Tag Archives: black metal

Album Review – Diabolizer / Apokalypse MCD (2016)

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A short and violent soundtrack to apocalypse delivered by a promising Death Metal band forged in the scorching fires of Turkey.

Rating4

diabolizer_apokalypse_coverThe already scorching fires of Kadıköy, a large cosmopolitan district of Istanbul, Turkey, are about to become even more incandescent due to the release of the excellent MCD entitled Apokalypse, forged in the pits of hell by a relentless Death Metal entity known as Diabolizer. Formed in 2012, this apocalyptic horde is comprised of members from Decaying Purity, Engulfed, Deggial and Godslaying Hellblast, among others, all prominent bands from the Turkish underground scene, with a sole purpose of worshiping destruction and punishing any living creature that dares to confront them with their decimating Death Metal.

This thrilling MCD contains five brand new compositions by the Diabolizer crew and two tracks from their very limited 2012 promo Shadows Of Impending Decimation, as a bonus to all true supporters of good old Death Metal. Not only that, in order to give a proper face to their music, Diabolizer recruited Polish illustrator Robert A. von Ritter (Armagh, Ragehammer) for the artwork and Polish artist Piotr Kurek of Mentalporn (Ulcer, Embrional) to take care of the design of the album, and the final result is obviously amazing, representing in images all the fury and melody found in Apokalypse.

Diabolizer come crushing with their loud and infernal Death Metal from the very first second of the opening track, Process the Void, with lead singer Abomination sounding like a raving bulldozer while drummer Aberrant delivers pure hatred through his drums. After listening to this amazing showcase of Extreme Metal made in Turkey, you’ll start wondering if there’s a way they could sound even more furious than this. Well, those Turkish metallers actually answer that question with the superb Death Metal chant Condemned to Burn in Hell, where they masterfully unleash hell with Mustafa and Ewan pounding their strings and Abomination going from the deepest guttural to enraged high-pitched screams in an solid and demonic way.

And there’s absolutely no sign of Diabolizer slowing down in Temple of Demonic Torments, where Aberrant keeps showing off his tremendous skills as a drummer whereas Mustafa and Ewan once again fire their aggressive but melodious riffs and solos, followed by Blood Aesthetics Dictated,  with Abomination commanding this sonic onslaught by bursting his lungs out. This is brutal Death Metal with highlights to its barbaric rhythm and relentless riffage, and get ready to feel your entire body soaring after banging like a wild beast to this demented tune.

diabolizerInspired by the musicality found in most albums by the iconic Cannibal Corpse and blended with elements of contemporary Black Metal, Hammer of Diabolization (such a beautiful name for a song) offers the listener some interesting tempo changes and lots of variations to its intensity, a breathe of “sulfuric” air that ends up providing a humongous extra dosage of electricity to the overall result. In regards to the two bonus songs taken from their 2012 promo, I bet you can imagine they are as demolishing as the new songs if you haven’t heard them yet. Beneath the Skullthrone and Descend into Desolation are both exceptional Death Metal songs, with the latter being more brutal and, therefore, more gripping.

In order to get in touch with Diabolizer, simply go check their Facebook page, and if you want to purchase a digital copy of Apokalypse you can find it for sale at their BandCamp page. In case you’re an old school metal fan and prefer a physical copy of the album, the MCD is available in two versions: a regular jewel case CD with an 8-page booklet and a limited edition (100 copies) of jewel case CD branded with serigraphy print and patch. If Diabolizer were capable of delivering such a high level of violence and hatred in only a few songs like what we can see in Apokalypse, I wonder what will happen when they finally release their first full-length album upon humanity. Maybe we’ll witness the ultimate “soundtrack to apocalypse”, don’t you think?

Best moments of the album: Condemned to Burn in Hell and Hammer of Diabolization.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Third Eye Temple

Track listing
1. Process the Void 4:57
2. Condemned to Burn in Hell 2:58
3. Temple of Demonic Torments 4:34
4. Blood Aesthetics Dictated 4:37
5. Hammer of Diabolization 5:34

Shadows Of Impending Decimation (Promo 2012) bonus tracks
6. Beneath the Skullthrone 4:34
7. Descend into Desolation 4:57

Band members
Abomination – vocals
Mustafa – guitars
Ewan – guitars
Alican – bass
Aberrant – drums

Album Review – EvnaR / E.V.N.A.R. (2016)

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Two high-skilled Spanish brothers and their loyal Slovenian sledgehammer deliver a lesson in Blackened Death Metal, spreading darkness and destruction all over the world through their purely demonic and extremely refined technique.

cover artworkConceived in the minds of Spanish blood brothers R.M. (vocals) and J.M. (guitars) before founding Black/Death Metal band Between the Frost in 1993, and reignited in 2010 with the help of the impressive Slovenian drummer Robert Kovačič (Belphegor, Obduktion, Nothnegal), Blackened Death Metal act EvnaR is releasing their debut full-length opus, curiously entitled E.V.N.A.R., with the main objective of spreading darkness and destruction all over the world through their purely demonic and extremely refined technique, which will certainly please all fans of Behemoth, Belphegor and God Dethroned, among others.

