Behold the debut EP by a Russian Death Metal horde unleashing hell on earth with its 19 minutes of brutality, hatred and obscurity.
Brought into being in the dirtiest and darkest alleys of Moscow, Russia by members of local underground bands the likes of Grond, Act Of God and Gwarloth, the ruthless Death Metal creature known as Kadavereich has just unleashed hell on earth with their debut EP, entitled Radiance of Doom. Recorded at Rofocale Studio during the summer of 2021 (with the exception of drums, which were recorded at Giereolith Studio in April 2021), mixed at Angelrape Studio, and featuring a sick artwork by the band’s own bassist Daemorph, Radiance of Doom will bring to your ears 19 minutes of brutality, hatred and obscurity masterfully crafted by Morkbeast on vocals, Panzer and Bonecrushing Apocalypse on the guitars, Daemorph on bass, and Kist on drums, providing fans of the most devilish form of Death Metal with a very good reason to slam into the pit and headbang like a true maniac .
Epic, imposing sounds open the gates of the underworld for Kadavereich to crush our souls in Invincible Sun Devourer, a bestial, crude Death and Black Metal onslaught spearheaded by the gruesome vociferations by Morkbeast accompanied by the utterly infernal beats by Kist; whereas Caldarium of Boiling Blood is just as obscure and grim as its predecessor, with Panzer and Bonecrushing Apocalypse showing no mercy for their stringed axes supported by the rumbling bass by Daemorph in another awesome display of primeval Death Metal. Then get ready to be pulverized by this Russian quintet in CCCIII, with the sound of their incendiary riffs and blast beats setting the atmosphere on fire, also presenting elements from D-Beat Crust and the always demonic gnarls and roars by Morkbeast. And closing such devilish EP we’re treated to the massive, pounding tune Dismal Radiance of Doom, with Panzer and Bonecrushing Apocalypse paying a tribute to all things evil through their wicked riffage while Daemorph and Kist generate a beyond Stygian ambience with their heavy artillery.
If you want to add the apocalyptic and venomous Death Metal by Kadavereich to your personal collection of evil music, you can grab a copy of it directly from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Godz Ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD, a black cassette or a red cassette, showing your utmost support to our beloved underground. Hopefully the unrelenting Russians from Kadavereich won’t take too long to crush our souls again with another release, maybe their first full-length opus, but until then we can rest assured the 19 minutes of infernal death found in Radiance of Doom will keep us absolutely entertained in the name of darkness.
Best moments of the album: Invincible Sun Devourer and CCIII.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2021 Godz Ov War Productions
Track listing 1. Invincible Sun Devourer 4:26
2. Caldarium of Boiling Blood 4:39
3. CCCIII 4:44
4. Dismal Radiance of Doom 5:12
Band members
Morkbeast – vocals
Panzer – guitar
Bonecrushing Apocalypse – guitar
Daemorph – bass
Kist – drums
Dealing with the conquest of space in different parts of history, the new and exciting album by this one-man army from Russia touches on historical facts and thoughts on the topic of our future.
Dealing with the conquest of space in different parts of history, In My Own Spaceship, the third full-length opus by Moscow, Russia-based Melodic Death Metal projectHyperomm, following up on the success of the band’s 2019 album Transcendence, touches on historical facts and thoughts on the topic of our future, all taken from the innovative mind of the band’s founder, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Anton Trubin. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Anton himself, who was also responsible for all vocals, guitars, keys, sampling, lyrics, songwriting and the album’s artwork and design, In My Own Spaceship invites the listener for a metallic space journey together with Anton and session drummer Vladimir Fomenko (of bands like Lautreamont and Дебри), all embraced by a more futuristic version of the music played by renowned acts the likes of In Flames, At The Gates and Arch Enemy.
Rocket Scientist (1929) kicks off in full force to the sick blast beats by Vladimir and the always melodious but piercing riffs by Anton, resulting in a true headbanger that lives up to the legacy of Scandinavian Melodic Death Metal to set the tone in such futuristic album, followed by Hope Springs Eternal (2150), where poetry flows from its lyrics (“Our fathers killed this place / Blood of their grandsons on their hands / We are looking for a clue / That will come to the rescue”) while the music blasted by Anton is imposing and epic from start to finish. Then guest vocalist Katerina Zabolotskaya brings a beautiful touch of finesse to Close Your Eyes (2151), where Anton once again slashes his guitar in great fashion accompanied by the thunderous beats by Vladimir in an amazing display of modern-day Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal, and there’s no time to breathe as our journey through space and time goes on in E Pur Si Muove! (1633), showcasing crisp, intricate riffs and drums while Anton growls and roars like a creature from outer space.
