Tag Archives: melodic death metal

Album Review – Gothic / Demons (2017)

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One of the most respected bands in the history of Romanian metal powerfully unleashes their “demons” upon mankind with their heavy and melodic new album.

Rating4

gothic-demonsEstablished back in 1992 by guitarist and singer Alin Petrut in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, Melodic Death Metal band Gothic has quickly become one of the most respected metal bands in the country, having played alongside giants like Manowar, Dimmu Borgir, Europe, Korpiklaani, Gojira and Napalm Death, among many others. Even after changing the band’s name to Ali(e)n and then to Innerfire in 2003 when Alin re-located the band to Belgium, the band kept building a strong reputation among metalheads all over Europe, returning to their hometown Petrosani in 2005 again under the name Gothic (as a separate entity from the still-active Innerfire) and culminating with their participation in the 2012 edition of Wacken Open Air after winning the Romanian finals of Wacken Metal Battle that year.

Exactly 25 years after the band’s inception, Alin and his Gothic are back with Demons, their first full-length album since their 2013 release Expect the Worst. Displaying a darkly beautiful artwork by the band’s own bassist Csaba “Taly” Talpai, and featuring for the first time George Lazar on harsh vocals and Vlad Golgotiu on drums, Demons is definitely Gothic’s most professional and multilayered album to date, blending the classic sonority from the band’s extensive career together with fresh new elements from modern metal music. After listening to this cohesive and melodic album, it won’t be hard for you to understand why Gothic play such an important part in the history of Romanian metal.

In the opening track Shadow Man you’ll quickly notice their musicality is not really “Gothic” as the band’s name states, but fast, melodic and aggressive music, a great mix of traditional Death Metal with contemporary Melodic Death Metal where Alin delivers some sick, heavy riffs while George blasts pure fury through his guttural growls; followed by the excellent Disillusion, also exhibiting a similar Heavy/Death Metal hybrid vibe. This song presents a good headbanging pace with neck-breaking riffs by Alin, getting symphonic and futuristic at times due to the spot-on keyboards by Florian Lysy, not to mention its vengeful lyrics (“We grew apart / Betrayed our hearts / Our souls are black / Our minds are flack / You wanted that / Now take it back in your face”).

gothicIn the first single of the album, the title-track Demons, Alin, Taly and Vlad add a lot of groove and heaviness to the musicality, setting the stage for George to growl even deeper, feeling like a mix of Hard Rock with Gothic, Doom and Melodic Death Metal ideal for the song’s lyrics (“I feel their breath inside my dream / The darkness stains around me / A web of black, surrounding scent / The night is growing senseless.”). In Catacombs, which starts in a pleasant, harmonious and exciting way with Taly blasting a thunderous sound from his bass guitar, we face a magnificent balance between the havoc generated by all band members and the extremely melodic guitar solos and keyboards, whereas in Time, an upbeat composition by Alin and his henchmen, Vlad delivers precision and anger through his beats, and despite losing a bit of its electricity in the end it’s still a very enjoyable song.

Destroying the Masses, a powerful chant where Gothic displays their darkest side, brings forward a menacing atmosphere and deep guttural vocals closer to old school Death Metal, while modernity comes from the metallic riffs by Alin. And it seems the band really wants to crush our necks with their sick riffs and beats in From Within, with elements from traditional Heavy Metal added to its Melodic Death Metal sonority to make it even more harmonious. Last but not least we have A New End, a melancholic and passionate composition sung entirely in Romanian (which in my opinion is an interesting variation from the rest of the album) and featuring guest vocalist Klaus Pardos, offering the listener the heaviest version of modern Hard Rock you can think of.

Are you ready to face the heavy music engendered by these talented Romanian demons? If your answer is yes, you can follow all things Gothic at their official Facebook page and check their latest videos (including some fun tour diaries) at their YouTube channel, as well as purchase Demons at Loud Rage Music’s BandCamp or webstore. Gothic are unleashing their high-end Melodic Death Metal upon mankind with their brand new album, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss this great opportunity to get in touch with the music by such respected underground band.

Best moments of the album: Disillusion, Catacombs and Destroying the Masses.

Worst moments of the album: Time.

Released in 2017 Loud Rage Music

Track listing
1. Shadow Man 5:01
2. Disillusion 5:42
3. Demons 3:53
4. Catacombs 6:04
5. Time 4:55
6. Destroying the Masses 4:34
7. From Within 4:04
8. A New End (feat. Klaus Pardos) 5:13

Band members
Alin Petrut – guitar, clean vocals
George Lazar – harsh vocals
Csaba “Taly” Talpai – bass
Vlad Golgotiu – drums

Guest musician
Florian Lysy – keyboards
Klaus Pardos – vocals on “A New End”

Album Review – HerezA / I Become Death (2017)

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This Croatian bulldozer is ready to take the underworld of heavy music by storm with their savage sophomore opus, a vortex of devastation blending the most hazardous attributes of Punk and Death Metal that will crush your skull ruthlessly.

Rating4

hereza_coverForged in the deepest fires of Beli Manastir in July 2014, a town in eastern Croatia close to the border with Hungary, Punk/Death Metal infernal duo HerezA, which by the way is Croatian for “heresy”, has been battling against all odds in a country otherwise barren for their music style, violently carving their name in the entrails of their homeland through their wicked creations. After the release of their debut album Misanthrope in 2015, lead singer Ivan Kovačević and multi-instrumentalist Slobodan Stupar are ready to take the underworld of heavy music by storm with their savage sophomore opus, a vortex of devastation accurately named I Become Death.

Displaying a darkly intimidating artwork by Polish illustrator and graphic designer Maciej Kamuda, I Become Death will utterly shatter your neck and dismantle your braincase in its 30 minutes of vicious extreme music, bringing forward the most hazardous attributes of Death, Thrash and Black Metal, magnifying their impact with the addition of elements from D-Beat Crust, Hardcore and Punk Rock. Everything is played at the speed of light with all instruments breathing fire and hatred, featuring obviously the well-known high-quality melody and cohesiveness of European Metal. Put differently, HerezA sounds like an unstoppable sonic Leopard 2A7, one of Germany’s most successful and powerful battle tanks in history, aiming directly at your head.

