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A concentrate of Hardcore, Thrash and Death Metal mixed with an old school Rock N’ Roll attitude, courtesy of five talented and restless Italian musicians eager to bring more fun to the world through their creations.
Frank Sinatra, born in Hoboken, New Jersey on December 12, 1915, was an American singer, actor and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. Death N’ Roll quintet Sinatras, born in 2014 in Vicenza, a city in northeastern Italy in the Veneto region, from an idea of Emanuele Zilio (now known as Lele Sinatra), guitar player for 20 years in Italian Metal/Hardcore band Strange Corner, and featuring expert musicians with different musical roots from Rock N’ Roll to Progressive Death Metal, bringing forth a classic but yet personal musicality tailored for fans of Carcass, Entombed, Pantera and Hatebreed, among others. What do these two entities have in common? Well, apart from carrying the same “family name”, let’s say that they can quickly put you to dance to the sound their high-end electrified compositions.
In less than five months after the project’s inception, thanks to the experience both live on stage and during studio sessions, Sinatras were able to write and record their first demo, called Six Sexy Songs, opening several doors for the band and inspiring them to release now in 2017 their debut full-length album, titled Drowned, a concentrate of Hardcore, Thrash and Death Metal mixed with an old school Rock N’ Roll attitude, featuring a simple and effective artwork by Mirko Marchesini (aka Minkio Sinatra) and eleven impactful songs with catchy choruses and immediate appeal. So start spreading the news, as Sinatras are ready to be the “number one, head of the list, cream of the crop at the top of the heap” in the world of heavy music.
In the opening track, Drowned, the band already blasts a frantic fusion of Thrash and Death Metal with the rebellious Rock N’ Roll played by Motörhead, with frontman Fla Sinatra playing really well the part of the demented vocalist with both his sick growls and clean vocals while Lele and Minkio make a great guitar duo with their roaring riffs. Leaning towards modern Thrash Metal, we have 24/7, a song about anger (“The value of our life is decreasing / and the stupidity grows faster / we are angry 24/7. / THEM! who? THEM! convicted in a false heaven”) perfect for their live performances, with highlights to the tempo changes effectively led by drummer Pisto Sinatra; followed by Cockroach, a badass song with Fla sounding extremely vile on vocals, maintaining their musicality at a high level of aggressiveness. Once again we face great guitar lines a la Pantera by Lele and Minkio, including a fiery solo to add more feeling to the overall result.
Something to Hate, one of the heaviest of all tracks, bursts violence through the deep growls by Fla and the song’s cutting guitar riffs and solos, with its drums played frantically as the music demands, whereas Flow, one of the best tracks in Drowned, brings forward an amazing blend of Southern Rock and Thrash Metal, sounding like a hybrid of Pantera, Chrome Division and Volbeat with a thrilling rhythm and catchy-as-hell vocal lines, not to mention the hints of progressiveness that end up enhancing the song’s punch even more. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), an awesome version to the cult hit from the 80’s by Dead or Alive, delivers harsh growls and fast beats that will certainly please even fans of the original version, and in Los 43, a solid Rock N’ Roll composition with a catchy vibe and a good performance by all band members, Sinatras provide us what’s perhaps the harshest lyrics of the whole album (“Chaos, new world order / Despise, in your disorder / Homicide, deicide, burned gasoline, / Thrown in a pit as an animal / Death, is what you search Tears, are what you get / Genocide, misery, pain and slavery left to rot in their own reality”).
Miss Anthropy is the closest the band gets to modern American metal music, being fast and furious with Pisto crushing his drums and also less harmonious than the rest of the album with some moments being pure Death Metal. It falls flat after a while, though, but nothing to worry about. On the other hand, Back in Frank is in my opinion the most complete and exciting of all songs, a perfect combination of Thrash Metal and Rock N’ Roll that also brings elements from Death Metal and Southern Rock, with both Lele and Minkio firing sharper-than-a-blade riffs while Fla delivers his strongest vocals overall. If you don’t get pumped up by this insane tune, you should definitely go see a doctor. Anyway, in Blind Fury, the name of the song summarizes its rhythm and approach, being an infuriated, modernized version of Death Metal with technical guitar lines, fast-paced beats and in special the metallic punches by bassist Lispio Sinatra, before Spiral Hell nicely concludes this fun and very cohesive album by Sinatras, with the whole band delivering more deranged music to the listener. Its heavy and melodic lines are boosted by the song’s potent vocals and backing vocals (as well as its excellent guitar solo), turning it into a nonstop tune for slamming into the pit with the band.
Are you ready to “start spreading the news” with this lunatic metal act from Italy? You can do that by visiting their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation to know more about the band, and purchase Drowned at their BandCamp page, at the logic(il)logic Records webstore, on Amazon, at CD Baby, at Discogs, and several other locations. In summary, Drowned offers to you the most electrifying elements of old school and modern metal music, courtesy of five talented and restless Italian musicians eager to bring more fun to the world through their creations.
Best moments of the album: Drowned, Flow and Back in Frank.
Worst moments of the album:Miss Anthropy.
Released in 2017 logic(il)logic Records
Track listing 1. Drowned 5:52
2. 24/7 4:34
3. Cockroach 4:16
4. Something to Hate 4:48
5. Flow 3:31
6. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) (Dear or Alive cover) 3:17
7. Los 43 4:18
8. Miss Anthropy 4:09
9. Back in Frank 4:19
10. Blind Fury 2:25
11. Spiral Hell 4:23
It’s time to crown this talented German unit as the new slamming kings of this putrid reign of terror we live in, and enjoy their demolishing music while we witness the brutal downfall of our society.
