Album Review – Stabbed / Submerge EP (2016)

Posted on by
1

Time to get “stabbed” with the groovy and metallic music by this emerging Hungarian Post-Sludge Metal band.

Rating5

stabbed_cover_fnl_txt_smlIf you appreciate all the crazy progressiveness and pulse from bands such as Opeth, Meshuggah, Katatonia, Mastodon and Tool, I think I have a brand new underground Post-Sludge Metal band hailing from the sophisticated city of Budapest, Hungary that might fulfill your needs for the interesting fusion of the modern Heavy Metal from the late 90’s with the vigorous punch of Groove Metal from the early 00’s. This band answers to the name of Stabbed, and they’ve just released their debut EP, straightforwardly entitled Submerge.

Formed in 2012 as an industrial/ambient rock project by guitarist Attila Kecskes, which culminated in a demo of six songs written and recorded solely by Attila, Stabbed evolved to a bolder and heavier act in 2013, and since then the band has been working hard to deliver good music to fans of contemporary metal music. From the enigmatic album art designed by Hungarian artist Zénó Rolf Farkas (Artphetamin) to the darkling lyrics found in each of its five songs, Submerge offers the listener Stabbed’s current view of the society we live in, also pointing to the direction the band will probably follow in their future releases.

The opening track, Ruins, is fully progressive and groovy from the very first second, proving Stabbed are not kidding when they say they’re heavily influenced by Opeth and Mastodon despite all the additional Metalcore elements found their music. Switching from pure heaviness to ominous passages and back to a more visceral sounding again, this song highlights the precision of drummer Mark Potkovacz behind his kit, as well as its Pantera-inspired solo ending things properly. Creed keeps the high level of energy up with guest vocalist Péter Palotás and its weird but interesting lyrics (“We carved graves into our eyes / Burying illusions of our flawless mind / Tremors of a heavy beating heart / Rupture scars into our restless skull”), getting a lot closer to the demented music played by Mastodon. In addition, pay good attention to the peculiar guitar sounding crafted by Attila and his fellow guitarist Gergely Kovacs, it’s indeed a nice experience.

009-D-FBLast Stand, with its spot-on headbanging beats and riffs, is another song that blends Sludge Metal with Metalcore in a solid manner especially due to the clean vocals by lead singer Alex Karamusko, who by the way also provides a good amount of anger through his harsh screams during the entire EP. And in Reversal a slower and melancholic start suddenly turns into a violent rhythm, with Alex powerfully vociferating the song’s cryptic lyrics (“Leave before they / Picked up your scent / Find out you’re not one of them / Never let yourself be seen / Through the smoke of fears / They will reach inside your dreams”). In a nutshell, this is an introspective Sludge Metal/Metalcore tune with some interesting tempo changes a la Mastodon.

Lastly, closing the EP Stabbed deliver another angry composition entitled Carceri, featuring Peter Kelner as a guest vocalist doing the deeper growls. Let me tell you this partnership works extremely well, turning this into the best tune of the EP in my opinion, with David and Mark smashing their bass guitar and drums respectively until the music flows into a groovy finale.

In order to get “stabbed” with the organic and metallic music by Stabbed, go check their Facebook page, YouTube channel (where you can take a listen at the entire EP) and SoundCloud page, and don’t forget to support this emerging Hungarian act by purchasing Submerge at their BandCamp page, on iTunes (where they also offer the instrumental versions of all songs) and in many others locations.

Best moments of the album: Last Stand and Carceri.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Ruins 5:10
2. Creed (feat. Péter Palotás) 3:09
3. Last Stand 4:17
4. Reversal 5:13
5. Carceri (feat. Peter Kelner) 6:04

Band members
Alex Karamusko – vocals
Attila Kecskes – guitars
Gergely Kovacs – guitars
David Rosko – bass
Mark Potkovacz – drums

Guest musicians
Péter Palotás – additional vocals on “Creed”
Peter Kelner – additional vocals on “Carceri”

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2016-02-25

Posted on by
Reply

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 Canadian Progressive Metal band id. (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. Dark Ascent – Fear
2. Stalking Madness – Ava
3. Pool Of Thorns – Damaged
4. An Ocean Between Us – Live Together Die Alone
5. A Darker Day – Sweet Release
6. Circlewitch – Wings
7. Border Wars – The Present Day
8. Barren Earth – Frozen Processions
9. Atisa – The Dilemma
10. As December Falls – Cross My Heart
11. Burning Icarus – Rise
12. Killcode – Kicking Screaming
13. Killing Grace – Untouchable
14. As Oceans – The Black Bird
15. As Darkness Dies – Black Death
16. Heaven The Axe – Sex, Chugs, Rock N Roll
17. Bent To Break – Terrible
18. Sorrow Plagues – Fade
19. None The Less – 3
20. Gross Reality – Generation 36
21. id. – Sagittarius A

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

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | iTunes

Album Review – Anthrax / For All Kings (2016)

Posted on by
3

A classy and electrifying Thrash Metal album especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.

