Tag Archives: death metal

Concert Review – Amon Amarth (Sound Academy, Toronto, ON, 10/10/2014)

Posted on by
Reply

The most powerful Swedish Viking horde in the world attacks Toronto once again, setting the city on fire on a chilly night.

OPENING ACTS: Skeletonwitch and Sabaton

Amon-Amarth-PosterAs the fans of Game Of Thrones like to say, “Winter is coming” pretty soon, which means it’s getting colder and colder here in Toronto and, of course, in the entire Canada. So why not turning up the heat with some brutality, Viking music and good beer on a Friday night at the Sound Academy? The bands chosen to make our lives a lot warmer were American Thrash/Death Metal band Skeletonwitch, Swedish Power Metal band Sabaton and the main attraction of the night, Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons Amon Amarth.

Opening the night with the same energy of a stampede of raging bulls and still promoting their latest album, the insane Serpents Unleashed, the ‘Witch were absolutely awesome from start to finish, even with very limited time to deliver all their havoc. Chance Garnette’s unique devilish vocals and Dustin Boltjes killing everything on drums were the highlights of their wicked performance, with songs like I Am of Death (Hell Has Arrived), Serpents Unleashed and Within My Blood being so brutal I’m pretty sure most of the people who were already at the venue during Skeletonwitch might have an “interesting” pain in their necks and bodies until today. Chance said they’re returning to Toronto in the Spring, so I guess we have enough time to recover until we break our fuckin’ necks once again with more of their demonic metal.

Setlist
1. More Cruel Than Weak
2. I Am of Death (Hell Has Arrived)
3. From a Cloudless Sky
4. Burned from Bone
5. Beyond the Permafrost
6. Unending, Everliving
7. Stand Fight and Die
8. Serpents Unleashed
9. Within My Blood

Band members
Chance Garnette – lead vocals
Nate “N8 Feet Under” Garnette – guitars
Scott “Scunty D.” Hedrick – guitars
Evan “Loosh” Linger – bass
Dustin Boltjes – drums

IMG_2975Having recently released their seventh studio album, entitled Heroes, Sabaton had the tough mission of entertaining a crowd extremely avid for Amon Amarth. Well, although I myself consider their music somewhat generic, they did a pretty good job and got a great reaction from the audience, especially during songs such as 40:1, Swedish Pagans and Metal Crüe. Frontman Joakim Brodén has a very limited vocal range if compared to many other Power Metal singers, but his interaction with the fans, in special his jokes about Canada always beating Sweden in ice hockey, were sufficient to avoid any negativity from the crowd and to keep everyone awake and pumped up for the main attraction. The only problem is, as aforementioned, their generic lyrics and musicality: how many other bands, and you can limit your analysis only to Sweden if you prefer, have songs with the words “pagan”, “warrior”, “fight” or “metal” in their names, and those more-than-generic galloping riffs? If they fix that, they can go a lot further in their career.

Setlist
1. Intro (The March To War)
2. Ghost Division
3. To Hell and Back
4. Carolus Rex
5. 40:1
6. Swedish Pagans
7. Resist and Bite
8. The Art of War
9. Primo Victoria
10. Metal Crüe
11. Outro (Dead Soldiers Waltz)

Band members
Joakim Brodén – vocals, keyboards
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitar, backing vocals
Thobbe Englund – guitar, backing vocals
Hannes van Dahl – drums

AMON AMARTH

IMG_2983Perhaps one of the most stable band formations in the history of heavy music, with the same band members being together since 1998 (and three out of five since their beginnings in 1992), Swedish Viking horde Amon Amarth delivered almost everything their fans were asking for, except for their Viking ship and fireworks, which couldn’t be part of their performance due to venue limitations.

However, the absence of fireworks and other theatrical items was completely forgiven and forgotten when the band started playing their unique epic metal. It was pure brutal headbanging, fists and horns in the air, beer drinking and lots of singing throughout their whole concert, with everything getting even heavier and more fun during classics like Death in Fire, Guardians of Asgaard, Cry of the Black Birds, and of course the highly anticipated Viking hymns Twilight of the Thunder God (where frontman Johan Hegg entered wearing a Viking helmet and holding the Hammer of the Gods as usual) and The Pursuit of Vikings, with all fans screaming as loud as possible its famous epic chorus nonstop, for the band’s total delight. The sincere smile on Johan’s face was priceless.

IMG_2984In addition, their newer songs from their latest albums, Surtur Rising (2011) and Deceiver of the Gods (2013), also worked really well, with highlights to For Victory or Death, Father of the Wolf, Destroyer of the Universe and War of the Gods. I love metal music when it’s played as fast as the band is capable of, which was the case for all those songs. I just thought there were very few mosh pits, maybe because it was getting really late and all fans were exhausted after a long day at school or work, and after so many hours of energetic heavy music. Being a headbanger demands a lot of our bodies, especially when you have such electrifying bands like Skeletonwitch and Amon Amarth playing live in front of you, don’t you agree?

Anyway, during one of his many fun interactions with the crowd (while drinking beer from his horn), Johan Hegg also spoke about ice hockey and the NHL, which makes me wonder if this is the biggest connection between Canada and Sweden, or if Heavy Metal is indeed what makes these two cold but totally amazing countries be so close to each other. Based on the happiness and level of energy spread among all fans that attended the concert at the Sound Academy, and as a true heavy music lover, I have to go with the second option without a shadow of a doubt. And now, all that’s left for us fans is the never-ending wait for another Viking invasion of Canada.

Setlist
1. Deceiver of the Gods
2. Runes to My Memory
3. Death in Fire
4. Free Will Sacrifice
5. As Loke Falls
6. We Shall Destroy
7. For Victory or Death
8. Varyags of Miklagaard
9. The Fate of Norns
10. Father of the Wolf
11. Guardians of Asgaard
12. Warriors of the North
13. Destroyer of the Universe
14. Cry of the Black Birds
15. War of the Gods

Encore:
16. Twilight of the Thunder God
17. The Pursuit of Vikings 

Band members
Johan Hegg – lead vocals
Olavi Mikkonen – guitar
Ted Lundström – bass
Johan Söderberg – guitar
Fredrik Andersson – drums

Album Review – Temple Of Void / Of Terror And The Supernatural (2014)

Posted on by
1

If the Devil had a band, it would sound pretty much like this one.

