Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Verment / Death’s Domain EP (2016)

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These up-and-coming metallers from Cincinnati, Ohio will show you how Death Metal can easily embrace elements from all other genres and subgenres of heavy music without losing its essence, always remaining loyal to its violent and gruesome roots.

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Deathsdoamin COVER HiDischarging their fast and furious Death Metal directly from the city of Cincinnati, Ohio to the entire world since 2012, American metallers Verment are ready to attack once again with their brand new EP entitled Death’s Domain. If you’re a fan of bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide, The Black Dahlia Murder, Suffocation and Angelcorpse, let me tell you that you’ll definitely have a very good time during the 24 minutes of deep vociferations, crushing beats and blazing riffs found in this unrelenting 7-track album.

Although some of the band’s main influences are purely Death Metal, Verment do not stick only to that genre of heavy music in their compositions, blending elements from Thrash, Melodic Death and even Blackened Death Metal in their musicality, not to mention they also add a modern twist to their sounding in order to sound fresher and more impactful than other regular Death Metal bands. And if you’re good at “deciphering” what lead singer and bassist Eric Payne is vociferating throughout the entire EP, your experience listening to Verment will become even more interesting than expected.

And the band is not kidding when they say they’re not purely Death Metal, as the excellent opening track Casket Fever is actually a bit more Thrash than Death Metal per se. Moreover, the growling by Eric Payne is full of anger and perfectly represents the message in the lyrics (“Exhuming corpses in the darkness / Taking from the hand of death / All to please the inner demon / That is keeping me from rest”), with the clean and melodic solos by Dustin Stockhoff bringing a welcome harmony to the music. That blustering fusion of extreme music subgenres also work really well in Amon’s Wrath, where Black and Death Metal are put together in a neck-breaking tune made to listen at top volume, full of violent riffs by Nick Moeller while drummer Alex Hooper is as heavy and precise as he can be behind his drum set.

VermentWings of Bone, which is perhaps the most Death Metal song of all, offers the listener two and a half minutes of brutal and technical devastation flawlessly led by Nick and Alex, with both deep guttural and sharper demonic growls by Eric being spot-on; while Vile Incisions leans towards more traditional Death Metal, especially due to its technical riffs and solos. In addition, Eric’s screams match perfectly with all instrumental pieces, with the last part of the song being a demented feast of blast beats commonly found in old school Black Metal. And get ready for the insane circle pits that will be generated by Obsolescence Reality, which has that constant metallic rhythm we all love in Death Metal, but with the addition of some nice breaks to add more flavor to it.

Before the album is over, their Thrash Metal vein returns in Chemical Indoctrination, without of course being less Death Metal than expected. It’s a faster and more straightforward tune where both Dustin and Nick have amazing performances with their riffs and solos, providing Eric all he needs to fire his hostile screams. And lastly, Parade of Filth closes the album in a solid way showcasing putrid lyrics that are the nightmare of every soccer mom (“It’s quite a sight to behold / All walks of life convening / It makes me sick to see this rotten malánge / Flesh folding over, repulsive odor / I am no better but I certainly do not reek of shit”), while Alex displays all his darkest abilities during the song’s almost four minutes. In other words, this is basically the opposite of mainstream, which means diehard fans of old school Death Metal will love it.

Whether you’re a hardcore Death Metal fan looking for a new addition to your collection of aggressive hymns, or a not-so-delicate soccer mom who felt significantly insulted when I said the music by Verment might be one of your worst nightmares, go check their Facebook, SoundCloud and ReverbNation for more of their venomous music. Death’s Domain, which can be purchased at the band’s BandCamp page, will show you once again why Death Metal is, and will forever be, the only type of extreme music that can easily embrace elements from all other genres and subgenres of heavy music without losing its essence, always remaining loyal to its roots.

Best moments of the album: Casket Fever and Wings of Bone.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Casket Fever 3:18
2. Amon’s Wrath 3:26
3. Wings of Bone 2:31
4. Vile Incisions 3:27
5. Obsolescence Reality 3:41
6. Chemical Indoctrination 3:30
7. Parade of Filth 3:47

Band members
Eric Payne – vocals, bass
Dustin Stockhoff – lead guitar
Nick Moeller – rhythm guitar
Alex Hooper – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Be Under Arms / Doomed To Life (2016)

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Do you think you’re worthy of joining this Russian army of Alternative Metal? If your answer is yes, then it’s time to get armed to the teeth with their uproarious and ruthless music.

Rating3

be under arms_doomed to lifeDon’t you just love when completely independent bands are capable of delivering to the world music that sounds a lot more entertaining and well-crafted than many of the already established and famous groups that have a lot of support from their record labels? Maybe that’s simply a statement of how many magnificent musicians are out there just waiting for their chance to shine to a bigger audience, or maybe that only proves how much the passion for heavy music can push the musician even further in their creative process. In the case of Russian Groove/Alternative Metal act Be Under Arms I would say it’s both, and after listening to their excellent new album Doomed To Life you’ll understand how this solid balance between technique and feeling will take this band to stardom.

Despite being a fairly new band, formed in 2013 by the dynamic duo Anna “White Queen” Logacheva and Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov in Moscow, Russia, Be Under Arms already released a full-length album in 2014 named Let Shots Will Be Your Music, displaying what would be perhaps the most “Americanized” sounding you might ever find on Russian soil. Now with Doomed To Life their main influences coming from bands like Slipknot, Stone Sour and Five Finger Death Punch become even more noticeable, which combined with their unique concept, blending the atmosphere of old westerns with steampunk and our modern and urbanized world, makes their music even more electrifying. Even the dystopian album art transpires rebellion and anarchy. Put differently, are you ready for a neck-breaking experience offered by these talented Neo-Metal troopers?