Formed in 2009 in Rostock, the largest city in the north German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brutal Slamming Death Metal wolf pack Acranius will tear you down with their third full-length installment, the unrelenting Reign of Terror, an album that will certainly leave some serious bruises and scars on your body and mind after you take a listen at each one of its ten rampant compositions. Besides, when you face a Death Metal album that contain songs named “Warpath” and “Return To Violence”, you already know there will be some good blood spilled before even listening to the music inside it, don’t you agree?
After releasing their debut EP The Echo of Her Cracking Chest in 2011, followed by the full-length albums When Mutation Becomes Homicidal, from 2013, and Dishonor, from 2014, and after a few lineup changes through the years, Acranius return with their most complete and professional work to date, featuring a killer artwork by Ukranian musician and illustrator Daemorph, who by the way also worked with the band in their previous album. As any good Death Metal release, get ready for putrid growls, flammable riffs and crushing drums, delivered by four German metallers that are building a beyond solid reputation among fans of the genre not only in their homeland, but also anywhere in the world where good Death Metal is appreciated.
After a short movie-inspired intro, Born A King brings forward a very metallic and aggressive explosion of blast beats and sheer fury, with the deep guttural by Kevin Petersen living up to the legacy of old school Death Metal, while Kingmaker, an amazing composition that will kick you in the face, continues the demolishing path of its predecessor with guitarist Björn Frommberger firing menacing neck-breaking riffs and drummer Robert Arndt smashing his drum set manically. As its name already states, Return To Violence is extreme violence in music where Kevin’s voice sounds more cavernous than before, while Björn keeps slashing his strings as a veteran in Death Metal, and the band doesn’t seem to get tired of being gory and brutal as we can witness in Outlaw, perhaps the most electrifying composition of the entire album. Kevin and Robert sound pulverizing, with Björn and bassist Lars Torlopp punching us in the head ferociously with their flammable strings.
Built On Tradition is another slamming gruesome tune by this talented quartet, displaying all the main elements from our good old Death Metal with highlights to its rhythmic beats and boisterous guitar lines, followed by The True Reign, where Robert sounds like a stone crusher on drums, blasting his beats and fills powerfully and providing the rest of the band all they need to sound extreme and bloodthirsty. After that bestial chant, we have the fantastic Warpath, a Death Metal hymn for metalheads who want to have a neck injury headbanging, showcasing an infernal rhythm with Kevin barking like a beast, but still melodic and quite progressive. I’m sure you’ll feel your brain moving inside your skull while banging your head to this song, no doubt about that.
Back to their more visceral mode, sounding like a war machine of Brutal Death Metal crushing everything and everyone, Acranius offer the listener Battle Scars, where Björn managed to sound even more menacing than in all previous songs. And the musicality crafted by Acranius will “execute” you ruthlessly in The Executioner, another heavy composition full of bestial drums and hellish growls where devastation never stops. If you can still feel your neck after this song is over, their deathblow comes in the form of more traditional Death Metal titled Died A Liar, bringing another shot of sharp riffs and beats by these German metallers.
You can stream Reign of Terror in its entirety and consequently put an end to all that calm and peace environment in your neighborhood by clicking HERE, follow Acranius on Facebook, check more of their music on YouTube and, as usual, show your passion for slamming Death Metal by purchasing the album at the Rising Nemesis Records’ BandCamp and Big Cartel, on iTunes or on Amazon. As this reign of terror we live in becomes more and more hideous day after day due to all the shit done by mankind, there’s nothing better than crowning Acranius as our new slamming kings of Death Metal and enjoy their demolishing music while we witness our world falling apart.
Best moments of the album: Kingmaker, Outlaw and Warpath.
Worst moments of the album:Died A Liar.
Released in 2017 Rising Nemesis Records
Track listing 1. Born A King 2:10
2. Kingmaker 3:12
3. Return To Violence 3:12
4. Outlaw 3:36
5. Built On Tradition 3:22
6. The True Reign 3:26
7. Warpath 3:09
8. Battle Scars 2:51
9. The Executioner 3:28
10. Died A Liar 3:05
Band members Kevin Petersen – vocals
Björn Frommberger – guitar
Lars Torlopp – bass
Robert Arndt – drums
Inspired by the stunning creations of American writer H. P. Lovecraft, behold the debut hammering opus spawned from one of the newest underground Death Metal acts from Italy.
The debut full-length album by Italian Technical Death Metal horde Maze Of Sothoth, titled Soul Demise, is not only the first brutal, hammering opus spawned from one of the newest underground acts from Italy, but also a sensational tribute to the stunning creations of the unparalleled American writer H. P. Lovecraft. For instance, the band’s own name was inspired by Yog-Sothoth, a cosmic entity in the fictional Cthulhu Mythos and Dream Cycle of Mr. H. P. Lovecraft, giving you an idea of how strong the admiration of this up-and-coming band from Bergamo, a city northeast of Milan in the Lombardy region in Italy, is for one of the most influential writers in the history of horror fiction.
