Tag Archives: death metal

Album Review – Dissector / Grey Anguish (2015)

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These Russian metallers are here to help you soothe your anguished yearning for high-quality Heavy Metal.

Rating4

DISSECTOR_frontAre you looking for some fresh heavy music that combines the melody from Power Metal with the anger and rebelliousness of Thrash Metal? You might then enjoy the music by Russian Power Thrash/Death Metal Dissector and their first full-length album, entitled Grey Anguish. As a matter of fact, this is not exactly the first release by this talented act from St. Petersburg, Russia, but a sort of resurrection from a very active band made famous in the northeast part of Russia between 1992 and 2002.

In this new phase of the band, which started in 2006, Dissector have already released three EP’s named Cry For Me (2007), Subhuman (2014) and An Angel with No Home (2015), as well as some compilations. However, it’s now with Grey Anguish that they aim at cementing their name in the modern era of Heavy Metal. Based on the creepy artwork created by Pablo Antonov one can say they’re on the right path, but it’s when the music starts that this keen instinct brought forth by the album imagery becomes even stronger.

After the ominous futuristic intro Catastrophe Point by keyboardist Max Delmar, it’s time for the title-track Grey Anguish to present to the listener a modern and dense musicality by Dissector. Besides, it’s interesting to observe how lead singer Yan can sound so aggressive but at the same time very melodic, and how drummer Andrey “Circle” is very precise with his beats, enhancing the song’s Thrash Metal vibe. And blending Death Metal, Hard Rock and Stoner Rock, we have the melancholic tune Deadline Pressure, where the dark taste of the lyrics ends up being its core element, followed by Sinking In Disgrace, a song inspired by old school Metallica and Megadeth where the band offers a fast and harmonious tune perfect for mosh pits and crowd surfing, with highlights to the guitar lines by Yan while Andrey pounds his drums nonstop.

Perhaps due to its name, Delicately Yours is a lot more melodic, boosted by hints of Doom and Gothic Metal. Recommended for fans of slower and more introspective metal music, it’s a dark song, of course, but it’s obvious that the message the band wanted to send required a smoother sounding. The next song, Subhuman, gets closer to what Trivium have been delivering in their most recent albums, focusing on catchy riffs while the other instruments (including vocals) make sure the level of energy remains high. And Hide Away is a compelling song that reminds me of some compositions by Paradise Lost due to its strong Doom-ish vein and thoughtful lyrics, which turn it into a gloomy anthem.

dissectorNow fasten your seatbelt because my favorite of all tracks, An Angel With No Home, is Thrash Metal at its best, as vicious and fierce as it’s supposed to be, with the vocals by Yan sounding awesome while Oleg and Andrey keep the atmosphere really violent. Right after that beauty, focusing on a musicality closer to modern Thrash Metal we have The World For the Few, where the smoothness of the melody gets more attention than its heaviness and where the pace is suited for fans of less violent metal; and the resonant bass lines and a Punk Rock/Thrash Metal attitude of Even Me, which is quite the opposite of the previous track where the band only cares about being vicious and merciless. Moreover, Yan gets more aggressive than usual, as nicely “requested” by the music.

Closing the regular set of songs, Keep My Trust sounds as if the band wanted to give us a break from so much violence. It’s a beautiful ballad featuring the delicate vocals by special guest Mirla, from Russian Gothic Metal band The Lust, and guitarist Alex Bolotov. By the way, the vocal duo between Yan and Mirla is incredible, giving an amazing balance between darkness and light to this reflective tune. As a bonus track, the band offers an instrumental demo version of “Deadline Pressure”, a special treat for us to admire their skills behind their instruments.

The best way to know more about this excellent Russian group is by visiting their Facebook or VKontakte pages, by listening to their music at their SoundCloud page, and by purchasing Grey Anguish at their BandCamp page. In other words, go soothe your anguished yearning for high-quality Heavy Metal with Dissector, a band with an enormous potential who is evidently looking into the future with their modern and exciting music.

Best moments of the album: Sinking In Disgrace, An Angel With No Home and Keep My Trust.

Worst moments of the album: The World For the Few.

Released in 2015 Worldlessness Records

Track listing
1. Catastrophe Point (intro) 0:45
2. Grey Anguish 4:02
3. Deadline Pressure 3:22
4. Sinking In Disgrace 3:35
5. Delicately Yours 5:27
6. Subhuman 4:10
7. Hide Away 4:23
8. An Angel With No Home 3:47
9. The World For the Few 4:34
10. Even Me 3:30
11. Keep My Trust (feat.The Lust) 5:23

Bonus track
12. Deadline Pressure (No Voice Mix) 3:21

Band members
Yan – guitars, vocals
Oleg – bass
Max Delmar – keyboards
Andrey “Circle” – drums

Additional musicians
Mirla – female vocals on “Keep My Trust”
Alex Bolotov – guitar on “Keep My Trust”

Album Review – Nex Carnis / Obscure Visions of Dark (2015)

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The flesh might be dead already, but the rise of Death Metal in Iran has just begun.

Rating4

ArtworkLet’s be honest and acknowledge that none of us know much about the Heavy Metal scene in Iran due to many well-known reasons, mostly related to the country’s religious and cultural barriers. In fact, if you check the list of Iranian metal bands on the Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives website, I’m sure you won’t recognize most of the names on the (extremely short) list. Fortunately, it seems that the tide is turning, Iranian metallers are now enjoying a higher level of liberty and, therefore, providing the world their share of heavy music, which is the case with old school Death Metal Nex Carnis.

After releasing their first demo in 2012 entitled Death of the Flesh, which by the way is the translation of the name of the band from Latin, and after some hurdles such as not being able to find a fitting drummer in the local scene, this talented Tehran-based group wants to show the world they’re ready to spread their evil wings and reach new heights with their debut ful-length album, the thunderous Obscure Visions of Dark. And if you’re a fan of that raw old school Death Metal perfect for having your brain melted after headbanging like crazy, you should definitely give these guys a shot.