The pitch-black artwork by Spanish artist César Valladares, whose pencils are also seen in the artworks for bands like Asphyx, Balmog and Graveyard, with the Reaper sitting on his throne waiting for the doomed to take unholy communion with him, not only represents the desire of the brothers to have a more primitive cover art based in the classic concept of the Grim Reaper, but it’s also a precise depiction of the unrelenting Blackened Death Metal discharged by this exciting band from Tarragona, Catalonia. As one final (but important) detail before all hell breaks loose, E.V.N.A.R. was recorded with a lot of patience and dedication for one year in different studios in Spain and Slovenia, being finally mastered by multi-instrumentalist and producer Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio in Sweden, just to give you an idea of how crisp and ear-splitting the compositions by EvnaR sound.

The sharp and fast riffs by J.M. ignite the Blackened Death Metal extravaganza named Blasphemia Manifesta, a feast of extreme music from the netherworld where R.M. personifies the song’s demonic lyrics through his gruesome growling (“Darkness unites us beyond / All human will / We should be strong as the evil in whom believe / Denial praises / Utter darkness / This is our grim black cult, grim black cult of death”), while in Contemptus Vitæ we are able to witness why Robert was the perfect fit for the band, delivering complex and vicious beats and fills. Furthermore, the whole song leans towards pure Black Metal due to its frantic speed and to the hellish sound of the guitar by J.M., an extra hint of devastation to an already solid composition.

Then we have a fantastic composition from hell entitled Infinite Dark Hatred, which name epitomizes its sounding. There’s a gargantuan amount of hate and despair in R.M.’s vocals, barking like a rabid demon most of the time, whereas the intricacy found in the drumming by Robert gets closer to what we can normally find in more progressive heavy music. In Death In The Air (Stench Of The Slain), rumbling bass lines are quickly followed by more satanic riffs and bestial beats, getting even more blackened than the previous tracks and, consequently, resulting in a nonstop havoc highly recommended for fans of old school Black Metal with a more melodic approach. If you’re a true fan of guttural vocals, I bet you’ll be screaming the chorus together with R.M. every single time you listen to this amusing chant.

band photoKing Of The Grand Uruk has as its main ingredient its epic lyrics about a powerful entity of darkness (“Two parts god, one part man / King of the Grand Uruk / The envy of the gods / Carved his story in stone / Dreams and visions fighting both / Against demons and men”), which will surely grab the attention of any listener avid for a good storyline behind a sonic chaos. Musically speaking, it’s another potent blast of extreme music, where not a single space is left empty, and if you know Robert from his previous bands you can imagine how astonishing his drumming sounds in this savage composition. And embracing total fuckin’ darkness, the Spanish brothers and their loyal Slovenian sledgehammer deliver traditional Black Metal with the most poisonous elements from Death Metal in Torment of the Damned, showcasing an amazing combination of metallic riffs and rhythmic beats.

Conceived In Fire provides a quick break for us to recover our energies in the form of acoustic guitars and less devastating riffs, but that’s obviously for a very short while as their menacing sounding returns to torment our souls ruthlessly. Furthermore, the complexity displayed through the guitar lines by J.M. will put a smile in the face of any guitarist who loves extreme music or even the ones who have never had any contact with the furious uproar of Blackened Death Metal. And last but not least, it looks like EvnaR have absolutely no mercy on our souls based on the demented tune that closes the album, named My Cremation, where the unstoppable beats blasted by Robert complement the hurricane of darkness led by J.M., while R.M. keeps vociferating his putrid words vigorously.

Although it might have taken a considerable amount of time for EvnaR to become a reality in the world of extreme music, every second was worth the wait thanks to the brilliant job done by this power trio when recording E.V.N.A.R., and in order to know more about their blasphemous and cataclysmic music, go check their Facebook page and get your copy of E.V.N.A.R. at their BandCamp page, at The Vinyl Division’s BandCamp page, or at Discogs. I won’t be surprised if I see this album among several rankings listing the top releases of 2016, it doesn’t matter if it will be on a list built by an entity specialized in extreme music or not, so compelling the content of the entire album is.