Rating4

TEMPLE OF VOID - Of Terror and the Supernatural cover artWhen you put together the obscurity of early British Doom Metal and the sheer brutality of old school American Death Metal, the final result is usually very interesting. From Detroit, Michigan, United States, comes a band that was able to blend those subgenres of heavy music in a more-than-entertaining way, adding to their music their own touch of creativity and ferocity. I’m talking about American Death/Doom Metal band Temple Of Void, who have just released their debut album entitled Of Terror And The Supernatural. Are you ready for some sonic carnage?

Although they’re a relatively new band, having self-released only a demo in May 2013 prior to Of Terror And The Supernatural, those five Detroiters are so precise with their instruments that they sound like an already classic extreme metal band that has been playing together for decades. Besides, the overall production of the album is also very professional and polished, without abandoning that crude sonority necessary for a good extreme metal album but also without sounding awfully raw to the point it looks like an amateur demo, favoring the type of music crafted by the band.

The opening track, The Embalmer’s Art, begins the album on a high note by creating a truly eccentric atmosphere with its low tune riffs, demoniacal vocals and pure Doom Metal drumming, fortified by its morbid lyrics (“Potter’s bluff / The embalmer’s art / Master work of the wicked”). This song is already some kind of message from the band to the listener, like if they wanted to say “our music is not for the faint-hearted”, so eerie it is. The following track, Savage Howl, begins with a cool galloping intro before hell breaks loose: its guitar and bass lines, mixed with its intense drums, are perfect for some headbanging, with the last minute of it being as heavy as it can be. In addition, I wonder if singer Mike Erdody can do those deep growling vocals live, that must be really impressive.

TEMPLE OF VOID band photoBeyond the Ultimate showcases the most obscure Doom Metal riffs you can think of, nicely enhanced by some hints of Stoner Metal and its truly hideous lyrics (“Feed me / I must dine a feast of blood / Once, I too paid these / Sacrificial dues”), followed by Invocation of Demise, with some of the darkest riffs of the whole album and some extra guitar effects that provide it an extra dose of occultism, ideal to be part of the soundtrack for a Black Magic ritual. Not only that, after five minutes it sounds like a brand new song as it gets a lot more melodic, with drummer Jason Pearce dictating the rhythm.

To Carry this Corpse Evermore is just a melancholic semi-acoustic instrumental track (maybe to give Mr. Erdody’s throat a short break) that works like a bridge for the next song, Rot in Solitude, with its Death Metal riffs and a very somber rhythm; while Exanimate Gaze offers us an interesting mix of Paradise Lost and Black Sabbath, especially its guitar lines. By the way, the awesome instrumental boosts the overall quality of this song, with its last part reminding me of some good contemporary Black Metal songs. And as the final track in Of Terror And The Supernatural we have the 10-minute epic Doom Metal song Bargain in Death, with highlights to its disturbing lyrics about being buried alive (“Waking – You grasp and you claw / But there is no escape / Scratching – The slivers of pine / Stabbing under your nails”). The second half of the song is like a funeral march, as slow, perverse and eerie as possible, with some amazing guitar solos at the end elevating this tenebrous masterpiece to a whole new magnitude.

Lastly, the cover painting by renowned fantasy artist Bruce Pennington is also a very good indicator of how evil this album is and how perturbed you might feel after listening to it, obviously in a very good way. So if you enjoy the devilish music this band plays, simply support them by visiting their Facebook page, by asking them to play live in your city, and also by going to their official Bandcamp page to purchase Of Terror And The Supernatural, an album that sounds like if it was recorded by the Devil’s own heavy music band.

Best moments of the album: The Embalmer’s Art, Savage Howl and Bargain in Death.

Worst moments of the album: Rot in Solitude.

Released in 2014 Rain Without Records / Saw Her Ghost Records

Track listing
1. The Embalmer’s Art 6:25
2. Savage Howl 5:19
3. Beyond the Ultimate 6:14
4. Invocation of Demise 7:32
5. To Carry this Corpse Evermore 3:17
6. Rot in Solitude 5:34
7. Exanimate Gaze 5:29
8. Bargain in Death 10:41

Band members
Mike Erdody – vocals
Eric Blanchard – guitar
Alex Awn – guitar
Brent Satterly – bass
Jason Pearce – drums

Album Review – Necropoli / I (2014)

Posted on by
1

Unique and avant-garde Funeral Doom Metal from Italy, recommended for lovers of the darkest side of music.

Rating5

Forged by musicians Rodolfo Baroni and Dario Fabiani in the wonderful city of Rome, Italy, the music by Funeral Doom / Avantgarde Metal band Necropoli might not be an easy listening for people who usually stick to basic radio stuff, including even the most badass Rock N’ Roll radio stations. However, it’s indeed a delectable experimental voyage with lots of Dhrone, Death, Black and Downtempo influences, going way beyond the average Doom Metal most of us are used to, taking your senses to a whole new freakish level.

Their debut album, symbolically named I, can be considered an epitome of darkness in heavy music, with its truly long and devilish songs taking you down to a world where things like happiness, beauty and love do not exist at all. Just by looking at the album art you know this is not going to be just another commercial album full of cheesy content.

When you listen to the baby crying during the ominous intro in Ashes of my Soul, you can get a taste of how grim Necropoli can be. But it’s when their slow and dark Doom Metal really begins, with the deepest growls you can think of and its double bass and eerie synths giving the whole song a totally lugubrious atmosphere, that you’ll feel you’re like taking part of a ritual. In addition, its obscure lyrics (“This restless circle is complete / This maze will never set me free / The winds of eternity shall take away / The ashes of my soul…”) and its more than frightful ending complement the song very effectively.

Inner Space starts with some kind of weird electric or industrial sounds, and its intro goes on for almost three minutes before turning into ferocious Black Metal with sick guitar riffs and guttural vocals. It goes back to pure atmospheric music with sounds of ocean, seagulls and an acoustic guitar after seven minutes, finally becoming a Doom Metal tune to finish this dark sonic journey. A Step doesn’t make things happier or lighter, focusing on interesting piano keys blended with evil vocals and heavy riffs, all enhanced by depressive lyrics (“Opening his eyes and looking at the world around me, one single step / I got lost in it and maybe found myself many times in my path”) and an ending that is a fuckin’ massacre.