The fuckin’ brutal opening track Darkened Rites of Existence, which is composed of two parts named “Part 1: Visions” and “Part 2: Labyrinth”, is very similar to what Brazilian Death Metal masters Krisiun do, just to give you an idea of how destructive the music by Nex Carnis is. Vocalist Asto Vidatu sounds like a wild beast with his growls, and it’s impressive how progressive the music is to an old school Death Metal band. In addition to that, what can I say about the infernal devastation caused by drummer Jirka “Jurgen” Zajíc during the last part of the song and the wicked guitar solo by guest musician Disguster? Anyway, with a macabre intro, Cryptic Depths of Unlight mixes the best elements from Death and Thrash Metal in a sick performance by all band members, with highlights to Incruent for leading all the breaks and variations with his morbid guitar riffs and solos.

3540353203_logoDissolution in Vortex of Sanity, which intro has that metallic guitar shredding we enjoy so much, offers the listener pure old school Death Metal where downright violence is its core factor. Not only that, Incruent and Jurgen provide all the necessary support for Asto Vidatu to keep roaring the song’s interesting lyrics, turning it into one of the top moments of the album. Following all that insanity we have Descent into Ethereal Realms, another song split in two parts (“Part 1: Entrance” and “Part 2: Transmigration”) where you can sense the influences of Morbid Angel, Slayer, Cannibal Corpse and other Thrash/Death Metal icons, but with an aerial atmosphere due to the content of its lyrics. And pay attention to the song after around four minutes, varying between a sonic blast perfect for a wild circle pit and a slower and more obscure rhythm that aims at being truly unearthly, consequently making the entire song even more entertaining.

Nex Carnis need only five seconds to begin pulverizing every living creature that crosses their path in Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit, probably the most traditional of all tunes in terms of rhythm and heaviness. However, Incruent and Jurgen get a lot progressive and innovative in some instances, adding a lot of value to the final result, as well as the guitar solo by guest musician Rafael Barros. Besides, due to the maximum speed imposed by Jurgen on drums, the second half of the song flirts with Black Metal, yet another interesting variant present in their music. And lastly, these skilled Iranian death metallers don’t seem to get tired at all, firing huge doses of morbidity in Murky Pits of Time. This might sound stupid, but does anyone have some lozenges for Asto Vidatu? He will need those after snarling so deeply and intensely for almost seven minutes. Also, kudos to guest musician Jacek Hiro for providing the music some “tranquility” with his excellent guitar solo, just before the song reaches its apocalyptic ending.

In summary, Obscure Visions of Dark is a very solid Death Metal album that goes a little beyond the traditional boundaries of that specific type of metal, giving the listener not only another excellent option in the world of extreme music but also a unique opportunity to know more about the Heavy Metal scene in Iran. You can check the band’s official Facebook page for more updates on their releases and tour dates, and purchase their debut album at the Nightbreaker Productions webstore. The flesh might be dead as the name of the band states, but the rise of Death Metal in Iran seems to be in good hands if Nex Carnis keep delivering such high-end music throughout the years.

Best moments of the album: Darkened Rites of Existence and Dissolution in Vortex of Sanity.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Nightbreaker Productions

Track listing
1. Darkened Rites of Existence 5:21
2. Cryptic Depths of Unlight 5:56
3. Dissolution in Vortex of Sanity 4:39
4. Descent into Ethereal Realms 6:39
5. Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit 4:21
6. Murky Pits of Time 6:55

Band members
Asto Vidatu – vocals
Incruent – guitars, bass
Jirka “Jurgen” Zajíc – drums

Guest musicians
Jacek Hiro – guitar solo on “Murky Pits of Time”
Rafael Barros – guitar solo on “Abolishing Rancid Thrones of Deceit”
Disguster – guitar solo on “Darkened Rites of Existence”

Album Review – Disgusting Perversion / Morbid Obsessions EP (2015)

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Let the bloodbath begin and spread all over Bavaria and the rest of the world with the debut album by this up-and-coming old school Death Metal band.

Rating5

Disgusting Perversion - Morbid ObsessionsIf there’s a word that can be used to describe the music found in Morbid Obsessions, the debut EP by German Death Metal band Disgusting Perversion, that would definitely be “stampede”. However, instead of a wild rush of ordinary animals, what we have here is a frantic onslaught by a horde of Teutonic death metallers that will crush your body and soul with their raw old school vibration. What else can you ask for in a Death Metal album, right? Well, I guess the old school album art in Morbid Obsessions can already provide you a trustworthy preview of what you’ll find when you start your listen at the album.

Hailing from the city of Kaufbeuren (about 90km from Munich), in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany, this brand new four-piece group will surely please fans of the combination of brutality and melody made famous by names like Death, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse and so on. Not even the fact that the drums are programmed, instead of having a drummer of flesh and blood with them, makes the the album sound less organic or visceral, which in my humble opinion is the most important attribute we should expect from any type of extreme music. In other words, you have to feel the blood dripping from authentic Death Metal, and Disgusting Perversion unquestionably provide the listener that morbid but awesome perception.

War Annihilation, as its own name indicates, kicks off the album sending a clear message from the band: they play brutal Death Metal, spreading nothing but gore and violence through their path of ruination. Moreover, the riffs by guitarists Claus Schubert and Tobias Ruf are tailored for fans of renowned musicians like Chuck Schuldiner and James Murphy, and as both Claus and Tobias simply love Death, I’m pretty sure this was exactly how they wanted their guitars to sound like. In the raging Bloodbath, lead singer Stefan Bauer vociferates the lyrics as if he was possessed by an evil entity, inspired by the demonic voices of bands such as Obituary and Morbid Angel, while bassist Klaus Bergmann and his low-tuned weapon provide the listener some bestial notes. It’s that type of slow but extremely heavy sounding perfect for headbanging, enhanced by the addition of some excerpts of the fastest savagery you can find in music.