Be Under Arms kick off the album with the theatrical and contemporary Armed & Defenseless and its Slipknot-inspired intro in an interesting blend of Alternative and Symphonic Metal, where Vladimir is responsible for the deep guttural growls while Anna takes care of the clean (and almost operatic) passages and high-pitched screams, followed by Lord Of The Bomb, a polished onslaught full of elements from Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal. Vladimir pays a tribute to the most gruesome Death Metal singers such as Chris Barnes and Jeff Becerra, with bassist Dmitriy Kashirin and drummer Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy adding tons of groove to the musicality, therefore enhancing the song’s punch. And their working single, Burn For This, is an breathtaking fusion of the high-speed and intricate music by Arch Enemy with the straightforward aggressiveness of the Butcher Babies, with the final result sounding beyond entertaining. Moreover, pay good attention to the metallic riffs by guitarists Viktor Gostemilov and Dmitriy Solo and to the passionate performance by Anna, they truly deserve that.

The whole band demands we keep banging our heads nonstop in March Of The Iron Hearts, a tune that leans towards pure Groove Metal with nuances of Death Metal, and as aforementioned it amazes me how a Russian band can sound so American and consequently ready to conquer the Western side of the world. And yet again inspired by the Butcher Babies, Keep This World provides the listener a violent ambience where Vladimir sounds as bestial as possible on vocals, with the song’s guitar riffs penetrating our heads and piercing our brains mercilessly. Then out of nowhere Be Under Arms morph their musicality from brutal Death Metal to modern Alternative Metal and back again within a short span of five minutes in the thrilling Locked And Bound, where Anna once again steals the spotlight with her deranged screams and also with her potent clean vocal lines.

be under armsDon’t even think about taking a break, because there’s a lot more to come in this awe-inspiring album, starting with To Rise From The Ashes, which presents that characteristic riffage from bands such as Slipknot by Viktor and Dmitriy, helping Vladimir and Anna in offering a great vocal duo to the listener. Be Under Arms then put the pedal to the metal in a hurricane of Melodic Death Metal full of anguished growls, fast beats and tons of groove entitled No Place Like Home, a short and sweet tune perfect for putting the audience to “dance” (or, in other words, slam into the circle pit). Surprisingly, after that we’re treated to a distinct chant named Spit On Your Grave, which is in fact a thoughtful power ballad despite its demented name (who doesn’t love that movie franchise?). While Anna’s vocals work extremely well during the whole song, Vladimir sounds a little weird with his clean vocals, somewhat like a gothic singer from the 80’s, but in the end when all is put together the result is very pleasant indeed.

The last part of the album gets back to sheer brutality, as you’ll be able to enjoy in Human Testing, which due to being slightly rawer than the other songs will surely cause a strong pain in your neck and maybe some bruises when played live. Then we have the title-track Doomed To Life showcasing the best riffs of the whole album by far (Viktor and Dmitriy were remarkably inspired when they composed them), with all other instruments being boosted by that energy flowing from the guitars and consequently turning this into another top moment of the album. On the other hand, in Kings Of Wasteland they tried to be even more alternative than usual, and despite not being a bad song it sounds a bit over the top. That doesn’t harm the overall quality of the album at all, but it’s surely the weakest chant in Doomed To Life. Lastly, we have the vile Metalcore chant Becoming A Monster, where we can enjoy a more introspective side of the band with highlights to the outstanding performances by Anna and Denis (not to mention its short but effective guitar solo), perfectly depicting the name given to it.

Do you think you’re worthy of joining this uproarious cyber army of Alternative Metal from Russia? If your answer is yes, go check their Facebook page, VKontakte and YouTube channel, and in order to get armed to the teeth with their ruthless music, you can find Doomed To Life on sale at the band’s official webshop or BandCamp page, as well as on iTunes. As aforementioned, based on what you will be able to witness in Doomed To Life, you’ll quickly realize this talented sextet from Moscow is actually “doomed” to awesomeness.

Best moments of the album: Lord Of The Bomb, Burn For This, No Place Like Home and Doomed To Life.

Worst moments of the album: Kings Of Wasteland.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Armed & Defenseless 4:39
2. Lord Of The Bomb 3:53
3. Burn For This 3:53
4. March Of The Iron Hearts 2:57
5. Keep This World 3:43
6. Locked And Bound 4:57
7. To Rise From The Ashes 3:29
8. No Place Like Home 2:24
9. Spit On Your Grave 2:36
10. Human Testing 3:19
11. Doomed To Life 4:27
12. Kings Of Wasteland 3:06
13. Becoming A Monster 4:28

Band members
Anna “White Queen” Logacheva – vocals
Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov – vocals
Viktor Gostemilov – guitar
Dmitriy Solo – guitar
Dmitriy Kashirin – bass
Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy – drums

Album Review – Humanitas Error Est / Human Pathomorphism (2016)

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Mankind is nothing but a failed experiment in this sick world we live in, and this demented Black Metal horde from Germany is here to show you why.

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141-1Human Pathomorphism, a perverted or abnormal morphology (or study of the human form), is not only the debut full-length opus by German Black Metal horde Humanitas Error Est, but a cutting statement that mankind is nothing but a failed experiment in this sick world we live in. Furthermore, the name of the band translated from Latin already means “humanity is a mistake”, a pivotal detail that shows you the band is not fooling around, sending their sad but true message to everyone that somehow still believes our society has a promising future ahead even after all the shit we’ve been witnessing lately.

And this deranged army from the city of Leipzig, also known as the “boomtown of eastern Germany”, vehemently spills their venom against any type of religion throughout the entire album, which according to the band can be considered the first chapter of their pandemic hatred against mankind. Evidently, there couldn’t be a better sub-genre of heavy music to perfectly represent all their negative feelings and thoughts than our good old Black Metal, and due to the highly developed skills by each band member what we have is an extremely well-crafted sonic assault that achieves its main goal hands down.

The intro Destroyer Of Worlds gives you about a minute to get ready to be destroyed by the band, which is what will happen to you when you face their heavy artillery in Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est (or something like “that man called disease”, translated from Latin). What a fantastic massacre generated by those six musicians, sounding like a rawer version of Dimmu Borgir with a merciless approach. Their bursting Black Metal keeps crushing our minds in Pain Feeder, where Ahephaïm is a lunatic fringe on drums while the band’s own succubus S Caedes and the barbarian demon Ghoul provide us their most nightmarish growls, and despite the second half of the song slowing down a bit it ends up getting even more demonic than usual.