NECROPOLI band photoHowever, things get even more interesting in Silence Awaits Me, another ghostly tune filled by symphonic elements, getting closer to Death Metal in some moments and with so many rhythmic breaks it could easily be divided into three or four distinct songs.  Very epic and full of feeling, it encompasses 17 minutes of occultism and mystery that will please anyone that enjoys this type of music. And closing the album we have Curriculum Vitae (I have no idea why they chose this song name), the only track with less than 10 minutes of duration: it’s such a weird outro, consisting of demonic voices accompanied only by some persistent low synths, that I don’t know what to say about it. You’ll have to listen to it and take your own conclusions.

In summary, Necropoli’s debut album I, available at the band’s official Bandcamp page, is as unique and avant-garde as it can be, always focusing on a more unhappy and wicked side of life, of course, which doesn’t mean you’ll regret listening to it. Quite the contrary, I bet you’ll keep going back to it again and again to savor its complexity, heaviness and malice.

Best moments of the album: Silence Awaits Me.

Worst moments of the album: Curriculum Vitae.

Released in 2014 Independent

Track listing
1. Ashes of my Soul 10:37
2. Inner Space 11:47
3. A Step 12:13
4. Silence Awaits Me 17:06
5. Curriculum Vitae 4:04

Band members (Recording line up)
David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Rodolfo Baroni – guitar

Current line up
David Unsaved – voice
Dario Fabiani – guitar, bass, synth, vocals, programming
Francesco Romano – drums

Interview – Lelahel (Lelahell)

Posted on by
Reply

The Headbanging Moose talks to the leader of Algerian Death Metal band Lelahell, Redouane “Lelahel” Aouameur, about their new excellent album, their plans for a world tour, his full-blooded passion for extreme music, as well as the current state of Death Metal in Algeria. Support Lelahell or die!

lelahelThe Headbanging Moose: First of all, congratulations on the release of your first full-length record, Al Insane​.​.​. The (Re​)​Birth of Abderrahmane. Could you tell us a little about how Lelahell was born and how difficult the band’s path was until this album became reality? What were the easiest and the most arduous parts in the recording process of the album?

Redouane “Lelahel” Aouameur: Thanks for your great support! And for giving us the opportunity to talk about our music and our band!

Lelahell is an Algerian Death Metal band founded in 2010 by me (Lelahel) and started first as a one man band. One year later it was joined by Slaveblaster (drums) and Nihil (bass), two talented musicians from the band Barbaros.

In July 2012, Al Intihar EP was released on Goressimo Records and officially distributed by Sevared Records in the USA.

In January 2013 we started to record drums of our first full length album, two months later we started the recording of bass and guitars. The vocals were recorded in August 2013 just before our first tour. After that I was going to mix and master the album, but it was difficult to find a suitable sound for our music which was the most arduous part of the recording process, so we decided to search for a producer, and by the time we could find someone for that we were already in December 2013.  The album was mixed and mastered by Ivan from Athropocide Studio from Belarus. He did a great job, this guy is very patient and talented! But very slow lol! Because the album was finalized in March 2014.

The easiest part was the writing process because it was something very natural and without any stress, everything came from our guts!

ImpressionTHM: Songs like Al Intissar and Hillal do not only offer the fans the traditional Death Metal  they’re looking for, but they also carry some interesting and relevant message in their lyrics, especially in regards to the Algerian culture. Can you tell us more about how those songs were created and what they truly mean for you?

Lelahel: “Al Intissar” is an hymn to victory and all against those fuckin’ losers who complain all day long without doing anything from their lives. Move your ass fucking assholes! It was the first written song of the album, and maybe the most interesting.

The other song, “Hillal”, has a more philosophical concept and it is about the interaction of the human with the nature. The main riff is taken from a melody used in a song called “Into the Past” from our first EP, and played differently. And maybe we will do the same thing in the next album?

THM: Another song that caught my attention in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane was Mizmar, which also contains elements of the Arabic culture. Although you’re a traditional Death Metal band, are you considering one day recording any songs that are more connected to your country, and consequently less brutal, like the acoustic and tribal songs Sepultura added to some of their albums in the past?

Lelahel: Maybe just an intro or a prelude of a few seconds, we are a Death Metal band not a folk or other kind of metal band. The main concept of Lelahell is brutality through melody! 

THM: How much do you think that singing in French is beneficial to your music? Don’t you think that the French language can become a barrier for Lelahell to enter the North American and European markets, which are more than essential for the survival of any band?

lelahel02Lelahel: In general we don’t sing in French, we used French in only one song, “Hypnose”, and we used also Spanish in “Hermanos”, a song from Al Intihar (our first EP). Maybe we’ll use Italian, German or another language in our future albums. We just do that in one song only in each release, it is the trademark of Lelahell! But in general we use English, Algerian and classical Arabic in our songs, and I don’t think that it will be a barrier to enter the European and American markets! Nowadays many known bands use their native language in their music.

THM: This topic might be a little delicate, but many people believe that the African continent, in special its Islamic countries, are not a place for Death Metal or any type of heavy music. What’s your opinion about that? Have you ever suffered any type of discrimination inside or outside Algeria because of your music and origin, and if so, how do you deal with this type of issue?

Lelahel: I play metal for more than 20 years, and never got any problem in my country, I think that you have a false idea about our countries which is transmitted by your media. Outside Algeria we played in many Europeans countries (France, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta), I also played in Belgium and France 10 years before with my previous band Litham, all without any problem.

THM: What can you tell us about the Death Metal scene in Algeria? How does it differ from the state of Death Metal in countries like the United States, Canada, Germany, Brazil and Japan?

Lelahel: We can’t say that there is a Death Metal scene in Algeria. Actually there are only a few bands which are active. And the main problems are the lack of places for playing and rehearsing! This is why bands disband after 2 or 3 years of existence.

cover

Album Review – Lelahell / Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane (2014)

THM: What are your tour plans now that you finally have a full-length album to promote, and how are your fans and first-time listeners reacting to your new songs at your live performances? Are there any specific songs that are receiving more positive feedback than others?