Rating3

anthrax_for all kingsFor All Kings, the eleventh studio album by American Thrash Metal titans Anthrax, is definitely not just another ordinary Thrash Metal album. It truly feels like a classy and passionate tribute to heavy music and to their longtime hardcore fans, who have never turned their back on these Ney York City metallers and kept flying the flag of old school Thrash Metal high no matter what. Actually, I shouldn’t be calling those people as just “fans”, but as real kings according to Anthrax themselves when explaining the title of the album. “The meaning, to me, for this title is that everybody can be a king.”, said the iconic guitarist Scott Ian. And you know what? We should indeed feel like kings being honored by Anthrax with such a beautiful album.

After the superb Worship Music, released in the distant year of 2011 when Anthrax emerged from the ashes like a metallic phoenix, I had no idea if they would be capable of maintaining (or even surpassing) the extremely high level of quality and energy flowing from now classic songs such as “Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t” and “The Devil You Know” in their future albums. Especially after the departure of the amazing Rob Caggiano (who joined Danish rockers Volbeat in 2013), being replaced by Jon Donais on lead guitar, that uncertainty grew even more as Rob used to be one of the masterminds behind the band’s unique musicality. Well, I said once to a friend that if they were able to deliver maybe just half of what they did in Worship Music I would be extremely happy, and fortunately for all of us For All Kings is more than that, sounding just as electrifying as its predecessor.

Are you ready to get caught in a breakneck Thrash Metal mosh? This is what will happen in the opening track, the fantastic You Gotta Believe, where after an imposing intro (featuring background noises from probably Anthrax fans during their live performances) we are treated to 7 minutes of the purest and finest Anthrax. Scott Ian and Charlie Benante are already on their beast mode, while “newcomer” Jon Donais does a superb job with his guitar solos providing a nice balance between violence and melody to the song. The following chant, Monster at the End, is not only a melodious ode to Thrash Metal similar to some tunes from Worship Music, but also an irreproachable option to sing along with the iconic Joey Belladonna. And what can I say about the great riffage by Scott in the title-track, For All Kings, especially during the chorus? In addition to that, the thunderous bass guitar by Frank Bello adds a lot of power to this amazing hymn, putting a smile on the face of every fan of old school Thrash Metal.

anthrax 2016You might not agree with me, but in my humble opinion the superb Breathing Lightning is a masterpiece, and I simply cannot wait to see them playing this live. Thrilling and electrifying from the very first second, its classic rhythm is flawlessly complemented by its simple but beautiful lyrics (“You always have the chance to do the right thing / Until the right thing comes undone / And with a thunderclap I’m breathing lightning / And this world has moved on / I look inside myself is this the right thing? / Is this the right thing, I don’t know”). Besides, Joey’s performance is beyond outstanding throughout the entire song, not to mention the soulful guitar solos by Jon. Suzerain is another kick-ass traditional Anthrax chant, showcasing precise beats by Charlie and tons of riffs by Scott and Jon, and sounding as if it was recorded back in the 80’s but with a fresh vibe; while Evil Twin, inspired by events like the 2015 attack on the offices and staff of the French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo and various other mass shootings (Scott mentioned the song is about the actions of people “who feel they have become judge, jury and executioner over their fellow man”, calling this mindset the “evil twin” of humanity), has that perfect rhythm for having fun inside a circle pit with your friends. The band once again shows all their passion for Thrash Metal through the song’s heavy riffs and acid lyrics (“You represent your discontent slaughtering the innocent / Insolence, you’re no martyrs / The arrogance to reinvent / The holy words their meanings bent / Evil twins, you’re no martyrs”), with the riffs and bass lines at around three minutes being fuckin’ awesome.