HEE-Band2-printOne interesting fact in Human Pathomorphism is that there isn’t a single second of silence between songs, and the insane fury emanating from the guitars by Tsar and Void114 in Jagdzeit (or “hunting season” in German) from the very first second of the song only corroborates that, leading to an important question: how can a band sound more violent than this? It’s a gargantuan level of devastation without a shadow of a doubt. Then we have some eerie sounds kicking off another boisterous chant entitled My Sexual Benediction, an ancient Black Metal tune with a disturbing musicality tailored for fans of the genre, followed by Raping Religions, a Black Metal hymn with hints of brutal Death Metal where S Caedes and Ghoul keep spewing their dark words upon humanity. Well, I guess the name of the song says it all.

In One Piece Human the listener will probably face the most disturbing rhythm of all, never getting too fast but always being deeply dark. In addition, all vocal lines are as hellish as possible (including some sick howling), with some blast beating moments adding more complexity to the overall result. Humanitas Error Est are back to their “wrecking mode” in Die Macht Deines Glaubens (“the power of your faith”, from German), with Tsar, Void114 and Ahephaïm becoming unstoppable music machines firing endless amounts of darkness through their instruments; whereas in Skinning Alive, a thrilling Blackened Death Metal tune, the guitar lines sound more metallic than ever. It’s four minutes of sheer savagery led by S Caedes (what a voice this woman has!) and Ghoul, or in other words, a spot-on ode to human violence. And why not closing the album with more inhumanity in the form of music, starting with a track fondly named Bestial Penetration? Albeit being a decent song, it lacks its own identity to differentiate it from the previous tracks. Nothing that damages the high quality of the album, though. And lastly we have the title-track Human Pathomorphism, which might not be exactly a full-bodied song, but it is definitely one of the most disquieting outros you’ll ever listen to.

Now that you have finally become aware of the soundtrack to human extinction crafted by Humanitas Error Est, go pay a visit to the band’s Facebook page and listen to their blatant music at their YouTube channel, SoundCloud and ReverbNation. And in order to truly show your support for this amazing band, you can buy your copy of Human Pathomorphism at their BandCamp page, at the Satanath Records’ BandCamp page or official webstore, or also at Discogs.com where you can find the regular version of the album as well as the digipak version including the official video for “Raping Religions”. Do you still believe humanity is not a mistake after listening to the music by Humanitas Error Est?

Best moments of the album: Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est, My Sexual Benediction and Die Macht Deines Glaubens.

Worst moments of the album: Bestial Penetration.

Released in 2016 Satanath Records

Track listing
1. Destroyer Of Worlds 0:55
2. Quod Homo Appellatur Morbus Est 3:26
3. Pain Feeder 3:42
4. Jagdzeit 3:06
5. My Sexual Benediction 5:09
6. Raping Religions 3:12
7. One Piece Human 6:23
8. Die Macht Deines Glaubens 1:58
9. Skinning Alive 4:14
10. Bestial Penetration 5:20
11. Human Pathomorphism 2:02

Band members
S Caedes – vocals
Ghoul – vocals
Tsar – guitar
Void114 – guitar
Rogan – bass
Ahephaïm – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Yoli Moreno

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yoli01

Fall in my spell, I’ll save you from your hell!

Mexican headbangers are famous worldwide for their deep and true passion for all things Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, being undeniably among the craziest and wildest ones when responding to their metal idols performing live in their beautiful country. So why not paying a tribute to those loyal metalheads from the land of the Aztecs and the Mayas with our Metal Chick of the Month? Obviously, the chosen one couldn’t be any random musician but a girl that truly knows how to make some good noise and intensify the beat of our hearts, the lovable Mexican drummer Yolanda Moreno Quintos, or as she prefers to be called in the world of heavy music, Yoli Moreno.

Hailing from Mexico City, or México, D.F. in her native language, the power behind the drums of Mexican all-female Heavy Metal band Mystica Girls is a woman of very few words who strongly believes in teamwork above all things. Not only that, we’re talking about another example of a metal musician who trespasses the boundaries of music, having a bachelor’s degree in Economy from ITAM – Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México, and who is also passionate about Orthography and Ecology. In other words, if you’re into girls who are far more than just a beautiful face, who are the whole package, the charming Yoli might be exactly what you are looking for.

Before joining Mystica Girls, Yoli was the drummer for a Mexican Death/Thrash Metal band called Inharmonious, with whom she recorded a demo consisting of four tracks in 2007 entitled Echoes of Rage. You can check a rare footage of Yoli with Inharmonious playing one of their demo tracks, Your Death, at the old school venue La Bodega del Metal, in Mexico City, as well as a pretty interesting cover for Sepultura’s all-time classic Refuse/Resist during the Festival Cultural Zacatecas in 2009. The quality of the videos is not perfect, but it’s enough to show you how Yoli and the other girls in the band can kick some serious ass together.

It was only in February 2012 when Yoli joined Mystica Girls, together with Chilean vocalist Mon Laferte, recording right after that in April 2012 the single The Conquest, including a promotional video for it, generating more than 30,000 plays in just one month and therefore increasing the band’s popularity in Mexico and in other parts of the world. That ended up leading to the re-recording of their 2011 album entitled MetalRose, now featuring Mon Laferte on vocals, in July 2012, and the release of a brand new EP named The Conquest one year later.

Then, in the beginning of 2014, Mystica Girls released a brand new full-length album entitled Gates of Hell, their first original full-length album with Yoli on drums. Gates of Hell had a very good reception from fans and critics, opening up lots of opportunities for the band in terms of tours and new projects, with the special event called SINFÓNICO.METALLICA., where the girls shared the stage with the OFIA – Orquesta Filarmónica de las Artes on June 6, 2015, being one of the highlights of their already reputable career. Check this nice video of Mystica Girls and the orchestra playing the classic Fuel on that night, paying attention to the performance by our beloved drummer, and you’ll see how good she is when holding her drumsticks.