Lelahel: We played a few weeks ago at the Malta Death Fest, it was the first gig after the release of the album  and we got very positive feedback from Maltese and many European death metalheads! The song that received more positive feedback from all listeners is actually “Kalimet Essir”.

Our next plan to promote the album is an Euro tour planned for December of this year booked by Axa Valhalla productions from Romania. The confirmed dates are in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and maybe France. Stay in touch for more news!

THM: Who are your biggest idols in music, and to what extend have those bands or artists influenced what we can hear in your debut album? And did you consider recording a cover song of any of your main influences in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth of Abderrahmane or did you feel the album should have been 100% original, just the way it ended up being?

Lelahel: We don’t have any particular idols, but we have two main sources of inspiration: everything which is related to Death Metal and all brutal stuff, and the second is our local music. With those two things we can write more than 100,000 albums, no?

In my opinion no one can be 100% original in music except if you are living in another planet!

lelahell02THM: How do you see the future of heavy music in Algeria and in the rest of the world, especially in regards to Death Metal, a music genre always marginalized by the vast majority of the society? In addition, do you believe the Internet has been having a more positive or negative impact on your band and on Death Metal in general?

Lelahel: Back to the early days: the tape trading and paper zines and such things, when the people where more supportive to small underground bands buying demos and going to small shows! Nowadays things have really changed, people prefer to spend thousands of bucks for going to a festival with big bands instead of 3 or 5 to support their local band. The internet has its benefits because it is really easier for a band from all around the globe to spread music and all info than before, but the technology and mp3 really killed the charm of music. People became lazier!

In the future I think that things will go on the same way!

THM: Thanks a lot for your time. Feel free to send a message to all true Death Metal fans all over the world, especially to the ones here in Canada that are starting to enjoy the music by Lelahell.

Lelahel: Thanks a lot for your great support! And stay brutal!

You can purchase our album from our webstore.

SUPPORT LELAHELL OR DIE!!!

Links
Lelahell Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Album Review – Gory Blister / The Fifth Fury (2014)

Posted on by
Reply

It’s time for these talented Italian Death Metallers to unleash the Fifth Fury upon humanity.

Rating4

03. Gory Blister - ArtworkThis year has been more than amazing for Death Metal so far, as there have been tons of kick-ass albums, lots of shredding, huge doses of violence, and thousands of excellent reasons to bang our heads and slam into the circle pits. Joining that demented “2014 Hall of Rage” we welcome The Fifth Fury, the fifth full-length album by Italian Technical Death Metal band Gory Blister.

Formed in the 90’s in Milan, Italy, Gory Blister has recently been through some lineup changes, which includes vocalist John St John (Statica Nera, Orthodox) teaming up with the band in 2012 and more recently the addition of Emi Dattolo (Faust, Illogicist, Eternal Tragedy) as their new bassist. Those changes seem to have had a very positive effect to the band’s musicality and energy, which together with their usual lyric themes such as psychology, poetry and outer space result in some very entertaining extreme music, especially for fans of more technical and melodic Death Metal.

With its blazing guitar duo intro, the opening track Psycho Crave sets the tone of the whole album: a total fuckin’ music madness full of insane blast beats by Joe Laviola, which together with some interesting riffs provide an eerie atmosphere to the listener. Besides, its technical shredding sounds like a heavier version of Swedish Melodic Death Metal icons Arch Enemy, which in my opinion is always a good thing. Thresholds, a more brutal but very melodic tune, showcases what John St John is capable of doing with his voice, switching from deeper growls the likes of Krisiun and Deicide to more harsh vocals similar to Jeff Walker from Carcass.

gory blisterFollowing those two sonic tornadoes, the band keeps the momentum going with the fast drumming and ghastly vocals in Toxamine, which disturbing lyrics (“Stomach ulceration, hate perceived / Your blood doesn’t clot / In full clarity of mind / killing is your only wish / Your skin turns red”) turn it into one of the best songs of the album; and Devouring Me, another shredding attack led by Raff with a very melancholic intro. By the way, it’s amazing how an extreme band like Gory Blister can create such atmospheric music without keyboards or synths, don’t you agree?

The dark title-track, The Fifth Fury, narrates the story of “all furies”: First Fury (Tisiphone), Second Fury (Megaera), Third Fury (Alecto), Fourth Fury (Nemesis), and of course, the Fifth Fury created by the band. In Greek mythology, the Furies (or Erinyes) were female chthonic deities of vengeance, sometimes referred to as “infernal goddesses”. By that you can have an idea of how obscure and heavy this song is, also perfectly represented in the album art. Right after all that darkness, comes one of the best songs of the album, if not the best of all, named Prometheus Scars, with its ferocious instrumental, diabolic vocals and great guitar lines. In addition, it has  a meaningful storyline too, as “Prometheus is a Titan who sided with Zeus and the ascending Olympian gods in the vast cosmological struggle against Cronus and the other Titans.”

The last part of the album is not as awesome as all previous tracks, but that doesn’t mean it’s not badass too, starting with (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave, a decent track focusing on a more traditional Death Metal with highlights to the strong bass lines by Emi, followed by the very technical The Grey Machinery, with its hints of Black and Thrash Metal and potent guitar riffs and solos, and finally the bonus track Heretic Infected Orchestra, which starts with a somber piano before becoming a 100% orchestral song with no vocals at all, totally different from the rest of the album and something I would only expect from bands such as Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir.

To sum up, The Fifth Fury, which is available on iTunes and at the official Sliptrick Records online store, ends up being an absolutely fun and fresh heavy music album, especially due to the good distance kept from pedestrian Death Metal, and for offering us all some intelligent content to make us think and learn more about the topics “discussed”. May the Fifth Fury be unleashed upon us!

Best moments of the album: Psycho Crave, Toxamine and Prometheus Scars.

Worst moments of the album: (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave and The Grey Machinery.