Best moments of the album: Blasphemia Manifesta, Death In The Air (Stench Of The Slain) and My Cremation.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Winter Demons/The Vinyl Division

Track listing
1. Blasphemia Manifesta 2:52
2. Contemptus Vitæ 3:49
3. Infinite Dark Hatred 4:36
4. Death In The Air (Stench Of The Slain) 3:25
5. King Of The Grand Uruk 3:10
6. Torment Of The Damned 4:44
7. Conceived In Fire 6:10
8. My Cremation 2:44

Band members
R.M. – vocals
J.M. – guitars
Robert Kovačič – drums

Album Review – Ulcer / Heading Below (2016)

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Trenchant riffs, bestial vocals and wicked beats overflowing from the third full-length installment by a band from Poland that has always been loyal to the foundations of Death Metal.

Rating5

ulcer-heading-below-frontThree years after the release of Grant Us Death, the implacable Polish Death Metal squad Ulcer strikes again with their third full-length album, entitled Heading Below, which will certainly drag you down to the underworld with its 50 minutes of devastating old school Death Metal in the vein of Swedish classics. Bursting with trenchant riffs, bestial vocals and wicked beats while dealing with topics like hate, anti-religion and death, this is a highly recommended albums for fans of the genre, and also an album that effectively solidifies Ulcer’s career not only in Poland, but anywhere in the world where Death Metal is respected and admired.

Formed in 2006 in the city of Lublin (around 200km southeast of the capital Warsaw) and featuring members from established bands such as Blaze of Perdition, Abusiveness, Deivos and Dira Mortis, Ulcer can be considered one of the (relatively) new European bands with the strongest loyalty to the roots of Death Metal, keeping their sounding as raw and aggressive as possible, but with the addition of distinct elements from other subgenres of Extreme Metal to keep the music always fresh and exciting. If the name of the band is not enough to prove you how vile and gruesome the music in Heading Below is before you hit play, take a good look at the austere cover art by Polish artist Piotr Kurek of Mentalporn (who was responsible for the artwork for another Polish Death Metal band  recently reviewed by The Headbanging Moose, the also excellent Embrional) and you’ll then realize it’s brutal Death Metal we’re talking about, and nothing else.

How else could a good Death Metal album start than with some eerie noises suddenly exploding into sheer inhumanity? That’s the opening track, named Down Below, a sonic thunder that will crush you mercilessly led by the demolishing riffs by guitarist Lucass and Mścisław, with hints of Black Metal inserted into the musicality to darken the final result even more. In Fiends Forever, melodious but fierce guitar lines open the gates for the bestial vociferations by frontmen D. and Angelfuck and the heavy beats by drummer Vizun, until the song’s Cannibal Corpse-inspired ending; whereas Sights To See presents ruthless Death Metal with hints of Hardcore and Black Metal, which obviously enhances the song’s savageness. D. and Angelfuck are once again a dynamic duo of destruction, spearheading one of the best and most devastating moments of the album for sure.

All In Vain is one of those songs where an epic intro morphs into blasting metal with huge doses of anger, with Vizun being the band’s unstoppable stonecrusher while bassist Szwed provides the low-tuned creepy lines we love in extreme music, all embraced by a somber atmosphere. As aforementioned, Ulcer definitely know how to grab the best elements from other subgenres of heavy music, as for example the Doom Metal-ish vibe that complements the ferocity of their Death Metal in the elegantly fast and furious The Phantom Heart, another brutish hymn perfect for some sick mosh pits. You Called, We Came is a direct Death Metal composition tailored for diehard fans of boisterous extreme music, with absolutely no magic ingredients added to its formula but old school destruction. Moreover, Lucass and Mścisław fire exactly what the music demands through their devilish guitars. On the other hand, despite presenting some good moments (like the guitar solo halfway through it), Miscarriage’s Lullaby is way below the quality found in the rest of the album.

UlcerphotoThe mid tempo Death Metal chant Howl Of The Jackal sounds very old school, obscure and hellish, with both vocalists offering precise guttural howls and harsh screams while the rest of the band smashes their instruments manically. Yet again, an ominous aura boosts the song’s vileness and, consequently, it’s overall quality, elevating it to the status of one of the best composition in Heading Below. Lastly, the bold and demonic 9-minute aria Enshrouded In Nothingness begins by displaying the darkest form of Blackened Doom you can think of, with its disturbing sonority being fairly different from the rest of the album. In addition, the second part of the song becomes a blend of Death and Symphonic Black Metal, always getting back to its original sluggish rhythm until its desolating conclusion, showing how versatile the band can be without affecting their Death Metal core.