After so much destruction and shredding, it’s time for some classy and passionate Heavy Metal entitled Blood Eagle Wings (Anthrax surely don’t need to be fast all the time to be awesome), where you can feel the entire band is putting their hearts and souls into the music; followed by the fighting chant Defend Avenge, which despite being heavy as hell it’s still very melodic, with Anthrax demanding us fans to bang our fucking heads nonstop and scream its chorus together with them at the top of our lungs. The good All of Them Thieves falls flat after a while due to its repetitive lyrics, despite the great job done on both guitars and bass, whereas in This Battle Chose Us it feels like Anthrax are paying a tribute to themselves, with Frank kicking ass on bass while Charlie provides his always groovy and pleasant beats. Moreover, it’s indeed incredible how Anthrax still sound crisp and alight after so many years on the road.

for all kings poker edition

For All Kings Poker Edition

Now just grab a beer and head to the mosh pit to the sound of the insane riffs and nonstop adrenaline flowing from one of the best songs of the album for sure, entitled Zero Tolerance. This is the perfect way to close this solid album, with Joey and Scott leading this fiery hymn which will undoubtedly please all fans of good Thrash Metal. But wait, there’s a lot more Anthrax if you purchase the limited edition of the album (or even better, the jaw-dropping POKER EDITION) in the form of four high-octane bonus tracks recorded live in Tokyo, Japan, with my favorite being obviously their most recent classic Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t.

What are you waiting for to keep worshiping the unique music crafted by Anthrax in For All Kings? Featuring a stunning artwork by American comic book writer and artist Alex Ross, this is one of those albums that without even noticing you’ll be listening to nonstop at home, in your car, at work or anywhere else where first-class Thrash Metal is needed to fight our biggest enemies and fears. For All Kings is classy, electrifying and, more important than that, especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: You Gotta Believe, Breathing Lightning, Defend Avenge and Zero Tolerance.

Worst moments of the album: All of Them Thieves.

Released in 2016 Megaforce/Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. You Gotta Believe 7:32
2. Monster at the End 3:55
3. For All Kings 5:00
4. Breathing Lightning 6:33
5. Suzerain 4:53
6. Evil Twin 4:40
7. Blood Eagle Wings 7:53
8. Defend Avenge 5:13
9. All of Them Thieves 5:14
10. This Battle Chose Us 4:53
11. Zero Tolerance 3:48

Poker Edition/Limited Edition Box Set bonus tracks
12. Fight ‘Em ‘Til You Can’t 6:11
13. A.I.R. 6:38
14. Caught In A Mosh 5:18
15. Madhouse 4:06

Band members
Joey Belladonna – lead vocals
Jon Donais – lead guitar
Scott Ian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Frank Bello – bass guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Benante – drums

Radio Show Review – Timão Metal

Posted on by
4

If you’re crazy for Heavy Metal and the almighty Corinthians, come join the “bando de loucos” together with Mr. Jorge Diaz and his weekly metal show.

Rating1

Timao MetalWe have to admit we metalheads go completely crazy while listening to the thunderous sound of heavy music. Although each one of us has a different taste and style, there’s no way we can live a single day of our lives without the electricity emanating from either an old classic by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, or from the modern headbanging riffs from Disturbed and Slipknot, and it’s this strong passion for Heavy Metal that unites us all and keep us moving forward no matter what. Thus, if there’s one type of person that truly understands what I’m talking about, it has to be a real soccer fan. However, I’m not talking about fans of specific players, like many “supporters” of Barcelona or Real Madrid nowadays, but people that love their clubs or national squads more than anything, and if those people root for the Brazilian team Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, from the city of São Paulo, Brazil, or if you prefer Corinthians, Timão or Coringão, the first FIFA Club World Cup winner, it’s when things get even better.

With over 30 million passionate fans all over the world (known as the “bando de loucos”) and a beautiful history of over 100 years of glorious triumphs and a distinct connection to each one of their supporters, which translates into over 10 million fans on Facebook and 4 million followers on Twitter, it was time for Corinthians to provide their metalhead fans a special show where soccer and Heavy Metal are combined in a compelling way. That’s the awesome fusion you’re going to get every week while listening to TIMÃO METAL, broadcasted by the official Corinthians web radio station Rádio Coringão.

Rádio Coringão has been active in the promotion and coverage of several sports events organized in different corners of the world since 2009, focusing obviously on all professional soccer matches played by Corinthians throughout the year in different championships, with approximately 500,000 likes on Facebook and about 140,000 followers on Twitter, also providing their listeners a solid mix of Rock N’ Roll, Heavy Metal, Samba and several other rhythms during their weekly schedule. As this is a webzine dedicated to Heavy Metal, I’ll “ignore” the other programs that do not play metal music, but if you also like listening to different stuff I can assure you Rádio Coringão is an excellent choice for your daily playlist. For instance, their show called Noite Corinthiana, where only the best of Rock N’ Roll is played, is indeed fantastic.