Investing in a more aggressive and demonic sonority, Anton and his Hyperomm put the pedal to the metal in Humanity’s Dream (1961), a great option for slamming into the pit in the name of metal and science, whereas a video game-inspired start explodes into first-class Melodic Death and Industrial Metal titled Emotional Anchors (2055), where once again Anton roars rabidly form start to finish while he delivers ass-kicking riffs and solos for our total delight. In Who Are on the Stars? (3000BC), get ready for another round of cryptic words declaimed by Anton (“Our grandfather’s fathers talked about the skies / That gods and our ancestors indwell there / They look onto us and guide our lives / Oh how we want to look at them”) amidst an intricate, Dream Theater-ish sound, while slowing things down a bit Anton fires Invention/Dissemination (2200), showcasing a heavier and darker atmosphere spiced up by Anton’s futuristic keys; however, it’s not as vibrant as the rest of the album. And lastly, we’re treated to the melancholic, pensive outro 13799000000 Years Ago, featuring arrangements by guest Alexander Glinsky and, therefore, putting a beautiful and climatic finale to In My Own Spaceship.
Anton’s journey through space and time can be appreciated in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you want to show your support to our dauntless Russian metaller you should purchase the album from his own BandCamp page, from the Soundage Productions’ webstore, from Apple Music, from Amazon or from Discogs. In addition, don’t forget to follow the project on Facebook, Instagram and VKontakte for all things Hyperomm, an to subscribe to his YouTube channel for more of his unique music. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to jump on Hyperomm’s spaceship and follow Anton on his wild quest through space? And instead of the silence found out there, you better be prepared for an overdose of first-class metal music by such creative and hardworking musician hailing from Russia.
Best moments of the album: Close Your Eyes (2151), Humanity’s Dream (1961) and Emotional Anchors (2055).
Worst moments of the album:Invention/Dissemination (2200).
Released in 2021 Soundage Productions
Track listing
1. Rocket Scientist (1929) 5:03
2. Hope Springs Eternal (2150) 4:21
3. Close Your Eyes (2151) 4:53
4. E Pur Si Muove! (1633) 5:55
5. Humanity’s Dream (1961) 5:44
6. Emotional Anchors (2055) 5:13
7. Who Are on the Stars? (3000BC) 4:17
8. Invention/Dissemination (2200) 4:53
9. 13799000000 Years Ago 1:52
CD bonus track 10. We Made Because We Could 5:01
Band members Anton Trubin – vocals, guitars, sampling, drums
Guest musicians Vladimir Fomenko – drums (session)
Katerina Zabolotskaya – female vocals on “Close Your Eyes (2151)”
Alexander Glinsky – arrangements on “13799000000 Years Ago”
Hailing from Russia, this talented quartet is ready to put you to dance to the sound of their upbeat new EP of pure, unfiltered rock music.
Formed in Moscow, Russia in 2012 by guitarist Aleksandr Imaykin and singer Olga Karbusheva, Waking Dream are a hardworking band that plays an eclectic mix of Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Rock N’ Roll and Punk Rock with high-pitched female vocals as the icing on the cake, influenced by renowned acts the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Nightwish, Ramones, Toy Dolls and Metallica. After releasing four full-length albums and two EP’s, it’s time for the band formed of the aforementioned Olga Karbusheva and Aleksandr Imaykin together with Mikhail Romanov on the guitars and Aleksandr Kislyakov on backing vocals and harmonica to kick some ass once again with their sixth release, the vibrant EP entitled Peculiarities of Evolution!!!, an upbeat album produced by Ivan Alyoshin and displaying a distinguished cover art by Russian artist Dasha Samsonova that will put you to dance to the sound of its four tracks filled with electricity, passion, rebelliousness and, more important than all that, pure, unfiltered rock music.
Featuring guest violinist Inna Hinkiladze, whose violin makes a beautiful paradox with the low-tuned bass by Aleksandr Imaykin, A Hit Song quickly morphs into a classic Rock N’ Roll song with Punk Rock, Ska and even some Folk influences, inviting us all to dance together with Olga and the boys, whereas the guitars by Mikhail and Aleksandr Imaykin bring a touch of 60’s and 70’s rock music to their core sonority in Broken Heart, while Aleksandr Kislyakov kicks some ass with his incendiary harmonica, resulting in a straightforward, no shenanigans tune that will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. Olga keeps embellishing the airwaves with her delicate but piercing vocals in Gift Frenzy, showcasing a great job done by Aleksandr Imaykin on drums and the trademark guitar solos by Mikhail Romanov, feeling modern and vibrant from start to finish, and let’s hit the dance floor one last time with the groovy Rock N’ Roll feast Peculiarities of Evolution, spearheaded by the unstoppable beats by Aleksandr Imaykin while the harmonica by Aleksandr Kislyakov adds a sense of nostalgia to the overall result.