Disgusting PerversionSounding as another tribute to old school Extreme Metal, the good Flying Nightmare shows what happens when Disgusting Perversion accelerate the rhythm, turning their music into a true “nightmare” for the faint-hearted. Besides, its traditional guitar solo helps improve the balance between sheer massacre and its strong melodic lines. Then we have the most melodic of all tunes, entitled House Of The Butcher, which is not as barbaric as the previous songs and has a huge focus on the guitar lines by Claus and Tobias. The vocals by Stefan exhale pure evil as expected, and with a name like that you can have a good idea of how gruesome its lyrics are.

The title-track, Morbid Obsessions, is a great display of straightforward Death Metal, fuckin’ heavy and merciless as hell, with highlights to the dark and low growls by Stefan and the crisp guitar solos by Claus and Tobias; followed by Disgusting Perversion, the song that takes the band’s name, and let me tell you that there couldn’t be a more suitable song to carry their flag. The music is disgusting, atrocious and barbaric, reminding me of old school Sepultura with wicked vocals, leaving the listener avid for more of the band’s cruelty.

To sum up, Morbid Obsessions is a very cohesive and full-bodied work for what is “just” an EP by those promising Bavarian death metallers, who are craving for your blood at their Facebook page. And don’t forget to visit the Winterwolf Records page on eBay, where you can purchase the album. Let the bloodbath begin and spread all over Bavaria and the rest of the world with Morbid Obsessions, the debut album by a band that, if they keep working hard and remain loyal to their foundations, has a bright future ahead of them.

Best moments of the album: Bloodbath and Disgusting Perversion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Winterwolf Records

Track listing
1. War Annihilation 4:05
2. Bloodbath 6:10
3. Flying Nightmare 4:22
4. House Of The Butcher 5:32
5. Morbid Obsessions 5:35
6. Disgusting Perversion 5:45

Band members
Stefan Bauer – vocals
Claus Schubert – guitars
Tobias Ruf – guitars, drums programming
Klaus Bergmann – bass

Album Review – Isenmor / Land of the Setting Sun EP (2015)

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It’s time to fight, dance around the fire and get drunk to the Vinlandic Folk Metal by this brand new American band.

Rating5

ISENMOR - Land of the Setting Sun cover artWhen you think of Folk Metal or Viking music, I bet your mind travels immediately to the fascinating Scandinavia, in special to Finland where many amazing bands such as Finntroll, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani and Turisas were bred. However, it seems those fresh winds are turning to North America through the Vinlandic Folk Metal by American band Isenmor, who before being just a band are proud to be a tribute to Vinland, the region of the northeastern coast of North America that was visited in the 11th century by Norsemen led by Leif Ericsson, and named from the report that grapevines were found growing there. You’re not going crazy, there’s a band playing Folk Metal that wasn’t born in Scandinavia or another European country, but in the United States, and those guys definitely know what they’re doing.

Formed in May 2014 and after releasing their first demo in the same year, this Maryland-based band offers now to their fans their first EP, entitled Land of the Setting Sun, where of course you’ll find good heavy music strengthened by classic themes and tales of battle, adventure, sorrow and infinite amounts of drinking. And in order to make things even more likeable and amusing, Isenmor have not only one, but TWO crazy violinists, Nick Schneider and Miles Waldman, who will put you to dance to the sound of their frenetic instruments. In other words, are you ready to have some pints with this unique American sextet?

The opening track, Death is a Fine Companion, is also my favorite one of all five, and don’t you agree that the name of the song truly incorporates the Viking spirit? Anyway, this exciting chant showcases a strong Folk vein with a Death Metal sounding that increases the music’s electricity, with its chorus making me want to grab my sword, shield and beer (or even mead) mug and sing it along with the band (“Death is a fine companion / When he comes for the foe / But keep your welcome warm / When he comes for you”). Singing about death and the journey of a warrior to Valhalla, the slow and melancholic Folk tune Pyre presents to the listener a great chemistry between the violin duo, whose lines transpire the throes of death, and all other instruments, especially the guitar riffs by Tim Regan and the beats by BG Drakeley.

Land of the Setting Sun is perfect for dancing around a fire pit with your loved ones, with both harsh and clean vocals blending perfectly with what the band is proposing with the music, while So Willingly Deceived deserves to be part of the soundtrack of the next Thor movie. It’s a beautiful Viking semi-ballad about the burdens of being a true warrior (“Hear the Thunder in the Sky / The sound of Donar’s mighty strikes / Through all the Nine worlds he rides / As he defends all of mankind”), with highlights to the violins together with the keyboards dictating the rhythm and sadness of the song.

ISENMOR band photoAnd finally, there’s nothing better than a fast and joyful song about drinking to conclude a Viking album, which is the case in The Old Mead Hall. Fans of Folk Metal will have a good time during Isenmor’s live performances, enjoying a cold beer while listening to this delightful display of camaraderie and a fun celebration of victory. The whole band is on fire in this song, but it’s the violins that end up standing out once again for our total delight.

It doesn’t really matter if you have Viking blood flowing through your veins or not, you should go check their Facebook page and also buy their brand new EP at their BandCamp page, as there are many cool options available worth your hacksilver. The full BandCamp digital EP includes acoustic versions of “Pyre” and “So Willingly Deceived”, while the CD version includes covers of Ensiferum’s “In My Sword I Trust” and Eluveitie’s “Havoc”, as well as the aforementioned acoustic songs. And did I mention there’s an “IsenPackage” which also includes a pint glass with the Isenmor logo emblazoned upon it and an Isenmor t-shirt? To sum up, what are you waiting for to grab your sword, dance around the fire pit with your close friends and get completely drunk to the music by Isenmor?

