Tag Archives: melodic death metal

Album Review – Voidfallen / The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse (2021)

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This young and restless Melodic Death Metal band from Finland comes ripping with their debut full-length album, dealing with the narrowness of the human mind.

Mixed by Juhamatti Kauppinen at Shedstudios, mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox, and displaying a sinister artwork by Petri Inkinen from Guilty Visuals, The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse is the awesome debut album by Helsinki, Finland-based Melodic Death Metal entity Voidfallen, a young but quickly acknowledged band formed in 2019 and currently comprised of Tommi Kangaskortet on vocals, Henri Vuorenmaa and Aleksi Tossavainen on the guitars, Lauri Myllylä on bass and Mika Lumijärvi on drums. Consisting of nine independent songs which still form the album’s own entirety, The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse deals with the narrowness of the human mind, the distress caused by that and the moral confrontations that follow, placing it among the must-listen Melodic Death Metal albums of the year and, therefore, representing a beyond solid step in the band’s up-and-coming career.

The sinister and cinematic intro The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse invites us all to join Voidfallen in their Melodic Death Metal realm to the sound of Remnants of the Heart, where Henri and Aleksi begin slashing their axes supported by the classic beats by Mika while Tommi roars manically nonstop; whereas The Hollows is even more demented than its predecessor thanks to the fulminating job done by Mika on drums, while Lauri hammers his bass mercilessly providing the band’s guitar duo all they need to shine with their riffage. Then after a serene start everything explodes into sheer savagery in The Daughters, a solid Melodic Death Metal tune spearheaded by the infernal roars by Tommi, and it’s time to bang your head like a beast in From Souls to Embers, featuring guest clean vocals by Inka Inkinen, where epic, imposing background elements elevate their core Melodic Death Metal to a whole new level.

From Embers to Fall, this time with guest clean vocals by Mikko Heikkilä (Dawn of Solace, Kaunis Kuolematon), is another rumbling, pounding creation by Voidfallen where the band’s guitar duo is on fire with their harmonious but at the same time visceral riffs; followed by the awesome Sui Generis, showcasing classy lyrics growled by Tommi (“Rise, the faithless kind and behold, your new king arrived / Now bow to me you peasants of mine / And so another chapter of this madness unfolds / Where man thinks he’s a god and the god’s a hero / Like the only star in the sky / The brightest of lights / Epitome of ego / Sui generis”) while his bandmates kick some ass with their sonic weapons in a powerful display of the band’s epic and heavy music. Featuring guest Vesa Salovaara (Ephemerald, Vorna) on vocals, The Slaves of the Echo Chambers is the second to last blast of aggressiveness with the band’s trademark melodic twist where Mika and Lauri make the earth shake with their respective beats and bass punches; and lastly, Symphonic Black Metal elements spice up the band’s sound in Seen Through Ice, allowing Tommi to deliver deeper, more demonic growls accompanied by the headbanging riffs by Henri and Aleksi.

The ruthless and extremely talented guys from Voidfallen are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with more of their heavy and caustic music, news, tour dates and so on, and if you want to show them all your support and admiration you can stream The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase the album from their own BandCamp page as well as from Record Shop X or from Apple Music. Finland has always been an endless source of top-of-the-line Melodic Death Metal, and Voidfallen are no exception to that, taking the genre to new heigths with their darker-than-usual approach and visuals, and leaving us really curious to see what’s next in their aggressive and melodic path.

Best moments of the album: From Souls to Embers, Sui Generis and The Slaves of the Echo Chambers.

Worst moments of the album: From Embers to Fall.

Released in 2021 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. The Atlas of Spiritual Apocalypse 1:11
2. Remnants of the Heart 4:04
3. The Hollows 4:16
4. The Daughters 6:02
5. From Souls to Embers 5:21
6. From Embers to Fall 5:21
7. Sui Generis 4:03
8. The Slaves of the Echo Chambers 5:00
9. Seen Through Ice 5:47

Band members
Tommi Kangaskortet – vocals
Henri Vuorenmaa – guitars
Aleksi Tossavainen – guitars
Lauri Myllylä – bass
Mika Lumijärvi – drums

Guest musicians
Vesa Salovaara – clean vocals on “The Slaves of the Echo Chambers”
Mikko Heikkilä – clean vocals on “From Embers to Fall”
Inka Inkinen – clean vocals on “From Souls to Embers”

Album Review – Endarken / The Plague of Truth (2021)

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This new underground band formed of seasoned musicians will crush our heads with their debut album, offering us all 14 tracks of in-your-face, fast-paced technical metal music.

With former members of bands the likes of Hatesphere and Chaoswave, a new Death and Thrash Metal band hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark that goes by the name of Endarken has just released their debut full-length opus, entitled The Plague of Truth, offering us fans 14 tracks of in-your-face, fast-paced technical metal music. Mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, The Haunted, Rob Halford), and displaying a stunning artwork by Jeff Christensen, an amazing surrealist painter from Seattle, the album is the perfect depiction of the talent and passion for heavy music by vocalist Tim Nederveen, guitarists Anders Høeg and Henrik Rangstrup, bassist Troels Lehmann and drummer Dennis Buhl, being highly recommended for fans of a more modern version of Thrash Metal with a very welcome European twist.