Founded by guitarist Fabio Marasco in January 2009, the initial sound fused massive influences from Morbid Angel, Behemoth, Dying Fetus, Nile and Slayer, with the band recording their first demo Guardian of the Gate in 2011. Five years after the demo was brought into being, Maze Of Sothoth are more than ready to storm the world with Soul Demise, an album that transpires brutality and harmony, with the cover art by Italian artist Ivory Crux perfectly translating into a hellish image the band’s obscure music. Furthermore, there isn’t a single song in Soul Demise that sounds soft or gentle, and that in Death Metal is unquestionably a synonym of excellence.
Ominous and devilish, the intro Cthulhu’s Calling opens the gates to the netherworld, setting the tone for drummer Matteo Moioli to begin his sonic demolition in the pulverizing Lies, with the metallic riffs blasted by Fabio and Riccardo Rubini complementing the band’s evil sonority, being highly recommended for fans of old school Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel. Their putrid and technical havoc continues with more visceral riffs and demented beats in Seed of Hatred, where I recommend you try to follow the song’s demonic lyrics together with lead singer and bassist Cristiano Marchesi and his guttural growls (“Our union will create a new form of evil / Put in your womb the seed of hatred / Your sacrifice won’t be vain / Errant demons populate the earth”). And smashing every living creature in their path, Maze Of Sothoth fire another bestial composition full of classic Death Metal riffs named Multiple Eyes, with highlights to the unstoppable drums by Matteo and the grisly vociferations by Cristiano, while the guitar solos by Fabio and Riccardo bring more balance to the song’s melody.
Even heavier than its predecessors, The Outsider is pure aggressiveness and darkness in the form of music, with Matteo displaying an outstanding performance on drums by being brutal and progressive at the same time. Put differently, this is top-notch Death Metal for lovers of the genre with a supernatural ending. The Dark Passenger brings forward elements of Progressive and Blackened Death Metal in its beginning, suddenly exploding into an extreme music carnage where Fabio and Riccardo once again pulverize our ears with their riffs and solos, whereas in At the Mountain of Madness the whole band showcases their refined techniques while Cristiano growls the song’s traditional Death Metal lyrics in a hellish way (“The awakening of the ancient ones is arrived / From their everlasting slumber / Cryptic creatures never seen before”). It could have been a bit shorter, though, but nothing that harms the overall quality of the album.
Increasing their heaviness and being as cavernous as usual, the band offers us Blind, a fast-paced infernal hymn perfect for getting completely crushed into the circle pit, with its guitars sounding angry and demented just the way we like in Death Metal. After that hurricane of extreme music we have Azzaihg’nimehc, a dark instrumental bridge to the last song of the album, the berserk Divine Sacrifice, where Matteo blasts his most furious beats and fills while Cristiano sounds like an ogre on vocals. If you survive this diabolical composition, I’m sure you’ll hit play again and go back to the beginning of such excellent album as any old school death metaller would do.
You can get more details on Maze Of Sothoth at their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation, as well as purchase Soul Demise (which by the way can be streamed in its entirety HERE) through their BandCamp page, or at the Everlasting Spew Records’ BandCamp page and webstore. Maze Of Sothoth are technical, ruthless and ready to conquer the world of extreme music, and Soul Demise will certainly help them spread their brutality all over the world in the most effective way possible.
Best moments of the album: Lies, The Outsider and The Dark Passenger.
Worst moments of the album:At the Mountain of Madness.
Released in 2017 Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Cthulhu’s Calling 1:50
2. Lies 5:16
3. Seed of Hatred 3:19
4. Multiple Eyes 4:36
5. The Outsider 5:35
6. The Dark Passenger 4:41
7. At the Mountain of Madness 5:03
8. Blind 3:55
9. Azzaihg’nimehc 1:53
10. Divine Sacrifice 3:45
Band members Cristiano Marchesi – vocals, bass
Fabio Marasco – guitars, synth
Riccardo Rubini – guitars
Matteo Moioli – drums
One of the most respected bands in the history of Romanian metal powerfully unleashes their “demons” upon mankind with their heavy and melodic new album.
Established back in 1992 by guitarist and singer Alin Petrut in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, Melodic Death Metal band Gothic has quickly become one of the most respected metal bands in the country, having played alongside giants like Manowar, Dimmu Borgir, Europe, Korpiklaani, Gojira and Napalm Death, among many others. Even after changing the band’s name to Ali(e)n and then to Innerfire in 2003 when Alin re-located the band to Belgium, the band kept building a strong reputation among metalheads all over Europe, returning to their hometown Petrosani in 2005 again under the name Gothic (as a separate entity from the still-active Innerfire) and culminating with their participation in the 2012 edition of Wacken Open Air after winning the Romanian finals of Wacken Metal Battle that year.
Exactly 25 years after the band’s inception, Alin and his Gothic are back with Demons, their first full-length album since their 2013 release Expect the Worst. Displaying a darkly beautiful artwork by the band’s own bassist Csaba “Taly” Talpai, and featuring for the first time George Lazar on harsh vocals and Vlad Golgotiu on drums, Demons is definitely Gothic’s most professional and multilayered album to date, blending the classic sonority from the band’s extensive career together with fresh new elements from modern metal music. After listening to this cohesive and melodic album, it won’t be hard for you to understand why Gothic play such an important part in the history of Romanian metal.