The most brutal Blackened Death Metal is blasted by Slobodan in the title-track I Become Death, a monstrous business card presented by the Croatian duo where Ivan gives life to the destroyer of worlds with his infernal growls through the song’s bestial lyrics (“I come in form of devastating waves / Penetrating radiation filling up the graves / Where I go, I bring the hellish fire / A burning inferno my only desire”). And there’s no time for your head to stop buzzing, as another fantastic sick devastation in the form of music named Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna (or “fucking your cold mouth” from Croatian) comes crushing mercilessly, with Slobodan exhaling anger and aggressiveness through his Death Metal beats and flammable riffs while Ivan keeps growling like a maniac; followed by Homo Homini Lupus Est (“man is a wolf” from Latin), not only an amazing portrait of their fusion of Punk and Death Metal with a strong D-Beat Crust vibe, but also an underground hymn for slamming into the mosh pit.

Get ready to be pulverized like an insignificant insect by this demented duo in the frantic Uništi, Pali, Ruši (Croatian for “destroy, burn, tear it down”), the best tune of the album in my opinion where cutting guitar lines and wicked Black and Death Metal beats make the music sound as if Cannibal Corpse went The Exploited. And again drinking from the fountain of D-Beat Crust and mixing it with elements from Black Metal, Ivan continues to fire his beastly growls in In The Name of God, a song spiced up by its anti-religious lyrics (“They’ve build their biggest temples / To worship their false saints / Covered with diamonds dressed in gold / A hunger for money never getting old”), whereas in the brutish Full Moon Slaughter the duo viciously puts the pedal to the metal, with Slobodan delivering tons of melody through his riffs, but obviously always sounding insanely heavy, leaning towards old school Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal.

hereza_bandNeplodna Jama, or “barren dich”, is perhaps the song with the highest amount of old school Punk Rock and contemporary Punk Metal elements, with the guttural vocals by Ivan being the song’s Death Metal ingredient, feeling like this time it’s The Exploited going Cannibal Corpse. Torn from the Death’s Bed, the slowest composition of all, presents solid guitar lines and beats by Slobodan in sync with the gnarls by Ivan (albeit not as kick-ass as the rest of the album), while in Pošast (“vermin”) the band gets back to their electrified amalgamation of Punk Rock and Death Metal, inspiring you to ferociously smash some skulls into the pit. And Tombcrawler, the high-octane deathblow in I Become Death, begins in a somber way before bursting into sheer brutality, keeping the rampage going on in full force until the song’s sinister neck-breaking ending.

In case you’re thinking “HerezA are awesome, but how am I going to see them live if they’re only two guys?”, let me tell you there’s nothing to worry about, as the duo is joined on stage by their henchmen Bojan Babic on guitar, Milan Prodanovic on bass and Leonardo Markovic on drums, which means their apocalyptic music is materialized quite often at metal pubs and venues in Croatia for the total delight of headbangers all over Europe eager for a sonic bloodbath. And even if you’re not planning a trip to Croatia anytime soon, you can still follow Ivan and Slobodan at their official Facebook page, and purchase I Become Death at the Godz ov War Productions’ BandCamp page. After listening to the extreme compositions by this Croatian bulldozer, your metallic senses will never be the same again.

Best moments of the album: Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna, Uništi, Pali, Ruši and Full Moon Slaughter.

Worst moments of the album: Torn from the Death’s Bed.

Released in 2017 Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. I Become Death 4:15
2. Jebem Vas U Usta Ladna 2:30
3. Homo Homini Lupus Est 3:05
4. Uništi, Pali, Ruši 2:20
5. In The Name of God 1:25
6. Full Moon Slaughter 3:35
7. Neplodna Jama 1:55
8. Torn from the Death’s Bed 2:16
9. Pošast 3:33
10. Tombcrawler 4:14

Band members
Ivan Kovačević – vocals
Slobodan Stupar – all instruments, backing vocals

Guest musician
Denis Sloboda – guitar solo on “In the Name of God” and “Pošast”

Album Review – Mustan Kuun Lapset / Saatto (2017)

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A fresh new start for an amazing Dark Metal band from Finland, with their renovated attitude and passion for heavy music translated into nine excellent compositions blending different styles and emotions.

Rating4

mkl_saatto_coverart2500pisLegendary Finnish Dark Metal group Mustan Kuun Lapset, which is Finnish for “Children of the Black Moon”, have finally resurrected from the depths of abyss since ending their career in 2007, setting to release in 2017 their first official full-length album since their 2011 compilation 14 Talvea and their 2007 album Viimeinen Laulu Kuolemasta. And their brand new album, entitled Saatto (the Finnish word for “procession” or “follow-through”), not only brings forward MKL’s new lineup, but it’s also a fresh new beginning for this talented band, with their renovated attitude and passion for heavy music translated into nine excellent compositions blending different styles of Extreme Metal.

Founded in the city of Hollola under the name Häiriö (or “disorder” in Finnish) in the distant year of 1993, MKL recorded a few garage tapes during their first couple of years, never releasing them to the public. In 1996, after changing the name to Mustan Kuun Lapset, the band released their first demo titled Kunnes Loppuu Yö, being on a roll for the next decade before it was time to close the coffin in December 2007 due to lack of time and commitment. Fortunately for fans of their dark music, in 2015 MKL decided to start all over again, now hailing from the city of Lahti and as already mentioned with a reformulated lineup, culminating with the release of their brand new diverse, many-sided record Saatto, and I’m sure even if you have absolutely zero knowledge of the Finnish language you’ll have a blast listening to it.

Right after the atmospheric intro Ja Toinen Yötä Rakastaa, or “and another night love”, we have the melodious Peikonmieli (“the troll’s mind”), with the soulful guitar lines by Pete Lehtinen and Heikki Piipari dictating the song’s very pleasant pace and sonority, whereas the harsh vocals by Pete sound like a blend of Symphonic Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal. And the aura generated by the first song goes on in Kuolemanvirta (“death power”), where drummer Mikko Hautala showcases his abilities by being fierce and melodic at the same time with his darkened Doom Metal beats.

An obscure start announces another epic and powerful composition by MKL, Amor Vincit Omnia, which is Latin for “love conquers all”, with Pete doing an amazing job not only on vocals and guitars but also with his synths, delivering a rousing musicality with hints of Scandinavian Folk Metal full of variations and tempo changes. Cilice brings forward more folk elements, gently morphing into Dark Metal with Pete firing some deeper guttural growls amidst his harsh gnarls, all embraced by the band’s solid instrumental, while Sudenilma (“wolf’s air”) offers the listener heavier, headbanging riffs that lean towards pure Melodic Death Metal from Scandinavia. In addition, Mikko delivers faster beats nicely complemented by the bass lines by Ville Pelkonen, not to mention the song’s outstanding guitar solo as the icing on the cake.

mkl_promokuvaValkoinen Satama – Haaksi (“white haven – the ship”) is the first part of a two-piece story, epic and metallic from the very first second thanks to the awesome job done by both guitarists with Pete getting a lot darker on vocals. The second part of this journey, titled Valkoinen Satama – Tyven (“white haven – calm”), is a smooth, melancholic acoustic ballad wtih female vocals that end up providing a good balance to all the obscurity from the first part, an interesting variation to the MKL we’re used to. And closing the album we have the title-track Saatto, also the longest of all tracks, which begins in an introspective way, as calm and serene as the previous track, suddenly exploding into kick-ass modern Melodic Death Metal. In this multilayered composition, MKL bring forth cleaner vocals and plenty of epicness flowing from all instruments, in special the precise beats by Mikko, until the song’s thrilling conclusion.