Best moments of the album: Death is a Fine Companion and The Old Mead Hall.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2015 Independent

Track listing
1. Death is a Fine Companion 4:24
2. Pyre 4:34
3. Land of the Setting Sun 5:15
4. So Willingly Deceived 5:00
5. The Old Mead Hall 3:35

Band members
Tim Regan – guitar, vocals
Mike Wilson – bass, vocals
Nick Schneider – violin, mandolin, vocals
Miles Waldman – violin
Jon Lyon – keyboards, vocals
BG Drakeley – drums

Album Review – Unleashed / Dawn Of The Nine (2015)

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Let the mighty God of Thunder bang his head to the sound of old school Death Metal while he mercilessly smashes his foes with his hammer.

Rating5

unleashed_dawn of the nineFormed in the “distant” year of 1989 in the beautiful city of Stockholm, Sweden, and still alive and kicking after almost three decades, the iconic Death Metal band Unleashed can credit their longevity and glory to their unique music concept, being the pioneers in implementing completely different themes from most Death Metal bands, such as Viking culture, Norse folklore and even references to the work by the renowned English writer and poet J. R. R. Tolkien, to their furious and coarse sounding.

In order to keep the almighty God of Thunder grinning and banging his head to the brutal sound of Death Metal while he smashes hordes of infidels with Mjölnir, Unleashed are releasing in 2015 their twelfth studio album, the good Dawn Of The Nine. Although the album does not flirt with Black Metal as much as its predecessor, the excellent Odalheim (2012), which means it lacks a little more darkness, it’s still a celebration of extreme music, war, vengeance and sacrilege that will satisfy the hunger of death metallers all over the world for more of the band’s Viking Death Metal.

Shifting between Viking Metal and more traditional Death Metal, the opening track A New Day Will Rise relies upon a strong atmospheric background and the aggressive vocals by Johnny Hedlund, while the other band members make sure the music stays visceral. It’s not the most creative songwriting in the world, but it’s still very cohesive, which is also valid for They Came to Die and its elements of Thrash Metal and Symphonic Black Metal, offering a more exciting headbanging tune. The guitar lines by Fredrik Folkare and Tomas Måsgard enrich the melody found in the music, and of course drummer Anders Schultz doesn’t seem “happy” and crushes whoever is in his path. The ominous intro already summarizes the darkness in Defenders of Midgard, a song about the will to keep fighting for our beliefs and our beloved ones (“But we will rise again / And fight, fight to defend / Our Midgard ’til the very end / Fight to defend / Our Midgard ’til the very end”). However, the music itself is boring, getting really repetitive after a while and consequently falling flat, despite the good guitar solo by Fredrik.

Fortunately, they finally unleash their infamous Death Metal in Where Is Your God Now?: its direct lyrics about being a true godless warrior (“Here we are alive again / In a battle without end / So we rise from the caves / And march until sol descends”) are very effective and the growls by Johnny are a lot more cutting. In other words, get ready for some sick circle pits to the sound of this evil mix of Death and Black Metal. And although Johnny sounds a little tired in The Bolt Thrower, it’s another good old school Death Metal tune, where the most curious detail is that I don’t know if they’re talking about the ancient missile weapon named “ballista” or if it’s a tribute to British Death Metal band Bolt Thrower. Well, Johnny sings “a master of war that feels no pain”, which makes me think it’s about the band. Or maybe it’s the weapon? What a tricky question.

unleashed_2015Let the Hammer Fly is a straightforward fast tune that might not be innovative but works pretty well, where its instrumental appropriately sticks to the basics of extreme music and its second half feels a lot darker, with highlights to another good guitar solo by Fredrik Folkare; while Where Churches Once Burned, with a stronger atmospheric background and Black Metal-ish riffs, sounds a lot more extreme and blasphemous thanks to the melodic guitar lines by Fredrik and the blast beats fired by Anders until the song evolves to a mournful ending. In Land of the Thousand Lakes, Johnny begins with some low-tuned bass lines before the song becomes barbaric, which translates into a fast and brutal assault of riffs and beats that will break your fuckin’ neck.

The pure Doom Metal title-track Dawn of the Nine doesn’t live up to its goal, proving Unleashed sound a lot more powerful when they play at high speed and more violently. The song gets slightly more interesting in some parts, sounding like old school Black Sabbath, but that’s not enough to salvage it. And last but not least, Welcome the Son of Thor! is another decent Viking Death Metal tune despite its uninspired lyrics, where the primeval bass lines by Johnny are really potent and therefore add more balance to the drumming by Anders.

Long story short, if this is your type of music and you are interested in Scandinavian culture and floklore, there are different versions of the album available at the Nuclear Blast webstore, Amazon, iTunes and other retailers. As aforementioned, Dawn Of The Nine will surely keep the Norse gods and demons well pleased and ready for more Unleashed in a near future.

Best moments of the album: They Came to Die, Where Is Your God Now? and Where Churches Once Burned.

Worst moments of the album: Defenders of Midgard and Dawn of the Nine.

Released in 2015 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. A New Day Will Rise 3:51
2. They Came to Die 3:13
3. Defenders of Midgard 4:37
4. Where Is Your God Now? 4:24
5. The Bolt Thrower 3:49
6. Let the Hammer Fly 4:10
7. Where Churches Once Burned 5:18
8. Land of the Thousand Lakes 4:15
9. Dawn of the Nine 6:41
10. Welcome the Son of Thor! 4:34

Band members
Johnny Hedlund – vocals, bass
Fredrik Folkare – lead guitar
Tomas Måsgard – rhythm guitar
Anders Schultz – drums

Album Review – My Grimace / Grim Serenades (2015)

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Make yourself ready for the heavy and melodic serenades of love and hatred put forward by this thriving six-piece Metalcore act.