In a nutshell, albeit extremely short in duration with just a little over 11 minutes of music, Peculiarities of Evolution!!!, which is by the way available for a full listen on Spotify, is another amazing stone in the Rock N’ Roll path paved by Waking Dream in their already solid career, showing us all the quartet will stand strong in their quest for good rock and metal music for many years to come. Hence, in order to sow them your support and inspire them to keep moving forward, go check what they’re up to on Facebook, on Instagram and on VKontakte, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, official videos and live footage, and above all that, purchase a copy of their fun and dancing new EP from their BandCamp page, from Apple Music or from Amazon. Peculiarities of Evolution!!! might not be a revolution in music (well, that has never been the band’s goal anyway), but it’s indeed an extremely well-done and thrilling album of Rock N’ Roll, and in the end that’s all that really matters and, of course, everything a true rocker needs.
Best moments of the album: Broken Heart.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2020 Independent
Track listing 1. A Hit Song 3:12
2. Broken Heart 2:40
3. Gift Frenzy 3:03
4. Peculiarities of Evolution 2:32
Band members
Olga Karbusheva – lead vocals
Mikhail Romanov – rhythm and lead guitars
Aleksandr Imaykin – rhythm guitars, bass, keyboards, drums
Aleksandr Kislyakov – backing vocals, harmonica
Guest musician Inna Hinkiladze – violin on “A Hit Song”
A bottomless ocean of emotions, worlds and experiences connected into something much larger, absorbing and liberating in the form of the debut album by an innovative trio from Russia.
Hailing from Moscow, Russia, the Black and Doom Metal trio known as Dunwich doesn’t limit themselves to just those two subgenres of heavy music, also adding to their music an array of distinguished elements from Darkwave, Post-Punk, Post-Rock and Progressive Rock, among others, resulting in a unique sound that frontwoman Margarita Dunwich has been crafting together with guitarist and keyboardist Anton Bronikov and drummer Mikhail Markelov since the band’s inception in 2018. Together, Dunwich are an attempt to dive into the bottomless ocean of your emotions, which is exactly what they’re offering us all in their debut effort entitled Tail-Tied Hearts, with each song from the album representing a separate world and a separate experience, but with all of those worlds and experiences being connected into something much larger, absorbing and liberating, showcasing the paradoxical beauty of the creations by those talented and passionate Russian musicians.
The phantasmagorical keys by Anton ignite the dark and sinister Glow, bringing forward elements from Atmospheric and Depressive Black Metal to their smoother sonority, setting the stage for Margarita to shine with her piercing vocals and roars in Through the Dense Woods, bringing forward doomed sounds perfect for Margarita to darkly declaim its cryptic lyrics (“Crawling bugs along the spine / You feel them, that’s what you’re think / Wolf howl in the ears and webs in hair / Slobbering mouth of fear exuding stink”), sounding cinematic, dense and Stygian from start to finish. And the gentle, acoustic guitar lines by Anton permeate the air in Solitude, with Margarita simply stealing the spotlight with her introspective and mesmerizing vocals while Mikhail delivers minimalist and at the same time tribal beats in this modern Darkwave composition, followed by Wooden Heart, where futuristic sounds and tones warm up our souls in one of the most progressive and groovier of all tracks, with Anton doing a superb job with both his riffs and keys, resulting in a lighter but still obscure version of modern-day Doom Metal.
Anton comes ripping once again with his Phantom of the Opera-inspired organs, generating a menacing ambience before the band ventures through more rockin’ and visceral lands in Mouth of Darkness, a lesson in Post-Metal where Mikhail dictates the rhythm with his classic beats in a fusion of the music by Cradle of Filth with Sisters of Mercy and Type O Negative, all spiced up by the witch-like roars by Margarita, whereas Fall is another grim and pensive creation where Margarita, Anton and Mikhail offer the listener a Post-Black Metal aria focusing on the serene vocal lines by our stunning frontwoman, growing in intensity until reaching a truly Stygian vibe. Sanctuary is a folk-ish song full of ethereal passages and an embracing atmosphere, with Anton alternating between gentle guitar lines and heavy-as-hell riffs while Mikhail brings sheer doom to the overall result with his sluggish beats, before The Sea concludes the album in the best possible way you can imagine. The song couldn’t have started in a more doomed and melancholic way, with Anton slashing his guitar in great fashion in over nine minutes of somber passages, classy beats and the always hypnotizing voice by Margarita, flowing smoothly and beautifully until its climatic finale.