You can witness the rebirth of the Finnish children of the black moon, appreciate their music and get updates about their upcoming projects and concerts at their Facebook page, and you can also put your metal hands on Saatto at the Inverse Records webstore or at Record Shop X. Mustan Kuun Lapset have not arisen from the ashes in vain, they’re back from the netherworld with an invigorated passion for metal to deliver their diehard fans more of their high-end music and to show the new generation how good Scandinavian Metal should always be done, and by supporting them you’ll not only help to keep that metallic fire burning, but also become part of their inspirational career.

Best moments of the album: Peikonmieli, Amor Vincit Omnia and Saatto.

Worst moments of the album: Cilice.

Released in 2017 Inverse Records

Track listing
1. Ja Toinen Yötä Rakastaa 2:06
2. Peikonmieli 5:19
3. Kuolemanvirta 5:47
4. Amor Vincit Omnia 4:59
5. Cilice 5:12
6. Sudenilma 5:17
7. Valkoinen Satama – Haaksi 5:29
8. Valkoinen Satama – Tyven 5:08
9. Saatto 8:45

Band members
Pete Lehtinen – vocals, guitar, synths
Heikki Piipari – guitar
Ville Pelkonen – bass
Mikko Hautala – drums

Album Review – Undrask / Battle Through Time (2017)

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The story of a man lost to eternity, forced to fight and die repeatedly throughout time and alternate realities, told by an amazing Melodic Death Metal act from the United States.

Rating4

coverFormed in 2013 in Greensboro, the third-largest city by population in North Carolina, inspired by metal of all flavors and with the goal of creating equal parts tasty and heavy Melodic Death Metal, American band Undrask returns with more of their gripping music after their critically acclaimed self-titled EP released in August 2015, this time offering a concept album that tells the story of a man lost to eternity, forced to fight and die repeatedly throughout time and alternate realities. The album, titled Battle Through Time, is not only their debut full-length release, but also an excellent option for fans of modern Melodic Metal the likes of Amon Amarth, Carcass and early In Flames.

If there’s one thing about Heavy Metal concept albums I truly enjoy is the fact that it doesn’t matter how epic or futuristic the story might be, heavy music always illustrates all characters, their struggles and all ongoing events to perfection, exhaling intensity and passion. Featuring a classy and modern artwork by Finnish artist and musician Jan “Örkki” Yrlund (Darkgrove), Battle Through Time is comprised of 10 distinct tracks that together will guide you through the main character’s eccentric journey, each one playing an important role in the overall storyline, introducing new elements and increasing the electricity flowing through the band’s top-notch music. And when the album is over, I bet you’ll catch yourself waiting for the final credits of this “movie”.

And the story begins with No Graves for the Dead, a fantastic fusion of Power Metal and Melodic Death Metal where guitarists Erik Collier and Darryl DeWitt shape up the musicality with their addictive riffs and create an amazing ambience for lead singer Steve Wynn to blast his furious growls, followed by Conscripted and its chorus that perfectly summarizes the main concept of the album (“Rise again / Conscripted / For conflict without end / Embrace eternal war / Live again / Unbound by death and fate of men / I fall, I rise again”). Guitar sounds from “outer space” are the main element in this tune, with drummer Aaron Schimmel and bassist Daniel McCoy firing their rhythmic beats and metallic lines respectively to provide the song a denser aura. And in Champion of the Dawn, a modern battle hymn led by the potent riffs by Erik and Darryl, we’re treated to tons of progressiveness and heaviness, not to mention the sonic impact of the thunderous bass guitar by Daniel.

Then we have more intricacy in the epic Black Ocean, which continues to tell the excruciating quest of the main character in a melodic and uproarious combination of Progressive, Death and Groove Metal. Furthermore, the way Steve declaims the lyrics with his raspy gnarls is spot-on to accurately depict the whole story being told. Featuring backing effects by Ryujixepic, Embers and Omens provides a calm acoustic bridge to the metallic Longhammer, easily one of the best songs of the album due to its headbanging rhythm, boisterous drumming and beautiful guitar lines, boosted by the endless amount of epicness contained in its lyrics (“Legend speaks of a mighty force / Sealed in its chamber, dormant for ages / Victims it enslaves will feel no remorse / Ripped from its tomb, the power rages / Flowing forth from a molten prison / Finding form in the ancient mold / Grasp the aspect of destruction arisen / Gods grant the name of the weapon I hold”). And Daniel and Aaron keep blasting our ears with their low, powerful beats and punches in Primal Revelation, showcasing a strong Amon Amarth vibe with the complexity found in modern Melodic Metal similar to the creations by Scar Symmetry.

undrask-picDespite not being as gripping as the rest of the album, Faceless Eyes is another good display of Undrask’s high-end Melodic Death Metal, especially the great sync between Steve and Aaron, whereas Final Right, the second to last track in Battle Through Time, keeps up with the electricity of the album by blending the violence of Melodic Death Metal with hints of Progressive Metal, as well as another excellent performance by Daniel with his bass lines. Lastly, the title-track Battle Through Time is the consummate climatic ending to the story, a feast of heavy riffs and rhythmic beats in eight minutes of first-class Melodic Death Metal, with highlights to the potent vocals by Steve and the piercing onslaught by Erik and Darryl with their axes.

This up-and-coming five-piece metal act is waiting for you at their Facebook page, YouTube channel and ReverbNation, and in case you’re brave enough to join them in their battle through time you can grab your copy of the album at their BandCamp page (and soon at all major digital distributors). With a copy of the album on one hand and the powerful Longhammer on the other, you’ll be more than ready to face all challenges and dangers from the alternate realities generated by the music by Undrask.

Best moments of the album: No Graves for the Dead, Longhammer and Battle Through Time.

Worst moments of the album: Faceless Eyes.