Released in 2014 Sliptrick Records

Track listing
1. Psycho Crave 4:26
2. Thresholds 3:30
3. Toxamine 4:15
4. Devouring Me 4:18
5. The Fifth Fury 4:47
6. Prometheus Scars 3:32
7. (Meet Me) In the Mass Grave 3:52
8. The Grey Machinery 3:37

Bonus track
9. Heretic Infected Orchestra 3:34

Band members
John St John – vocals
Raff – guitar
Emi – bass guitar
Joe Laviola – drums

Album Review – Cannibal Corpse / A Skeletal Domain (2014)

Posted on by
4

Long live the Corpse and their wicked domain of Death Metal.

Rating4

Cannibal Corpse_A Skeketal DomainIn my humble opinion, the most important legacy the city of Buffalo, New York (also known as “The Queen City”) will ever leave to humanity is the unrivalled twisted music by American Death Metal heavyweights Cannibal Corpse. Not only that, I personally consider George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, Alex Webster & Co. the best, most cohesive and most amusing Death Metal band of all time, and now once again they prove us all why they’re so awesome with the excellent A Skeletal Domain, the thirteenth studio album in their path of ruthless devastation.

One might ask how they keep being relevant in heavy music after all those years, maintaining their musicality almost intact but without sounding repetitive at the same time. Well, although every Cannibal Corpse album has the band’s hallmarks such as their gruesome lyrics and intrinsic brutal instrumental and vocals, those guys somehow manage to reinvent themselves and offer something distinct in each of their releases. For instance, A Skeletal Domain provides us a darker and more freakish sounding than their previous albums, as mentioned by bassist Alex Webster in some recent interviews. Just take a look at the Stygian album art and you’ll have an idea of how eerie this album is.

In order to kick off the album the best way possible, the band invites us to join them in this dark domain of music with the aggressive High Velocity Impact Spatter, which right after a quick Horror movie-ish intro becomes a Death Metal feast full of excellent riffs, solos and creativity led by bassist Alex Webster and guitarists Pat O’Brien and Rob Barrett. Moreover, the initial roar by Mr. Corpsegrinder and the desperate way he screams the chorus prove once again why he’s and will always be the true voice of Cannibal Corpse. Following that sonic massacre we have Sadistic Embodiment, a song that couldn’t be more Cannibal Corpse than that, with Alex Webster kicking ass one more time and Paul Mazurkiewicz always killing on drums; and Kill or Become, a song about a zombie outbreak with a beautiful message in the lyrics (“Fire up the chainsaw / Hack all their heads off / Fire up the chainsaw / Hack their fucking heads off”), with the instrumental parts reminding me of another Cannibal Corpse track, “As Deep as the Knife Will Go”, intensified by a sick guitar solo by Rob Barrett. Do I need to mention it is more than perfect to be part of any truly disgusting zombie movie soundtrack?

Cannibal CorpseAnd their rampant Death Metal extravaganza goes on with the amazing title-track, A Skeletal Domain, another lesson in bestiality with highlights to its insane double bass and superb riffs. I simply love the chorus and how Corpsegrinder “recites” the lyrics, especially when he says people are turning into some kind of creatures that are “not a zombie not a human”. Can you imagine how grotesque those creatures are? Anyway, Headlong into Carnage is a straightforward song made for breaking your neck due to the intensity which you’ll bang your head, where the instrumental parts sound like old school Thrash Metal in many moments, followed by The Murderer’s Pact, which is more melodic than all previous tracks and where Corpsegrinder’s voice and the guitar riffs end up making a very interesting duo.

Funeral Cremation, with its Black Metal elements and very macabre lyrics, and the “smooth” Ice-Pick Lobotomy, with its complex musicality (especially the bass lines and all the guitar shredding), keep the overall quality of the album really high, while Vector of Cruelty, despite not being as powerful as the other tracks, offers us pure traditional Death Metal with some interesting rhythmic breaks. And what can I say about the fast and furious Bloodstained Cement? The violence in its lyrics is outstanding (“Smash his skull onto the pavement / Make the bastard pay / Don’t stop until it cracks / And spills out his brain”), and I cannot wait for the absurd circle pits this song will generate if played live.

Lastly, there’s still time for more extreme music with Asphyxiate to Resuscitate, with another awesome performance by Mr. Corpsegrinder and some excellent drumming blended really well with some sick guitar lines and solos, and the fast and heavy neck-breaking tune Hollowed Bodies, with its evil guttural vocals and Paul Mazurkiewicz stealing the show again, to finish exterminating whoever is still alive. However, regardless of all that savagery, the guys from Cannibal Corpse are far from being heartless individuals, as A Skeletal Domain is dedicated to the memory of Michael Trengert, who was the managing director of Silverdust Records and former promoter at Nuclear Blast and manager of Metal Blade Records Europe. He passed away on September 23, 2013, leaving many friends all over the world.

In addition, as I’ve already mentioned a billion times before, there would be no Cannibal corpse without bassist Alex Webster. As a matter of fact, that guy is not just a regular Death Metal bassist like those ones you can barely listen to and who usually don’t make any difference to their bands’ musicality. The architect and mastermind behind the realm of the Corpse is a fuckin’ wild beast responsible for the darkest, sickest, most innovative, most fiendish and most intricate bass lines one can ever imagine in the world of extreme music, elevating the quality of their records so much even some people who loathe traditional Death Metal have to acknowledge how good Cannibal Corpse are. Pay attention to all the bass lines in each and every song from A Skeletal Domain, they’re beyond impressive!

In summary, A Skeletal Domain might not be as magnificent as Vile (1996), Kill (2006) or Torture (2012), which I consider the best Cannibal Corpse albums of all time, but it is indeed an amazing record that will surely keep the Corpse alive after almost 30 years of wildness, expanding their perverse domain of Death Metal and, of course, it’s also an excellent choice to invest your hard-earned money (go for the “A Skeletal Domain Deluxe Bundle”, it’s just plain awesome) if you’re a real fan of traditional Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: High Velocity Impact Spatter, A Skeletal Domain and Bloodstained Cement.

Worst moments of the album: The Murderer’s Pact and Vector of Cruelty.