Rating4

My_Grimace_-_Grim_Serenades_Coverart“From the deepest cave you hear the grim serenade.”

These cryptic words, together with the bloodstained piano in the artwork of Grim Serenades, are a spot-on depiction of the music by Finnish Metalcore band My Grimace. In other words, it is dramatic, melodic and ruthless, three of the most intrinsic characteristics of this modern-day subgenre of heavy music, and I’m sure you’ll have a good time and connect to the message the band is sending through each song while listening to the album. Their essence might be grim, but that doesn’t mean they’re not good in what they do.

Formed in 2007 in the city of Jyväskylä, Finland, and after releasing the demo Fear Gives Hope and the EP Paint the Sky in 2010, and another EP entitled Behind the Scene in 2011, My Grimace are ready to take the high ground with Grim Serenades, the first full-length album in their promising career. Combining the heavy elements found in Melodic Death Metal with the hardcore approach of Metalcore, this six-piece act aims at generating a unique atmosphere in Grim Serenade, keeping them away from the sameness that haunts several bands whose musicality is also strongly rooted in similar types of heavy music.

And when I say “unique atmosphere” I’m referring to exactly what they do in the opening track, the obscure Candidates, where its horror movie-ish vibe quickly turns into awesome Melodic Death Metal with a good balance between guttural screams and melodic guitars. This song showcases a solid songwriting with lots of riveting elements to keep the listener more than entertained, with some of its riffs reminding me of old school Sepultura, especially from the classic Chaos A.D. album. The same can be said about the title-track, Grim Serenade, a song that is at the same time threatening and rousing. Not only the vocals by frontman Jere Hämäläinen are a lot more Death Metal than Metalcore in this track, but the keyboards by Lasse Pirnes also add to the music nuances of delicacy that take the band out of the comfort zone of heavy music. In short, it’s a great tune that keeps up with the best you can find in Scandinavian modern metal.

My_Grimace_PromokuvaIf you’re a fan of Arch Enemy you’ll love the riffs found in Dire Need, a song that proves My Grimace are all talented musicians that know how to put heaviness and progressiveness together in a compelling way. Lasse, bassist Sami Puukko and drummer Roope Salminen do a superb job together keeping the musicality fresh and consistent in the background, with kudos to guitarist Aleksi Salojärvi for an awesome performance with his harsh screams. Following that amazing song, you can feel a dismal shadow growing in the sky in Abandon All, Leave The Mourning Behind, the darkest track of all with not a single drop of happiness or joy, and where once again the keyboard notes are the guiding light (or maybe darkness) to its rhythm.

Turning up their anger a little, Reveal Nothing is the first song to showcase the clean vocals by guitarist Juha Kumpulainen, resulting in a more traditional Metalcore approach. Moreover, its main riff will surely make you feel that great pain in your neck the next day if they play this track during their live concerts, and even when My Grimace slow down and get more introspective they also deliver interesting passages like the ones found here. Then we have Drink Of Death, which offers the listener another excellent riff in a very progressive and violent tune, perhaps the one with the most elaborate instrumental passages and lots of groove and feeling with highlights to its beautiful guitar solo, followed by the furious and well-balanced Red Glow, which represents the Melodic Death Metal many good bands forgot how to generate. I might be wrong, but for me it feels like the last part of Grim Serenades focuses a lot more on riffs than keyboards compared to the first batch of songs from the album, which is also the case in the last track, Twilight Zone, where we have an adrenalized Roope on drums while Juha and Aleksi make sure you bang your fuckin’ head like a maniac. In my opinion, it’s the heaviest and most extreme of all songs, obviously maintaining the melodic vein ingrown in the band.

These heavy and melodic serenades of love and hatred are what My Grimace have to offer us metalheads, which you’ll find together with their previous releases at their YouTube channel and ReverbNation page for a more detailed listen, and if you’re more than convinced this is a good addition to your metal collection you can purchase Grim Serenades at the Record Shop X webstore or at the Inverse Records webstore. Who knows, maybe these are the types of serenades you truly needed to make your life and the life of your significant other more fun and electrifying.

Best moments of the album: Grim Serenade, Dire Need and Drink Of Death.

Worst moments of the album: Abandon All, Leave The Mourning Behind.

Released in 2015 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Candidates 4:38
2. Grim Serenade 5:17
3. Dire Need 4:48
4. Abandon All, Leave The Mourning Behind 4:43
5. Reveal Nothing 5:50
6. Drink Of Death 3:37
7. Red Glow 3:58
8. Twilight Zone 4:05

Band members
Jere Hämäläinen – vocals
Juha Kumpulainen – guitars, clean vocals
Aleksi Salojärvi – guitars, backing vocals
Sami Puukko – bass
Lasse Pirnes – keyboards
Roope Salminen – drums

Album Review – Ovenizer / SWM (2015)

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A melodic and psychedelic journey through the realms of Death, Doom and Post-Metal by a weird and extremely competent band from Finland.

Rating5

Cover (front)There’s no specific meaning for the word “ovenizer” if you look it up in any dictionary, not even the informal ones, and trying to find an explanation to the music by Finnish band Ovenizer is also a tall order. If you don’t believe it can be that hard to label the music by a band, simply take a listen to SWM, the brand new album by this power trio from Tampere, Finland, and you’ll see why there are so many things in our world that are better off unknown or at least non-stereotyped.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to listen to the music by Ovenizer and perceive all the nuances from all types of rock and heavy music found in the album. According to the band members themselves, their style is “somewhat Doom-ish Post-Metal, with some Death Metal vibes on to it”. Whatever that’s supposed to mean, Ovenizer indeed deliver a very cohesive and creative Melodic Post-Metal music with huge doses of Doom Metal and psychedelia, making the final result very difficult to understand but at the same time very pleasant.