The band wastes no time and begins crushing our heads with their visceral music in Prophets of Apathy, with Anders and Henrik sounding infuriated armed with their axes in a classic Thrash Metal tune with Death Metal nuances. Tim continues to roar like a rabid beast in Da Stargo Tora (or “the black of my eyes”), another lesson in savagery and melody by the quintet showcasing piercing guitar riffs and solos for our total delight, and it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the sound of Insomnia, with Dennis dictating the song’s neck-breaking pace with his beats supported by the rumbling bass by Troels. Then drinking from the same thrashy fountain of bands like Exodus and Overkill while at the same time adding elements of Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority we have Reawake the Wolves, spearheaded by the venomous riffage by Anders and Henrik; and after the atmospheric interlude The Hunt Begins, the band comes crushing with the heavy-as-hell Reign of Disgrace, with Tim’s growls being effectively complemented by clean background vocals while the rest of the band delivers sheer animosity and rage through their sonic weapons. And get ready to bang your head nonstop to the violent Insurmountable, where Dennis blasts his drums with tons of fury and intricacy in another modern-day Thrash Metal tune made in Europe.

More melodic and somber than its predecessors, Seraphim brings forward another awesome riff work by the band’s talented guitar duo, providing Tim with all he needs to kick ass with his deep roaring, whereas more of their fulminating thrashing sounds come in the form of Velvet Redemption, where Tim sounds like a creature from the netherworld while Dennis showcases all his talent and technique behind his drums. In the title-track The Plague of Truth the band decided to invest into a more obscure sound, and although it’s still as heavy and melodic as the other songs it doesn’t really take off; followed by the cinematic bridge Endarkened, setting the tone for the pulverizing The Struggle, led by Dennis’ infernal drums and Troels’ metallic bass. Needless to say, it will inspire you to slam into the circle pit like a maniac without a shadow of a doubt, while their second to last hurricane of Thrash Metal, entitled The Pledge, brings to our ears more of Tim’s bestial gnarls supported by the slashing riffage and sick solos by Anders and Henrik. Last but not least, it’s time for the brutal Dead Swan Ballet, leaning towards pure Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal thanks to the crisp sound of their guitars, therefore putting a demented ending to the album.

This beast of an album can be fully appreciated on Spotify, but of course if you consider yourself a true metal collector you can grab a physical copy of the album from the band’s own webstore, or click HERE for all places where you can buy or stream the album. In addition, don’t forget to give Endarken a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked creations. Endarken put their (blackened) hearts and souls into the making of The Plague of Truth, and all that passion for heavy music becomes crystal clear as soon as you hit play, proving why those underground veterans know exactly what they’re doing when armed with their killer instruments, and of ocurse leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future.

Best moments of the album: Da Stargo Tora, Insomnia, Seraphim and The Struggle.

Worst moments of the album: The Plague of Truth.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Prophets of Apathy 3:38
2. Da Stargo Tora 4:09
3. Insomnia 3:27
4. Reawake the Wolves 3:38
5. The Hunt Begins 0:47
6. Reign of Disgrace 3:20
7. Insurmountable 3:58
8. Seraphim 4:02
9. Velvet Redemption 3:48
10. The Plague of Truth 2:13
11. Endarkened 0:30
12. The Struggle 3:29
13. The Pledge 3:41
14. Dead Swan Ballet 4:30

Band members
Tim Nederveen – vocals
Anders Høeg – guitars
Henrik Rangstrup – guitars
Troels Lehmann – bass
Dennis Buhl – drums

Album Review – Sense of Noise / Sense of Noise (2021)

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This newborn Mexican unity is ready to kill armed with their debut opus of ass-kicking Melodic Death Metal deeply rooted in the Gothenburg sound.

Born in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, Sense of Noise are a Mexico City, Mexico-based Melodic Death Metal band that mixes the speed and strength of Death Metal with catchy melodies, clean vocals, a modern production and several musical influences from metal and non-metal genres. Comprised of vocalist Jero Chanona, guitarist and vocalist Fede d’Empaire, guitarist Diego Caná, bassist Mao Rubio, keyboardist Nibsen and drummer Bart Chanona, all with a remarkable experience in different areas of the music industry within and outside metal, this six-piece act is unleashing upon humanity their debut self-titled effort, presenting a collection of songs deeply rooted in the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound. Produced, recorded and mixed by guitarist Fede himself, mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios, and displaying a straightforward artwork by the band’s own frontman Jero, the album is highly recommended for fans of Soilwork, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, At the Gates and Scar Symmetry, among others, positioning the band as one of the strongest names of the current Mexican metal scene.

The cinematic intro A Forgotten Oath will captivate your senses and prepare you for Sense of Noise’s metal attack in The Broken Hope, where Fede and Diego are on absolute fire with their Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal-inspired riffage, setting the tone for Jero to scream like a beast (not to mention the utterly metallic bass jabs by Mao), whereas once again drinking from the same fountain as bands like In Flames, Soilwork and Arch Enemy, it’s time for Bart to hammer his drums in War Within, showcasing a very pleasant balance between guttural roars and clean vocals. Then you better get ready for a headbanging, melodic extravaganza titled Morning Glory, again presenting classic riffs spiced up by the whimsical keys by Nibsen. In other words, it will surely please all fans of the genre, putting everyone to bang their heads nonstop to their solid metal music.

Investing into a darker and groovier sound, the band fires the smashing March of the Fallen, with Jero growling the song’s austere words manically accompanied by the rumbling bass by Mao and the always classy keys by Nibsen; and featuring the one and only Björn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) on vocals, Zero Killed is a pure, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune that will inspire you to slam into the pit, and Björn adds tons of violence and feeling to the band’s already rumbling sonority as expected. Then after a serene, acoustic start the band offers more of their fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Groove Metal in Our Dying Light, presenting a stylish paradox between their deep roars and ethereal keys; whereas guest Antony Hämäläinen (Meridian Dawn) lends his sick growling to the band in Rage of Existence, another solid composition showcasing their traditional heavy riffs, low-tuned bass punches and crushing drums. And finally, let’s bang our heads one more time with Sense of Noise in Sense of Darkness, where Jero vociferates rabidly as usual supported by Fede’s clean vocals and the Groove Metal bass by Mao.