In the opening track Shadow Man you’ll quickly notice their musicality is not really “Gothic” as the band’s name states, but fast, melodic and aggressive music, a great mix of traditional Death Metal with contemporary Melodic Death Metal where Alin delivers some sick, heavy riffs while George blasts pure fury through his guttural growls; followed by the excellent Disillusion, also exhibiting a similar Heavy/Death Metal hybrid vibe. This song presents a good headbanging pace with neck-breaking riffs by Alin, getting symphonic and futuristic at times due to the spot-on keyboards by Florian Lysy, not to mention its vengeful lyrics (“We grew apart / Betrayed our hearts / Our souls are black / Our minds are flack / You wanted that / Now take it back in your face”).
In the first single of the album, the title-track Demons, Alin, Taly and Vlad add a lot of groove and heaviness to the musicality, setting the stage for George to growl even deeper, feeling like a mix of Hard Rock with Gothic, Doom and Melodic Death Metal ideal for the song’s lyrics (“I feel their breath inside my dream / The darkness stains around me / A web of black, surrounding scent / The night is growing senseless.”). In Catacombs, which starts in a pleasant, harmonious and exciting way with Taly blasting a thunderous sound from his bass guitar, we face a magnificent balance between the havoc generated by all band members and the extremely melodic guitar solos and keyboards, whereas in Time, an upbeat composition by Alin and his henchmen, Vlad delivers precision and anger through his beats, and despite losing a bit of its electricity in the end it’s still a very enjoyable song.
Destroying the Masses, a powerful chant where Gothic displays their darkest side, brings forward a menacing atmosphere and deep guttural vocals closer to old school Death Metal, while modernity comes from the metallic riffs by Alin. And it seems the band really wants to crush our necks with their sick riffs and beats in From Within, with elements from traditional Heavy Metal added to its Melodic Death Metal sonority to make it even more harmonious. Last but not least we have A New End, a melancholic and passionate composition sung entirely in Romanian (which in my opinion is an interesting variation from the rest of the album) and featuring guest vocalist Klaus Pardos, offering the listener the heaviest version of modern Hard Rock you can think of.
Are you ready to face the heavy music engendered by these talented Romanian demons? If your answer is yes, you can follow all things Gothic at their official Facebook page and check their latest videos (including some fun tour diaries) at their YouTube channel, as well as purchase Demons at Loud Rage Music’s BandCamp or webstore. Gothic are unleashing their high-end Melodic Death Metal upon mankind with their brand new album, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss this great opportunity to get in touch with the music by such respected underground band.
Best moments of the album: Disillusion, Catacombs and Destroying the Masses.
Worst moments of the album:Time.
Released in 2017 Loud Rage Music
Track listing 1. Shadow Man 5:01
2. Disillusion 5:42
3. Demons 3:53
4. Catacombs 6:04
5. Time 4:55
6. Destroying the Masses 4:34
7. From Within 4:04
8. A New End (feat. Klaus Pardos) 5:13
Band members Alin Petrut – guitar, clean vocals
George Lazar – harsh vocals
Csaba “Taly” Talpai – bass
Vlad Golgotiu – drums
Guest musician Florian Lysy – keyboards
Klaus Pardos – vocals on “A New End”
This Croatian bulldozer is ready to take the underworld of heavy music by storm with their savage sophomore opus, a vortex of devastation blending the most hazardous attributes of Punk and Death Metal that will crush your skull ruthlessly.
Forged in the deepest fires of Beli Manastir in July 2014, a town in eastern Croatia close to the border with Hungary, Punk/Death Metal infernal duo HerezA, which by the way is Croatian for “heresy”, has been battling against all odds in a country otherwise barren for their music style, violently carving their name in the entrails of their homeland through their wicked creations. After the release of their debut album Misanthrope in 2015, lead singer Ivan Kovačević and multi-instrumentalist Slobodan Stupar are ready to take the underworld of heavy music by storm with their savage sophomore opus, a vortex of devastation accurately named I Become Death.
Displaying a darkly intimidating artwork by Polish illustrator and graphic designer Maciej Kamuda, I Become Death will utterly shatter your neck and dismantle your braincase in its 30 minutes of vicious extreme music, bringing forward the most hazardous attributes of Death, Thrash and Black Metal, magnifying their impact with the addition of elements from D-Beat Crust, Hardcore and Punk Rock. Everything is played at the speed of light with all instruments breathing fire and hatred, featuring obviously the well-known high-quality melody and cohesiveness of European Metal. Put differently, HerezA sounds like an unstoppable sonic Leopard 2A7, one of Germany’s most successful and powerful battle tanks in history, aiming directly at your head.
The most brutal Blackened Death Metal is blasted by Slobodan in the title-track I Become Death, a monstrous business card presented by the Croatian duo where Ivan gives life to the destroyer of worlds with his infernal growls through the song’s bestial lyrics (“I come in form of devastating waves / Penetrating radiation filling up the graves / Where I go, I bring the hellish fire / A burning inferno my only desire”). And there’s no time for your head to stop buzzing, as another fantastic sick devastation in the form of music named Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna (or “fucking your cold mouth” from Croatian) comes crushing mercilessly, with Slobodan exhaling anger and aggressiveness through his Death Metal beats and flammable riffs while Ivan keeps growling like a maniac; followed by Homo Homini Lupus Est (“man is a wolf” from Latin), not only an amazing portrait of their fusion of Punk and Death Metal with a strong D-Beat Crust vibe, but also an underground hymn for slamming into the mosh pit.