That musical fusion becomes already evident in the opening track, kindly entitled Standing On the Shoulders of Giant, where the listener is invited to a world full of Doom Metal riffs and beats with a strong 70’s Rock N’ Roll influence, with its rhythm being perfect for live performances. In addition to that, lead singer and guitarist Kvist does an excellent job on vocals, ranging from deep guttural to harsh rock music lines. And things get even more unusual in Satan’s Washing Machine, with its interesting psychedelic start before the heavy stuff comes bashing. You’ll find lots of elements from Folk Metal in this song, which is kind of expected from a Scandinavian band, and despite its “evil” name there’s so much melancholy in it I’m pretty sure it will sadden your heart a bit. Naturally, in order to properly complement this great tune there’s a simple but excellent chorus, and pay attention to the official video for this song where drummer Feather seems to be having a great time while smashing his drums on fire.

Promo pic 1S&M does not only sound like pungent North American Stoner Metal, but Ovenizer truly show us how to create the darkest imaginable atmosphere with acoustic passages and desperate screams, with the last part of the song offering the listener more of the band’s Doom side with highlights to the low-tuned riffs by Kvist. In the following tune, Paddling In the Sky, the band invites us to join them in a somber tribal journey, as if they want us all to go dance in the sky with them. Its rumbling riffs and pounding drums will rise some good evil inside you, right before it turns into some sort of Death/Black Metal feast, including some crazy blast beats to make things even better. With a strong Melodic Death Metal vibe, S.I.B. (Standard Issue Breathing) is a lot more instrumental than atmospheric, making it a good choice for their setlists, while Incubatory is exactly what you get when Ovenizer unite their doom-ish side with the melody and harmony found in classic rock. Furthermore, the bass lines by Phinx get richer and more vibrant, and pay attention to the fact that Kvist’s vocals are closer to Death Metal than to what the music itself proposes, creating an interesting paradox.

The last two ditties in SWM are Watch, with a sorrowful intro that grows until it becomes a great mix of Doom and Progressive Rock, with its lyrics translating the sadness of the song into words, and finally Don’t Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing, which albeit having a curious name it’s somehow true. It’s yet another interesting Doom Metal track about how regretful our lives can be, with its second part representing a man’s mental breakdown or maybe his downfall into madness.

In case you enjoyed the challenge of trying to label the weird music by Ovenizer, please go check their official YouTube channel and also go buy their music at their BandCamp page or at the Record Shop X webstore. As mentioned before, it’s an interesting melodic and psychedelic Death Doom Stoner Post-Metal extravaganza directly from the land of ice and snow, or anything else you want it to be.

Best moments of the album: Satan’s Washing Machine, Paddling In the Sky and Don’t Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing.

Worst moments of the album: Watch.

Released in 2015 Norwegian Pope Records

Track listing
1. Standing On the Shoulders of Giant 3:04
2. Satan’s Washing Machine 4:18
3. S&M 4:34
4. Paddling In the Sky 5:16
5. S.I.B. (Standard Issue Breathing) 3:22
6. Incubatory 3:28
7. Watch 3:38
8. Don’t Trust Me, I Know What I’m Doing 4:05

Band members
Kvist – guitar, vocals
Phinx – bass, backing vocals
Feather – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Embrional / The Devil Inside (2015)

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These Polish devils will infest your soul with their technical and brutal Death Metal.

Rating4

embrional_800x800People who know me also know how much I love dark and demonic music. And if the band playing that type of music comes from Poland it’s when things get even better, because to be fair, I’ve never seen a low-quality Polish band in my life. If you take a few seconds to think about it, superb bands such as Behemoth, Vader and Darzamat will quickly come to your mind, and we can all include Polish old school Death Metal band Embrional on that list based on the deranging assault of extreme music from their brand new album, The Devil Inside. Well, I guess the name of the album, together with the artwork designed by Mariusz Krajewski and MENTALPORN, can already provide you a sense of how much the word “deranging” matches with their music.

Fans of Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth and all other Death and Black Metal bands who turn their instruments into an infernal pyre of heavy music will feel aflame while listening to the work by this Gliwice-based band. Vociferating topics such as possession, annihilation and death, all impregnated by the acrid smell of sulfur and tar, Embrional are extremely competent in what they do, which translates into high-end Extreme Metal perfect for enjoying with your friends at a live concert or by yourself in your car, at home or anywhere else that some extra doses of stamina and anger are more than required.

And suddenly, after Embrional open the rusty gates to their realm of Death Metal (maybe hell?) in the intro The Devil Inside, it’s time for some excellent blast beats at the “speed of darkness” in Evil’s Mucus, a great tune for slamming into the fuckin’ pit. Not only lead singer and guitarist Marcin Sienkiel has those devilish and disturbing vocals that can only be found in brutal Death Metal, but all musicians sound quite progressive for such a raw old school band, offering the listener lots of interesting breaks and tempo changes. Funeral March, although slightly slower, is truly diabolical and gives a whole new meaning to a funeral march itself, with Marcin and Rychu “Vermin” Sosnowski making sure their guitar lines are in line with all that darkness while drummer Kamil Bracichowicz displays an arsenal of evil beats. And guess what? Bassist Michał “Soulbleed” Połetek also joins that dark side with his deep bass lines.

embrional_bandEmbrional keep firing their wicked sounding in The Abyss, which sounds almost like Progressive Death Metal but still violent and raw as expected, and get ready because after around two minutes it’s time to get into the pit of evil created by the band. Then after a quick instrumental intro entitled Sadness, we have sheer brutality in the form of music in the superb track In Darkness, which makes me wonder if those guys are mad or furious at something so violent it is. What Kamil does behind his drum kit in this song is amazingly bestial and will make you headbang like crazy, while Michał once again gains the spotlight with his awesome job on the bass guitar. And Marcin guides the Embrional horde yet again with another Stygian tune, Behind The Mask Of Sanity, which leans towards Blackened Death Metal or even Black Metal, offering the listener some interesting guitar solos amidst all the savagery and fury presented.