Radio Coringao

Rádio Coringão – The Official Sport Club Corinthians Paulista Web Radio Station

The high-octane Timão Metal, presented live from “Fiel Chile” in Santiago, Chile every Tuesday at 10pm BRT – Brasília Time (which would be at this time of the year 8pm EST – Eastern Standard Time and 1am of the following day GMT – Greenwich Mean Time, but it always depends if the daylight saving times are on or off) by Jorge Patricio Diaz Guzman, or just Jorge Diaz, will offer you the cream of the headbanging elite from Hard Rock to Black Metal, while at the same time providing news and comments on what’s happening in the world of Corinthians. The show started back on October 10, 2012, and since last year it became live instead of pre-recorded, adding an extra layer of fun to it as you can now request a song in real time through the Twitter account from Rádio Coringão.

How about keeping up with the world of the almighty Corinthians and, at the same time, bang your head to powerful tunes such as Black Sabbath’s Children of the Sea, Unleash the Archers’ Test Your Metal, Satyricon’s Dark Medieval Times and Metallica’s One? And let me tell you the program grew to a point that there’s another show following the same format every Saturday at 5pm BRT – Brasília Time called Gavião Metal, broadcasted also live by Jorge Diaz from Santiago, Chile through Rádio Livre Gaviões. The only suggestion I would make to the show host would be to record both Timão Metal and Gavião Metal as podcasts (through online services like Spreaker, for example) and make them available online for fans who cannot connect when the shows are being broadcasted live, but as I said, this is just a minor detail.

Of course, as huge supporters of Corinthians, we at The Headbanging Moose could not miss the opportunity to build a promising partnership with Timão Metal, providing all fans of Heavy Metal that enjoy the show what’s new in the world of heavy music. In other words, while Jorge will keep taking care of firing some classic tunes to you, we will send him the best of the underground. For instance, this week’s show already featured three amazing compositions by indie bands from different parts of the world: Children of the Stars, by Canadian Heavy Metal act Phantom; Heart of Darkness, by Ukrainian Black Metal horde Morkesagn; and Degrees of Solitude, by the up-and-coming Belgian Ritualistic Black Metal band Cult of Erinyes. I’m sure everyone who was listening to Timão Metal got thrilled to the flaming sound of those bands, and I don’t need to say you can find all details about them on our reviews here at The Headbanging Moose. And guess what? This is going to happen every week, which means tons of excellent independent bands for you, impassioned supporters of our magnificent Coringão!

There are several different places where you can listen to Timão Metal as well as to the rest of the programming by Rádio Coringão, as for example:

1. Through their official website

2. On Facebook

3. And on smartphones with iOS (iPhone and iPad), Android, Bada, Blackberry and some Nokia models, you can download the TuneIn app and search for Rádio Coringão

After all is said and done, I believe you all know the steps you need to take every Tuesday at 10pm BRT – Brasília Time, right? Tune into Timão Metal at Rádio Coringão, enjoy the best of classic heavy music, discover the most promising new metal acts from all over the world, bang your head nonstop, raise your horns, and obviously… VAI CORINTHIANS!

Album Review – Cult of Erinyes / Transcendence EP (2016)

Posted on by
1

High-quality Ritualistic Black Metal blasted by an up-and-coming cult of infernal goddesses that will definitely devastate your mind.

Rating5

CultOfErinyes-EPIn Greek mythology, the Erinyes (also known as Furies) were female chthonic deities of vengeance, sometimes referred to as “infernal goddesses”. Having said that, try to imagine what would happen if a cult dedicated to those hellish deities of the underworld decided to converge all their strength and energy into extreme music. The result would be the Ritualistic Black Metal bred by the skillful Belgian act Cult of Erinyes, who are just about to release a 19-minute opus in cassette format (limited to 100 copies) entitled Transcendence.

Hailing from the always pleasant city of Brussels, Belgium, Cult of Erinyes have always been crafting music in seek of the trinity, the purest form of the universe, which ends up providing a particular atmosphere of their sonority that explains the label of “Ritualistic Black Metal”. The band has already released an EP and two full-length albums since their inception in 2009, but in case you have never heard of them before I should say their new EP Transcendence is a highly-recommended option to join their cult. Featuring a distinguished artwork by Business for Satan, from the city of Strasbourg, France, this obscure EP doesn’t need more than its duration to devastate your mind and make you addicted to their eldritch metal music.

Cult of Erinyes come blasting their evil music from the very first second in Degree of Solitude, a solid fusion of raw Black Metal with a heavy and demonic ambience, with its second half becoming a bestial onslaught of Extreme Metal where lead singer Mastema growls like an ancient demon. In the title-track, Transcendence, the band’s mastermind and warlock Corvus fires his evil riffs and thunderous bass lines, while Mastema continues his vocal tribute to evil. This song showcases lots of elements from Doom Metal, Blackened Doom, Atmospheric Black Metal and Blackened Death Metal, resulting in a demonic composition that will definitely drag you down to the pits of hell.

