daily Struggle.

Worst moments of the album: Desires of Dust and Wings of Decadence.

Released in 2015 Nightbreaker Productions

Track listing
1. Controlled By Rage 3:35
2. Thrash The Enemy 2:43
3. Sick Life 4:08
4. Oath Of The Death 3:24
5. Desires of Dust 2:48
6. Consumed System 3:45
7. Fall in The Dark 4:03
8. Daily Struggle 2:50
9. Eternal Moments 1:58
10. Wings of Decadence 4:42

Band members
Darak – vocals, bass
Eros – guitars
Magikk – guitars
Elia – drums

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2015-11-24

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If you want to get more information about any of the bands featured at The Metal Moose Show, simply Google the band and/or the song name to find their official website and Facebook page and, more important than that, attend their live concerts and buy their music. Here at The Headbanging Moose you can find detailed reviews of Austrian Melodic Death Metal band Mandatory and Paraguayan Symphonic Metal band Pergana (just click on the links below to read the reviews). Support your local bands… AND FOLLOW THE MOOSE!

On The Metal Moose Show this week:

1. Blackheart Gospel – Wasteland America
2. Ainrail – Rural Sludge
3. Arreat – Frostburn
4. Autumn Stay – Ghost
5. Era – To The Grave
6. False Hope Fades – Break
7. Gathering After Ashes – Angels Take Flight
8. Mandatory – For The World To See
9. Motherfaster – The Nymph And The God
10. Octave Jaw – Never Free
11. Never Mind The Riot – Sacrifice
12. Pergana – Return To Innocence
13. Raftree – The Eyes You Hide
14. Sin Of Apathy – Never Forgive
15. Stahl Gorthol – Infernal Wrath
16. The Desolate – The Great Departure
17. Standing Ovation – Gravity Beats Nuclear Permafrost
18. The Crawling – The Right To Crawl
19. Dead City Crown – Seed Of Rain
20. Doll Skin – Lets Be Honest
21. Triumph Under Fire – No More
22. Viggenblot – From Flames Anew

Click HERE to listen to this week’s episode on Spreaker.

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | Mixcloud

Album Review – Selene / The Forgotten (2015)

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These amazing Northern Irish metallers continue their symphonic path to stardom with their delightful and elaborate debut full-length album.

Rating4

Selene - The ForgottenJust like thousands of other fans of Symphonic Power Metal (and good music in general) from all over the world, I’m glad to see it didn’t take too long for Northern Irish metallers Selene to come back in action with the release of their first full-length album, entitled The Forgotten. It’s always a pleasure to witness the evolution and success of a hardworking band such as Selene, who translate all their passion for heavy music into ravishing tunes tailored for admirers of the combination of heartwarming female vocals and intricate riffs, accompanied by a unique symphonic aura in the background.

Formed in Northern Ireland in 2013, Selene released their debut EP named Among the Frozen in 2013, and more recently another EP entitled Paradise Over, in 2014, which I had the pleasure of reviewing as you can check by clicking HERE. By the way, on its first week of release, Paradise Over became the 3rd best selling metal release worldwide on BandCamp, and has since been featured heavily on a number of radio stations worldwide (including our friends from The Metal Moose Radio). However, it’s now with The Forgotten that these talented musicians are truly shaping up their style, adding layers of complexity and creativity to their already solid music for an even more consistent result.

The opening track, Dorian, is undoubtedly an excellent start to the album, showcasing all the skills of the musicians involved.  The great performance by Shonagh Lyons in this song is enhanced by the atmosphere created by the rest of the band, with highlights to the powerful keyboards by guitarist/keyboardist John Connor. Paradise Over is the first of the three songs from their 2014 EP to feature on the album, being once again one of the best songs in my opinion, and the same words I used in the review to the EP are still valid. And Never-Ending Silence is a gentle and passionate heavy ballad where Shonagh takes the spotlight with her smooth vocals, never exaggerating on her tone or emotions while John provides his classic guitar lines full of feeling, not to mention the song’s beautiful chorus.

But that’s just the beginning of The Forgotten, as there’s still a lot more symphony and electricity to come as in the melodic Not Enough, another track from their 2014 EP where it’s impossible not to get touched by its warmness, followed by Fade Away, the last of the “old” EP songs and a potent chant for fans of Symphonic Metal with drummer Cameron Åhslund-Glass simply kicking some serious ass. Sweetest Dreams, a lovely ballad full of passion and melancholy, offers the listener beautiful piano passages, intense guitar lines and the always gentle vocals by the pretty Shonagh; while Blind presents a strong influence from bands such as Nightwish and Within Temptation, being considerably faster and more melodic than all previous tracks and flirting with modern Hard Rock with the addition of symphonic elements. It’s indeed very exciting from start to finish, yet again displaying a catchy chorus for all of us to sing along with the band.

Selene_1In Our Story, a nimble and heavy intro expands into a blend of symphony and speed, with the duo John/Cameron doing a superb job with their riffs and beats in total sync. And the band’s characteristic keyboards and heavy riffs keep penetrating our souls in Blood, an amazing composition by John and his crew where not only its rhythm is exciting, but also its guitar solos and vocal lines help turn it into one of the best of all songs in the entire album (if not the best one). Then we have Memories, the most “medieval” tune in The Forgotten, sounding like a chant to be sung while prancing around the fire pit due to all the Celtic and Scandinavian elements added to the musicality, and finally Piano Black, their boldest composition to date with almost 10 minutes of pure Symphonic Metal, featuring all those classic background effects, a choir, heavy riffs and vigorous beats, until its last part fades away into melancholy. In addition, Shonagh’s performance is beyond pleasant in this epic tune, proving why she was chosen by John to be the voice of Selene.

To sum up, The Forgotten lives up to all the complexity and excitement found in traditional Symphonic Metal, and it will surely feature among the top metal albums on BandCamp and anywhere else where honest music is appreciated, just like what happened with Paradise Over. You can get more details about Selene at their Facebook page, listen to their music at their YouTube channel, and above all, purchase The Forgotten at their BandCamp page. And when you’re there, pay some good attention as there are a few different versions of the album available such as the awesome Special Edition Digipak, which comes along with a digital download code for 23 (twenty-three!) bonus tracks, including an instrumental version of the whole album, orchestral versions of 9 tracks and also 3 tracks re-recorded from their 2013 EP Among the Frozen. What else can you ask for, Mr. or Ms. Symphonic Metal?

Best moments of the album: Paradise Over, Never-Ending Silence and Blood.

Worst moments of the album: Our Story.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Dorian 4:54
2. Paradise Over 3:31
3. Never-Ending Silence 3:50
4. Not Enough 5:03
5. Fade Away 5:04
6. Sweetest Dreams 3:56
7. Blind 4:21
8. Our Story 4:43
9. Blood 4:15
10. Memories 4:30
11. Piano Black 9:30

Band members
Shonagh Lyons – vocals
John Connor – guitar, keyboards
Thomas Alford – bass
Cameron Åhslund-Glass – drums