Get ready to be pulverized like an insignificant insect by this demented duo in the frantic Uništi, Pali, Ruši (Croatian for “destroy, burn, tear it down”), the best tune of the album in my opinion where cutting guitar lines and wicked Black and Death Metal beats make the music sound as if Cannibal Corpse went The Exploited. And again drinking from the fountain of D-Beat Crust and mixing it with elements from Black Metal, Ivan continues to fire his beastly growls in In The Name of God, a song spiced up by its anti-religious lyrics (“They’ve build their biggest temples / To worship their false saints / Covered with diamonds dressed in gold / A hunger for money never getting old”), whereas in the brutish Full Moon Slaughter the duo viciously puts the pedal to the metal, with Slobodan delivering tons of melody through his riffs, but obviously always sounding insanely heavy, leaning towards old school Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal.
Neplodna Jama, or “barren dich”, is perhaps the song with the highest amount of old school Punk Rock and contemporary Punk Metal elements, with the guttural vocals by Ivan being the song’s Death Metal ingredient, feeling like this time it’s The Exploited going Cannibal Corpse. Torn from the Death’s Bed, the slowest composition of all, presents solid guitar lines and beats by Slobodan in sync with the gnarls by Ivan (albeit not as kick-ass as the rest of the album), while in Pošast (“vermin”) the band gets back to their electrified amalgamation of Punk Rock and Death Metal, inspiring you to ferociously smash some skulls into the pit. And Tombcrawler, the high-octane deathblow in I Become Death, begins in a somber way before bursting into sheer brutality, keeping the rampage going on in full force until the song’s sinister neck-breaking ending.
In case you’re thinking “HerezA are awesome, but how am I going to see them live if they’re only two guys?”, let me tell you there’s nothing to worry about, as the duo is joined on stage by their henchmen Bojan Babic on guitar, Milan Prodanovic on bass and Leonardo Markovic on drums, which means their apocalyptic music is materialized quite often at metal pubs and venues in Croatia for the total delight of headbangers all over Europe eager for a sonic bloodbath. And even if you’re not planning a trip to Croatia anytime soon, you can still follow Ivan and Slobodan at their official Facebook page, and purchase I Become Death at the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page. After listening to the extreme compositions by this Croatian bulldozer, your metallic senses will never be the same again.
Best moments of the album: Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna, Uništi, Pali, Ruši and Full Moon Slaughter.
Worst moments of the album:Torn from the Death’s Bed.
Released in 2017 Godz ov War Productions
Track listing 1. I Become Death 4:15
2. Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna 2:30
3. Homo Homini Lupus Est 3:05
4. Uništi, Pali, Ruši 2:20
5. In The Name of God 1:25
6. Full Moon Slaughter 3:35
7. Neplodna Jama 1:55
8. Torn from the Death’s Bed 2:16
9. Pošast 3:33
10. Tombcrawler 4:14
Band members Ivan Kovačević – vocals
Slobodan Stupar – all instruments, backing vocals
Guest musician Denis Sloboda – guitar solo on “In the Name of God” and “Pošast”
The story of a man lost to eternity, forced to fight and die repeatedly throughout time and alternate realities, told by an amazing Melodic Death Metal act from the United States.
Formed in 2013 in Greensboro, the third-largest city by population in North Carolina, inspired by metal of all flavors and with the goal of creating equal parts tasty and heavy Melodic Death Metal, American band Undrask returns with more of their gripping music after their critically acclaimed self-titled EP released in August 2015, this time offering a concept album that tells the story of a man lost to eternity, forced to fight and die repeatedly throughout time and alternate realities. The album, titled Battle Through Time, is not only their debut full-length release, but also an excellent option for fans of modern Melodic Metal the likes of Amon Amarth, Carcass and early In Flames.
If there’s one thing about Heavy Metal concept albums I truly enjoy is the fact that it doesn’t matter how epic or futuristic the story might be, heavy music always illustrates all characters, their struggles and all ongoing events to perfection, exhaling intensity and passion. Featuring a classy and modern artwork by Finnish artist and musician Jan “Örkki” Yrlund (Darkgrove), Battle Through Time is comprised of 10 distinct tracks that together will guide you through the main character’s eccentric journey, each one playing an important role in the overall storyline, introducing new elements and increasing the electricity flowing through the band’s top-notch music. And when the album is over, I bet you’ll catch yourself waiting for the final credits of this “movie”.
And the story begins with No Graves for the Dead, a fantastic fusion of Power Metal and Melodic Death Metal where guitarists Erik Collier and Darryl DeWitt shape up the musicality with their addictive riffs and create an amazing ambience for lead singer Steve Wynn to blast his furious growls, followed by Conscripted and its chorus that perfectly summarizes the main concept of the album (“Rise again / Conscripted / For conflict without end / Embrace eternal war / Live again / Unbound by death and fate of men / I fall, I rise again”). Guitar sounds from “outer space” are the main element in this tune, with drummer Aaron Schimmel and bassist Daniel McCoy firing their rhythmic beats and metallic lines respectively to provide the song a denser aura. And in Champion of the Dawn, a modern battle hymn led by the potent riffs by Erik and Darryl, we’re treated to tons of progressiveness and heaviness, not to mention the sonic impact of the thunderous bass guitar by Daniel.