You can get to know more about such promising band of the Mexican metal scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about those six skillful metallers, by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by streaming their ass-kicking music on Spotify, and by clicking HERE for all that plus the links to pre-save or pre-order their debut album. As already mentioned, Sense of Noise will undoubtedly face among the biggest names in their home country when the music in question is not only Melodic Death Metal, but heavy music in general, and based on the quality of the music found in their debut effort I’m pretty sure they’ll spread their wings and fly even higher, reaching fans from all over the world with their detailed and sharp compositions, and if you consider yourself a true admirer of the Gothenburg sound (albeit made in Mexico) you better hurry and add this melodic gem to your personal collection.

Best moments of the album: War Within, March of the Fallen and Zero Killed.

Worst moments of the album: Rage of Existence.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. A Forgotten Oath 1:54
2. The Broken Hope 3:37
3. War Within 3:39
4. Morning Glory 3:44
5. March of the Fallen 3:35
6. Zero Killed 3:59
7. Our Dying Light 4:40
8. Rage of Existence 4:17
9. Sense of Darkness 4:34

Band members
Jero Chanona – harsh and clean vocals
Fede d’Empaire – guitars, clean vocals
Diego Caná – guitars
Mao Rubio – bass
Nibsen – keyboards
Bart Chanona – drums

Guest musicians
Björn “Speed” Strid – vocals on “Zero Killed”
Antony Hämäläinen – vocals on “Rage of Existence”

Album Review – Trivium / In the Court of the Dragon (2021)

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It’s time to join Trivium in the court of the dragon to the sound of their magnificent new opus.

“In the court of the dragon
Death of gods and world
In the court of the dragon
You will know your worth”

After getting back on track with their two previous albums, those being the excellent The Sin and the Sentence, released in 2017, and What The Dead Men Say, released in the beginning of 2020, Orlando, Florida-based Heavy Metal unity Trivium continues to deliver their trademark fusion of violence, speed and intricacy with their newborn spawn, beautifully titled In the Court of the Dragon, the tenth studio album in their beyond solid career. Produced by Josh Wilbur and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, In the Court of the Dragon sounds and feels even better than its predecessors, proving the isolation during the pandemic was extremely productive for vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu, bassist Paolo Gregoletto, and drummer Alex Bent, who as I always like to say elevated Trivium’s sound to a whole new level after joining the band in 2017, and in their new album he sounds even more awesome than usual.

Composed and arranged by Emperor’s own Ihsahn, X is an epic, dark and cinematic intro that warms up our senses for the fulminating In the Court of the Dragon, where Matt begins screaming the song’s powerful lyrics (“In the court of the dragon / Death of gods and world / In the court of the dragon / You will know your worth”) accompanied by the headbanging riffs and beats by Corey and Alex, whereas an imposing start morphs into sheer adrenaline in Like a Sword Over Damocles, with Matt and Corey kicking ass on the guitars while Paolo makes the earth tremble with his bass jabs. Needless to say, Alex adds tons of intricacy and feeling to this already fantastic composition, turning it into my favorite of the entire album. Then we have Feast of Fire, the second single of the album and a solid, traditional Trivium song, albeit not as powerful as the rest of the album. Then it’s time for another frantic, high-octane creation by the quartet named A Crisis of Revelation, providing an excellent balance between their heaviest side and their more melodious, clean sounds, and if played live it will surely ignite some fun mosh pits during their live concerts.

In The Shadow of the Abattoir we’re treated to a gentle beginning to the deep, clean vocals by Matt, evolving into another complex Melodic Death and Heavy Metal feast spearheaded by Alex and his unstoppable drums and spiced up by their sick guitar solos; and more of their groovy sounds are offered to us all in the neck-breaking No Way Back Just Through, with Matt once again thriving with both his clean singing and enraged roars. A massive wall of sounds will hammer your head mercilessly in Fall Into Your Hands, even heavier and more detailed than its predecessors, where Matt screams nonstop from the bottom of his heart while his bandmates add elements from Progressive, Death and even Symphonic Metal to their core sonority. It looks like the guys form Trivium wanted to offer endless heaviness in their new album, and they more than succeeded in that as From Dawn to Decadence is another bestial Metalcore tune where Matt, Corey and Paolo are in absolute sync from start to finish with their infernal riffage and bass. Lastly, closing the album we face one final round of their trademark wicked lyrics in The Phalanx (“Within the thrill, amidst the kill / One against all, soon blood will spill / We cannot wait to make your pain / We are the burn inside your brain”) amidst a hurricane of heavy sounds that lasts for stunning seven minutes.

Trivium are a band that at the same respects their past while always looking towards the future, and In the Court of the Dragon (available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify) is the perfect depiction of that, pointing to an even brighter future ahead of those four talented metallers who are becoming one of the most important bands of the current scene worldwide. Hence, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube for news, tour dates, and more of their sick music and videos, and if you want to add the majestic In the Court of the Dragon to your personal collection, you can purchase it from their official webstore, or click HERE for several other places where you can buy the physical or digital copy of the album. As the lyrics to the title-track say, “in the court of the dragon you will know your worth”, and if you’re there to the sound of Trivium’s new album, you can rest assured the “dragon” will provide you with exactly what you deserve.

Best moments of the album: In the Court of the Dragon, Like a Sword Over Damocles, A Crisis of Revelation and Fall Into Your Hands.

Worst moments of the album: Feast of Fire.