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Getting back to when Yoli joined Mystica Girls, she mentioned during one of her interviews she was very nervous the day of her audition, even having already shared the stage with them during her years with Inharmonious in the underground scene. However, all that nervousness was not sufficient to outshine her skills, as a week after the audition she received a notification that she became then part of the group. In addition to that, although the music styles were considerably different between the two bands, with Mystica Girls playing a more straightforward Hard Rock/Heavy Metal while Inharmonious was a fast and furious Thrash/Death Metal band, she got truly happy and excited with this new challenge in her life as a musician. If you want to see Yoli live in action with Mystica Girls, my suggestions are some YouTube videos from a series called “Resistencia Modulada presenta”, especially the ones for the songs No More! and Tiny Blue Dot, and of course you can always check their official YouTube channel and their ReverbNation page, or Cinthya BlackCat’s YouTube channel.

Furthermore, despite being “una mujer de pocas palabras”, there’s a short but newsworthy interview with Yoli on YouTube done by Mexican news channel Siete24, where among other things she talks about Mystica Girls’ participation in the 2014 edition of the famous Mexican festival Hell & Heaven. The entire interview is in Spanish, as you can see, and if you do not understand it really well I can help you by summarizing the most relevant issues discussed. In regards to the festival, Yoli talks about the band’s excitement for playing in front of so many people, sharing the True Metal stage with renowned bands such as one of her favorite groups, American Death Metal icons Obituary, before linking that topic with the release at that time of their new album Gates of Hell, explaining that although it is not a concept album, there’s a special theme in it related to self-awareness and how you face your fears in life. And finally, she talks about her experience with Mystica Girls since joining the band in 2012, including the aforementioned immediate recording of the single The Conquest, how working with the band inspired her to grow musically speaking, and the recent boom of Mexican metal groups, many motivated by the music by Mystica Girls.

She might not be as skilled on drums as Quico from the brilliant TV show “El Chavo Del Ocho” (just kidding, of course), but in case you just fell in love for our talented Mexican drummer Yoli and want to take her home, let me tell you that’s something perfectly possible even if you do not believe so. All you have to do is visit the band’s official webstore, purchase their peculiar keychain Yoli Moreno model for 50 Mexican Pesos (around 4 Canadian Dollars) and voilà! There you have Yoli Moreno and her drums with you day and night 24/7 forever, isn’t that great?

Yoli Moreno’s Official Facebook page
Yoli Moreno’s Official Twitter
Mystica Girls’ Official Facebook page
Mystica Girls’ Official Twitter

Album Review – Henriette B / Tales Of Reality EP (2016)

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This flourishing band from Switzerland is back with more of their top-of-the-line Metalcore to tell you some of their harshest tales of reality.

Rating4

FolderIn case you’ve been following The Headbanging Moose for a considerable period of time, you might remember our review for the 2014 EP Red Dawn Of Humanity, by Swiss Metalcore/Hardcore act Henriette B (and if you’re new to the band you’ll find out why they have such a distinct band name by reading that review HERE). Now, almost two years after Red Dawn Of Humanity became a reality in the world of Metalcore, this five-piece band from Tavannes, Switzerland returns with yet another solid and impactful EP, this time entitled Tales Of Reality.

After playing many shows across Switzerland in 2015 thanks to the very positive reaction of Metalcore fans to Red Dawn Of Humanity, with Henriette B sharing the stage with bands such as Texas In July, Walking With Strangers and Benighted, it’s noticeable how the quality of the music delivered by the band improved in Tales Of Reality. Albeit always keeping loyal to their foundations and style, there are many new elements and nuances added to the new EP that end up differentiating it from its predecessor, and that in my opinion will definitely open even more doors for Henriette B to cross the boundaries of their homeland and go further in their promising career.

Although the opening track Utopia has a very similar sonority to the music found in their 2014 EP, it’s a lot more polished and professional, showcasing the evolution in the music by Henriette B. In addition, while Ian Girod is back with his bestial growls, newcomer Fabio Duro proves through his refined technique why he was selected by the band to be responsible for their beats, adding an extra layer of intricacy to their music. And in Face Or Flee, Ian and his desperate vocals follow the lead of guitarists Vincent Simonin and Thierry Grundbacher, who bring the musicality closer to Death Metal, but who also at the same time present hints of Alternative Metal through their riffs and solos.

HB-HIRES_3As mentioned in the review for their previous EP, there’s always a lot of melody amidst all the brutality blasted by the band, which is also the case in The Other Side, a typical song to break your fuckin’ neck by headbanging like a maniac anytime you listen to it, not to mention its deranged ending. And following that bestial tune we have Visions, where Fabio continues to pound his drums with a lot of precision and feeling. It’s high-quality Metalcore with a strong atmosphere supporting the band’s “noise”, once again exhibiting a good fusion of heavy riffs and harmonious solos and passages.

Now it’s time for bassist Fabien Voumard to fire his thunderous and groovy bass lines in the awesome The Mistake We Made, providing the other band members everything they need to sound even more violent. Besides, this song makes it clear that it’s when Henriette B accelerate their music that they truly thrive. And The Hidden Kingdom closes the EP by offering us more of the excellent riffs by Vincent and Thierry in a violent Melodic Death Metal vibe, not to mention the great performances by Ian and Fabio with their sonic weapons.

Henriette B want to keep telling you their own tales of reality and showing you their vision of the world, and in order to do that they need you to visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud. And, obivously, if you’re a fan of European Metalcore you should also go purchase their brand new EP at their BandCamp page, at CD Baby, on Amazon and other locations. Thus, after two strong EP’s, I guess the next step for those Swiss metallers is to continue their hot streak by delivering us their first full-length album, how about that? If they keep their music as potent as it is now when that time comes, I’m pretty sure they will engrave their name deeply in the world of Metalcore and heavy music in general.