Heading Below can be purchased at the Arachnophobia Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, and more details about the reverberating Death Metal by Ulcer can be found at their Facebook page and SoundCloud. As I said in the beginning of this review, Heading Below will help Ulcer cement their path to success without a shadow of a doubt due to its high level of energy, violence and devastation, keeping the demonic fires of Death Metal alive for the total delight of lovers of a type of heavy music that always takes the word “heavy” to a new limit.

Best moments of the album: Sights To See, The Phantom Heart and Howl Of The Jackal.

Worst moments of the album: Miscarriage’s Lullaby.

Released in 2016 Arachnophobia Records

Track listing
1. Down Below 6:04
2. Fiends Forever 5:46
3. Sights To See 4:29
4. All In Vain 6:09
5. The Phantom Heart 6:16
6. You Called, We Came 4:14
7. Miscarriage’s Lullaby 4:47
8. Howl Of The Jackal 5:12
9. Enshrouded In Nothingness 9:06

Band members
D. – vocals
Angelfuck – vocals
Lucass – guitars
Mścisław – guitars
Szwed – bass
Vizun – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Lygbereth

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lygbereth01

See her crimson sword… The great queen, holy raven!

Let’s continue our journey through the dark realms of Black Metal by paying a tribute to the talented Turkish musician Duygu Gurcu, sometimes referred to as Naenia Virtus, but most commonly known as Lygbereth, the electrifying bassist for Turkish Black Metal/Epic Pagan Metal band Sirannon. And let me tell you that after knowing more about her life you’ll be amazed by how skillful this woman is, because not only she’s a badass bassist, but also a singer, a songwriter, an editor and, oddly enough for many people but not for millions of headbangers all around the world who have regular jobs just like any non-metal person, a hard working businesswoman committed to success.

Born in the year of 1983 in the city of Istanbul, Turkey, Lygbereth began her path in the world of music at the age of 7, when she started taking west music training (singing and piano) until the age of 12. During that period, she composed her first sonata with her piano teacher at the age of 9, also taking the stage for many recitals. Although that doesn’t sound very “Black Metal” for most of you, let me remind you she was just a little girl starting to carve her personality and experimenting different ways of applying her skills in music, and of course we all know how important an instrument like a piano is for children to expand their music horizons and boost their creativity.

Although she unfortunately had to suspend her musical training due to family issues and her education, it didn’t take too long for her to get back in action and work with her first band, Turkish Black Metal act Pogrom, where under her real name Duygu she did both guttural and clean vocals. When you have a true passion for something it looks like you can’t stay away from it for a long period of time no matter what, and when that passion is music that gets even harder, don’t you agree? Anyway, you can take a good listen at the band’s 2005 demo entitled At the Peak of Toros, where they blast our minds with three songs beautifully entitled Nergal Eyes Has Appeared at the Peak of Toros, Her Cries Echo at My Malice… and A Volcano Become to Extinct. I’m just not sure if Duygu was part of this demo, though.

After Pogrom she was involved with another Turkish Black Metal group called Nefastum as their vocalist, composer, editor and lyricist, playing several concerts with them. This case is no different than Pogrom, as I couldn’t find any reliable source online confirming if Duygu was part of any of Nefastum’s official releases, but you can get a sense of how obscure their music is by listening to the excellent tune Seals of Demogorgon. She was also part of Turkish Black Metal band Serpenta as their vocalist, bassist and songwriter, having recorded with the band a demo entitled Ophiliama in 2004, and an EP named Transformation in 2007. If you’re a diehard Black Metal fan, you can enjoy the gorgeous Duygu kicking ass with Serpenta through her harsh vocals and resonant bass lines in the violent song Masterpiece Of War.

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It was just in 2007 when she joined Sirannon as their bassist, hence becoming Lygbereth, and since then she has been part of the band’s metamorphosis from pure Black Metal in their early days to a more complex Epic Pagan Metal in recent years. Obviously, the lyrics also shifted from themes such as war, pain, darkness and melancholy to topics more suitable to their new sounding like Paganism and mythology. Just out of curiosity, Sirannon was formed in 2005 by drummer Wesretkau (currently known as Thuringwethil) in the city of Izmir, the third most populous city in Turkey (after Istanbul and Ankara) with almost 3 million people, located about 500km southwest of Istanbul. Since joining this amazing Turkish act, she has recorded with them the split album International Black Scene Vol.1 in 2010, the full-length album Semper Caliga in 2011, and more recently an EP entitled Forgotten Laments Of The Forsaken in 2014, when the music direction of the band finally switched to a more melodic and intricate sounding almost completely. In addition to that, her role inside the band has also expanded significantly, from being only their bass player in the beginning to being responsible for the bass guitar, programming and samples in their latest albums.