Released in 2014 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. High Velocity Impact Spatter 4:06
2. Sadistic Embodiment 3:17
3. Kill or Become 3:50
4. A Skeletal Domain 3:38
5. Headlong into Carnage 3:01
6. The Murderer’s Pact 5:05
7. Funeral Cremation 3:41
8. Ice-Pick Lobotomy 3:16
9. Vector of Cruelty 3:25
10. Bloodstained Cement 3:41
11. Asphyxiate to Resuscitate 3:47
12. Hollowed Bodies 3:05

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Pat O’Brien – guitar
Rob Barrett – guitar
Alex Webster – bass
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

Album Review – Lelahell / Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane (2014)

Posted on by
3

Pure aggressive Death Metal full of meaningful content? That’s exactly what this bright Algerian band offers us with their music.

Rating4

coverLelahel is an angel of the zodiac exercising dominion over love, art, science and fortune, bringing light and good luck to mankind. However, when an extra ‘l’ is added to its name, it’s time for Algerian Death Metal band Lelahell to attack all human beings with their first full-length album, the impetuous Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, an album which fans of bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Vital Remains will be able to relish while at the same time they learn more about the culture of that Islamic country located in North Africa.

Of course, this is a Death Metal album, so do not expect to listen to anything that’s not as heavy as hell. The differential in Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, as you can see by the name of the album (Abderrahmane is the transliteration of Abdur Rahman in French-speaking North Africa, meaning “servant of the most merciful”) and also the names of most songs, is the fact that the band makes it clear where they come from by adding elements of their culture to their symphony of violence. Consequently, their music becomes a lot more robust and appealing to fans of extreme music than if it was just the basic Death Metal many other bands play. This is something unique bands such as Sepultura and Chthonic do all the time, like in the masterpieces Roots and Bú-Tik, and you know how amazing those albums are.

After the quick intro Mazaghran, which is the name of a town and commune in Mostaganem Province, Algeria, you’ll already notice that cultural influence in Al Intissar, an Arabic word that means “victory” or “triumph” in English, with its blast beats, devilish and deep guttural vocals, and especially its very traditional Death Metal guitar growls showing you how brutal heavy music should be done. Voices Revealed has a more direct musicality than the opening track, but doesn’t sound so inspired, while Kalimet Essir is a true sonic massacre, guided by a dark tune generated by its guitar lines and fast drums (which you can see HERE). The only thing I couldn’t figure out was the meaning of the words “Kalimet Essir”, maybe the band could help me with this one.

lelahellThe nonstop violent Death Metal in Hypnose is highly recommended for insane mosh pits, with highlights to its good chorus and interesting drumming variations, followed by the short instrumental Imzad. This is another great example of how culture and music walk hand in hand, as “Imzad music is a characteristic feature of Tuareg communities and is performed by women on a single-stringed bowed instrument known as the Imzad.”, adding an extra Arabic touch to the whole album.

Fans of the old Cannibal Corpse will surely enjoy Am I In Hell?, with its Thrash Metal elements, really deep guttural and an ending that’s more than perfect for some brutal headbanging, and pretty much the same can be said about Hillal, or “crescent moon” in English, as this song is as violent and fast as it can be, energized by its evil vocal lines. Lastly, closing the album we have the almost Black Metal of Black Hands, the most obscure of all tracks (especially its riffs) where even the vocal parts are more inclined to Black Metal, with a cleaner guitar solo amidst all destruction to give more balance to the song; and the sheer brutality of the riffs and bass lines in Mizmar, another song that strengthens the connections Lelahell has with their homeland, as “Mizmar is also a term used for a group of musicians, usually a duo or trio, that play a mizmar (flute) instrument along with an accompaniment of one or two double-sided bass drums, known in Arabic as tabl baladi or simply tabl.”

The interesting cover artwork by Kaamos Illustration, who has already worked with bands such as Hypocrisy and Pain, also has lots of elements from the Algerian culture, including the stylish band’s logo, showcasing once again how the guys from Lelahell are true to their roots. Al Insane… The (Re)Birth Of Abderrahmane, available at the official Horror Pain Gore Death Productions webshop and BandCamp page, is more than just Death Metal: it’s good music with content, something so difficult to find even in heavy music these days.

Best moments of the album: Al Intissar, Hillal and Black Hands.

Worst moments of the album: Voices Revealed.

Released in 2014 Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Track listing
1. Mazaghran (Intro) 0:19
2. Al Intissar 5:11
3. Voices Revealed 4:00
4. Kalimet Essir 5:00
5. Hypnose 5:43
6. Imzad 0:48
7. Am I In Hell? 4:45
8. Hillal 5:27
9. Black Hands 4:48
10. Mizmar 4:58

Band members
Lelahel – guitars, vocals
Nihil – bass
Slaveblaster – drums

Album Review – Innsmouth / The Shadow Over Innsmouth (2014)

Posted on by
1

A dark and deranging music voyage guided by the most technical Death Metal shredding one can imagine.

Rating5

4 panel.epsFrom the dark district of Thy, in the northern regions of Denmark, comes a band that truly enjoys the art of shredding from the bottom of their nebulous hearts. However, it’s not just virtuosity that’s found in their music, but also huge doses of violence and horror, turning their sonority into something at the same time very technical and disturbing, and consequently recommended for fans of, inter alia, Nile, Emperor, Death and Behemoth. This is what is offered to all of us in The Shadow Over Innsmouth, the debut album by Danish Technical Death Metal band Innsmouth.

To begin with, there would be no Innsmouth without guitarist and composer Thor Sejersen ‘Krieg’ Riis, the mastermind behind the band. This Danish Death Metal shredder seems to love shredding above all other things in life, with his guitar lines impacting the sound of all other instruments in the entire album. Moreover, the names of the band and the album were inspired by the horror novella The Shadow Over Innsmouth, from the iconic American author and poet H. P. Lovecraft, a man who completely revolutionized horror, gothic and dark fantasy literature, and who also influenced the music by lots of heavy music giants like Cradle of Filth, Metallica and Mercyful Fate.