Released in 2021 Roadrunner Records

Track listing
1. X 1:26
2. In the Court of the Dragon 5:09
3. Like a Sword Over Damocles 5:30
4. Feast of Fire 4:18
5. A Crisis of Revelation 5:35
6. The Shadow of the Abattoir 7:11
7. No Way Back Just Through 3:53
8. Fall Into Your Hands 7:45
9. From Dawn to Decadence 4:08
10. The Phalanx 7:15

Band members
Matt Heafy – lead vocals, guitar
Corey Beaulieu – guitar, backing vocals
Paolo Gregoletto – bass guitar, backing vocals
Alex Bent – drums, percussion

Guest musician
Ihsahn – orchestration and synths on “X”

Album Review – Lutharo / Hiraeth (2021)

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Behold the first full-length album by this fantastic Canadian Melodic Death Metal band, balancing hauntingly beautiful atmospheres with raw power and aggression.

Following the success of their 2020 EP Wings of Agony, Hamilton, Canada-based Melodic Death Metal outfit Lutharo (or Lutharö, if you prefer) is back into the battlefield with their first full-length opus, entitled Hiraeth, a Welsh word that has no direct English translation but that means an intense form of longing or nostalgia for a place long gone, or even an unaccountable homesickness for a place you have never visited. Recorded and mixed by Tyler Williams at Monolithic Productions, mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios, and displaying a classy artwork by Gogo Melone, Hiraeth launches into an epic exploration of the technical, musical and compositional abilities of frontwoman Krista Shipperbottom, guitarists Victor Bucur and John Raposo, bassist Chris Pacey and drummer Duval Gabraiel, balancing hauntingly beautiful atmospheres with raw power and aggression, and therefore, representing a huge step in the right direction for such talented Canadian band.

The sound of a beating heart ignites Lutharo’s metal machine in the intro Introspection, setting the stage for Victor and John to kick some ass with their riffs in the high-octane To Kill or to Crave, where Krista already showcases all her talent and fury through her sick, demented roars, sounding like a modern-day version of Angela Gossow during her unforgettable Arch Enemy years. Duval keeps hammering his drums frantically in What Sleeps in Your Mind, accompanied by the rumbling bass by Chris and the always sharp axes by the band’s guitar duo in a flawless display of contemporary Melodic Death Metal, followed by Phantom, slightly more symphonic than its predecessors but still venomous and heavy-as-hell, bringing forward another round of the band’s unrelenting music spearheaded by the she-wolf screams by Krista, and Worship Your Path, where the band’s stringed trio generates a massive atmosphere for their unstoppable frontwoman to shine once again, not to mention it’s epic NWOBHM vibe.

Lutharo Hiraeth Box Set

In Hopeless Abandonment the skillful Krista and the boys show no sign of slowing down, with Duval being on absolute fire with his crushing beats and fills, not to mention the always incendiary riffage and solos by Victor and John. Are you tired already? Because Krista is ready to slash your damned soul with her wicked roars in Valley of the Cursed, displaying a brutal performance by Duval on drums and, consequently, adding an extra touch of aggression to the band’s first-class musicality; whereas In Silence We Reign sounds and feels more epic than the rest of the album, a pounding tune that will work perfectly if played live with Duval making sure we break our necks headbanging nonstop while Krista gives a vocal lesson from start to finish. Their second to last explosion of Melodic Death Metal comes in the form of the breathtaking Eclipse, very intricate and progressive at times, with the guitars by Victor and John exhaling electricity and harmony, and last but not least, the band invests into a darker sonority in Lost in a Soul, putting a climatic ending to the album to the blast beats by Duval and the crisp riffage by Victor and John, until everything fades into an enfolding darkness.

As I like to say, it’s an absolute pleasure seeing bands like Lutharo taking their music to a whole new level and showing the entire world the quality, strength and diversity of the current Canadian metal scene, and with Hiraeth they not only more than succeeded in that, but they also placed themselves as one of the driving forces of the Canadian scene. Hence, don’t forget to give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel (like I’ve already done) for more of their awesome music and beautiful videos, to stream all of their creations on Spotify, and of course to grab your copy of Hiraeth from their own BandCamp page or from their Big Cartel (where you can find a fantastic box set containing the Hiraeth digipack CD, a logo patch, a Hiraeth flag, a logo keychain and a signed photo), as well as from Apple Music. It will be interesting to see if Lutharo will be capable of delivering something more powerful and dynamic than Hiraeth in their future releases, but based on the talent of all musicians involved I wouldn’t be surprised if next year Krista and the boys stun us all once again with their undisputed metal music.

Best moments of the album: To Kill or to Crave, What Sleeps in Your Mind, Valley of the Cursed and Eclipse.

Worst moments of the album: Phantom.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Introspection 1:42
2. To Kill or to Crave 4:51
3. What Sleeps in Your Mind 5:19
4. Phantom 5:01
5. Worship Your Path 5:03
6. Hopeless Abandonment 4:23
7. Valley of the Cursed 4:31
8. In Silence We Reign 4:50
9. Eclipse 4:07
10. Lost in a Soul 7:03

Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
John Raposo – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Duval Gabraiel – drums

Guest musician
Elliot Vernon – orchestral arrangements

Album Review – Carcass / Torn Arteries (2021)

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It’s time to wake up once again and smell the bloody and melodic new album by one of the most important bands in the history of extreme music.

If you have a craving for bloody, raw Extreme Metal, get ready to be stunned by Torn Arteries, the brand new opus by Liverpool, UK-based Grindcore masters Carcass, unleashing hell, violence and gore upon us all mere mortals. Recorded at Ghost Ward Studio and The Stationhouse, mixed at Ghost Ward Studio, mastered at Fascination Street Studios and featuring a beautiful artwork by Polish artist Zbigniew Bielak, Torn Arteries is not only the band’s seventh studio album, but their first in eight years since the majestic Surgical Steel, released in 2013, and the wait was absolutely worth it as vocalist and bassist Jeff Walker, guitarist Bill Steer and drummer Daniel Wilding are on fire from start to finish, showcasing all their refined skills while blending the aggressiveness of extreme music with their trademark melody and visceral lyrics.