In case you want to know more about the music by Sirannon, simply visit their YouTube channel or SoundCloud page and you’ll find many brutal compositions such as Ethereal Empire and The Holy Raven, as well as some videos of their live performance on May 18, 2008 at the Dungeon, in Izmir, playing the songs In The Shadow Of The Excommunication, Magna Mater and Children Of The Wolves.

Regarding her favorite bands and artists, Lygbereth provided an extensive list of important names in the world of extreme music as her main influences like Dark Funeral, Carpathian Forest, Ragnarok, Immortal, Satyricon, Emperor, Bathory, Enslaved, Old Man’s Child, among lots of other renowned icons. However, do not expect to find Lygbereth wandering the streets of Istanbul all geared up in leather and spikes and with her corpsepainting on, because as aforementioned our metal chick is also a dexterous working woman in her city. According to her LinkedIn profile, Lygbereth (or in this case Duygu Gurcu) has recently worked as an Import Operations, Senior Executive/Ocean Freight Import Executive at Veritas International Transport Co. Ltd. in Istanbul, an unthinkable position for most black metallers in the world. Well, as Lygbereth means “The Serpent Queen” in Elf Language, can you imagine how awesome it would be to work for a “serpent boss” like her?

Equipment
Ibanez Eurodyn
Behringer 45 watt/Ultrabass BXL450A
Behringer dynamic bass compressor & pre-amp
Shure c 606 microphone

Sirannon’s Official Facebook page
Sirannon’s Official Twitter

Album Review – Mørknatt / Witchcraft of Domination EP (2016)

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If Norwegian Black Metal is what you truly desire, why not going to Spain instead of Norway and try the blasphemous music by this promising horde of darkness?

Rating5

coverWhenever you search for Black Metal, where do you usually go to as the most reliable source of that type of extreme music? I guess your answer is Norway, correct? What if I said you can also find high-end old school Norwegian Black Metal in a place not-so-far from Norway, but with a complete different culture and climate? I’m talking about Spain, more specifically the city of Tarragona, a port city located in the Catalonia region on the Mediterranean Sea, about one hour only from Barcelona. There you’ll find the up-and-coming Satanic/Pagan Black Metal heretics Mørknatt, who have just released their debut EP entitled Witchcraft of Domination.

Formed in 2014, this newborn band is obviously highly inspired by the biggest icons of Norwegian Black Metal such as Emperor, Immortal and Darkthrone, having even their name taken from the unique language spoken in the Kingdom of Norway (Mørknatt means “Dark Night” in Norwegian). Led by guitarist Kongen av Slanger (“King of Snakes” from Norwegian) and featuring a beyond controversial artwork by Spanish illustrator Ricardo Caballero, Witchcraft of Domination offers the listener four blasphemous and vile chants as an advancement of the band’s first album to be called Victorious Satan. And based on the content of this short and sweet EP, all hell will break loose when this Spanish horde finally unleashes their first full-length album upon humanity.

The first of the four ungodly tracks of the EP, named Calanda of Antichrist, brings forward classic Black Metal the likes of Gorgoroth and Immortal, with Fenrir summoning darkness through his satanic screams while Kongen av Slanger uses his guitar as a weapon of mass destruction. Moreover, the atmosphere is dense and vile, as expected from a Black Metal act as talented and focused as Mørknatt. Following that infernal start we have Satanic Sex, with one of those sexual/profane intros you should avoid listening to with your grandmother (unless she’s as diabolical as you are) or in front of innocent children. Anyway, the song’s blasphemous lyrics, together with its bestial riffs, are a tribute to true Black Metal and everything a diehard fan of the genre wants to hear in extreme music. And although drummer Kunstdood doesn’t smash his drums like in the previous track, he’s still very technical and heavy, effectively enhancing the song’s pungency.

mørknattThe next track, Serpents, presents a solid feast of extreme music with all traditional elements we enjoy like deep growls, lunatic screeches, hypnotizing riffs and relentless blast beats. In addition to that, both Kongen av Slanger and Fenrir display outstanding performances, being always beyond loyal to the foundations of Black Metal with their sounding. And finally, a brutal carnage named Ave Leviathan, which in my opinion is the most complete and gripping of the four tracks, transpires darkness and hate, switching from sheer bestiality played at full speed to slower but extremely heavy passages. The rhythmic drumming by Kunstdood matches perfectly with the infernal sounding emanating from guitar, bass and vocals, being the final ingredient in this full-bodied hymn of the netherworld.