CultofErinyes_official1And as a sophisticated bonus to admirers of Extreme Metal all over the world, this talented Belgian band offers us their kick-ass cover version for the classic chant Pagan Fears, originally recorded by Mayhem, known as the trailblazers of Norwegian Black Metal and one of the most controversial bands of all time (if not the most controversial one). This is undoubtedly an amazing tribute with the necessary amounts of darkness, despair and violence requested, and in case you want to compare it to the original song you can do that by simply clicking HERE.

To sum up, although Transcendence has only three songs, the quality of the music found in its 19 minutes of brutality and occultism is indeed beyond average, making us all eager for what this cult of infernal goddesses can offer us next. In order to know more about Cult of Erinyes and their high-end Black Metal, go check their Facebook page. And if you truly want to support the underground of extreme music, go purchase Transcendence at the Caverna Abismal Records’ BandCamp page (remember it’s limited to 100 copies only), and relish it while we all wait for another demonic rite by these talented Belgian metallers.

Best moments of the album: Degree of Solitude.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Caverna Abismal Records

Track listing
1. Degree of Solitude 5:46
2. Transcendence 6:40
3. Pagan Fears (Mayhem cover) 6:32

Band members
Mastema – vocals
Corvus – guitar, bass, keyboards
Baal – drums*

*Former member

Album Review – Plutonium / Born Again Misanthrope (2016)

Posted on by
1

Extremely toxic, flammable, unorthodox and unique. That’s the transuranic radioactive Industrial Extreme Metal engendered by Swedish multi-instrumentalist Mr. J.

Rating5

albumcoverBAMThe “most common” form of plutonium known worldwide is the transuranic radioactive chemical element with symbol Pu and atomic number 94, with very harmful effects on the human body due to its radioactivity and heavy metal poison effects. However, what would happen if those lethal characteristics were converted into heavy music? Well, I guess the result would sound pretty much like the eccentric Industrial Extreme Metal by Swedish one-man band Plutonium, as you’ll be able to experience while taking a listen at his brand new full-length album, entitled Born Again Misanthrope.

Plutonium was formed in 2003 in the city of Karlskoga, Sweden by Mr. J (also known as J. Carlsson) as his creative oasis and getaway, and since them the world has already witnessed the uprise of a demo named Wind Of Change (2004) and the full-length albums One Size Fits All (2007) and Devilmentertainment Non-Stop (2011). Featuring nine songs that not only have an unorthodox approach but also present idiosyncratic names, Born again Misanthrope signs an evolution in the music by Mr. J and his radioactive Plutonium, and if you’re expecting something easy to listen and absorb I must warn you this album is definitely not for you.

You can feel how experimental the album is from the very first notes of the opening track, Born Again Misanthrope, a fusion of Black and Industrial Metal with Blackened Doom where a hellish ambience together with demonic (and somehow robotic) growls and traditional Black Metal double bass will pulverize your mind. And even more electronic and deranged, Cortex Vortex would be an excellent soundtrack to a futuristic horror flick, with Mr. J crafting what we can call “Extreme Disco Metal”. Besides, its guitar riffs keep the song at the right level of heaviness in its almost eight minutes of violent experimentations.

The Inverted Panopticon Experience, a demented march of evil that goes on and on for six minutes, is a modernized version of Atmospheric Black Metal with an extra dosage of metallic noises, which might also be called Industrial Black Metal, while Casque Strength presents a hellish video-game sounding in a more melodic form of Industrial Metal. In addition, its constant electronic riff and the hobgoblin-like vocals by Mr. J are very interesting and end up working really well in this high-octane tune. And just when you think Mr. J will bring forward another blasting tune, he delivers the Blues-ish Progressive Doom Metal chant The Masque Of The Green Demon, a weird and obscure tune completely different from the rest of the album, sounding like a psychedelic voyage inside the mind of this crazy Swedish multi-instrumentalist.

plutoniumThe second part of Born Again Misanthrope is as otherworldly as possible, starting with the semi-acoustic and totally ominous composition Renuntiationem, another wicked surprise in the album where the music feels like a representation of a desolated planet, with Mr. J whispering the lyrics instead of screaming, followed by the vibrant Electric Barbwire Crown Of Thorns, a rawer Black Metal chant with the impact of its blast beats and harsher growls being enhanced by huge amounts of progressiveness. Then we have Alice In Plutoniumland (Two Minute Hate Part III), a two-minute instrumental track full of eerie noises and a somber atmosphere (and that’s basically it), before Confessions Of A Suicidal Cryptologist, which is perhaps the most brutal of all tracks, closes the album in the darkest way you can imagine. I’d like to see more of this blackened side of Mr. J, growling like an old school Black Metal vocalist while delivering blazing guitar riffs that will rip your soul apart.