Then we have more intricacy in the epic Black Ocean, which continues to tell the excruciating quest of the main character in a melodic and uproarious combination of Progressive, Death and Groove Metal. Furthermore, the way Steve declaims the lyrics with his raspy gnarls is spot-on to accurately depict the whole story being told. Featuring backing effects by Ryujixepic, Embers and Omens provides a calm acoustic bridge to the metallic Longhammer, easily one of the best songs of the album due to its headbanging rhythm, boisterous drumming and beautiful guitar lines, boosted by the endless amount of epicness contained in its lyrics (“Legend speaks of a mighty force / Sealed in its chamber, dormant for ages / Victims it enslaves will feel no remorse / Ripped from its tomb, the power rages / Flowing forth from a molten prison / Finding form in the ancient mold / Grasp the aspect of destruction arisen / Gods grant the name of the weapon I hold”). And Daniel and Aaron keep blasting our ears with their low, powerful beats and punches in Primal Revelation, showcasing a strong Amon Amarth vibe with the complexity found in modern Melodic Metal similar to the creations by Scar Symmetry.
Despite not being as gripping as the rest of the album, Faceless Eyes is another good display of Undrask’s high-end Melodic Death Metal, especially the great sync between Steve and Aaron, whereas Final Right, the second to last track in Battle Through Time, keeps up with the electricity of the album by blending the violence of Melodic Death Metal with hints of Progressive Metal, as well as another excellent performance by Daniel with his bass lines. Lastly, the title-track Battle Through Time is the consummate climatic ending to the story, a feast of heavy riffs and rhythmic beats in eight minutes of first-class Melodic Death Metal, with highlights to the potent vocals by Steve and the piercing onslaught by Erik and Darryl with their axes.
This up-and-coming five-piece metal act is waiting for you at their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation, and in case you’re brave enough to join them in their battle through time you can grab your copy of the album at their BandCamp page (and soon at all major digital distributors). With a copy of the album on one hand and the powerful Longhammer on the other, you’ll be more than ready to face all challenges and dangers from the alternate realities generated by the music by Undrask.
Best moments of the album: No Graves for the Dead, Longhammer and Battle Through Time.
Worst moments of the album:Faceless Eyes.
Released in 2017 Independent
Track listing 1. No Graves for the Dead 5:29
2. Conscripted 4:45
3. Champion of the Dawn 5:03
4. Black Ocean 4:53
5. Embers and Omens 1:03
6. Longhammer 3:53
7. Primal Revelation 4:56
8. Faceless Eyes 4:31
9. Final Right 6:12
10. Battle Through Time 8:21
Band members Steve Wynn – vocals
Erik Collier – lead guitar
Darryl DeWitt – rhythm guitar
Daniel McCoy – bass guitar
Aaron Schimmel – drums
“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie
The unexpected death of the most badass musician in history, Motörhead’s heart and soul Lemmy Kilmister, on December 28, 2015 was a harbinger of all the bad, shocking and revolting things that would turn the year of 2016 a true nightmare for mankind. That dark prophecy was confirmed less than two weeks later, more specifically on January 10 when we lost another true star in rock music to cancer, the unparalleled chameleon David Bowie, just two days after the release of his final masterpiece Blackstar. If that was not enough to make 2016 a miserable year, we also had to endure the passing of other icons who, despite not being metal, have always inspired countless bands and artists in heavy music. We lost Prince, Leonard Cohen and Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer), to name a few, all irreplaceable losses to music in general. In addition, important names in the history of Heavy Metal also left us in 2016, such as Nick Menza (Megadeth) and Jimmy Bain (Rainbow, Dio), not to mention the disbandment of amazing groups like Eths (who are by the way part of our top 10 this year), Crucified Barbara and Bolt Thrower. And I’m not even going to talk about all other types of disasters and tragedies that happened all over the world, as the list is too macabre and grievous to be remembered in full.
Fortunately, 2016 was considerably generous for us headbangers in terms of the quantity and quality of albums released throughout the entire year, especially for diehard fans of old school Thrash Metal. Except for Slayer and Exodus, all other prominent names in Thrash Metal blasted the world with their high-speed, thrilling music, led by another superb album by Testament. Even Metallica released a decent album this year, just to give you an idea of how fruitful 2016 was for this rebellious type of music. Having said that, it’s time for The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2016, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums. And even if 2017 is as hideous as 2016, let’s never forget the wise words by Bill S. Preston, Esquire and Ted “Theodore” Logan. Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes!
1. Testament – Brotherhood Of The Snake (REVIEW)
Join the Brotherhood of Thrash Metal spearheaded by one of the heaviest, most technical and most electrifying bands on the entire planet.
Best song of the album: The Number Game
2. Charred Walls Of The Damned – Creatures Watching Over the Dead (REVIEW)
A magnificent lecture in Heavy Metal by four electrified beasts.
Best song of the album: As I Catch My Breath
3. Eths – Ankaa (REVIEW)
One of the most prominent and innovative French bands of all time returns with a true masterpiece of complexity, darkness and heaviness.
Best song of the album: Nefas
4. Primal Fear – Rulebreaker (REVIEW)
Who said rules must be broken for a metallic eagle to spread its wings and soar high in the skies of heavy music?
Best song of the album: Rulebreaker
5. Megadeth – Dystopia (REVIEW)
And the dystopian world portrayed in the brand new album by the iconic Dave Mustaine and his Thrash Metal army is beyond awesome.
Best song of the album: Lying In State
6. Abbath – Abbath (REVIEW)
The one and only Abbath takes a new step in his career with a brand new band an album.
Best song of the album: Fenrir Hunts
7. Death Angel – The Evil Divide (REVIEW)
Fast and furious anthems, dark mid-tempo songs, austere lyrics and endless stamina. This is how Thrash Metal should always be done.