Best moments of the album: The Other Side and The Mistake We Made.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Utopia 3:25
2. Face Or Flee 3:10
3. The Other Side 3:56
4. Visions 3:02
5. The Mistake We Made 3:55
6. The Hidden Kingdom 3:02

Band members
Ian Girod – vocals
Vincent Simonin – guitar
Thierry Grundbacher – guitar
Fabien Voumard – bass
Fabio Duro – drums

Album Review – Atrament / Eternal Downfall (2016)

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If the downfall of humanity demanded a soundtrack, it would be undoubtedly the brutal and macabre blackened music by this amazing American horde.

Rating4

12inch_3mm_v92012.inddWhile listening to the hellish Eternal Downfall, the debut full-length album by American Blackened D-Beat Crust/Death Metal horde Atrament, one big question came to my mind in regards to their music style. Would Atrament be a heavier-than-usual Punk Rock band with huge European influences, especially from the unparalleled sounding of Norwegian Black Metal, or a Death Metal band highly inspired by the Gothenburg sound with a strong hardcore/punk attitude? Either way, the music by this amazing band from Oakland, California will crush your mind and leave you completely disoriented, similarly to what iconic bands such as Bolt Thrower, Napalm Death and Darkthrone do. Needless to say, if you’re a fan of fast and furious metal music, you’re going to love the experience.

Brought into being in the fall of 2014 in the United States by current and former members of the groups Moral Void, Black September, Necrot and Abstracter, this talented American band offers a thrashy and gripping fusion of different genres of extreme music that together have the impact of a nuclear bomb on the listener, always remaining loyal to the roots of British Anarcho-Punk and Scandinavian Black and Death Metal from the 90’s. The amazingly obscure artwork by American illustrator Stephen Wilson (Unknown Relic) is already a good indication of how vile and cataclysmic the music found in Eternal Downfall is, but I suggest you hit play and, if you have the guts, enjoy each one of the album’s 11 ruthless compositions.

Atrament do not fool around and start blasting their brutal and macabre blackened music already from the very first second of the opening track, No Beyond, a powerful blend of Black, Thrash and Death Metal where guitarist James Meyer fires blazing riffs while lead singer Mattia Alagna doesn’t sound he’s living a happy moment at all. And before you can catch the slightest breath, here comes the barbaric tune Sunken Reign effectively boosted by its Punk Rock/Hardcore elements, with highlights to the sick beats by drummer Chad Gailey; followed by Aberration, a faster and more demonic song with a cutthroat ambience that will make you feel uncomfortable for sure. This amazing composition brings forward two and a half minutes of the perfect amalgamation between Black Metal and Hardcore, with noticeable influences from Napalm Death and other aggressive bands.

Atrament[1]James kicks off the massacre entitled Consumed with his solid riffs, being quickly complemented by the deep growling by Matia, the blast beats by Chad and the rumbling bass lines by Sam Carr-Prindle, before the bestial tune Hericide comes with its berserk rhythm and feeling, making the album even more thrilling. It’s nonstop action that should be fantastic when played live, sounding as if The Exploited decided to put on some corpse paint and re-directed the content of their music to all that’s evil. And in the longest of all tracks, Wretched Apparition, which displays hints of old school Slayer and a vibrant Death Metal approach, they really want us all to get completely destroyed inside the circle pit until its suffocating ending.

An imposing intro marks the start of Rotting Twilight, which then showcases metallic bass lines and pure devastation for three and a half minutes, while Aeon of Suffering “informs” us there’s absolutely no time to rest due to its high-speed carnage that brutally goes on from start to finish. And in World of Ash we are beautifully smashed by the most wicked form of Blackened Death Metal, led by the great riffs by James and the visceral vociferations by Mattia. As ferocious as a wolf in the wild, Atrament keep kicking ass with an incredible amount of stamina in Circle of Wolves, becoming impossible not to go for some good slamming while listening to this tune; whereas Dusk Abuse provides us all one final blast of dark and extreme music where it’s obvious the band’s main goal is the total extermination of mankind. They make sure no one is left alive after listening to it, with James and Chad speeding up their pieces and therefore adding an extra dosage of insanity to the music.

Atrament can be found on Facebook if you want to get in touch with the band and send them a message, and in case you want to purchase their fiendish opus, Eternal Downfall is available at their BandCamp page, at the Broken Limbs Recordings’ webstore, at the Argento Records’ Big Cartel page or at the Sentient Ruin Laboratories’ BandCamp page. If the downfall of humanity (we’re already experiencing nowadays) had a soundtrack, I’m pretty sure it would be very similar to the extreme music with a punk attitude Atrament can flawlessly generate.

Best moments of the album: Aberration, Hericide and World of Ash.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Broken Limbs Recordings/Argento Records/Sentient Ruin Laboratories

Track listing
1. No Beyond 2:14
2. Sunken Reign 2:31
3. Aberration 2:22
4. Consumed 3:08
5. Hericide 2:33
6. Wretched Apparation 3:44
7. Rotting Twilight 3:28
8. Aeon of Suffering 2:26
9. World of Ash 2:47
10. Circle of Wolves 2:34
11. Dusk Abuse 3:34

Band members
Mattia Alagna – vocals
James Meyer – guitar
Sam Carr-Prindle – bass
Chad Gailey – drums

Album Review – SystemHouse33 / Regression (2016)

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Regression might be a return to a former or less developed state, but the new album by this talented Indian act is undoubtedly the evolution of Thrash and Groove Metal.

Rating3

systemhouse33_regressionI guess the first time I realized how crazy for heavy music people in India are was when I watched Iron Maiden’s Flight 666 documentary for the first time some good years ago. Watching around 30,000 people in Mumbai, India being completely smashed and screaming like lunatics to my favorite Iron Maiden song of all time, the unique “Aces High”, showed me there’s a lot more in the Land of Prayers than that hardly watchable Bollywood shebang. And it’s exactly from the city of Mumbai that come the demented thrash metallers SystemHouse33, who are not only releasing an amazing new album entitled Regression, but are also more than ready to conquer the entire world with their high-quality metal music.