Maybe an extra dosage of electronic background effects and a better sound recording for the drums would elevate the overall quality of the album to a whole new level, but we must acknowledge that Born Again Misanthrope is at a very decent standard taking into account the fact Mr. J is a 100% independent artist who recorded and produced everything without any external help. In other words, imagine what this guy could do with some proper support? And if you’re interested in knowing more about the transuranic radioactive Industrial Extreme Metal engendered by Mr. J, go check his Facebook page, SoundCloud and ReverbNation, and buy Born Again Misanthrope at his BandCamp page. As aforementioned, this is not an easy listen at all, being extremely toxic, flammable and unusual, but I’m pretty sure Mr. J has never wanted his uncanny Plutonium to be anywhere close to the mainstream. Quite the contrary, he is extremely comfortable with where he stands today with his music.

Best moments of the album: Electric Barbwire Crown Of Thorns and Confessions Of A Suicidal Cryptologist.

Worst moments of the album: Renuntiationem.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Born Again Misanthrope 4:37
2. Cortex Vortex 7:53
3. The Inverted Panopticon Experience 6:08
4. Casque Strength 7:35
5. The Masque Of The Green Demon 5:30
6. Renuntiationem 5:32
7. Electric Barbwire Crown Of Thorns 6:34
8. Alice In Plutoniumland (Two Minute Hate Part III) 2:00
9. Confessions Of A Suicidal Cryptologist 7:13

Band members
Mr. J – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Ghost Horizon / Astral Possession EP (2016)

Posted on by
1

An excellent Black Metal release exhaling agony, torment and depression, crafted by a promising American duo that has all it takes to succeed in the world of extreme music.

Rating5

Album CoverStraight from the city of Phoenix, located in the southwestern state of Arizona, in the United States, comes a band that aims at bringing pitch-black darkness not only to their precious Valley of the Sun, but also to the rest of the world with their unconditional rage and hopelessness. This wrathful band is called Ghost Horizon, and the quality of the music they offer us metalheads during the 12 minutes of Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal found in their debut EP, entitled Astral Possession, is undoubtedly beyond what anyone could expect from such a fresh new act.

Formed in 2015 by ex-Severed Receptors and Psychobliss guitarist Dan Stollings, the obscurity crafted by Ghost Horizon will definitely please fans of bands such as Wolves in the Throne Room, Woods of Ypres and Alcest, among other eccentric Extreme Metal groups. Moreover, when you listen to the music in Astral Possession, you can rest assured you’re listening to truthful music and not to any type of shenanigans many bands tend to deliver just to sound badass or evil. “Ghost Horizon, to me, is everything I ever wanted in a band. I can express both my anger/depression and happiness to whatever degree I wish, while also allowing the two opposite emotions to marry.”, commented Daniel on the direction of the band.

Ghost Horizon pic2The ominous intro in Pale Apparition warms up the listener for a brutal fusion of Doom and Black Metal effectively fired by the duo, with the desperate vocals by Uræus being exactly what the music needs to be more imposing. In addition, string-man Daniel keeps delivering flammable guitar and bass lines until the music flows into a melancholic ending. Spectral Threnody gets even more somber, sounding like Blackened Doom with deeper growls and a sorrowful ambience where Uræus does a superb job on drums with all his tempo changes and blast beats. And lastly, the demonic composition Astral Possession (The Cold Years Unearthed) closes the EP  in a powerful way, bringing forward modern but at the same time raw Black Metal perfect for fans of old school extreme music who are looking for something new in their lives. It’s indeed a feast of classic Black Metal riffs by Daniel which do not sound outdated at all, while Uræus keeps spreading electric darkness through his devilish vocals.

All the agony and torment provided in the form of extreme music by Ghost Horizon can be relished at their Facebook page and SoundCloud, and Astral Possession can pretty soon be purchased through their BandCamp page or on Amazon. Put differently, if you love extreme music exhaling anger, depression, anguish and sorrow all at the same time in a solid and convincing way, don’t waste your time and go check the high-end Black Metal by this dynamic American duo right now.

Best moments of the album: Astral Possession (The Cold Years Unearthed).

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Pale Apparition 4:31
2. Spectral Threnody 3:08
3. Astral Possession (The Cold Years Unearthed) 4:08

Band members
Uræus – vocals, drums, additional instruments
Daniel Stollings – guitars, bass

Album Review – Charm Designer / Everlasting (2016)

Posted on by
2

An everlasting feeling of heaviness and obscurity in over 50 minutes of beautiful Doom and Gothic Metal forged in the dark flames of Colombia.