If you have what it takes to dive into the dark and embracing world ruled by Dunwich, simply follow them on Instagram and on VKontakte for news and other nice-to-know details about the band, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and stunning videos, and of course purchase their newborn opus Tail-Tied Hearts from the Caligari Records’ BandCamp page or from Amazon. Margarita and her loyal bandmates might be a new face to the world of heavy music, but the high level of professionalism and the top-of-the-line production of their debut album make them look like true veterans to the scene, proving not only that they know exactly what they’re doing, but also that there’s nothing better than a wild and gripping fusion of dark music styles to flawlessly depict the never-ending rollercoaster of emotions we end up experiencing every single day of our lives.
Best moments of the album: Through the Dense Woods, Wooden Heart and Mouth of Darkness.
Worst moments of the album:Solitude.
Released in 2020 Caligari Records
Track listing 1. Glow 2:43
2. Through the Dense Woods 4:35
3. Solitude 5:46
4. Wooden Heart 5:47
5. Mouth of Darkness 6:39
6. Fall 5:28
7. Sanctuary 5:45
8. The Sea 9:13
Band members
Margarita Dunwich – vocal
Anton Bronikov – guitars, keyboards
Mikhail Markelov – drums
Dealing with otherworldly, cultural ideas, thoughts and systematic overviews of postmortem life, the sophomore album by this one-man Russian army will teach you a lesson in Melodic Death Metal.
Founded in 2016 in Moscow, Russia by multi-instrumentalist, sound producer and designer Anton Trubin, Melodic Death Metal one-man project Hyperomm has just unleashed upon humanity his sophomore full-length album entitled Transcendence, a follow-up to his 2017 full-length opus From Nothing to Eternity and his 2016 debut EP …Death, once again highly influenced by iconic names of the scene such as Children Of Bodom, Kalmah, Omnium Gatherum and In Flames, but bringing to our avid ears Anton’s own fresh and more technical twist. Featuring a dark cover art created by Anton himself, and with lyrics written by Demether Grail (from bands like Arcanorum Astrum, Grailight, Skylord and Zmey Gorynich), Transcendence is about otherworldly, cultural ideas, thoughts and systematic overviews of postmortem life, thematically devoted to various forms of life after death and dealing with the eternal existence of the soul.
“Transcendence was recorded in my home studio. The process itself was different from traditional bands because I use MIDI drums. The sound of drums is the foundation of a good metal mix, so sampling drums is one of the most important parts of my work on the overall sound. I start by recording one track and mixing it at once. First I get a sound that suits me, after that, when I compose and record songs, I hear almost the final result at the same time. It helps me with the arrangements,” commented Trubin on his creative process, also adding a few comments about the overall sound of the album. “I tried to achieve a more aggressive sound than on the first album. The sound of drums is leaning more towards a modern metal sound, but there is still a lot of classic melodic death metal in the guitars and melodies. Many use the drop tuning, but I’m playing in standard tuning. I’m trying to do the hard sound without using any low tuned guitars, but by composing good riffs.”
Portal is in fact an intro that’s not just an intro, but a short and sweet display of modern and melodic metal music by Anton presenting his piercing shredding and roars, setting the stage for Weighing of the Heart, where Anton definitely feels like a full-bodied band right from the start, with his scorching riffs and damned beats living up to the legacy of bands like In Flames and Soilwork, not to mention the whimsical keys in the background bringing more balance to the music. And an epic and symphonic intro explodes into sheer speed, rage and progressiveness in Metempsychosis, an amazing display of Anton’s dexterity as a multi-instrumentalist showcasing poetic lyrics darkly vociferated by our one-man army (“On dying the soul flies off / Into the original world / Into the aerial trough / And then reborn on the mold”).