Released in 2017 Independent

Track listing
1. No Graves for the Dead 5:29
2. Conscripted 4:45
3. Champion of the Dawn 5:03
4. Black Ocean 4:53
5. Embers and Omens 1:03
6. Longhammer 3:53
7. Primal Revelation 4:56
8. Faceless Eyes 4:31
9. Final Right 6:12
10. Battle Through Time 8:21

Band members
Steve Wynn – vocals
Erik Collier – lead guitar
Darryl DeWitt – rhythm guitar
Daniel McCoy – bass guitar
Aaron Schimmel – drums

Album Review – Memoriam / Ravaged Approach EP (2016)

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Powerful and poetic heavy music directly from the ancient island of Aphrodite into your metallic ears, blending modern aspects of Melodic Death Metal along with an old school Death Metal atmosphere.

Rating5

ravaged-approach-coverThe Republic of Cyprus might not be known worldwide for its metal scene like Finland, Germany or Italy, with less than 60 active bands hailing from the ancient island of Aphrodite as per Encyclopaedia Metallum, but since 2012 there’s a band from the capital city of Nicosia that wants to change that image through their vigorous music. Playing a unique style that blends modern aspects of Melodic Death Metal along with an old school Death Metal atmosphere, Cypriot metallers Memoriam have just released their debut EP titled Ravaged Approach, containing five distinct compositions tailored for fans of bands that know how to generate some good harmonious noise such as Amorphis, Amon Amarth and Children of Bodom.

Displaying a grisly artwork by Greek artist and musician Manthos Stergiou (Manster Design), Ravaged Approach will provide you a different story in each of its songs, with concepts such as political and religious corruption, as well as human ignorance and arrogance, being utilized to pinpoint and cauterize the human psyche as the music progresses. Put differently, you’ll face introspective passages followed by heavier and angrier moments, pure savagery amidst harmonious lines, among other paradoxal but complementary elements, all embraced by the poetry found in the lyrics by those five talented musicians.

In the opening track Incessant Martyrdom, a gentle intro quickly becomes a dense feast of Melodic Death Metal, with the guttural vocals by Artemis Choutris leaning towards old school Death Metal while the top-notch quality of the album’s recording elevates the power of guitars, bass and drums to the next level. Moreover, not only lyrics are extremely poetic, but also amazingly cryptic (“I am someone else / I can’t accept my mind / Passive-Aggressiveness / I hear a bluebird cry / I am invincible / I am inaudible / Self-Ultimatum / A conscious Pendulum”). Following that great start, Deception Inc. brings forward more sharp riffs blasted by guitarists Andreas Haggiandreou and Panayiotis Chrysostomides, with bassist Thirsos Makloklas and drummer Barnabas Koromias leading this violent tempest of modern metal music with an old school punch on vocals.

bandThen we have lots of progressiveness and feeling in the excellent song Metaphysical Idiom, where Andreas and Panayiotis fire some razor-edged riffs and solos while Artemis continues to showcase all his vocal power; and Sated Bull, with its encouraging lyrics about never giving up (“If we must die, we must die defending our rights / Then every seed is awakened / Along with all animal life / Stone in my heart, / A buffalo ready to fight, / Unshackled lost prophets, / A bloodsport that perished all tribes.”). Once again displaying an amazing amount of intricacy through all instruments, this hymn is highly recommended for some sick headbanging, with the bass guitar by Thirsos beautifully vibrating nonstop in the background. And the fifth and last song of the EP, named Βάκχαι (The Bacchae), inspired by an ancient Greek tragedy, sounds very metallic and extremely heavy, with its old school Death Metal guitars contrasting with the song’s contemporary rhythm effectively, also exhibiting another excellent performance by Barnabas on drums.

In order to start exploring the realms of Cypriot Metal, go check Memoriam’s Facebook page and YouTube channel, where you’ll see their level of professionalism, passion and determination for heavy music is just as grandiose as in any other country with a more developed scene. And if you want to show your true support for metal from the ancient island of Aphrodite (which would be an amazing name for a song or album, don’t you agree?), go grab your copy of Ravaged Approach at their BandCamp page, at CD Baby, on iTunes or on Amazon. After Ravaged Approach, it’s just a matter before Memoriam begin spreading their wings all over the world, reaching new heights (and several different countries) with their music and live performances.

Best moments of the album: Deception Inc. and Sated Bull.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. Incessant Martyrdom 4:27
2. Deception Inc. 2:56
3. Metaphysical Idiom 3:55
4. Sated Bull 5:43
5. Βάκχαι (The Bacchae) 4:02

Band members
Artemis Choutris – vocals
Andreas Haggiandreou – guitars
Panayiotis Chrysostomides – guitars
Thirsos Makloklas – bass
Barnabas Koromias – drums

Album Review – Ashes To Fire / Still Waters EP (2016)

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A sea of complexity and groove thoroughly presented by an auspicious French quintet that definitely knows how to craft high-quality Djent and Metalcore.

Rating5

cover-ashes-to-fire-still-watersThe subgenre of heavy music known as Djent, a development of progressive metal named for an onomatopoeia for the distinctive distorted, low-pitch guitar sound first employed by Swedish icons Meshuggah, with bands like After The Burial, Sikth, Animals As Leaders and Born Of Osiris becoming some of its biggest exponents, has been also represented worldwide since 2013 by a dexterous quintet hailing from the charming city of Bordeaux, France named Ashes To Fire. Fans of Metalcore, Djent, Hardcore and Post-Hardcore will have a great time listening to the music by these French metallers, in special the six potent compositions from their brand new EP entitled Still Waters.

Featuring members of local French bands such as Hate To Eleven, Defeat The Foe and Heaven Can Wait, Ashes To Fire offer the listener a very professional and punchy fusion of all their metal inspirations. The artwork in Still Waters, designed by French artist Serge Cleoron, features an ocean that represents the harmony among all band members while the octopus and its tentacles depict some of the band’s main influences in music like August Burns Red, Thy Art Is Murder and Born Of Osiris, among others, continuing the musical path initiated with their 2014 self-titled demo and their 2015 debut EP Karmalogy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a longtime fan of Djent or not, you’ll certainly sense elements from all those bands in Still Waters, and will probably start banging your head to Ashes To Fire’s powerful compositions without even noticing.