Rating4

front_cover640Although it might have taken almost 10 years for Colombian Gothic/Doom Metal act Charm Designer to release their first full-length album, entitled Everlasting, the final result is so compelling, professional and melodious it looks like these dark metallers have been doing this for ages. In its over 50 minutes of melancholy, Everlasting offers us metalheads everything we look for in obscure music, definitely putting the city of Bogotá, Colombia in the map of Gothic and Doom Metal, and obviously paving Charm Designer’s path to stardom in the always exciting underworld of Heavy Metal.

Formed in the year of 2006 and having released a demo named Manifested in 2006 and an EP named Blood sounds in 2008, Charm Designer are finally back with a new opus, having recorded Everlasting with legendary German producer Waldemar Sorychta, known for his work with Samael, Lacuna Coil, Moonspell, among other renowned bands, being the first time for him to produce a Latin American band. Featuring a beautiful artwork by Costin Chioreanu (Twilight13media), who has provided his art to bands such as Arch Enemy, Paradise Lost and Opeth, Everlasting will fulfill your needs for heaviness and heartache through its nine powerful chants, and when it’s over you’ll certainly hit play again from the beginning, feeling completely embraced by the band’s gentle darkness.

The title-track Everlasting ignites the dark flames of the album, reminding me of the latest installments by Dark Metal masters Moonspell, being heavy, dense and alluring at the same time. Lead singer/guitarist Andrés Herrera does a great job with both his growls and clean vocals a la Niilo Sevänen (Insomnium), which is also the case in the even more doom-ish and obscure The Replicant. Furthermore, this tune gets closer to the traditional Doom Metal from the UK due to its deeper growling, with drummer Diego A. Morales smashing his drum set while the bass lines by Diego M. Giorgi sound as infernal as possible.

Presenting a strong Gothic Metal/Hard Rock vein, these Colombian metallers deliver a beautiful composition full of melancholy and passion entitled Never After, another song inspired by the unique music by Moonspell and the best of the entire album in my humble opinion. Andrés is on fire with his somber vocals and powerful guitar riffs and solos, and albeit I have absolutely no idea who’s the woman doing the female vocals, she surely adds an additional layer of awesomeness to the musicality. Then we have Disruption, a feast of the most downhearted form of Doom Metal enhanced by its background keyboards and mesmerizing rhythm, where even the smoother passages offer heaviness in the form of the bass lines by Diego M.; followed by Mentors, a solid Doom Metal chant with hints of Gothic Rock where Andrés leads the sounding with his excellent riffs, thus inspiring Diego A. to increase his fierceness on drums.

CharmDesigner_03In Inertial Drain, an acoustic start grows into modern Symphonic Gothic Metal, with the Paradise Lost-inspired drumming by Diego A. and the song’s magnetic riffs enfolding the listener in an ode to grief and misery. In addition, no matter if its comfortless lyrics are screamed or darkly declaimed by Andrés, the final result is simply amazing. The next tune, Endowar, is a lot faster and more violent than most songs despite its symphonic keyboards, showcasing a great job done by Andrés who sounds like a hellish beast without exaggerating on his harsh screams.

However, it doesn’t take too long for Charm Designer to get back to what they do best, in other words, stunning Doom Metal as in the occult hymn By The Unmasked, where the whole band delivers what can be called “dark music under a starless night” (and what a beautiful guitar solo by Andrés, making this excellent tune even more enjoyable). Policy of Truth, , another tribute to the most melancholic form of heavy music, is the icing on the cake in Everlasting, bringing forward an exciting rhythm perfect for the vocal lines by Andrés, as well as more of those gorgeous (and mysterious) female vocals.

In order to truly experience the everlasting feeling of heaviness, sorrow and obscurity brought forth by Charm Designer in their brand new album, go visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel, SoundCloud and ReverbNation, and grab your copy of Everlasting at the Inverse Records webshop, on Amazon and several other locations. Your heart and soul will never be the same after tasting the puissant Doom and Gothic Metal by this talented Colombian band, I must warn you.

Best moments of the album: Never After, Disruption and By The Unmasked.

Worst moments of the album: Mentors.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Everlasting 5:00
2. The Replicant 5:12
3. Never After 6:52
4. Disruption 6:37
5. Mentors 4:51
6. Inertial Drain 7:04
7. Endowar 4:33
8. By The Unmasked 7:41
9. Policy of Truth 4:17

Band members
Andrés Herrera – vocals, guitars
Diego M. Giorgi – bass
Diego A. Morales – drums

Additional musician
Diego A. Hernández – guitars (live)