Best song of the album: Hell To Pay
8. Anthrax – For All Kings (REVIEW)
A classy and electrifying Thrash Metal album especially crafted for all of us, the real kings of heavy music.
Best song of the album: Breathing Lightning
9. Axel Rudi Pell – Game of Sins (REVIEW)
You might be a sinner, but don’t be a fool and go relish another magnificent album by Mr. Axel Rudi Pell and his loyal henchmen.
Best song of the album: Falling Star
10. Nervosa – Agony (REVIEW)
Brazil’s meanest power trio returns with another marvelous blast of their kick-ass high-octane Thrash Metal.
Best song of the album: Theory of Conspiracy
And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:
11. Blaze Bayley – Infinite Entanglement (REVIEW)
12. The Silent Rage – The Deadliest Scourge (REVIEW)
13. Neverworld – Dremasnatcher (REVIEW)
14. Ancesttral – Web Of Lies (REVIEW)
15. Front – Iron Overkill (REVIEW)
16. Dö – Tuho (REVIEW)
17. Be Under Arms – Doomed To Life (REVIEW)
18. SystemHouse33 – Regression (REVIEW)
19. Gojira – Magma (REVIEW)
20. False Coda – Secrets and Sins (REVIEW)
As in Heavy Metal the artwork is just as important as the music itself, like what always happens with bands such as Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, KISS and tons of other metallic titans, we decided to list the Top 10 Cover Artworks of 2016. There are several reasons for an album art to be considered outstanding, such as its strong connection with the music like Iron Maiden’s Powerslave, its visual impact (usually associated with its controversial content) like Slayer’s God Hates Us All, or its perfect minimalism and finesse like Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon. Do you agree with our list?
Rest assured in 2017 we at The Headbanging Moose will keep providing you the best of the underworld of Death, Thrash, Black, Symphonic, Epic, Power Metal and all other genres and subgenres of heavy music, as well as our view of the biggest names worldwide. There are already brand new albums confirmed for 2017 by Kreator, Sepultura, Grave Digger, Battle Beast and more, which means at least musically the new year promises to be really good. Thank you very much for your precious time, and keep on rockin’! Au revoir!
Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2017!
Well, before we go, here’s a special gift from Iron Maiden to all metalheads all over the world… A nice festive yule log fireplace to keep our hearts warm during the entire season!
If you’re eagerly looking for truly independent music in the world of Heavy Metal, this idiosyncratic Polish project will satisfy your craving with their fresh and unorthodox experimentations.
The last review of the year is the epitome of independent metal, something we at The Headbanging Moose truly love to support, being absolutely raw, anti-mainstream, not interested in promoting band members and not interested in touring at all. Founded in the now far, far away year of 1995 by a group of teenage friends in the city of Andrychów, located in Southern Poland, Death/Black Metal project +MROME+ was reborn in 2009 after almost a decade of silence, finally releasing as a duo now in 2016 the idiosyncratic album Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell.
+MROME+ produce their music in their own primitive studio in complete isolation from the local scene, with their only principle being that every new recording is a new start for the band, a new stage, keeping things as different and interesting as possible, and they do that by not labeling their music nor sticking to a predetermined formula. If you take a listen at their collection of demos from 1997 to 1999 baptized as The Basement Sophisma, you’ll see how versatile +MROME+ are, ranging from devilish extreme music to unique cover version for non-metal classics such as Faith No More’s “The Gentle Art of Making Enemies”, and in Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell the band continues with their heavy experimentations, always pushing their creative boundaries further and further.
When the opening track Colors begins, you’ll be facing a crossover of Death, Sludge and Progressive Metal, with its bass lines rumbling in your face, while Key V transpires aggressiveness through his harsh vocals and P provides the right amount of heaviness and intricacy behind his drums. Then +MROME+ turn up the heat and blast a dark and vile Death Metal composition titled Crush the Moon, sounding amazingly underground and powerful. It has an old school punch thanks to its catchy chorus and melodious, angry guitars, being in my opinion one of the best songs of the whole album. And in Migration Cult we have a great fusion of Death Metal and Rock N’ Roll, with its flammable Thrash Metal riffs complementing Key V’s deranged representation of the song’s wicked lyrics (“Marching far south from Eden / There is still something what push us on / Missing primal fixations / Will we abandon the code / The Holy Fuck”).
How the Gods Kill is an awesome tribute to one of the most eccentric musicians of all time, the one and only Danzig, keeping up with the obscurity of the original version with the low-tuned and menacing sound of bass guitar paving the path for an explosion of evil Heavy Metal. Following that superb cover song, Trust brings forward more of the band’s uproarious Death Metal with Key V and P delivering straightforward heavy music to our ears in a compelling way, whereas Generation Anthem is heavy and distorted music from the pits of Hell. Furthermore, the duo seems to love those menacing mid-tempo songs, firing blazing riffs and fierce beats nonstop. But just when you think the band is going to stick to some sort of formula they fire Piss & Laugh, showcasing a somber rhythm inspired by Dark Metal with the Blackened Doom guitars and the deep gnarls by Key V enhancing its damned atmosphere. At this point of the album, you’ll realize that calling +MROME+ just as Death or Black Metal is an understatement of their musical range and capabilities.