Modern sounds together with heavy guitars in the EP’s Intro kick things off in a thunderous way, before guitarists Nico and Dylan lead the Metalcore massacre Real Life, with lead singer Yas growling like there’s no tomorrow. In addition, the song gets less violent and more melodic at times, keeping the sonority always fresh in an awesome display of what this French quintet is capable of. The violence of Hardcore turns Dad And Mum into the most electrifying and complete track of the EP, where once again again Yas demonstrates all his vocal potency while Corekie and William generate a true storm of metal music with their respective rumbly, noise bass and dense beats.

photo-ashes-to-fireBringing elements from Melodic Death Metal the likes of In Flames mixed with the modern American Metalcore from August Burns Red, To Disappear displays a flawless sync between the heavy riffs by Nico and Dylan and the roaring bass by Corekie, whereas in Roots To Sheet, the sound of guitars grows and is complemented by bass and drums in another solid exhibition of Djent and Metalcore by this awesome band. Moreover, a constant, heavy ambience keeps the music at a truly dark level perfect for Yas to fire his distressed harsh vocals. Finally, a sinister intro ignites the last track in Still Waters, titled Sara, being sharply joined by the intricate bass wallops by Corekie, with Nico delivering his solid guitar solos in a sea of complexity and groove that goes on until the song’s abrupt and effective ending.

In summary, the excellent Still Waters, available at Ashes To Fire’s BandCamp page or at M.U.S.I.C. Records’ webstore, is definitely your go-to album for contemporary high-quality Djent and Metalcore, and if you want to explore the already mentioned groovy sea of heavy music created by those French metallers simply visit their Facebook page and YouTube channel, consequently showing your support and appreciation for a music style that keeps reinventing itself, proudly carrying the flag of modern metal music all over the world.

Best moments of the album: Dad And Mum and To Disappear.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 M.U.S.I.C. Records

Track listing
1. Intro 1:11
2. Real Life 2:45
3. Dad And Mum 4:25
4. To Disappear 4:28
5. Roots To Sheet 4:18
6. Sara 5:04

Band members
Yas – vocals
Nico – lead guitar
Dylan – rhythm guitar
Corekie – bass
William – drums

Album Review – Ways. / Watching From Afar EP (2016)

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Mixing several influences and musical styles from Alternative Rock to Post-Hardcore, this up-and-coming French quintet might be exactly what you’re looking for in modern heavy music.

Rating5

ways_watching-from-afarMixing several influences and musical styles, French Alternative Rock/Metal act Ways. might be exactly what you’re looking for in alternative music, offering a wide variety of genres in their compositions that will please fans of heavier groups such as Deftones, Marilyn Manson and Killswitch Engage, to radio-friendly bands like Foo Fighters. And that harmonious but still fierce fusion of styles can be easily witnessed in their debut EP entitled Watching From Afar, a six-track album that nicely summarizes what Ways. are capable of, their main influences and their goals with their music.

Formed in 2013 in Paris, France, this talented quintet brings forward dynamic and melodic music displaying elements from Alternative Rock, Heavy Metal and Post-Hardcore, among others, always keeping their musicality fresh and vibrant throughout the almost 20 minutes in Watching From Afar. You’ll be positively surprised by the band due to all their sudden tempo changes and variations, going from harsh and desperate screams to gentle vocals and smooth guitar sounds. Featuring a sexy artwork by French photographer Sebastien Bessac, Watching From Afar can entertain you at a pub, at home, in your car or anywhere else good music is required.

In the opening track, titled My Blue Stain, a melodic beginning quickly turns into a blend of Metalcore and Alternative Metal, with lead singer Clément smoothly transitioning from harsh screams to clean vocals. Furthermore, it’s easy to notice influences from Deftones and In Flames, among other bands, in all instruments, which is also the case in As A Duty, showcasing a lighter side of the band with Bruno and Nico doing a great job on guitars, firing gentle lines and heavier riffs in sync with the vocals by Clément. Overflowing anguish and melancholy, this nice composition displays hints of Alternative Rock (in special during the song’s calm passages) that add an extra flavor to the overall result. And in Misty Hope, despite starting in a calm and relaxing way, vocal lines keep fierce and deranged, being recommended for fans of Foo Fighters and Deftones in pursuit of a higher level of aggressiveness in music. In addition to that, drummer Tony leads the song’s pace with his rhythmic beats, increasing its effectiveness and appeal for the delight of the listener.

waysThe title-track Watching From Afar is an instrumental track that’s more progressive and introspective than everything else in the album (and also the shortest of all songs), a nice display of dexterity by all band members leading up to the melancholic tune Something To Say…, where the groovy and smooth lines by session bassist Thomas Houche, together with the atmospheric riffs by Bruno and Nico, provide all the support for another passionate performance by Clément on vocals. Watching From Afar closes with Twenty First Sectuary, the heaviest and in my opinion the best composition of the album, getting closer to Melodic Death Metal without losing the harmony of Metalcore. Not only all guitar lines by Bruno and Nico sound amazing in this chant, but Tony also pounds his drums harder than in any other song of the album, translating into more electricity and consequently accrediting it to be one of the best options for the band’s live performances.

You can get more details on the music and career by Ways. by visiting their Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram, and if you want to purchase Watching From Afar, simply go to their BandCamp page for a preview of the album and to get a physical copy of it, or you can also get it on iTunes, supporting not only Ways. but the entire heavy music independent scene. As previously mentioned, Ways. can offer you a wide range of heavy, classic and soft rock in their compositions, making your day better with their pleasant musicality and showing you that Watching From Afar is just the beginning and a nice sample of what’s coming next for those talented French musicians.

Best moments of the album: My Blue Stain and Twenty First Sectuary.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2016 Independent

Track listing
1. My Blue Stain 3:17
2. As A Duty 4:48
3. Misty Hope 3:17
4. Watching From Afar 2:13
5. Something To Say… 3:11
6. Twenty First Sectuary 3:39

Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar
Elo – bass
Tony – drums

Guest musician
Thomas Houche – bass (session)

Album Review – IceThurS / Unlocked Door (2016)

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Inspired by the Norse myth of the Ratatoskr, this Russian power trio brings forth nine first-class atmospheric and upbeat compositions in a unique fusion of genres labeled by the band as “Urban Folk Metal”.

Rating4

icethurs-unlocked-door-cover-1500%d1%851500x300dpi-rgbBrothers in arms, behold the rise of an awesome Russian Urban Folk Metal horde known as IceThurS who, guided by the one and only Ratatoskr, are going to put us all to dance around the fire pit and engage into some brawls to the sound of their debut full-length album, the uproarious, fun and catchy Unlocked Door (or НЕзапертая дверь in Russian). In Norse mythology, Ratatoskr, Old Norse for “drill-tooth” or “bore-tooth”, is a squirrel who runs up and down the world tree Yggdrasil, an immense mythical tree that connects the nine worlds in Norse cosmology, carrying messages between the Veðrfölnir (a hawk sitting between the eyes of an unnamed eagle that is perched on top of the tree) and the wyrm Níðhöggr (a dragon who gnaws at a root of the tree). If you got slightly lost with the explanation of who our hardworking squirrel is, just see it as a symbol of degeneration and constant change of the existing, the main ingredients of a diverse album evoking the feelings of joy, festivity, sadness, victory and defeat, sometimes all in one song.