Unleashing a rip-roaring fusion of the traditional Thrash Metal by Sepultura with elements from Groove and Death Metal (and even Melodic Death Metal), and having released four albums already in their career, this talented band has been reaching many important milestones since their inception in 2003. Always against all the odds, SystemHouse33 was the first metal band to ever emerge from the small Indian town of Nagpur, quickly spreading their Heavy Metal over several rock festivals and music events around India, including Campus Rock Idols, Metal Meltdown and Wacken Metal Battle. And before the release of the new album, those Indian metallers toured with American Death Metal icons Six Feet Under around Germany and Austria in December 2015 on their annual Xmas in Hell tour, being the band’s first ever foreign tour and becoming the first Indian metal band to tour with a legendary Heavy Metal headliner.

SystemHouse33 founding member and vocalist Samron Jude elaborates on the concept behind the new album, “Regression is the paradox of progress; it is the disintegrating world we live in. We are doing more, but feeling worse.” And let me tell you there couldn’t be better words to describe the aggressiveness and the feeling of insurgency found in every single song of the album, because right after the ominous intro Catharsis, which feels as if the band is rising from the ashes of a fallen world, we have the title-track Regression, starting their Indian onslaught the best way possible. Featuring huge doses of savagery amidst a polished and groovy rhythm, this amazing tune showcases guitarist/drummer Atish Thomas providing his “business card” in the form of some serious riffage, and you can easily sense how much he loves Groove Metal by his drumming style.

systemhouse33Indian brawler Samron Jude’s insane growls lead the powerful tune Lift This Plague, a solid composition perfect for banging your head nonstop where all band members are on fire, with highlights to its acid lyrics (“Pretentious flowing blood / Ignorance reaps resentment / Downward spiraling sky / Slumber of the sluggard”). Following that massacre we have the even better Namesake, one of the best tunes of the album (if not the sickest one), emanating endless electricity from all instruments. How not to get thrilled by those riffs and beats? Besides, it reminds me of the latest installments by many excellent Eastern European Groove Metal bands such as Ektomorf and Omega Diatribe. And a song named Death Chamber couldn’t sound any less visceral and obscure in a flawless display of what can be called Progressive Groove Metal, from its headbanging riffs to more progressive passages.

There’s not a single second to rest with the rhythmic and violent Detestable Idolatry, where you can feel the metallic bass chords by Leon Quadros striking you mercilessly while its contentious lyrics add a welcome touch of rebelliousness to its sonority (“Blood-filled ignorance in your soul / Self-righteous sacrifice of innocence / Slaying the name of a higher power / Shameful indulgence”). Pagan Breed is another progressive and experimental tune that never “forgets” the band’s core violence, with Samron firing anger through his harsh growls and the rest of the band doing a superb job in maintaining the ferocity of the song at a high level. Lastly, closing the album we have another berserk chant named Malicious Mind, yet again offering a potent fusion of progressiveness and old school Thrash and Death Metal. It sounds like if the band is demanding the listener to jump up and down with them, with Atish and Leon being in perfect sync with their guitar and bass lines, respectively.

I was about to give Regression a 3.5, but it honestly deserves a 4.0 for the band’s tenacity and passion for Heavy Metal in a country where almost everything seems to go against that type of music. And if you share the same passion for heavy music as the high-skilled metallers from SystemHouse33, go visit their Facebook page, YouTube channel and SoundCloud page, and grab your copy of Regression at their BandCamp page, at their official website, on iTunes, on CD Baby and many other locations. Although the word “regression” means a return to a former or less developed state, SystemHouse33 are making sure they change that concept to an evolved and exciting state of Thrash Metal with their flaming new album for our total delight.

Best moments of the album: Regression, Namesake and Pagan Breed.

Worst moments of the album: None. This album kicks fuckin’ ass.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Catharsis 1:35
2. Regression 4:42
3. Lift This Plague 3:04
4. Namesake 3:49
5. Death Chamber 4:07
6. Detestable Idolatry 5:09
7. Pagan Breed 3:14
8. Malicious Mind 3:56

Band members
Samron Jude – vocals
Leon Quadros – bass
Atish Thomas – guitars, drums

Additional musician
Jack Thomas – guitars (live)

Album Review – Primeval Mass / To Empyrean Thrones (2016)

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A primeval and aggressive feast of Black Metal crafted by a proficient and occult one-man army from Greece that will darkly guide your soul to empyrean thrones.

Rating4

cover“Amongst the Ruins of Cosmos…To Amaranthine Empyrean Thrones.”

Although there are tons of Black Metal one-man armies spread all over the world, and despite getting accustomed to their undeniable talent and eccentricity, I have to say those lonesome metallers of evil continue to impress me every single time I get to review their music. This time, what we have in our hands is a top-tier feast of the occult entitled To Empyrean Thrones, the brand new release by Greek Black Metal act Primeval Mass. If you love the heavy and thrashy sound of sheer aggression and the disturbing sense of pitch black darkness, you’ll have a blast listening to this excellent album.

Spawned at the dawn of the 2nd millennium in Athens, Greece by multi-instrumentalist and warlock Orth, Primeval Mass have been causing a significant impact in the underworld of extreme music with each and every release since the band’s inception, which includes two full-length albums (As Solemn Maelstrom… and Blood Breathing Idols), a couple of demos and some split records. However, after taking a listen at the band’s previous releases, it becomes clear that To Empyrean Thrones (conceived, arranged and performed in its entirety by Orth) is by far Primeval Mass’ boldest, most solid and most exhilarating opus to date. In addition to that, I guess I don’t need to mention how kick-ass the album art is. Designed by the exceptionally talented Karmazid, it’s incandescent, obscure, and therefore perfect for representing high-quality Black Metal.