Daniel kicks off their splatter show with the title-track Torn Arteries, with Jeff’s sick gnarls sounding better than ever for our total delight. What a pulverizing start to the album I might say, not to mention the demented riffs and solos by Bill, and it’s time to crack your neck headbanging to Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B), less violent but extremely melodic and sharp with Bill stealing the spotlight with his unmatched riffage, whereas a wicked guitar solo ignites another Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore extravaganza titled Eleanor Rigor Mortis, accompanied by the always raw and vile growling by Jeff while Daniel’s drums dictate the song’s old school pace. Then we have Under the Scalpel Blade, the only song to feature in their 2020 EP Despicable (and we already know how infernal this tune is), while more of their putrid, acid metal music is brought into being in The Devil Rides Out, again proving why they’re a reference in both Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore, with Bill’s riffs and solos being awesome as usual.

Carcass Torn Arteries Limited Box Set

As heavy and aggressive as its predecessors, Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited is a fulminating tune where Jeff is not only bestial on vocals but his bass also sounds hellish, being the perfect option for banging your head like a maniac together with the band throughout its almost 10 minutes where savagery and harmony collide in a vicious way, therefore offering our ears a unique metal voyage. The groovy beats by Daniel once again ignite a Grindcore attack entitled Kelly’s Meat Emporium, with Jeff and Bill being in absolute sync with their respective bass lines and riffs, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit, whereas in In God We Trust a sinister start quickly evolves into a rhythmic and heavy-as-hell sound spearheaded by Daniel’s classy drums, all spiced up by Bill’s undisputed, sharp solos. Then paying homage to themselves, the trio blasts the headbanging tune Wake Up and Smell the Carcass / Caveat Emptor, showcasing another awesome guitar job by Bill while Jeff continues to haunt our souls with his demonic gnarls. And their last breath of insanity and gore comes in the form of The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing, where Jeff, Bill and Daniel smash their sonic weapons in great fashion offering us all another solid tune to close such austere and melodic album.

As Carcass are not only an awesome band but also a group of very nice gentlemen, they’ve made the full album available on both YouTube and Spotify for our vulgar delectation, but of course let’s support the masters of Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by purchasing a copy of their bloodthirsty new album from Nuclear Blast by clicking HERE or HERE, and if I were you I would go for the sick Torn Arteries boxset limited to 2,000 worldwide, including the album on CD and veggie splatter vinyl, a 24-page booklet, and a porcelain plate with a stainless steel fork and knife dinnerware set. It’s time to wake up and smell the carcass to the sound of Torn Arteries, knowing that as long as Carcass remain active, their smell will continue to be a thrilling fusion of metal music, blood, speed and violence.

Best moments of the album: Torn Arteries, Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited and Kelly’s Meat Emporium.

Worst moments of the album: Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B).

Released in 2021 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Torn Arteries 4:00
2. Dance of IXTAB (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No.1 in B) 4:29
3. Eleanor Rigor Mortis 4:14
4. Under the Scalpel Blade 3:56
5. The Devil Rides Out 5:22
6. Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment Limited 9:42
7. Kelly’s Meat Emporium 3:24
8. In God We Trust 3:57
9. Wake Up and Smell the Carcass / Caveat Emptor 4:36
10. The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing 5:20

Japanese Edition bonus track
11. NWOBHEAD 3:03

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Daniel Wilding – drums

Guest musician
Tom Draper – guitars (live)
Per Wiberg – organ, piano
Fredrik Klingwall – keyboards

Metal Chick of the Month – Ira Sidenko

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ira01

How to open your heart in the chaos of life? Learn to give and to share, to hustle and strive…

If you consider yourself a diehard fan of both old school and modern-day Death Metal, I’m certain you’ll have a very good time with our metal chick of the month of September. Not only she’s the owner of a potent and visceral voice, but her charisma, together with her onstage (and onscreen) performance, turn her into a must-listen and see for any admirer of first-class extreme music. I’m talking about the unstoppable Russian growler Ira Sidenko, also known as Irina Sidenko (or even Ирина Сиденко in Russian), the frontwoman for Tomsk, Russia-based Death Metal brigade Dehydrated, and a metalhead who is always expressing her passion for Heavy Metal through her music and art.

Born in the city of Tomsk, in Tomsk Oblast, a federal subject of Russia (an oblast) that lies in the southeastern West Siberian Plain, Ira studied at Tomsk State University, or TSU, known in her mother tongue as Томский Государственный Университет, or ТГУ, but it’s not clear exactly what course or courses she took at TSU. It was in 2008 when she founded Dehydrated (being named Dehydrated Entrails from 2008 until 2009, when they changed their name to the current one) together with guitarist Evgen Tsibulin, bassist Evgeny Zimin and drummer Alexey Ablayev, with only Ira and Evgen being still in the band from its original formation. Playing a fusion of classic Death Metal with other styles such as Deathcore, Grindcore, Groove Metal and even Progressive Metal, among others, the band didn’t know exactly what they wanted to play at first, but they knew it was going to be hard and aggressive, experimenting with several genres and subgenres of heavy music as aforementioned. By the way, when asked about the origin of the band’s name, Ira explained that’s how you feel after a concert, feeling dehydrated both physically and mentally after all the exchange of energy between the band and the crowd.