If this is not enough to convince you of Innsmouth’s wickedness, simply hit play and you’ll be assaulted by the opening track, Vomiting A Hole In The Soul, which focus heavily on shredding blended with devilish vocals and some Thrash Metal elements, with highlights to its “smooth” lyrics (“Drown myself in alcohol / Bathe myself in bloody gore / I’m waking up next to my corpse”). If you like what you hear, continue to the following track, Dreams Of Slowly Drowning, with its eerie intro the likes of Cradle of Filth and a very similar sonority to the first song, but with more rhythmic breaks and vocals varying between deep guttural and a high-pitched demonic voice.

Ritual Of Chud might be the most Death Metal track of all, where the band provides the listener some nice guitar riffs plus a pleasant and groovy drumming, with more shredding in the background as a “support” to the whole song, while Under The Pyramids sounds like something the old Cannibal Corpse could have recorded, especially due to its strong guitar lines. Then we have the interesting Klaatu Verata Nicto, which if I’m not wrong are the spoken words required to retrieve the Necronomicon (if you do not speak the words “Klaatu Verata Nicto” before picking up the Necronomicon, there will be hell to pay), with its excellent guitar riffs and solos giving it a more traditional sonority, and the damn heavy Reanimator, with its outstanding bass lines and a more direct approach.

INNSMOUTH band photoLastly, The Colour Out Of Space is a movie-ish instrumental track mixed with some basic guitars and drums that works as an intro to the last song of the album, the atmospheric title-track The Shadow Over Innsmouth, in which the keyboards finally stand out among all the sonic violence created by the band, becoming the closest Inssmouth gets to traditional Black Metal and the most melodic of all tracks too.

In regards to the album art, everything including the logo and layout was created by Riaj Gragoth, complementing in a very entertaining way the message Innsmouth want to send with The Shadow Over Innsmouth, which will soon be available at the official Crime Records Webshop. And that message, ladies and gentleman, couldn’t be more demonic, unsettling and, of course, an excellent choice for the ones with a strong stomach and an utter passion for all things crafted for darkening our souls.

Best moments of the album: Vomiting A Hole In The Soul and Klaatu Verata Nicto.

Worst moments of the album: Under The Pyramids.

Released in 2014 Crime Records

Track listing
1. Vomiting A Hole In The Soul 4:41
2. Dreams Of Slowly Drowning 4:01
3. Ritual Of Chud 5:30
4. Under The Pyramids 3:53
5. Klaatu Verata Nicto 4:25
6. Reanimator 3:56
7. The Colour Out Of Space 2:44
8. The Shadow Over Innsmouth 3:43

Band members
Kim ‘Dvergur’ Brandhøj – vocals
Thor Sejersen ‘Krieg’ Riis – lead, rhythm and clean guitars, keyboard and drum programming
Martin Munch ‘Der Mönch’ Christensen – bass

Guest musicians
Nina Banke – female vocals on “Dreams Of Slowly Drowning”
Peter Dahlgaard Mark – keyboard programming
Asger Gammelgaard Nordbo – drum programming

Album Review – Swine Overlord / Parables of Umbral Transcendence (2014)

Posted on by
Reply

Get ready for 40 minutes of sheer savagery with this Guttural Brutal Slamming Death Metal band from the United States.

Rating5

SwineOverlordcdcover000If you’re one of those people who feel something is not right if you suddenly start yawning while listening to a heavy music album, no matter which song is playing, consequently changing the music to something more berserk, then Parables of Umbral Transcendence, the debut album by American Guttural Brutal Slamming Death Metal band Swine Overlord might be exactly what you need to feed your inner beast, always eager for the meanest type of metal you can think of.

Formed in December 2011 under the name Malignant Abomination, what once started as a project quickly evolved to a more serious and professional band, changing the name to Hypoxic and then one last time to Swine Overlord. On Halloween of 2012, the band released their first EP entitled Anthologies of Abomination (re-released in 2013 by Gore House Productions), and now in 2014 they’re finally releasing a full-length album which overflows furious riffs, blasting beats and blood-curdling vocals, including special appearances by guitarist/vocalist Mike O’Hara (Splattered Entrails), vocalist Josh Smith (Gutfucked), Hunter Pate, and vocalist Richard “Yeti” Kirk (Abdicate).

Swine Overlord’s  bestial sonic assault starts with Celestial Purge, with its Cannibal Corpse-ish riffs and drums as fast as a machine gun, followed by the even more insane Transformation and Rebirth, where the guttural vocals reach some really deep notes. This song is pure slamming and as brutal as one can imagine, which makes me wonder how just three musicians can generate so much violence in such a short period of time. Although the instrumental track Convergence slows things down a bit, even with its strong bass lines, it ends up working more like an intro to the next song, Post-Burial Defloration, which “desperate” sonority will be too disturbing for people not used to this type of music. Moreover, pay attention to the excellent double bass by drummer Devin Alford and to the last part of the song, these details are both very important to its overall quality.

Falsum Messias keeps up with the sheer brutality by Swine Overlord with its more melodic guitar lines, becoming some pure headbanging after two minutes, while Bleeding the Sinful is indeed a great song for fans of brutal music, with its vocals sounding so vile and devilish sometimes it can be really disturbing for the faint of heart. That can also be said about Chunks, where the whole band keeps the energy bar high with another technical and brutal performance. How amazingly violent would this song sound during a live concert?

Swine O PicThe next part of the album is composed by the excellent Cadaveric Pantomime, a song full of fuckin’ awesome riffs by guitarist Will Peplinski, in which Swine Overlord managed to sound even heavier than all previous tracks; Umbral Transcendence, with its heavy bass intro and more of the band’s characteristic brutal drumming and vocals; and the nice rhythmic breaks in Dissiliency, with highlights to the awesome job done by drummer Devin Alford, giving the song a lot more intensity.

Lastly, those North American metallers still have fuel left for more insanity with the violent Porkchop, The Man-Butcher (an interesting name for a song, by the way), where riffs and vocals go along flawlessly, followed by the headbanging track Dismantling the Flesh Construct, and finally what can be considered the darkest song of the entire album, Seeds of a Treacherous Creation, where it’s very interesting to follow the fast drumming blended with more obscure passages, and once again terrific guttural vocals that sound like if singer Anthony Davis was possessed by a demon.