There couldn’t be a better way to start the album than with the creepy and atmospheric In Fiery Ascent, which intro goes on for almost three minutes in a great display of Blackened Doom before darkness rises in the form of blasting Black Metal. Orth showcases his total control of all instruments during the almost ten minutes of blasphemy brought forth in this ruthless tune, followed by the amazing For Astral Triumphs. Orth definitely puts the pedal to the metal in this great composition, growling like a possessed beast amidst nonstop blast beats and endless savagery, with its harmonious guitar riffs and solos bringing balance and intricacy to the overall result.

primeval massAdding Death Metal and especially Thrash Metal elements to the music, with some riffs reminding me of the early days of Slayer, Orth fires another high-octane demented tune to haunt our souls named Their Eyes of the Abyss, one of my favorite tracks where his harsh vocals rise to a whole new satanic level. And when you think Orth will keep storming our souls with his fast and furious brutality, he surprises us all with Behind the Watching Shadows, a melancholic instrumental Doom Metal aria spreading despair and sorrow through its soulful riffs and sluggish beats. Of course, it doesn’t take too long for the sonic havoc to start again with yet another thrashier than usual Black Metal tune called With the Emblem of the Blackwinged (beautiful song name, by the way), with its disturbingly amazing rhythm enhanced by Orth’s hellish growling. Moreover, its unstoppable drumming will puncture your ears while the guitar lines will cut your flesh like a sharp razor during its seven minutes of mean and ruthless music.

Going back to the foundations of Black Metal, the ambience becomes the main element in The Grand Ordeal, with Orth’s solid guitar lines guiding the musicality together with his bloodthirsty growls, whereas in Hour of the Stellarnaut, a professional exhibit of what true Black Metal can offer fans of extreme music, our fearless metaller breathes fire an sulfur through all instruments. And how about a 12-minute dark opus entitled The Mansions of Night to conclude the album? Featuring hints of Doom Metal, this is a powerful and complex composition that switches from slower but brutally heavy passages to extremely fast riffs and beats, culminating in a spot-on Stygian ending. I’m not sure how Orth can keep that level of ferocity on vocals for such a long period of time, but the final result is amazing anyway.

In summary, To Empyrean Thrones sounds so professional and impactful it’s hard to believe only one single person was responsible for giving birth to such a strong album. Well, that’s the reason why Black Metal never gets stale, thanks to the passion skillful musicians like Orth have for this type of music, and I can’t wait to listen to his future endeavors if he continues following this hellish path.  Thus, in case you want to join him in his shadowy journey to empyrean thrones, all you have to do is connect to Primeval Mass through the band’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, SoundCloud or ReverbNation, and get your copy of the album at the Primeval Mass’ official BandCamp page.

Best moments of the album: For Astral Triumphs, Their Eyes of the Abyss and With the Emblem of the Blackwinged.

Worst moments of the album: The Grand Ordeal.

Released in 2016 Katoptron IX Records

Track listing
1. In Fiery Ascent 9:55
2. For Astral Triumphs 7:29
3. Their Eyes of the Abyss 4:04
4. Behind the Watching Shadows 4:45
5. With the Emblem of the Blackwinged 7:02
6. The Grand Ordeal 4:05
7. Hour of the Stellarnaut 2:56
8. The Mansions of Night 12:06

Band members
Orth – vocals, lead & rhythm guitars, bass, storms and invocations

Album Review – Gomorrah / The Haruspex (2016)

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Enter the gates of Gomorrah and be prepared for an insane feast of first-class Canadian Death Metal that will crush your body and mind.

Rating4

CDDIGI-2.1BWhen most people see the name “Gomorrah”, they automatically associate it with to the city mentioned in the Book of Genesis, the Qur’an and Hadith, the Torah, and the New Testament. But such interpretation has been shifting considerably since 2006 in the world of heavy music, when Canadian Death Metal act Gomorrah was born in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia as a Black Metal outfit, storming the world with their refined and brutal music. Growing to a bolder form of Death Metal through the years, this talented band is releasing their second full-length album, entitled The Haruspex, an excellent option for fans of the devastating music by Cannibal Corpse, Decapitated and Bloodbath.

Their short but substantial existence, which includes the unique experience of sharing the stage with renowned acts like Suffocation, Cryptopsy and The Agonist, together with the thorough production of the album, allowed this Kelowna-based band to step up their game in The Haruspex, therefore cementing their path in extreme music. Featuring a sinister artwork by artist Kevin Ellis Moore, The Haruspex will promptly assault you and leave you lying on the floor covered in blood, eager for more of the band’s unyielding compositions.

The intro Imperial kicks off the album in a more than ferocious way, giving you a good idea of what’s coming next, the bestial Nine Kings of Sulphur, where its eerie ambience gets stronger with each instrument growing until the song reaches a pulverizing rhythm. Moreover, the technical riffs by guitarist Bowen Matheson magnificently support the deep growling by frontman Jeff Bryan during the entire song. And following that strong start, get ready to be smashed by Gomorrah in Carcosa, a song that will make fans of Deicide and Cannibal Corpse truly happy. The vociferations by Jeff are insanely powerful in this sick tune, not to mention its unstoppable beats (reproduced live by drummer Casey Long-Read).

GOMORRAH press photo as Nov 17Are you tired already? Because those guys still have a lot more of their demonic music to disturb our minds, beginning with Dismantling The Throne, an extremely poisonous version of Progressive Death Metal where its bass lines (reproduced live by bassist Clayton Harder) add tons of groove to the musicality; followed by Sitra Achra, the epitome of modern Death Metal, being ruthless and harmonious at the same time. Blast beats multiply in the air, while the bass guitar keeps rumbling thunderously, making this one of the best tunes of the entire album. And in Crowns of Flesh, an eerie intro deceives the listener as it takes a few seconds for the band’s nuclear assault to reignite, with its potent riffs and beats alongside the song’s resonant bass lines aiming at dislocating your brain due to the intense headbanging they might cause.