Their violent complexity continues to be outstanding in the following track, curiously named 910, which can be simply described as a fuckin’ massacre. It sounds like if the band decided to “blacken” their music to a greater extent, with riffs and drums faster than before while vocals get even more gruesome. Right after that furious onfall it’s time to reach the deepest nightmares of mankind with Madman’s Curse, with lots of Doom Metal elements added to enhance the desired insanity of the song, followed by Callousness, a short and straightforward Death Metal song where riffs and vocal lines sound really strong, while drums keep a constant heavy rhythm leading to a violent ending. And the duo that closes the album doesn’t disappoint in terms of cruelty: Venom presents us a creepy intro with flies buzzing before turning into another feast of evil, with Kamil once again relentlessly showcasing his drumming skills, and if your head doesn’t hurt after this song you’re not human; and how about a woman crying in despair and sorrow to start the last track, Whores, Drugs and Brain Dead? With hardcore harsh vocals and a Slayer-ish vibe, it’s an awesome way to make even the most cautious person slam into the circle pit.

Go check the band’s YouTube channel where you can listen to The Devil Inside in its entirety, but more important than that, visit the Old Temple Shop or BandCamp to get your copy of the album, or the Third Eye Temple Big Cartel to grab the limited edition CD or the old school tape version of it. And, of course, get ready to have your soul infested with the vicious Death Metal brought into being by these skillful Polish devils.

Best moments of the album: Evil’s Mucus, In Darkness and 910.

Worst moments of the album: Callousness.

Released in 2015 Old Temple/Third Eye Temple

Track listing
1. The Devil Inside 1:07
2. Evil’s Mucus 4:01
3. Funeral March 4:51
4. The Abyss 4:00
5. Sadness 0:32
6. In Darkness 5:58
7. Behind The Mask Of Sanity 3:57
8. 910 4:08
9. Madman’s Curse 3:59
10. Callousness 2:25
11. Venom 5:13
12. Whores, Drugs and Brain Dead 2:54

Band members
Marcin Sienkiel – vocals, guitars
Rychu “Vermin” Sosnowski – guitars
Michał “Soulbleed” Połetek – bass
Kamil Bracichowicz – drums

Album Review – Infected Chaos / The Wake Of Ares (2015)

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In the wake of the god of war, it’s time to join this excellent Austrian band to the sound of their warlike old school Death Metal.

Rating4

infected chaos_the wake of aresFans of Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Entombed and old school Death Metal in general will love the violence found in The Wake Of Ares, the brand new full-length album by Austrian Death Metal band Infected Chaos. With an amazing artwork by JL Rey (Phlegeton Art Studio), and dealing with controversial topics such as suppression, slavery, gaining strength and revolting against it, The Wake Of Ares will surely awake that “spirit of war” inside you with its ruthless onrush of extreme music.

I don’t know exactly if this can be considered a concept album or not, as according to this Vils-based band the album title can be interpreted on two levels: the first related to Ares, the Greek god of war and the son of Zeus and Hera who usually represents the physical or violent and untamed aspect of war, being the supreme god of what the band calls the “blooddawn resistance”, while the second is a direct statement from Infected Chaos telling the world they are here to stay and, obviously, to crush each and every living creature that crosses their path.

I have already used the expression “calm before the storm” here at The Headbanging Moose before, and I have to apply that once again to the intro Rotting In Chains, with its occult atmosphere and eerie voices in the background, opening the gates for the brutal Death Metal tune Devours The Light to come crushing your soul. The deep growls by Christian Fischer are exactly what a Death Metal band needs, enhanced by the album’s clean and powerful production. Moreover, this song will make you go crazy into the circle pit, with the impressive bass lines by Florian Betz (who’s probably a huge fan of Alex Webster) together with its more melodic parts providing a great balance between harmony and cruelty. Ninth Circle, a song about death (or how the Ancient Greek people could have seen it) that begins as violent as the previous track, shows us that when Infected Chaos slow down they get fuckin’ heavy as hell, with drummer Christoph Raggl being completely merciless behind his drum set.

Christian’s vocals get darker and more demonic in Arson Anthem, where the guitar duo composed by Martin Hartmann and Matthias Mayr delivers pure Death Metal through their fierce riffs and solos, while Wolves In Thy Pantheon has a Cannibal Corpse vibe that makes it even more violent and amazing. Its riffs and blast beats reach a higher level of destruction, enhanced by some excellent guitar solos and background chants that add even more excitement to the song. The next track, Code Of IC, is just a simple declaration of love to Death Metal according to the band members themselves (by the way, IC is the acronym for Infected Chaos in case you haven’t noticed that yet), and they do it the most brutal way possible with an incredible assault of deep growls, nonstop drumming and huge doses of anarchy through its riffs and lyrics.

MMA02_bandphoto_infectedchaosAwaking Into Nightmare is a more introspective song that deals with a huge issue Christian had to face in 2013. Musically speaking, it keeps the album at a high level with more of the berserk sonic demolition proposed by the whole band, just like what happens in Strike From The Sky, where it actually feels like Infected Chaos come striking from the sky (or maybe from hell) with a feast of traditional Death Metal riffs and beats, perfect for breaking your neck. Then we have IA, God Of War, another great display of the skills by Florian on bass guitar and with a musicality slightly different from the rest of the album, focusing on more modern and metallic elements.