Formed in 2011 in the city of Moscow, IceThurS bring forth a unique blend of modern Melodic Death Metal with traditional Folk Metal and Russian music in Unlocked Door, resulting in atmospheric and upbeat compositions that live up to the legacy of ancient Slavic tradition and myth. Singing about topics such as nature, paganism and Norse folklore, the power trio formed by lead singer Ekaterina Loky, guitarist Anton Garm and bassist Andrey Konurovskiy, supported by a legion of amazing guest musicians on bass, drums, backing vocals and other instruments, delivers nine distinct songs in Unlocked Door that will surely entertain you from start to finish, each one telling their own story and all being an important part of the bigger picture proposed by the band.

Get ready to start dancing and prancing while drinking a pint of mead as their Urban Folk Metal comes crushing in the opening track En Sjörövare Sagan (Пиратская Сага), where the fantastic vocals by Ekaterina guide the listener through a vibrant folk journey with highlights to the harmonious and electrified solo by Anton; followed by Gift (Дар), with its futuristic beginning morphing into modern Folk Metal with elements of Alternative Metal added to the background, while Ekaterina’s vocals continue to hypnotize us. In addition, guest bassist Igor Batsov provides the musicality his special blast of grooviness through his metallic lines, enhancing the overall quality of this solid tune. Then we are treated to a fun devastation brought forth by IceThurS entitled Compotator (Собутыльник), an explosion of Death Metal where Anton is a beast with his guitar, delivering a blend of Thrash and Death Metal riffs that sound at times like a folk version of Arch Enemy.

icethursGetting back to their foundations, the band brings forward White Road (Белая дорога), a charming Folk Metal chant where Ekaterina has a very passionate performance whereas guest drummer Efim Burak makes the song more potent and aggressive through his beats, with its second half being a violent and melodious display of modern folk. Efim continues to pound his drums in the epic and thrilling Loki (Локи), supported by guest bassist Ivan Izotov, providing Ekaterina what she needs to showcase all her vocal range throughout the entire song. And exhibiting elements from the band’s cultural background, Razguliai (Разгуляй)  reminds me of some of the creations by their countrymen Arkona, sounding very traditional but with the band’s modern touch added to it. The only issue for me is that the song loses some of its electricity after a while, despite still being very enjoyable until the end.

The rebellious War (Война) presents a powerful vocal duo comprised of Ekaterina and guest singer Dmitry Stempkovsky, an enraged song with blazing guitar lines and a very melodic atmosphere that will inspire you to raise your fists and glasses in the air, before Vengeance of Veles (Велесова месть) offers the listener once again modern extreme music mixed with traditional Russian elements. Furthermore, Ekaterina fires some sick growls while Andrey smashes his bass strings in a potent way in this beer-drinking anthem, and if you know nothing about Russian please enjoy the translation to part of the lyrics as they’re truly poetic (“Everything that existed before / And was pleasant for heart / Became our ice grave / Let the blood in the veins / Get cold / Fury has raised up / This heart”). Last but not least, the title-track Unlocked Door (НЕзапертая Дверь) is sheer heaviness blended with an intricate instrumental, all spiced up by Ekaterina’s thrilling vocal lines. Showcasing a beautiful balance between demented gnarls and folk clean vocals, this full-bodied composition perfectly depicts everything IceThurS stands for.

IceThurS and their wild Slavic music are waiting for you on their Facebook page, VKontakte and YouTube channel, and if you want to take the fast Ratatoskr home you can go to the Bud Metal Records’ BandCamp page, to the band’s Facebook shop, to iTunes or to Amazon and grab your copy of Unlocked Door. In other words, enter the world of Urban Folk Metal crafted by IceThurS, and consequently make a friendly mythological squirrel extremely happy, how about that?

Best moments of the album: En Sjörövare Sagan (Пиратская Сага), Compotator (Собутыльник) and Unlocked Door (НЕзапертая Дверь).

Worst moments of the album: Razguliai (Разгуляй).

Released in 2016 Bud Metal Records

Track listing
1. En Sjörövare Sagan (Пиратская сага) 3:47
2. Gift (Дар) 3:52
3. Compotator (Собутыльник) 3:28
4. White Road (Белая дорога) 5:03
5. Loki (Локи) 4:24
6. Razguliai (Разгуляй) 3:34
7. War (Война) 4:05
8. Vengeance of Veles (Велесова месть) 3:26
9. Unlocked Door (НЕзапертая Дверь) 3:40

Band members
Ekaterina Loky – lead vocals
Anton Garm – guitars, vocals
Andrey Konurovskiy – bass, vocals

Guest musicians
Dmitry Stempkovsky – vocals on “War”
Igor Batsov – bass on “Compotator”, “En Sjörövare Sagan”, “Gift” and “Razguliai”
Efim Burak – drums on “White Road” and “Loki”
Ivan Izotov – bass on “White Road” and “Loki”
Svetlana Faliy, Egor Palenik, Jana Artekovskaya, Jaroslav Minchenko, Nancy Dardis, Larissa Kolesnikova, Vladislav Ivanov, Eugene Chub, Dmitri Kalinin – backing vocals, choir

Album Review – Misteyes / Creeping Time (2016)

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Which side will you chose in the never-ending battle between Light and Dark Metal brought forth by this distinct symphonic band from Italy?

Rating4

creeping-time-front-cover-artwork“Opposition brings concord. Out of discord comes the fairest harmony.” – Heraclitus

The never-ending battle between good and evil, day and night, light and dark, heaven and hell, life and death or whatever other philosophical depiction you want to give to the two opposite worlds that guide our thoughts and actions has just been transformed into high-end music by Italian Symphonic Death/Gothic Metal act Misteyes in Creeping Time, the debut full-length album by a band that definitely knows how to put together the best elements from Light and Dark Metal, enhancing their contrast and, consequently, their impact on the listener.

Misteyes started back in 2012 in the city of Turin, Italy as a five-piece group, playing what could be considered Melodic Death/Black Metal before changing their music direction in 2014 to what exists today, including the addition of a female vocalist and a keyboardist to the band. The next couple of years were very fruitful for Misteyes, who not only started working on Creeping Time, but also shared the stage with renowned names in the Gothic scene such as Cadaveria, Opera IX, Lunarsea and Elegy Of Madness. The band’s approach and musicality can already be sensed through the obscure artwork by Italian artist Alessandro Alimonti (Overload Design Studio), but it’s when the music starts that you’ll find yourself in the middle of the fight between light and dark, getting completely mesmerized by the music that flows through your ears.