Sounding closer to what In Flames are doing nowadays, but of course with Anton’s own personal touch, Patala is another feast of classic riffs and pounding beats perfect for breaking your neck headbanging, followed by the excellent Eternal Feast, where it’s interesting to witness how the keys make the whole song sound and feel very futuristic and experimental, while the other instruments bring forward traditional metal elements, resulting in what’s perhaps Anton’s closest creation to classic Progressive Metal. In Charnel Wraith, a shredding extravaganza supported by old school drums and ethereal keys, we face more of Anton’s wicked lyrics (“Without goodness your black life was dwelled / You die in torment, eaten by demons / And thrown into the grave without farewell / Tormented self-gnawing genie”), whereas Illusory State is very vibrant and groovy from start to finish thanks to the amazing job done by Anton on bass and drums, exhaling melody and intricacy and exploding into a sonic havoc at times, all spiced up by a beautiful keys solo by guest Sergey Shulzhenko (from Sunless Rise).
In Vortex of Hell, Anton shreds his stringed axe in great fashion while at the same time hammering his drums mercilessly in a fusion of old school and modern-day Melodic Death Metal that will certainly please all fans of the genre; then after the wicked instrumental bridge Transcendence, Anton returns for one final blast of his hybrid of modernity and rage in The Story, once again presenting a solid balance between heavy riffs and stylish keys, with the music flowing as smoothly and detailed as possible until the very end. In addition, some versions of the album will contain two sick bonus tracks, the first being Living in a Cage, offering the listener over five minutes of Hyperomm’s trademark sound, while in 3000 we’re treated to a pop song by Ukrainian singer and DJ Ivan Dorn, from the 2014 album Randorn (check out the original one HERE), turned into ass-kicking metal music.
It’s truly impressive how only one musician was capable of crafting a multi-layered and thrilling album like Transcendence, which is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, and on sale from the project’s own BandCamp page or from several other locations by clicking HERE, all by himself, and such humongous amount of hard work, focus, talent and tenacity must be praised by all of us metalheads by following Anton and his Hyperomm on Facebook and on VKontakte. Having already released two outstanding albums and one EP, there’s nothing but a brilliant path ahead of Anton armed with his multiple instruments, positioning him not only as an example of what DIY is really all about, but also as a role model for any musician from the underground metal scene, with Transcendence being the perfect depiction of how powerful the music by lone rangers like Anton can sound.
Best moments of the album:Metempsychosis, Eternal Feast and Vortex of Hell.
Worst moments of the album:The Story.
Released in 2019 Independent
Track listing 1. Portal 1:53
2. Weighing of the Heart 4:30
3. Metempsychosis 3:20
4. Patala 3:53
5. Eternal Feast 4:04
6. Charnel Wraith 3:49
7. Illusory State 5:01
8. Vortex of Hell 5:19
9. Transcendence 1:30
10. The Story 4:15
Bonus tracks 11. Living in a Cage 5:11
12. 3000 (Ivan Dorn cover) 2:56
Band members Anton Trubin – vocals, guitars, sampling, drums
Guest musician Sergey Shulzhenko – keys solo on “Illusory State”
A red wave of first-class Melodic Death Metal and Metalcore is coming to crush your senses, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.
It’s time for the Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore squad known as Be Under Arms to take the world of heavy music by storm once again with their razor-edged and modern sonority in Red Wave Is Coming, their fourth full-length effort and an amazing follow-up to their previous releases, those being Let Shots Will Be Your Music (2014), Doomed to Life (2016), and more recently Evil Tales Of The Northern Country (2017). If you have never heard of Be Under Arms before, get ready to be stunned by the uniqueness of their music, instantly feeling the urge to join their army of unstoppable metal insurgents.
Combining Metalcore with Groove and Melodic Death Metal since their inception in 2013, this Moscow-based unity now comprised of the dynamic duo Anna “White Queen” Logacheva and Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov on vocals, Stanislav Shtrih on the guitar, Dmitriy Kashirin on bass and Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy on drums is on absolute fire in Red Wave Is Coming, always loyal to their foundations and still presenting their trademark military attire, dystopian atmosphere and austere lyrics about controversial social topics. Featuring a classic, rebellious album art by Estonian designer Darius Alas (Midiankai Arts), Red Wave Is Coming is not only a highly recommended album for admirers of modern metal music, but it also cements the band’s name as one of the biggest new exponents of the scene.