In summary, with Parables of Umbral Transcendence, which is available for purchase at the official Gore House Productions webshop and as a digital album at the Gore House Productions BandCamp page, Swine Overlord summarize everything one needs to know about cruelty and brutality in 40 minutes of very raw and technical Death Metal. Furthermore, if they keep loyal to their principles and maintain that level of quality in their ruthless musicality, we will surely start seeing those guys kicking ass in different cities, venues and festivals pretty soon, injecting some much needed violence to the music industry, especially to the boring and stale U.S. market.

Best moments of the album: Celestial Purge, Falsum Messias and Cadaveric Pantomime.

Worst moments of the album: Convergence and Umbral Transcendence.

Released in 2014 Gore House Productions

Track listing
1. Celestial Purge 3:22
2. Transformation and Rebirth 1:49
3. Convergence 1:41
4. Post-Burial Defloration 5:14
5. Falsum Messias 4:00
6. Bleeding the Sinful 4:11
7. Chunks 3:11
8. Cadaveric Pantomime 3:09
9. Umbral Transcendence 2:51
10. Dissiliency 3:34
11. Porkchop, The Man-Butcher 3:31
12. Dismantling the Flesh Construct 3:03
13. Seeds of a Treacherous Creation 2:42

Band members
Anthony Davis – vocals
Will Peplinski – guitars, bass
Devin Alford – vocals, drums

Album Review – Septekh / Plan for World Domination (2014)

Posted on by
1

These Swedish metallers show us all how to dominate the world with violent and creative heavy music.

Rating4

SEPTEKH - Plan for World Domination cover artFrom the obscure island of Mörkö, Sweden, comes a band that plans to dominate the world with an awesome mix of Thrash, Death and Black Metal, Rock N’ Roll, and even Blues in their musicality. After two EP’s, entitled The Seth Avalanche (2012) and Apollonian Eyes (2013), the latter with the outstanding song (and video) “Burn It To The Ground”, it’s time for Swedish Death/Thrash metallers Septekh to release their first full-length album, the excellent Plan for World Domination.

Formed in 2008 in Stockholm, those Swedish guys are not only very technical in what they do, but there’s an extra dose of dark humor that ends up adding a lot of value to the music they play. I think it’s more than obvious that without humor no one can blend the brutality of Slayer with Motörhead and Blues music, and sing about death and depravity, without sounding cheap. I mean, you have to be completely arrogant and out of your mind if you think you can do Thrash Metal better than Slayer, don’t you agree? Fortunately, that’s not the case with Septekh, and what they offer us in this album is beyond enjoyable and fun, starting by the brilliant album art, featuring the big horse (also known as “Playmate of the Year – The Hippocalyptic Messenger”) by Swedish artist Richard Damm.

When you see such an amazing front cover like this one, you automatically know the content inside is going to be good, which is exactly what happens as soon as the band starts blasting everything on their way with the opening track, Into The Void Of My Mind, a frantic crossover of Thrash Metal from the 80’s and Death Metal, with riffs and guitar solo the likes of Anthrax or Exodus. The following track of the album, Going Down In Style, is some kind of “Blues Metal”, with highlight to the bass lines and the rhythmic drumming by Patrik Ström and Staffan Persson respectively and its fun lyrics about selling your soul to the devil  (“I’m going down in style / I got better things to do than survive / I’m going down in style / See I’ll be burning up and I’ll do it with a smile”), turning it into the best song of all; while Saving Graces goes back to a more direct Thrash Metal with some nuances of Punk Rock. In addition, it should work really well if included in their live performances due to its high level of energy.

In Neanderthal, which sounds like the band’s “tribute” to the unique Rock N’ Roll by Motörhead, Septekh present a faster and rawer side of their music, while in Don Asshole the band offers a more modern sonority focusing on heaviness instead of speed, with David Wikström doing an awesome job on the guitars. Then we have Left Handed Man, a very melodic and exciting tune that truly elevates the quality of the album with excellent vocal lines by Nils GRZNLS Meseke blending perfectly with the riffs, and the dark sonority of Black Shores, with its heavy bass intro and a huge dose of melancholy.

SEPTEKH band photoThe Man Who Died A Million Times can be summarized as two minutes of pure violence, or maybe as “the perfect soundtrack for some insane circle pits and furious headbanging”, but things get even better with Superheated Liquid Iron Core, another intense track with superb drumming and riffs that sound so much like 80’s Thrash Metal I can even visualize this song being recorded by Anthrax with Joey Belladonna on vocals.

The last part of the album starts with Eyes Of The Grave, with riffs that remind me of the early days of Slayer plus some very interesting lyrics (“There is no light / There is no youth / There are no eyes but the eyes of the grave”), followed by the fuckin’ heavy song Fuck Dollar, probably the weirdest track of all, sounding almost like traditional Black Metal in the end. And lastly, we have more traditional Thrash Metal with powerful riffs in Desdaemonia, and the 11-minute “epic” title-track Plan For World Domination, with so many different elements it gets hard to label this song. Let’s just say it’s a brutal music voyage, and that you will enjoy it for sure.

If you got hooked by Septekh’s crazy sonority and want to know more about the band, the best thing you can do is purchasing Plan for World Domination (available on the official Abyss Records store or for digital download on iTunes), because supporting this very creative Swedish band will at the same time keep the fire of metal alive and, even more important than that, help them in their amazing “plan” for dominating the entire world with fuckin’ heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Going Down In Style, Left Handed Man and Superheated Liquid Iron Core.

Worst moments of the album: Black Shores and Fuck Dollar.

Released in 2014 Studio 508 Productions / Abyss Records

Track listing
1. Into The Void Of My Mind 3:50
2. Going Down In Style 4:29
3. Saving Graces 4:28
4. Neanderthal 2:27
5. Don Asshole 4:53
6. Left Handed Man 5:05
7. Black Shores 4:33
8. The Man Who Died A Million Times 2:07
9. Superheated Liquid Iron Core 3:12
10. Eyes Of The Grave 3:54
11. Fuck Dollar 5:39
12. Desdaemonia 4:39
13. Plan For World Domination 10:58

Band members
Nils GRZNLS Meseke – vocals
David Wikström – guitars
Patrik Ström – bass
Staffan Persson – drums