The Metal Moose Show – Episode 2016-02-14

Posted on by
Reply

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 Russian Melodic Death Metal band The Prophet (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. Aepoch – City Of Statues
2. Watch Them Burn – Afterlife
3. Splintered Halo – Bloodshed In Wonderland
4. Razorwire Halo – A Defining Moment
5. Strip The Stars – 28 Days
6. Scarlight – Curtain Call
7. Them – Forever Burns
8. Once Was Never – Maximus Parasite
9. Second Rate Angels – 2 In 24
10. The Prophet – Killers
11. Wintercoffin – Anti Thoughts
12. Warheim – Devil Within
13. The Ritual Aura – Ectoplasm
14. Neck Of The Woods – Left Behind
15. Kill The Sound – Losing Control
16. Fall Of Humanity – Dreams In Shadows
17. Winterbreed – You Will Cry
18. This Cold Life – The Greater Divide
19. Astaystax – Chopped Burned And Buried
20. The Crowned – Murder

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

Metal Moose Radio YouTube | Spreaker | iTunes

Album Review – Frozen Ocean / The Prowess Of Dormition EP (2016)

Posted on by
Reply

Open your ears and your heart, and follow the ear-splitting sound of a frozen ocean of Atmospheric Black Metal hailing from the almighty Russia.

Rating4

hi-res coverSince the year of 2005, Russian multi-instrumentalist Vaarwel (who’s also a member of the excellent Russian bands Goatpsalm and Smothered Bowels) has been crafting music of incredible power, imagination, diversity and depth, releasing his creations under the banner of  Frozen Ocean. Hailing from the city of Moscow, Russia, this unstoppable metaller seems to have an endless fountain of creativity inside his blackened mind, always expressing his unique view of obscure themes such as winter, death and depression, and always avoiding any labels or preset formulas (let’s simply call his music Atmospheric Black Metal for you readers to understand the whole concept a little better). For instance, he was capable of delivering nothing less than 7 (seven!) Frozen Ocean albums in 2011, five of those being full-length ones. And now, in 2016, he has already started spreading his starless arias all over the world with a brand new EP entitled The Prowess Of Dormition.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan of bands such as Moonsorrow, Borknagar and Sigh, or if you prefer rawer Black Metal acts like Dark Funeral and Immortal, the music found in The Prowess Of Dormition will definitely leave a (good) scar on your metallic soul due to its beauty, heaviness and complexity. Featuring an absorbing artwork by British artist/photographer Kieran Wakeman (Divine Chaos Art), who has already worked with bands such as Cadaveria, The King is Blind and Terror Universal, the EP has a lot to offer us metalheads in its 25-minute journey through gelid landscapes and dark thoughts, split in four distinct harmonious tunes.

The atmospheric intro in No Blizzard promptly invites the listener to the cold and desolated realms of Frozen Ocean, with Vaarwel making sure the harmony and pace of the song generate the necessary ambience for his harsh growls. In addition, Doom Metal elements are brought forth especially by the song’s gentle keyboard notes and constant beats delivered by Vaarwel, luring us to go even deeper into his dark world. And this doom-ish vibe goes on in the very somber and melodic Once Aglow, where there’s a lot of melancholy and sorrow flowing from Vaarwel’s growling. Moreover, the nice break halfway through it provides the listener some well-deserved peace of mind, before obscurity returns in this flawless fusion of Atmospheric and Symphonic Black Metal.

Frozen Ocean 3Det Siste Snøfallet (Norwegian for “the last snowfall”) begins at full force with its relentless beats and riffs, which aim at representing the harshest snowfall in the history of mankind. It’s a captivating instrumental tune where Vaarwel showcases all his abilities as a musician (and as a lover of dark music), working as an “extended” intro to the title-track, The Prowess Of Dormition, an amazing composition that offers the listener Frozen Ocean’s trademark Black Metal with hints of Folk and Viking Metal. Its keyboards get even more prominent and sinister, yet again providing a smooth break with endless amounts of feeling and melancholy until the music flows into a climatic ending, therefore concluding the album brilliantly.

In a nutshell, although The Prowess Of Dormition has been released as “just” an EP, it’s substantially more intricate and intense than most full-length records you might find anywhere, proving how talented Vaarwel is and providing hints of what this Russian one-man army might breed next. And in order to keep updated with everything happening with Frozen Ocean, go check their Facebook, VKontakte, YouTube, SoundCloud and BandCamp, and also buy your copy of The Prowess Of Dormition at the Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings’ official BandCamp and Big Cartel pages or at CD Baby. Just open your ears and your heart, relax, and follow the ear-splitting sound of this frozen ocean of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: The Prowess Of Dormition.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings

Track listing
1.No Blizzard 6:06
2.Once Aglow 7:10
3.Det Siste Snøfallet 5:19
4.The Prowess Of Dormition 6:15

Band members
Vaarwel – vocals, all instruments