Bizarre, captivating sounds suddenly morph into a darkened intro entitled The Tsar, led by Stanislav’s metallic riffs, sounding not only slow and creepy, but also entirely sung in Russian by both Anna and Vladimir to give it a rawer taste, before all explodes into the band’s modernized Melodic Death and Groove Metal in the title-track Red Wave Is Coming, where Denis and Dmitriy smash their respective instruments nonstop. Furthermore, pay good attention to the song’s acid lyrics dealing with the most obscure side effects of having too much power (“I feel how darkness grows around me / This crown has become my burden, a sign that I’m not free / It presses like a crown of thorns / And blood pours from my eyes / All this gold and beauty / Such a good disguise”). And Rasstrel, another song fully sung in their mother tongue, is in my opinion one of the most fun tracks of the album showcasing amazing performances by all band members, in special Anna and Vladimir, not to mention it’s simply perfect for jumping up and down to the crushing and thunderous riffs and punches by both Stanislav and Dmitriy.
The Untouchables is another classic tune by Be Under Arms, alternating between faster and more aggressive passages and more melodic, headbanging moments, keeping the album at a high level of electricity, whereas Road to the Scaffold is a lot more introspective and obscure, almost sounding like a dark ballad, with Anna and Vladimir attacking us all with both their clean vocals and harsh roars while Denis add a touch of Doom Metal to the musicality with his beats. Then we have another one of my favorites, the violent No-Go Zone, bringing that classic Be Under Arms sounding closer to all of their previous releases, with Stanislav being ruthless with his scorching riffs while Dmitriy’s bass sounds as hammering as it can be. In other words, this is a top-notch warlike-inspired Groove Metal composition that will please all fans of the band without a shadow of a doubt, while New Crusader is a mid-tempo song that blends the heaviest elements from Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal, being perfect for slamming into the circle pit while Denis dictates its rebellious rhythm.
Putting the pedal to the metal those Russian metallers deliver the frantic and visceral Breathe This, where Stanislav, Dmitriy and Denis generate a flawless atmosphere for Anna and Vladimir to growl and gnarl like two rabid beasts, followed by The Chosen One and its hypnotizing rhythm where Anna’s vocals truly represent her “White Queen” monicker, while Vladimir is responsible for bringing darkness to the music with his deep roars. Slightly different from their usual sound, which doesn’t mean it’s a bad song, this interesting tune would have worked better if a little shorter, I might say. Anyway, back to a more enraged sonority, the band offers us the insanely heavy The Death Instinct, presenting an amazing balance between melody and sheer aggression, and with its guitars and drums sounding bestial from start to finish for our total delight while Anna growls the song’s lyrics manically (“You are my brothers and I bear the burden for you / And every day I lift a Sisyphus stone / For prosperity but not for conviction / Hoping for the future without pain”), building an instant connection with the somber Bloody Shores, where acoustic guitars are intertwined with electrified and vile tones, resulting in a multi-layered creation by Be Under Arms that puts a melancholic and mesmerizing ending to the album.
In summary, as aforementioned Red Wave Is Coming (available for a full listen on Spotify) is undoubtedly a fantastic entrance door to the world of Be Under Arms if you know nothing about those Russian metalheads yet. Hence, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and VKontakte, listen to more of their music on YouTube and on SoundCloud, and purchase your copy of such entertaining album from Be Under Arms’ own BandCamp page or webstore (in digibook format or digibook + “Helmet” shirt combo), as well as from iTunes or from Amazon. As the destructive red wave by Be Under Arms approaches, there’s nothing better than a good dosage of their ass-kicking Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal to serve as the soundtrack to the apocalypse, don’t you agree?
Best moments of the album:Rasstrel, No-Go Zone and The Death Instinct.
Worst moments of the album:The Chosen One.
Released in 2019 Independent
Track listing 1. The Tsar 2:45
2. Red Wave Is Coming 4:44
3. Rasstrel 3:55
4. The Untouchables 4:19
5. Road to the Scaffold 5:11
6. No-Go Zone 3:58
7. New Crusader 4:26
8. Breathe This 3:53
9. The Chosen One 4:04
10. The Death Instinct 3:56
11. Bloody Shores 3:24
Band members Anna “White Queen” Logacheva – vocals
Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov – vocals
Stanislav Shtrih – guitar
Dmitriy Kashirin – bass
Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy – drums
Delivering first-class music as a modern reinterpretation of sound canons declared in the mid-90’s, this Russian quartet is ready to stimulate your senses with their thrilling Industrial Metal.
If you’re a fan of the mechanized and eccentric music by renowned acts such as Megaherz, Oomph!, Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails and Ministry, I highly recommend you turn your attention to the Russian capital Moscow, where since 2015 an Industrial Metal squad known as Gottwut has been delivering first-class music as a modern reinterpretation of industrial sound canons declared in the mid-90’s. After the release of the maxi-single Oil, in 2016, Gottwut are ready to stimulate your senses with their debut full-length album, the thrilling and melodic Konglomerat. By the way, the name of the band is made up of two German words, “gott” (god) and “wut” (rage), symbolizing the creative and destructive forces embodied in human nature, an essential part of the music found throughout the entire album.