Having already played in several international festivals including Metal Head’s Mission (Ukraine), Metal Crowd (Belarus), Petrogrind (St. Petersburg), Metal Maidens (Kaluga), and Cieszanów Rock Festiwal (Poland), as well as tours around Russia and Eastern Europe, the band has unleashed upon humanity an array of high-quality albums and EP’s, those being the 2009 demo Suffering from Mummification, the full-lengths Duality of Existence (2011), Zone Beneath the Skin (2012) and Awake in Era (2012), the EP’s Mind Extract (2011), Piranha or Whale? (2019) and Piranha or Whale (Part II) (2020), and a 2011 split with the bands PureFilth, Grace Disgraced and Redrvm. Furthermore, in one of her interviews, Ira mentioned that her favorite Dehydrated album to date is Awake in Era, as she considers it more professional and more atmospheric than the other releases, with each of its songs representing a different story, but I’m sure that opinion will change with each of their releases just like what happens with any musician. And when asked about what Dehidrated means to her, she said that as music is her life, the band represents life to her, always showing a lot of love for her own work.

Dehydrated are a DIY band, doing everything themselves and relying a lot on the internet for sales and promotional activities just like countless underground bands worldwide. Ira mentioned that services like BandCamp, Spotify, Patreon and YouTube have been helping the band a lot with their promotion, but that at the same time they still have a hard time trying to organize tours all by themselves.  Hence, if you want to give the music by Dehydrated a try, you can stream all of their creations on BandCamp, on Spotify and on YouTube, where you can have an absolute blast with songs the likes of Hell Doesn’t Exist, Parallels, Sickness, Outlaws, Thirst of Dose, Werewolf, Alive Underground, Piranha or Whale, and their excellent covers for Motörhead’s Ace of Spades and Lake of Tears’ U.N.S.A.N.E.

Apart from her career with Dehydrated, you can also find Ira kicking some ass with a female-fronted metal band from Saint Petersburg, Russia named Fallcie for a while, and she can also be seen as a guest vocalist in the song А Время Шло, from the 2020 EP А Время Шло (or “time went on”) by Kaluga, Russia-based Melodic Death Metal band Last Trial. In addition, Ira is also an amazing online vocal coach as you can see on her own YouTube channel, not only providing some great tips to growlers worldwide, but also uploading to her channel cover versions for countless songs the likes of Slaughter to Prevail’s Hell, Rammstein’s Sonne, Linkin Park’s From the Inside, Decapitated’s Homo Sum, Death’s Without Judgement, Vader’s Hexenkessel, and Whitchapel’s I Dementia.

All those top-notch cover versions are not in vain, as all of those bands are also part of Ira’s idols and influences list. As a matter of fact, when asked about how she would define the sound by Dehydrated, she mentioned it’s a fusion of different styles from bands such as Death, Gojira, Animal as Leaders, and so on. Regarding her personal preferences, our beloved growler mentioned the first bands she fell in love with were Rammstein and Slipknot, later moving on to Black and Death Metal and getting absolutely addicted to that. Furthermore, the first time she heard a Death Metal band was when she got to know the music by Aborted, also getting hooked to the music by Whitechapel, Deicide and Vital Remains. However, Ira said she doesn’t have any limits when listening to music, being also a fan of Jazz, Blues, Grindcore and many other distinct styles, but of course always praising metal behemoths the likes of Motörhead, Manowar and Metallica.

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Ira also provided her view on how to become a metal vocalist in one of her interviews, saying that there’s no secret to that but several years of practice and studies (and tons of mistakes) and a never-ending desire to grow, always searching for the right sound and for professional development. Although she mentioned she hadn’t had an older brother to show her metal music, Ira mentioned she had a friend with whom she used to listen to Rammstein together, which inspired her to form a band and, later, as her taste for music became heavier and heavier, she naturally decided to learn how to do guttural by herself. Having the flexibility to sing in English, Russian and German, Ira believes her vocal performance and her confidence have improved a lot since the band’s 2009 debut demo Suffering from Mummification, again pointing out to the importance of constant learning to become a better vocalist.

When asked about the metal scene in Russia (and in Eastern Europe in general), she thinks the bands in Russia need to show more of their own culture and ideas when creating music instead of trying to mimic famous European or American bands, but of course she acknowledges there are tons of fantastic bands in her homeland such as Katalepsy and Arkona. Moreover, in regards to her hometown Tomsk, she said that there was a time when Siberia, where Tomsk is located, once had a very strong metal scene, but that has changed over time and today the scene is not as powerful and the attendance to metal concerts has dropped significantly. She complemented by saying that not only in Tomsk, but in the entire Russia (and maybe we can also add the rest of the world to the mix), you can only get in contact with metal music through the internet, as the radio and TV do not offer any space to bands like Dehydrated, and there aren’t any major festivals either to promote the bands. She still thinks that there are great bands coming from her hometown, though, such as Apokefale and Dark Revenge, which needless to say need our total support to avoid getting extinct.

Last but not least, our Russian growler believes that becoming a Death Metal vocalist isn’t easy at all, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, but of course it can be a little bit tougher to girls depending on the situation due to the sexism that still happens in the metal community all over the world. She said that once in a while she’s the target of that sexism, but she doesn’t really care about it and keeps working hard to make Dehydrated a better band and to make herself a better vocalist. When asked about how she responds to those attacks, she said she simply doesn’t answer back to the haters, ignoring them on social media and focusing on what really matters, which is the opinion and support of her fans, her friends and her family. And to be fair, she’s more than right in doing so, avoiding bringing that negativity to her work as a musician, therefore keeping her haters screaming in anger (but not as greatly as her) for not engaging in a virtual battle with her. That’s how you recognize a true musician, and let’s hope Ira keeps growling in our faces for many years to come with her ass-kicking band.