While we all wait for the debutant full-length opus by Mørknatt, you can go give them a hellish shout at their Facebook page and enjoy their unyielding Black Metal on their YouTube channel, where you can listen to the entire Witchcraft of Domination EP. And in order to show your proper support to the independent metal scene, you can buy your digital copy of the album at their official BandCamp page. As aforementioned, it looks like Spain is an amazing alternative for fans of old school Norwegian Black Metal that want to “think outside Norway”, with the blasphemous and aggressive music by Mørknatt containing everything you look for in this legendary subgenre of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Ave Leviathan.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Calanda of Antichrist 4:54
2. Satanic Sex 4:06
3. Serpents 4:04
4. Ave Leviathan 5:46

Band members
Fenrir – vocals
Kongen av Slanger – lead guitar
Nergous – rythm guitar
Kunstdood – drums

Album Review – Malamorte / Devilish Illusions (2016)

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May the dark clouds of Black and Heavy Metal by this promising Italian project cast an ominous shadow over mankind.

Rating5

4_PanelIf we put together the Italian words “mala” and “morte” and translate them to English, the final result would be the simple but macabre expression “bad death”. Based in the historic city of Rome, Italy, Black/Heavy Metal project Malamorte returns from its ominous crypt to ensure our death is as bad as possible, haunting our souls with more of its creepy and theatrical music inspired by the iconic King Diamond and his Mercyful Fate with a Black Metal twist, this time enfolded as a brand new opus entitled Devilish Illusions.

Although this side project by Alessandro “Alex” Nunziati, best known as Lord Vampyr and the mastermind behind several metal acts like Lord Vampyr, Cain, Nailed God, Shadowsreign, Sepolcrum, VII Arcano and Theatres des Vampires, was founded back in 2009, it was only in 2014 that the debut EP The Fall of Babylon was released. However, after the great feedback received from fans and critics, Lord Vampyr (or in the case of Malamorte, only L.V.) decided it was time to provide the world another blast of his dark compositions in 2016, supported by Italian musician SK on guitars, bass and programming.

Heavily inspired by cult horror movies and the freakish atmosphere by Mercyful Fate, the intro Maleficium I will give you the chills before the title-track Devilish Illusions explodes into extreme and obscure music. L.V. sounds like an inhuman entity on vocals, with his guitar riffs blending traditional Heavy Metal with Black Metal (and even Thrash Metal elements can be noticed in this metallic devastation). After that promising start, dissonant guitar lines kick off the hellish composition named Pactum, slower but still vile and dense. It seems like L.V. is eager to drag us to a dark den and use us for a black magic ritual, with the wolves howling (or maybe tortured souls) in the background being truly disorienting, exactly what L.V. wants us to feel inside our minds.

In the powerful Dark Clouds On Golgotha, which by the way has a beautiful name for a song, its guitars and rhythm lean towards old school Heavy Metal from the 80’s, with its keyboards and drums adding a lot of flavor to it. I’m sure L.V. and his electrified performance on vocals, sounding even more demonic than usual, will put you to bang your head nostop, before the short bridge Maleficium II and its creepy piano notes introduce you to the following track, named Possession.  This high-end Extreme Metal tune displays a similar sonority to “Dark Clouds On Golgotha”, which seems to be where this project truly thrives. In addition to that, not only guest musician SK is an excellent multi-instrumentalist who significantly enhances the level of energy in the music, but the raw sounding presented in this case effectively keeps the musicality on the dark side for our total delight.

mal-bandThe title-track Malamorte keeps up with the vileness found in the rest of the album, starting with a wicked intro with some interesting piano notes and background voices that after a while turns into modern extreme music, blending elements of Black, industrial and Symphonic Metal. There are even some distorted piano notes, which together with some boisterous riffs guide this ode to dementia. Now imagine if Motörhead went Black Metal with hints of Thrash Metal? This is the interesting mixture you’ll get in the amazing high-speed tune Devoted To Self-Destruction, a nonstop sonic demolition perfect for live performances exhibiting guitar riffs and solos inspired by icons such as Slayer and Megadeth, but with a Rock N’ Roll vibe.

And there’s still time for another devilish duo of compositions by Malamorte, entitled Lucifer’s Rebellion and Maleficium III. The first takes the musicality back to the band’s more traditional approach, with its blast beats and deranged growls transpiring obscurity, not to mention its straightforward main message (Hail Lucifer!) and its abrupt and demonic ending; while the closing track is an outro where the initial gathering of background noises return one final time to haunt our sinful souls.

The world of Malamorte can be further explored on Facebook and ReverbNation, and Devilish Illusions is available for sale at the Murdher Records’ webstore and at the Satanath Records’ webstore or BandCamp. May the dark clouds of Black and Heavy Metal by Malamorte cast a shadow over all of us, and may we all sense their ominous energy penetrating our souls and disfiguring our minds.

Best moments of the album: Dark Clouds On Golgotha, Possession and Devoted To Self-Destruction.