Taking as a basis energy and rage, the band comprised of Pavel Chaban on vocals, Fedor Artemenkov on guitars and samples, Vyacheslav Dmitriev on bass and Dmitry Kahatkin on drums aims at developing the genre in their own manner, paying strong attention to the visual component by designing special costumes, additional props and theatrical performances, all with the main objective of creating a unique atmosphere for the audience. Featuring a wicked, avantgarde cover art by Russian artist Denis Shoomov, Konglomerat is a feast of Neue Deutsche Härte with a more melodic Russian twist, and I’m sure each song in the album will put you to bang your head and dance like there’s no tomorrow.
Modernized sounds blended with the heavy beats and riffs from Heavy Metal are the main ingredients in the opening track My Duty, sounding even symphonic at times. Moreover, Fedor does a pretty good job with his guitar lines and samples, while Pavel delivers a poetic mix of Rammstein and Marilyn Manson through his vocals. Then we have Sin, a 90’s-inspired Industrial Metal and Rock tune where Dmitry pounds his drums in a precise manner, generating a mechanized ambience where background keyboards once again add a touch of delicacy and modernity to the music; followed by the title-track Konglomerat, sounding and feeling as industrialized as it can be and highly inspired by the golden years of Neue Deutsche Härte, something latent in the vocals by Pavel and the slashing guitars by Fedor.
Fuck Machine brings forward one of the funniest lyrics of the entire album, and Pavel makes sure he sings them in the weirdest possible way together with the song’s crushing instrumental parts, making the final result quite entertaining. Snowman reminds me of some classic songs by Rammstein, being the perfect soundtrack for a Gothic and eccentric rock party with Fedor and Vyacheslav generating an enfolding atmosphere with their strings (and you’ll definitely feel the urge to dance in the dark to this song), whereas Cycle showcases a well-balanced mix of the modernity of Industrial Metal with symphonic elements and the catchy beats of pop music, with all band members being in total sync and with highlights to the smashing performance by Dmitry on drums. And heavy riffs and whimsical keys walk hand-in-hand in the upbeat Bi-Sides, an assembly line of Industrial Metal led by the pounding drums by Dmitry, keeping the level of electricity in the album truly high.
The band’s first single Oil brings more of their crazy sounds and the wicked vocalizations by Pavel, being tailored for fans of Neue Deutsche Härte searching for alternative bands from the independent scene, and with Fedor adding tons of adrenaline to the music with both his riffs and keys. In Angerlove we’re treated to another overdose of Industrial Metal made in Russia where Dmitry is an unstoppable crushing machine behind his drums while Pavel keeps roaring manically in our faces, therefore turning it into a mandatory song for any good Industrial Metal playlist, and closing the album we face more cutting guitars and rumbling bass lines infused with mechanized background elements in Heretic, where the band will keep hammering your head with their industrialized music until you’re completely wasted on the ground.
In a nutshell, the metallic party called Konglomerat (available for a full listen on Spotify) is a beyond awesome start for the Russian quartet, leaving a fantastic first impression for all fans of modern Industrial Metal. Hence, in order to show your support for Gottwut, go check all news and other shenanigans at their official Facebook page, VKontakte page and YouTube channel, and buy the album directly from their BandCamp page as well as from iTunes or Amazon. And now will you please excuse me, because I have a Industrial Metal party to enjoy, courtesy of four Russian metallers with genuine, mechanized German hearts.
Best moments of the album: Konglomerat, Cycle and Angerlove.
Attention, metalheads! It’s time for another metal chick of the month here on yours truly The Headbanging Moose, and this month let’s pay our humble tribute to an up-and-coming singer, pianist, composer and actress that truly knows how to blend the heaviness, madness and rage of Heavy Metal with the delicacy and feeling of classical music. Known for her powerful voice and incredible range, she’s the frontwoman and founder for American Hard Rock/Symphonic Metal band Edge Of Paradise. I’m talking about Margarita Monet, or Margarita Martirosyan if you prefer, born on February 15, 1990 in Yerevan, the capital and largest city of Armenia as well as one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, but who has been living in the United States since she was 11 years old.