Ira Sidenko’s Official VKontakte
Dehydrated’s Official Facebook page
Dehydrated’s Official VKontakte
Dehydrated’s Official Instagram
Dehydrated’s Official YouTube channel

“We are very pleased to be able to create and do what we like, we do not know for how long but the only certainty is that there is only one here and now. We look to the future positively.” – Ira Sidenko

Album Review – Mütherload / Ü EP (2021)

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This regrouped tour-de-force from Canada is ready to kill with a six-track introduction of their thrashy, groovy and melodic death sound.

3.0rating

mütherload-ü-ep-2021After two years of creating and crafting their own sound, along with being the local opening support for touring bands the likes of Threat Signal, Green Jëllo, Beyond Creation and The Blood of Christ, London, Canada-based Melodic Death/Groove Metal unity Mütherload, a regrouped tour-de-force birthed from the ashes of Heaven Ablaze, is now ready to present their first offering in the form of an EP simply entitled Ü, a six-track introduction of Mütherload’s thrashy, groovy, melodic death sound recommended for fans of Lamb of God, In Flames, Mastodon, Opeth and Tool. Produced, mixed and mastered by Thomas Ireland and featuring a sick artwork by tattoo artist Dave Schultz, the EP offers us a very good and incendiary sample of what vocalist Derek Lee, guitarists Patrick Davison and Derek Haley, bassist Chris McKichan and drummer Matt Ashton are capable of.

And Patrick and Derek Haley begin slashing their guitars in great fashion in Insect, accompanied by the groovy bass jabs by Chris and the rhythmic beats by Matt in an awesome display of Groove Metal, all of course spiced up by the demented roars by Derek Lee; and continuing their path of devastation with a melodic touch, we’re treated to The Visitor, offering us all more of the flammable riffage by the band’s guitar duo while Derek Lee doesn’t stop screaming like a beast, living up to the legacy of renowned bands like Lamb of God. Then in the interlude Ü a sinister dialogue between two guys about their future quickly explodes into Iniquity, another infernal creation by the quintet presenting hints of Brutal Death Metal in Derek Lee’s vocals while Chris and Matt make the earth tremble with their respective bass lines and beats, morphing into a serene instrumental interlude entitled Thaügüst, where acoustic guitars will soothe your souls before we face Lamia, the darkest composition of the EP. This Stygian tune will pierce your mind mercilessly, with the entire band being on absolute fire delivering heavier-than-hell growls, riffs, bass punches and blast beats, inspiring you to bang your head nonstop in the name of our beloved metal music.

mütherload-2021“The Ü EP is our first step back into the metal scene after years of silence. We feel this small collection of music represents the focus that we’ve developed as a band in our songwriting for the first time in years. Musically, we’ve stretched our reach into new territory with open tunings, and more space for vocals. This EP deserves to be played loud, so crank it up,” commented Patrick about the band’s newborn spawn, and you can enjoy each second of music from Ü by streaming the full EP on Spotify. In addition, don’t forget to show your support to this newly formed band of metal veterans by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by grabbing your copy of the EP from their own BandCamp page. The EP might be the band’s first step back into the scene, as mentioned by Patrick, but what a great step it is, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Mütherload and to witness them kicking some serious ass on Canadian stages soon with their awesome creations.

Best moments of the album: Insect and Lamia.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing 
1. Insect 3:54
2. The Visitor 3:39
3. Ü 0:44
4. Iniquity 3:06
5. Thaügüst 1:43
6. Lamia 3:24

Band members
Derek Lee – vocals
Patrick Davison – guitar
Derek Haley – guitar
Chris McKichan – bass
Matt Ashton – drums

Album Review – Coiled Around Thy Spine / From The Ashes (2021)

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From the ashes these Italian metallers rise with more of their shredding guitar solos, blasting drums and soaring vocals in the form of their sophomore album, representing an evolution in their visceral sound.

4.0rating

coiled-around-thy-spine-from-the-ashes-2021Three years after the release of their fulminating debut album Shades, vocalist Daniele Rosso and guitarist and bassist Sergio Costa, supported by session drummer Tomonobu ‘Tomi’ Inoue and collectively known as Turin, Italy-based Melodic Death Metal outfit Coiled Around Thy Spine, are back in action with their shredding guitar solos, blasting drums and soaring vocals inspired by classic and new Death Metal in the form of their sophomore effort entitled From The Ashes. A true step up in their career, From The Ashes offers us listeners an evolution in the sound by the Italian duo from their debut album, being highly recommended for fans of renowned acts the likes of Arch Enemy, Death, Trivium, early In Flames and Megadeth, and above all, for anyone who enjoys a huge dosage of violence mixed with great melodies and a very good reason for headbanging like there’s no tomorrow.

And futuristic sounds arise from the underworld in the opening tune Paracosm, before Sergio and Tomi begin their respective riffs and beats attack, exploding into sheer Melodic Death Metal to the wicked roars by Daniele while all is carefully spiced up by a trademark guitar solo by Sergio. Then epic, Stygian background elements set the tone in the visceral tune Back To The Dark Dimension, with Daniele’s growls and screams getting even more enraged while Sergio continues to slash his axe majestically; and there’s no time to breathe as Coiled Around Thy Spine keep crushing our souls with their melodic and intricate Death Metal in Breath Of Existence, where Tomi is once again bestial behind his drums, not to mention the awesome job done by Sergio with both his riffs and bass lines. After such demolishing tune, a sinister and melancholic intro morphs into a mid-tempo Melodic Death Metal feast the likes of early Arch Enemy in Graveyard Of Thoughts, an excellent choice for breaking your neck to the pounding drums by Tomi.