The melancholic intro The Last Knell, which begins with the sound of a baby crying, grows in intensity until the title-track Creeping Time arises from the depths of hell in a feast of Symphonic Black and Gothic Metal. Denise “Ainwen” Manzi is the beauty on vocals while Edoardo “Irmin” Iacono provides his beastly growls, perfectly depicting what the band wants to say with the “Light and Dark Metal” concept, with keyboardist Gabriele “Hyde” Gilodi being the one responsible for giving the song its operatic vibe. Then it’s time for some heavier riffs by Daniele “Insanus” Poveromo and Riccardo “Decadence” Tremaioni in the dense Brains in a Vat, an amazing composition filled with passion, hate and agony featuring the creepy spoken words by guest musician Mattia Casabona (Aspasia), sounding like a hybrid of the music by the early days of Cradle of Filth with Epica, resulting in a masterpiece of underground Symphonic Metal. Moreover, it’s interesting how Hyde maintains the mystery in Misteyes’ music through his keyboards no matter how fast and heavy the music is, which is the case in Inside the Golden Cage, where the vocals by Ainwen are once again heavily inspired by the diva Simone Simons whereas Irmin leans towards pure Black Metal, not to mention the thrilling beats by Federico “Krieger” Tremaioni.

Lady Loneliness, a beautiful atmospheric power ballad focused on the gentle voice of Ainwen with some pianos notes giving it an extra touch of delicacy, showcases a good story told through its lyrics (“If you are here, I cannot be overtaken by fear / Only this eternal silence is what can soothe my pain / In darkness I can find you, this time will be forever / Come! Come to me, my lady! Lady Loneliness!”); followed by The Prey, with the whole band getting back to a more brutish mode. Irmin effectively enhances the song’s aggressiveness due to his deranged harsh growls, with Insanus, Decadence and Hyde delivering sheer madness while bassist Andrea “Hephaestus” Gammeri brings forward his share of insanity through his low-tuned punches. Their operatic and dark vein becomes evident once again in Destroy Your Past, a song full of progressive passages thanks to the intricate lines delivered through guitars and bass and all tempo changes led by Krieger, as well as in the operatic metal hymn The Demon of Fear, where guest musician Roberto Pasolini (Embryo) complements the menacing keyboards by Hyde with his enraged growling. This excellent song, displaying a Symphonic Black Metal vibe with hints of Gothic Metal and Melodic Metal, is another good example of the fight between good and evil proposed by Misteyes, proving one more time how connected to the concept of opposition all songs are.

misteyes-2016Special guest Mattia Casabona is back in action, this time with clean vocals, in the two-part aria entitled “Awake the Beast”, starting with the operatic A Fragile Balance (Awake the Beast – Part 1), with its eerie piano intro and Ainwen providing her Tarja-inspired vocals. Almost “a capella”, it sounds like a horror flick soundtrack, leading to the furious and blackened Chaos (Awake the Beast – Part 2), a high-octane tune tailored for fans of obscure and harmonious music where Progressive and Symphonic Black Metal are flawlessly united. Krieger and Hyde are yet again the architects of the musicality, generating the perfect ambience for the sick riffs by both Insanus and Decadence to shine.

In the gripping Decapitated Rose, guest vocalist Björn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) steals the spotlight by blasting his infuriated declamation of the song’s dark lyrics (“When life is withered …There is no water which can bring it back! / Ivy smothers your soul! Petals fall and you are alone! / All beauty is gone! Only the thorn is what remains! / In this garden of madness … Decapitated rose! Decapitated rose!”), with Hephaestus firing some thunderous bass lines that end up increasing the song’s creepiness while the keyboard sounds by Hyde will pierce your head and haunt your soul. And last but not least, the talented Nicole Ansperger (Eluveitie) and the awesome sound of her violin add the word “epic” to the powerful Winter’s Judgement, a Symphonic Gothic Metal feast that blends elements from the music by Dimmu Borgir, Nightwish, Epica, Moonspell and other prominent bands. In addition, the growls by Irmin get deeper than ever, guiding the listener into a journey through the realms of darkness and light until the song’s soulful ending.

In summary, it doesn’t matter which side you choose in the battle between Light and Dark Metal proposed by Misteyes, you’ll certainly win due to the sensational quality of their music. Thus, you can get in touch with these Italian metallers and get to know more about their music through Facebook, YouTube, ReverbNation and SoundCloud, and acquire your copy of Creeping Time at several different places such as their BandCamp page, the Maple Metal Records’ BandCamp page or Big Cartel, on iTunes, Amazon or CD Baby.

Best moments of the album: Creeping Time, Brains in a Vat, The Prey and Decapitated Rose.

Worst moments of the album: Destroy Your Past.

Released in 2016 Maple Metal Records

Track listing
1. The Last Knell (Intro) 1:40
2. Creeping Time 6:29
3. Brains in a Vat 5:39
4. Inside the Golden Cage 5:24
5. Lady Loneliness 4:37
6. The Prey 7:03
7. Destroy Your Past 5:02
8. The Demon of Fear 6:55
9. A Fragile Balance (Awake the Beast – Part 1) 3:41
10. Chaos (Awake the Beast – Part 2) 5:26
11. Decapitated Rose 4:48
12. Winter’s Judgement 8:05

Band members
Edoardo “Irmin” Iacono – growl and scream vocals
Denise “Ainwen” Manzi – clean and operatic vocals
Daniele “Insanus” Poveromo – lead guitars
Riccardo “Decadence” Tremaioni – rhythm guitars
Gabriele “Hyde” Gilodi – piano, synth and orchestrations
Andrea “Hephaestus” Gammeri – bass and fretless bass
Federico “Krieger” Tremaioni – drums

Guest musicians
Björn “Speed” Strid – additional scream and clean vocals on “Decapitated Rose”
Nicole Ansperger – violin on “Winter’s Judgement”
Roberto Pasolini – additional growls and scream vocals on “The Demon of Fear”
Mattia Casabona – spoken words on “Brains in a Vat”, additional clean vocals on “A Fragile Balance (Awake the Beast – Part 1)”, and additional growls and scream vocals on “Chaos (Awake the Beast – Part 2)”

Album Review – The Agonist / Five (2016)

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An average album by a band that has the potential to offer a lot more than this, full of highs and lows and quite confusing at times.