Cerulean is not only an amazing display of Death and Groove Metal where Jeff continues his ode to dementia through his pungent growls, but I personally love when extreme music can be so violent without being played at the speed of light, proving how talented the musicians involved in this band are. Then we have the brutal and melodic Venom and Rapture, where you’ll be instigated to bang your head up and down violently, and Architects, a short instrumental break before one last shot of insanity begins in the form of The Mark of Veritas, a derranged chant where the band’s growls and blast beats come crushing from the very first second. In addition, the fusion of Jeff’s howls and the song’s flammable drumming is outstanding, closing the album on a high note.

If you got psyched up with the music by Gomorrah, go check their Facebook page for more details on the band, including their future tour dates, as well as their YouTube channel and SoundCloud page. And lastly, you can purchase The Haruspex at their BandCamp page or at the Test Your Metal Records’ Big Cartel page. If you dare to enter the gates of Gomorrah, I can guarantee you won’t get disappointed at all with the insane level of destruction this awesome Canadian band can offer you.

Best moments of the album: Carcosa, Sitra Achra and The Mark of Veritas.

Worst moments of the album: Venom and Rapture.

Released in 2016 Test Your Metal Records

Track listing
1. Imperial 1:55
2. Nine Kings of Sulphur 3:17
3. Carcosa 2:31
4. Dismantling The Throne 2:59
5. Sitra Achra 3:51
6. Crowns of Flesh 3:50
7. Cerulean 3:05
8. Venom and Rapture 4:14
9. Architects 1:33
10. The Mark of Veritas 3:40

Band members
Jeff Bryan – vocals
Bowen Matheson – guitars

Band live lineup
Jeff Bryan – vocals
Bowen Matheson – guitars
Clayton Harder – bass
Casey Long-Read – drums

Album Review – Wolfhorde / Towards The Gates Of North (2016)

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To the sound of the high-quality Folk Metal cast by this talented horde of roaring wolves, we shall travel towards the gates of North.

Rating5

Wolfhorde_-_Towards_The_Gates_of_North640Get ready for a breathtaking journey through the realms of Viking mythology, an expedition from the beginning of the end to the beginning of a new world, also called as the North beyond the gates. Unspoiled by the reach of men, it served as the inspiration for Finnish Folk Metal band Wolfhorde in their first full-length album, beautifully entitled Towards The Gates Of North, a chaotic combination of opposites that will guide you across the northern landscapes together with this talented heathen horde.

Hailing from the city of Keuruu, Finland, around 300km north of the capital Helsinki, this power-trio incorporates heaviness, melancholy, joy, dynamism and history all at once in their music, offering fans of the genre a legit multitude of Norse hymns perfect for sharing a beer with your loved ones and get into the circle pit with your closest friends. The album art in Towards The Gates of North, designed by pnkfdARTS, shows the path we need to follow. It’s just a matter of hitting play now and joining these talented Vikings in their quest for the new world.

Vegvísir, the Icelandic word for a magical stave intended to help its bearer find his way through rough weather, appears in the album as an acoustic folk song warning that the journey is about to begin, before Fimbulvetr comes storming with its electrifying Folk atmosphere and bitterly cold lyrics (“This snowfall, lasted for days / I smell it in the air / Already the blood has been spilt / with frost arrived the fear”). In Norse mythology, this is the immediate prelude to the events of Ragnarök, meaning “Mighty Winter”, a perfect way to get fully immersed in the storyline put forward by the band.

Wolfhorde_-_PromopicIn Taivaankappaleiden Kato (which should translate from Finnish as “celestial roofs” or “celestial ceilings”), multi-instrumentalist Werihukka does an amazing job putting his Viking soul into each instrument played, while lead singer Hukkapätkä sends a message of pain and sadness through his harsh screams. Following that high-end Folk Metal tune, we have the fiery chant Death Long-Due, perfect for singing and prancing around the fire pit thanks to a great performance by Hukkapätkä on both vocals and drums. Besides, there are so many different instruments and elements accurately added to this metallic composition it’s hard to pick just one as its main driver. And accelerating things a bit, The Retribution is another solid tune that blends the best of Folk and Pagan Metal, and I’m sure it will generate some nice circle pits during their live performances.

Lovers of traditional Folk Metal will have tons of fun with Unyielding, an uncompromised song where, just when you think it’s going to slow down or lose some of its grip, all band members smash their instruments creating an amazing fighting atmosphere. But it’s in Boundless Agony that Wolfhorde step up their game by incorporating elements of Death Metal to their music, which end up elevating the song’s fierceness, and by presenting an inspired Werihukka guiding the music especially through his excellent guitar solos, while bassist Nuoskajalka effectively supports all his intricate work. In the brutal and melodic kick-ass tune Lycomania, a form of insanity in which a person imagines himself to be a wolf, the whole band speeds up the rhythm and goes absolutely mental, turning this into the best moment of the album in my opinion. And The Gates of North, their most epic tune and also the longest in duration, works as an exciting conclusion to their excruciating quest. A lot more symphonic and rhythmic than all previous songs, this chant sounds like a heavy torment, exhaling sorrow and agony until it reaches its climatic ending.

It’s easy to join Wolfhorde in their pursuit of a new world. Simply grab your Vegvísir, visit their Facebook page and YouTube channel, and grab your copy of Towards The Gates Of North at their BandCamp page or at the Inverse Records webstore. To the sound of the high-quality Folk Metal cast in the land of ice and snow by this talented horde of roaring wolves, we shall travel towards the gates of North.

Best moments of the album: Death Long-Due, Boundless Agony and Lycomania.

Worst moments of the album: The Retribution.

Released in 2016 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Vegvísir 3:20
2. Fimbulvetr 6:32
3. Taivaankappaleiden Kato 4:00
4. Death Long-Due 4:52
5. The Retribution 3:32
6. Unyielding 4:18
7. Boundless Agony 4:56
8. Lycomania 3:52
9. The Gates of North 9:06

Band members
Hukkapätkä – vocals, drums
Werihukka – guitars, other instruments
Nuoskajalka – bass