The final triad of Death Metal in The Wake Of Ares starts with The Silent Monolith, where once again the band invests in a sonority similar to the latest Cannibal Corpse albums, with an exciting rhythm tailored for banging your head on the front row during their live performances, followed by the sickest of all tracks, Blooddawn Resistance, a fictional underground movement created by Infected Chaos. I would love to see them playing this song live, as it’s the best of the album in my humble opinion and a flawless display of Death Metal where the whole band is kicking fuckin’ ass, in special frontman Christian for leading the “resistance” with an awesome vocal performance. And closing the album we have a song that its name says it all: The Sea Of Grief evokes darkness in a truly hellish and melancholic way, with even its guitar solos transpiring melancholy and sorrow.

To sum up, Infected Chaos are summoning all of you to join their “resistance” through their Facebook page, SoundCloud, BandCamp and at the Metal Music Austria official webstore with The Wake Of Ares, a great album perfect for all headbangers who love high levels of ferocity amidst a professional and thrilling sounding. In the wake of the god of war, it’s time we all join those Austrian metalheads to the sound of their uprising warlike Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Wolves In Thy Pantheon, Code Of IC and Blooddawn Resistance.

Worst moments of the album: Ninth Circle.

Released in 2015 Metal Music Austria

Track listing
1. Rotting In Chains 1:03
2. Devours The Light 5:29
3. Ninth Circle 3:46
4. Arson Anthem 4:23
5. Wolves In Thy Pantheon 3:18
6. Code Of IC 3:52
7. Awaking Into Nightmare 4:30
8. Strike From The Sky 4:10
9. IA, God Of War 4:08
10. The Silent Monolith 3:33
11. Blooddawn Resistance 3:57
12. The Sea Of Grief 4:52

Band members
Christian Fischer – vocals
Martin Hartmann – guitar
Matthias Mayr – guitar
Florian Betz – bass
Christoph Raggl – drums

Album Review – Irreversible Mechanism / Infinite Fields (2015)

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A mind-blowing experience in Progressive Death Metal that will please all fans of complex and aggressive heavy music.

Rating4

Infinite-Fields-1000When Dream Theater meet Mastodon, who meet Dimmu Borgir, who then meet Meshuggah, you can have a pretty good idea of the level of complexity, progressiveness and obscurity you will find in Infinite Fields, the debut full-length album by Belarusian Progressive Death Metal band Irreversible Mechanism. And you better get properly ready before listening to this album, as it will blow your mind beyond dispute.

Hailing from the city of Minsk, Belarus, musicians Yaroslav Korotkin and Vladislav Nekrash deliver an amazingly intricate blend of extreme and progressive music with the support of Lyle Cooper on drums, who by the way was the drummer on the last two albums by American Technical Death Metal The Faceless. In addition, the album art by renowned Swedish artist Par Olofsson, who has already provided his incredible art to innumerous bands such as Exodus, Aborted, Beyond Creation, Immolation and Onslaught, contributes to making the whole album even more captivating.

The opening track, Irreversible Mechanism, is an ominous instrumental intro that perfectly connects with the album art and transports the listener to this new world or dimension proposed by the band, right before you get absorbed with the complexity found in Into The Void, where you will enjoy interesting heavy riffs amidst intricate keyboard notes and lots of music breaks, with the Black Metal blast beats by Lyle adding a decent amount of fury to the music. Despite being only three musicians, this song shows they’re just everywhere. Outburst continues with the sonic madness, with the harsh growls by Yaroslav getting even more violent and blending deeper with the music while its calm and eerie break focusing on keyboard passages will definitely ease your heart a bit. Besides, there are so many good solos throughout the song I don’t know which one to talk about.

IrreversibleMechanism Photo1The way Irreversible Mechanism put together complex riffs, drums and bass lines in the next track, The Agony, is truly outstanding, followed by the title-track, Infinite Fields, which basically kicks off where the previous song ended, with an awesome rhythmic variation done by its guitar lines and with its sinister keyboards once again gaining the spotlight even with all the violence surrounding them. The excellent intro in Incipience sets the tone to the rest of this blasting song, which showcases a great combination of progressiveness and savagery, with highlights to Vladislav kicking ass with his guitar riffs while Yaroslav maintains his vocals as devilish as possible.

The last part of the album keeps delivering metallic and melodic music, beginning with Fragile, a very symphonic tune that will please fans of contemporary extreme music which offers to the listener keyboards and piano passages the likes of Dimmu Borgir, with its drums getting heavier and faster at times, while The Betrayer Of Time can be considered the band’s Death Metal-ish attack mixed with the progressive music by bands like Dream Theater. Finally, closing the album in a very climatic and desolated way we have more of that Symphonic Black Metal aura in the slower but more atmospheric tune Cold Winds, where its more demonic vocals work pretty well together with the precise and bestial beats by Lyle.

It’s important to mention that none of the songs in Infinite Fields, available as a CD in jewel case with a 12-page booklet through Blood Music’s official webstore and also at their BandCamp page, are too long, with only one of them surpassing the 6-minute barrier, but their level of complexity is beyond average for sure and they’re a million light-years away from being tedious. You can get a taste of Infinite Fields HERE or take a listen at the entire album HERE, and as aforementioned, be ready for a mind-blowing experience in extreme music thanks to this promising Belarusian metal act.

Best moments of the album: Outburst, Infinite Fields and Incipience.

Worst moments of the album: The Betrayer Of Time.

Released in 2015 Blood Music

Track listing
1. Irreversible Mechanism 2:54
2. Into The Void 6:13
3. Outburst 5:46
4. The Agony 3:40
5. Infinite Fields 5:13
6. Incipience 3:42
7. Fragile 3:43
8. The Betrayer Of Time 4:05
9. Cold Winds 3:53

Band members
Yaroslav Korotkin – vocals, bass, lyrics
Vladislav Nekrash – guitars, programming
Lyle Cooper – drums