Once again bursting poetry and madness through the lyrics (“Monstrous iron worms / Feeding on fire / And flash / Choke the ground / March against the dawn / East from nest of crow / Days of hunger / Lions hunt”), Locust Follows Word presents a berserk intro followed by more thunderous bass lines and a grumpy attitude, with all additional elements in the background helping in strengthening the musicality considerably. The second to last blast of underground metal by this interesting project, titled Magister Figurae Morte, will kick you in the face with its pounding drums and energetic riffs in this solid display of ruthless metal from darkness, before The Arsonist closes the album majestically, with Key V impersonating the arsonist himself by setting fire to the musicality with his growls and riffs. In addition, P accelerates his beats to a traditional Black Metal style, generating a high-end feast of hellish music with a climatic ending.
+MROME+ do not have a Facebook page, a Twitter account or any other type of social media. As previously mentioned, it’s all about their music and the concept behind it, which means all things +MROME+ are summarized to their BandCamp page in the form of heavy music, with Noetic Collision on the Roof of Hell being their newest sonic experiment, but not their ultimate one at all. Fans of truly underground metal will hear more about +MROME+ in a not-so-distant future for sure, as they’re already recording Roi-de-Rats, their next full-length opus. Well, I’m already eager to see what Key V, P and the band’s original bassist (who has just rejoined the project after all these years) will offer from their arsenal of extreme and primeval music.
Best moments of the album: Crush the Moon, How the Gods Kill and The Arsonist.
Worst moments of the album:Generation Anthem.
Released in 2016 Independent
Track listing 1. Colors 4:03
2. Crush the Moon 4:33
3. Migration Cult 3:31
4. How the Gods Kill (Danzig cover) 5:46
5. Trust 4:09
6. Generation Anthem 3:45
7. Piss & Laugh 4:24
8. Locust Follows Word 3:48
9. Magister Figurae Morte 4:32
10. The Arsonist 6:18
Powerful and poetic heavy music directly from the ancient island of Aphrodite into your metallic ears, blending modern aspects of Melodic Death Metal along with an old school Death Metal atmosphere.
The Republic of Cyprus might not be known worldwide for its metal scene like Finland, Germany or Italy, with less than 60 active bands hailing from the ancient island of Aphrodite as per Encyclopaedia Metallum, but since 2012 there’s a band from the capital city of Nicosia that wants to change that image through their vigorous music. Playing a unique style that blends modern aspects of Melodic Death Metal along with an old school Death Metal atmosphere, Cypriot metallers Memoriam have just released their debut EP titled Ravaged Approach, containing five distinct compositions tailored for fans of bands that know how to generate some good harmonious noise such as Amorphis, Amon Amarth and Children of Bodom.
Displaying a grisly artwork by Greek artist and musician Manthos Stergiou (Manster Design), Ravaged Approach will provide you a different story in each of its songs, with concepts such as political and religious corruption, as well as human ignorance and arrogance, being utilized to pinpoint and cauterize the human psyche as the music progresses. Put differently, you’ll face introspective passages followed by heavier and angrier moments, pure savagery amidst harmonious lines, among other paradoxal but complementary elements, all embraced by the poetry found in the lyrics by those five talented musicians.
In the opening track Incessant Martyrdom, a gentle intro quickly becomes a dense feast of Melodic Death Metal, with the guttural vocals by Artemis Choutris leaning towards old school Death Metal while the top-notch quality of the album’s recording elevates the power of guitars, bass and drums to the next level. Moreover, not only lyrics are extremely poetic, but also amazingly cryptic (“I am someone else / I can’t accept my mind / Passive-Aggressiveness / I hear a bluebird cry / I am invincible / I am inaudible / Self-Ultimatum / A conscious Pendulum”). Following that great start, Deception Inc. brings forward more sharp riffs blasted by guitarists Andreas Haggiandreou and Panayiotis Chrysostomides, with bassist Thirsos Makloklas and drummer Barnabas Koromias leading this violent tempest of modern metal music with an old school punch on vocals.
Then we have lots of progressiveness and feeling in the excellent song Metaphysical Idiom, where Andreas and Panayiotis fire some razor-edged riffs and solos while Artemis continues to showcase all his vocal power; and Sated Bull, with its encouraging lyrics about never giving up (“If we must die, we must die defending our rights / Then every seed is awakened / Along with all animal life / Stone in my heart, / A buffalo ready to fight, / Unshackled lost prophets, / A bloodsport that perished all tribes.”). Once again displaying an amazing amount of intricacy through all instruments, this hymn is highly recommended for some sick headbanging, with the bass guitar by Thirsos beautifully vibrating nonstop in the background. And the fifth and last song of the EP, named Βάκχαι (The Bacchae), inspired by an ancient Greek tragedy, sounds very metallic and extremely heavy, with its old school Death Metal guitars contrasting with the song’s contemporary rhythm effectively, also exhibiting another excellent performance by Barnabas on drums.
In order to start exploring the realms of Cypriot Metal, go check Memoriam’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, where you’ll see their level of professionalism, passion and determination for heavy music is just as grandiose as in any other country with a more developed scene. And if you want to show your true support for metal from the ancient island of Aphrodite (which would be an amazing name for a song or album, don’t you agree?), go grab your copy of Ravaged Approach at their BandCamp page, at CD Baby, on iTunes or on Amazon. After Ravaged Approach, it’s just a matter before Memoriam begin spreading their wings all over the world, reaching new heights (and several different countries) with their music and live performances.
Best moments of the album: Deception Inc. and Sated Bull.
Great news for all of you metalheads!
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 