Worst moments of the album: Pactum.

Released in 2016 Satanath Records

Track listing
1. Maleficium I 2:09
2. Devilish Illusions 3:21
3. Pactum 4:28
4. Dark Clouds On Golgotha 4:36
5. Maleficium II 0:16
6. Possession 5:02
7. Malamorte 6:30
8. Devoted To Self-Destruction 2:58
9. Lucifer’s Rebellion 3:24
10. Maleficium III 5:06

Band members
L.V. – vocals, guitars, keyboards

Guest musician
SK – guitars, bass, programming

Album Review – Armagh / Venomous Frost MCD (2016)

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Let the venomous and menacing frost of Extreme Metal generated by this young and restless four-piece act from Poland cover your body and dominate your soul.

Rating4

armagh_venomousfrost_coverGet the overpowering impact of metal music from the 80’s, the implacable and raging sound of the early days of Black and Thrash Metal the likes of Dissection, Bathory and Hellhammer, and four young musicians eager to show the world their passion for extreme music, and there you have the vigorous MCD entitled Venomous Frost, bred in the dark vaults of Warsaw, Poland by Blackened Thrash Metal horde Armagh. The band might be relatively new, being founded in 2012, and this MCD might be their first official release ever, but it feels like we’re dealing with an already established band so concise and potent the overall result is.

There is absolutely no (black) magic or any other special ingredients added to the music found in Venomous Frost, but pure Heavy Metal played by a newcomer quartet (actually, they’re now a power trio after the recent departure of guitarist Ace Hellion) that, above all things, knows exactly how to blend fury and melody in their compositions. Not only that, the old school album art, designed by Polish illustrator Robert A. von Ritter, who has already worked with bands such as Outre, Bloodthirst, In Twilight’s Embrace, and more recently with Ragehammer (featured in one of our latest reviews), is beyond precise in portraying the music by Armagh. Just hit play and you’ll find death, nihilism, war and occultism in Venomous Frost, all embraced by faultless Extreme Metal.

A demonic riff kicks off the excellent Criostail/Exmortis, which after an epic intro becomes brutal devastation blending the demonic aura of Black Metal with the always exciting turmoil generated by Thrash Metal. Moreover, Galin Soulreaper and Ace Hellion make an amazing guitar duo, with their riffs and solos transpiring ferocity and malignancy. Their devastation goes on in an old school Black Metal onslaught named Eternal Awareness, with drummer Bloodhammer sounding indeed like he’s using hammers to blast his beats. Put differently, you won’t have a single second to breathe in this high-octane chant of darkness.  And what can I say about Warbeast? They truly sound like beats unleashed from hell, blasting a vile Thrash Metal sounding enhanced by the obscure elements found in Black Metal. This newborn underground classic is perfect for some bestial circle pits and brutal headbanging, not to mention Galin’s spot-on hellish barks.

armagh_bandIn the epic Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf, you’ll be able to enjoy the best riffs of the album by far, with both Galin and Ace being absolutely on fire with their scorching instruments delivering excellent extreme music to us, while Bloodhammer and bassist Mark Usurper provide all the support needed in this exciting tune. Then we have Dark Procession, which in my opinion should be used as the soundtrack to any Satanist procession. This is the most Black Metal of all songs, especially its obscure riffs and growls, with the music slowing down a bit before all hell breaks loose and the band comes crushing again with their furious music, showcasing all band members in total sync.

The last seven minutes of the MCD are an ode to darkness, starting with Witchcraft, a fantastic cover version for Bathory’s 1984 classic. An enraged band blasts pure hatred in their excellent tribute to one of the most important bands in the history of Black Metal, with highlights to the desperate vocals by Galin and the kick-ass drumming by Bloodhammer, qualifying it to be one of the best covers of the year without a shadow of a doubt. And lastly, the title-track Venomous Frost is the icing on the (demonic) cake baked by this awesome Polish quartet, being slightly slower but as obscure and vicious as the rest of the album. In addition, I love how clear and heavy the bass lines by Mark and the drums by Bloodhammer sound throughout the entire song, helping conclude Venomous Frost on a high note and, as a consequence, keeping the flame of Polish metal more alive than ever.

More of the mischievous fusion of Black and Thrash Metal distilled by Armagh can be enjoyed at their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and their amazing debut MCD can be purchased at the official Third Eye Temple in two different versions: a regular jewel case CD limited to 100 copies or a black jewel case CD branded with serigraphy print. Let the venomous and menacing frost of extreme music generated by this young and restless four-piece act from Poland cover your entire body, and consequently dominate your soul. You won’t regret such an amazing experience in Black and Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Warbeast, Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf and Witchcraft.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Third Eye Temple

Track listing
1. Criostail/Exmortis 5:40
2. Eternal Awareness 3:38
3. Warbeast 4:32
4. Foggy Dew/Wehrwolf 6:23
5. Dark Procession 4:59
6. Witchcraft (Bathory cover) 2:35
7. Venomous Frost 4:46

Band members
Galin Soulreaper – vocals, guitars
Ace Hellion* – guitars
Mark Usurper – bass
Bloodhammer – drums

*No longer part of the band.