The band keeps exploring darker paths in Burning Souls, another somber creation by Daniele and Sergio showcasing those piercing guitars that only Melodic Death Metal can provide us. It would have been more effective if a little shorter, though, whereas back to a more epic and violent mode it’s time for a fulminating metal onrush entitled Survival Instinct, with Sergio’s riffs generating a flammable paradox with the song’s background keys while Daniele and Tomi fire sheer animosity and hatred through their respective growls and beats. Then get ready to have your ears and minds pierced mercilessly by the scorching riffs by Sergio while Daniele keeps gnarling like a beast in Red Rising Sun, keeping the album as sulfurous and obscure as it can be, while the title-track From The Ashes closes the regular version of the album on a demolishing note, inviting us all to bang our heads and slam into the pit while Daniele vociferates rabidly nonstop. Furthermore, if you go for the special edition of the album you’ll be treated to two amazing cover songs as a bonus, those being Like Hell by Loudness and Bite The Pain by Death (and you can check the original ones HERE and HERE). Needless to say, Coiled Around Thy Spine simply kicked some serious ass with both versions.

coiled-around-thy-spine-2021In a nutshell, the guys from Coiled Around Thy Spine have outdone themselves in From The Ashes (which is available for a full listen on Spotify), delivering a thrilling hybrid of old school and modern sounds that will undoubtedly please any fan of Heavy Metal, even the ones who don’t enjoy extreme music that much. Hence, in order to show those Italian metallers your utmost support, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and of course, to purchase From The Ashes from their own BandCamp page, as well as from Apple Music or from Amazon. And let’s all hope Coiled Around Thy Spine do not take too long to get back “from the ashes” with more of their sick and visceral music.

Best moments of the album: Back To The Dark Dimension, Breath Of Existence, Survival Instinct and From The Ashes.

Worst moments of the album: Burning Souls.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing      
1. Paracosm 5:51
2. Back To The Dark Dimension 4:59
3. Breath Of Existence 5:01
4. Graveyard Of Thoughts 6:05
5. Burning Souls 8:36
6. Survival Instinct 5:51
7. Red Rising Sun 5:45
8. From The Ashes 6:10

Special Edition bonus tracks
9. Like Hell (Loudness cover) 3:40
10. Bite The Pain (Death cover) 4:47

Band members
Daniele Rosso – vocals
Sergio Costa – guitars, bass, synth

Guest musician
Tomonobu ‘Tomi’ Inoue – drums (session)

Album Review – BloodBlind / False Light EP (2021)

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Light, darkness and ass-kicking metal music. That’s exactly what this Finnish band has to offer us all in their new EP.

3.0rating

bloodblind-false-light-ep-2021Recorded, produced, mixed, and mastered by Niila Perkkiö at Sniper Sounds, the fast and melodic False Light, the brand new EP by Helsinki, Finland-based Heavy/Groove Metal unity BloodBlind, picks up where they left after going on a two-year hiatus shortly after the release of their 2017 self-titled debut EP, while at the same time offering us fans a fresher and more dynamic sound thanks to the excellent job done by Tommi Kokko on vocals, Joni Halmetoja (Rottendawn, Legacy) and Marko Lundahl (Six Inch, Korpsesoturi) on the guitars, Janne Saksola on bass and backing vocals, and Frank Fagerström on drums. In other words, if you enjoy the heavy, groovy and melodic metal music made not only Finland, but also from the entire Scandinavia, you must take a listen at the new EP brought forth by those skillful musicians from the land of ice and snow.

The whimsical keys, violin and cello by guests Kelly Walsh, Oona Yliperttula and Suvi Lehtimäki, respectively, in the intro Lucem Ac Tenebras (or “light and darkness” from Latin) will put you in a trance before BloodBlind begin their wicked metal feast in [Redacted], where the headbanging, visceral riffs by Joni and Marko are effectively accompanied by the pounding drums by Frank, blending the fury and groove of bands the likes of At The Gates and Lamb Of God. Then the sick bass jabs by Janne will invite you to slam into the circle pit to the Punk Metal-infused tune Hits and Blood, with Tommi roaring and screaming nonstop like a demented creature. Furthermore, this metallic composition is thrilling and electrifying from start to finish, also showcasing classic guitar solos and, of course, bringing rage to our damned hearts. Lastly, leaning towards the trademark sound from countless Finnish Melodic Death Metal acts, the title-track False Light keeps the EP moving forward at full speed, with the heavy beats by Frank dictating the pace while supporting Tommi with his vocal attack until the very last second.

bloodblind-2021If heavy music is your business (and business is good), you can enjoy False Light in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course the best way to support underground metal is by purchasing your favorite format of the EP by clicking HERE. Also, don’t forget to show the guys from BloodBlind your love and tell them how much you like their music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and also to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their high-octane music. The term “false light” might mean an untrue or misleading portrayal, but that’s not what BloodBlind have to offer us in their new EP; quite the contrary, it’s ass-kicking metal music with no filters nor any artificial elements, staying true to their roots and, consequently, pointing to a bright future ahead of those unrelenting musicians.

Best moments of the album: Hits and Blood.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing 
1. Lucem Ac Tenebras 1:22
2. [Redacted] 4:42
3. Hits and Blood 2:08
4. False Light 4:46

Band members
Tommi Kokko – vocals
Joni Halmetoja – guitar
Marko Lundahl – guitar
Janne Saksola – bass, vocals
Frank Fagerström – drums

Guest musicians
Kelly Walsh – piano and synths on “Lucem Ac Tenebras”
Oona Yliperttula – violin on “Lucem Ac Tenebras”
Suvi Lehtimäki – cello on “Lucem Ac Tenebras”