Rating6

the-agonist_fiveI might be absolutely wrong in what I’m about to say and many of you won’t probably agree with me but, after the remarkable success achieved by the fantastic Eye of Providence last year, I believe Canadian Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore band The Agonist rushed things a bit in the release of Five, their fifth installment and by far the album containing some of the weakest tracks ever recorded by this iconic Montreal-based band. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good moments in Five, but the album as a whole lacks more creativity and punch, being full of highs and lows that end up making listening to it quite confusing at times.

Featuring an eccentric artwork by Brazilian artist Gustavo Sazes, and with all song names beginning with “THE” (in case you’re a person obsessed with minor details), Five doesn’t sound as fresh and inspiring as their previous albums, feeling at times as if they were “forced” by some contractual clause to release a new album in 2016, which kind of explains why you’ll find amazing compositions like “The Anchor and the Sail” mixed with forgettable songs such as “The Man Who Fell to Earth”. For instance, the album is unimaginatively called Five, a pedestrian name not even close to the beauty of Lullabies for the Dormant Mind or Eye of Providence. However, if there’s one thing that’s absolutely awesome from start to finish is the performance by the stunning blonde banshee Vicky Psarakis, who saved several parts of the album from being a disaster.

Despite its promising ominous intro, The Moment doesn’t live up to its hype, quickly turning into generic Melodic Metal with lazy guitars and drumming. As aforementioned, although Vicky continues to impress on vocals as she did in Eye of Providence (and she had a lot of fun recording the official video for this song which you can see at the end of this review, by the way), this is certainly one of the most unexciting songs the band has ever written. The Chain is a billion times faster and heavier, just the way it’s supposed to be, with Danny Marino and Pascal “Paco” Jobin doing an awesome job on guitars, and despite its backing vocals sounding a bit out of place the overall result is pretty good, with highlights to its interesting lyrics (“Can I have the attention of the class? / Open up your text / The city of Seven Hills / Another illustration of the autophagy / Put down your fiddle, Lady Liberty / And take a good long look”).

My favorite of all tracks, The Anchor and The Sail, is the good old The Agonist we got used to but with a more contemporary touch, perfectly representing the evolution in music every artist always search for. Its rhythmic and potent riffs and beats, together with Vicky kicking fuckin’ ass on both clean vocals and harsh screams (especially during the song’s enraged chorus), accredit this to become one of their biggest hits in a near future as soon as fans have time to absorb all the music in Five properly, which is not the case in The Game, another song with a promising intro that unfortunately fades into genericism, feeling more like filler than like an honest composition by the band. Then Vicky and drummer Simon McKay lead the musicality in the solid The Ocean through their beautiful vocal lines and harmonious and powerful beats, displaying the right amount of classic The Agonist blended with some interesting experimentations that could easily become a radio hit; followed by The Hunt, which albeit not a masterpiece in terms of creativity, at least it maintains a good flow of energy with Vicky once again stealing the show. And if you say I’m being too picky and that I only enjoy their old classics, let me tell you one of my favorite compositions in Five hands down is the devilish Blues-inspired semi-acoustic ballad The Raven Eyes, completely different from anything the band has ever done before and something I would love to see The Agonist replicating live. The stunning performance by Vicky, declaiming the song’s venomous lyrics embraced by a deliciously dark atmosphere and complemented by smooth piano notes and acoustic guitar lines, is the epitome of awesomeness.

the-agonist_2016I have absolutely no idea why the Nightwish-like instrumental track The Wake was included in Five. It’s not a bad composition, not at all, but it doesn’t add anything remarkable to the album except for almost three minutes to its total duration. I’m not even sure if I can consider this one of the worst songs of the album so out of place it is. Anyway, The Resurrection, one of the heaviest of all songs in Five, brings forward another promising start and excellent lyrics (“Take these coins off my eyes / I’m not ready to be put down / If only you could hear the screaming in my mind / Take these coins off my eyes”), with my only complaint being that it could have kept the same wrath from its first few seconds during the whole song. The Villain follows a similar pattern, losing a little of its punch halfway through it, but nothing that harms its overall electricity. Moreover, the amazing low-tuned sounds by bassist Chris Kells and the furious drumming by Simon provide all the necessary support for Vicky to keep firing her potent growls.

The last part of the album is just downhill in terms of quality and adrenaline, starting with The Pursuit of Emptiness, which is not heavy enough to be Melodic Death Metal nor light enough to be Hard Rock, getting lost in trying to incorporate too many different genres at the same time; whereas the worst of all songs, The Man Who Fell to Earth, would have been a complete disaster if it wasn’t for Vicky’s passionate vocals. Exhibiting the blandest instrumental parts of all tracks, you’ll forget this song exists as soon as it’s over. And the regular version of the album ends with a not-so-bad composition entitled The Trial, nothing truly remarkable but at least it adds some fire to an album below my expectations. And if you grab the limited edition of Five you’ll be treated to their cover version for Hozier’s Take Me to Church, a solid tribute to a contemporary classic, albeit I still prefer Vicky’s old cover songs available on her YouTube channel like her sensational version for “Stricken” by Disturbed.

One day Five might grow on me, but so far after tons of listens at different times and places I still don’t feel this is the best The Agonist could have done as the next step in their amazing career and I don’t believe what I wrote in this review will change much. You can listen to a preview of each track HERE and take your own conclusions (or you can obviously buy the full album), and although I’ll add a few of the songs from Five to my playlist together with all their previous classics, I think it will be hard for me to go and pick Five in its entirety to be part of the soundtrack for my commute, at the gym, at home or anywhere else. I don’t believe the band sold out like I read many people saying in the past week, but the fact that they released a new album when the previous one was still very fresh and vibrant doesn’t make a lot of sense. Well, let’s see what they will offer us next, and as long as it’s not called “Six” it will already be an advancement compared to Five.

Best moments of the album: The Anchor and the Sail, The Ocean and The Raven Eyes.

Worst moments of the album: The Moment, The Pursuit of Emptiness and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

Released in 2016 Napalm Records

Track listing  
1. The Moment 4:14
2. The Chain 3:12
3. The Anchor and the Sail 3:49
4. The Game 2:50
5. The Ocean 4:27
6. The Hunt 3:35
7. The Raven Eyes 5:34
8. The Wake 2:44
9. The Resurrection 5:22
10. The Villain 5:00
11. The Pursuit of Emptiness 4:03
12. The Man Who Fell to Earth 3:53
13. The Trial 4:33

Limited Edition Digipack bonus tracks
14. Take Me to Church (Hozier cover) 5:52
15. The Raven Eyes (acoustic version) 5:36

Band members
Vicky Psarakis – vocals
Danny Marino – guitar
Pascal “Paco” Jobin – guitar
Chris Kells – bass
Simon McKay – drums