Album Review – Slitherum / Godbox Suicide (2016)

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A Dark Metal album that beautifully represents all the diversity, radiance and finesse of the Greek culture, crafted by a power trio ready to conquer the world of heavy music.

Rating4

frontIn order to properly celebrate the 300th album review by The Headbanging Moose, let’s go back to a country that has always played a very important role in the history of immigration to Canada, especially during the early 20th century, building a healthy and flourishing relationship with “The Great White North”. Known for their incomparable history, rich cuisine and astonishing landscapes, Greece has always been a place where past, present and future meet, creating a distinct atmosphere not found anywhere else in the world, and the same can be said about their multilayered music as you’ll be able to see in Godbox Suicide, the debut full-length album by Gothic/Industrial Metal act Slitherum.

Amazing groups from the Hellenic Republic such as Diablery, Primeval Mass and Defision have already had their powerful music reviewed at The Headbanging Moose, not to mention the iconic Rotting Christ, all of them shaping their own style by blending elements from different genres and subgenres of rock and heavy music similarly to what Slitherum offer us in their new album. Formed in 2015 in the city of Athens, the power trio comprised of Nick Marinos on vocals, Giannis Kalamatas on guitars, bass and synths, and Antonis Kanaras on drums will take you on a journey through the realms of obscure and melodic music, showcasing all their skills and their passion for Dark Metal.

Godbox suicide starts with Λεχωνα (pronounced “Lechona”), which is Greek for a woman who has just given birth, an atmospheric intro that “gives birth” to the album and sets the tone for Feet, presenting a groovy sounding with the resonant bass lines by Giannis building the perfect ambience for the devilish growls by Nick. Not only it sounds like a hybrid of Moonspell and early In Flames, but it’s quite interesting how they add pure Hard Rock elements amidst the havoc generated by their Death and Black Metal vein, creating a fresh and solid sonority.

The title-track Godbox Suicide offers the listener slightly more melodic lines in a journey back to the 80’s, mainly due to the Type O Negative-inspired vocals by Nick. This is one of those top-notch Gothic Rock and Metal tunes tailored for lovers of the dark side who enjoy dancing facing the wall (if you know what I mean), with highlights to its powerful solos and extremely catchy chorus; whereas Vulnus, the Latin word for wound or injury, is another thrilling Gothic Metal composition with vocals leaning towards Black and Doom Metal, being melancholic, sorrowful and venomous. In addition, the spot-on Doom Metal beats by Antonis boost the song’s impact on the listener, making the whole experience of listening to Slitherum a lot more pleasant.

slitherumKeyboards bring forward an electronic vibe before Antonis smashes his drums in the awesome Industrial Metal chant Mother, with Nick going from the deepest low vocals to the harshest screeches while Giannis keeps kicking ass with his riffs and solos. After listening to this song, you’ll realize how much those Greek guys simply love all the alternative and obscure subgenres of heavy music and how elegantly and passionately they mix all their main influences into their musicality.

Before Godbox Suicide is over, Slitherum have another blast of their dark music entitled Child, a mesmerizing and atmospheric power ballad led by its strong bass lines and synths where Nick has a great performance declaiming the song’s cryptic lyrics, sometimes sounding like the weird creations by Faith No More (which just proves how versatile Slitherum are). And then the wicked composition Cure concludes the album in the darkest way possible, working almost as a regular outro but with extra layers added to it, including some eerie vocal lines in the background.

This up-and-coming Greek band can be found on Facebook and on YouTube, and Godbox Suicide can be purchased at Discogs as a CD or as a special vinyl version. Godbox Suicide is not only an album that beautifully represents all the diversity, radiance and finesse of the Greek culture, but also an album that will help this talented band go places and spread their peculiar metal music throughout the entire world.

Best moments of the album: Feet, Godbox Suicide and Mother.

Worst moments of the album: Cure.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1.Λεχωνα (“Lechona”) 3:31
2.Feet 3:13
3.Godbox Suicide 3:23
4.Vulnus 4:12
5.Mother 2:42
6.Child 5:00
7.Cure 4:35

Band members
Nick Marinos – vocals
Giannis Kalamatas – guitars, bass, synths
Antonis Kanaras – 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*