Margarita moved from Armenia to Moscow, Russia at a very early age with her family, where she lived for about 10 years, starting music lessons at the age of four and quickly accelerating into a competitive and performance-ready pianist, competing and winning awards in numerous piano competitions. When she was 11 years old, her father (who is a scientist) got a job offer in Houston, Texas, in the United States, meaning her life was going to have a huge impact in regards to lifestyle and mindset. In Houston, she attended The High School For The Performing and Visual Arts, for musical theater, moving to New York shortly after where she got accepted into New York University’s Tisch School Of The Arts, majoring in Theater at the Meisner Studio and minoring in Music. While living in New York, she acted in off Broadway plays, independent short and feature films, and sang with local bands at the city’s clubs. In addition, as a teenager, Margarita used to go back to Russia during the summer seasons and did some performing and recording with concertos, being known within the community of people who follow classical mostly from competitions in the country.
It was in 2010 when our red-haired diva had another significant move in her life, heading to Los Angeles after getting interest from various acting agents in the city. Just a week after arriving in Hollywood, Margarita already joined a singing and dancing group and recorded on their album Angels De Amor, going solo after various live shows with that group. After going solo and starting working on original material for her first solo album, she met guitarist Dave Bates, who was in search of a singer who could replace Irish rock vocalist Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group, Survivor) in their project named BLEED. Soon their music partnership created tremendous results and solidified the band that took up the new name, Edge Of Paradise.
With Edge Of Paradise, which by the way is the official band of Nashville Knights, a women’s American football team of the Legends Football League (LFL) based in Nashville, Tennessee, and part of Rockers Against Trafficking (a foundation created by Kevin Estrada to raise awareness about human trafficking), Margarita released their debut album Mask, in 2011, featuring a rhythm section consisting of Gregg Bissonette on drums and Tony Franklin on bass (coming in at #6 most added on national CMJ radio, right behind Machine Head and Five Finger Death Punch), the EP Perfect Shade Of Black, in 2013, the full-length Immortal Waltz, in 2015, co-produced by Bob Kulick (Kiss, Motörhead) and Michael Wagener (and coming at #12 on national rock and metal radio charts), and the six-track EP ALIVE, in 2017. If you want to get a fun and pleasant overdose of the gorgeous vocals by Margarita, go to their official YouTube channel (or their VEVO channel as well) for songs such as Mistery, Dust To Dust, Shade Of Crazy, Rise For The Fallen, In A Dream, Break Awayand Perfect Shade Of Black, or even for some treats such as their cover versions for Darlene Love’s 1963 song Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Sally’s SongBlack Sabbath’s masterpiece Children of the Sea, Margarita’s voice-and-piano version for Scorpion’s all-time classic ballad Still Loving You, or the band’s live performance of the song Ghost at the Soultone Cymbals Studio in 2016. Thus, after listening to her stunning voice in all those songs, you’ll quickly understand why she was featured in Metalholic’s “Top 25 Women in Hard Rock and Metal” in 2012.
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Furthermore, as aforementioned, apart for her music career Margarita also has an acting and screen background going back to her New York days, including a part as a dancer in the 2009 short drama Alicia, playing a character called Amy in the 2010 action movie No Leaf Clover, and portraying an illegal prostitute in the 2011 documentary Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, all under her birth name Margarita Martirosyan. Now with Margarita dedicating a huge share of her time to Edge Of Paradise, it’s uncertain if we’ll see her again on screen, but at least we can rest assured the band will keep shooting videos for their songs, which means more Margarita for our avid eyes and ears.
When asked about her biggest idols in beauty, fashion and music, Margarita provided some interesting and beyond awesome names in all fields. Her inspirations in the modelling and fashion business are first Audrey Hepburn, who she has admired since she was a kid due to her feminine, classy and effortless look and style, and also Doro Pesch and Joan Jett due to their edgier styles. When it comes to music, her list of icons is even more impressive, with unparalleled names such as Ronnie James Dio, Robert Plant, Bruce Dickinson, Rob Halford and Freddie Mercury being her favorite ones due to their distinct and timeless sound, as well as their emotion, attitude and conviction when singing and performing.
Margarita doesn’t see herself as a fashion and make-up junkie, but more like a “creative junkie”, meaning that because of her role with Edge Of Paradise she always strives to create something different and attractive for the fans, leading her to experiment with different looks, and having the freedom to express herself through music and while performing on stage. Having said that, Margarita’s typical makeup and style signature can be considered a mix of Rock N’ Roll with a bit of Gothic fashion, blending leather and lace with bold accessories such as belts and chains, always wearing black with accent colors like red, silver and gold. And, of course, her trademark blood-red lips. All those strong colors and accessories are complemented by Margarita’s endless energy when she hits the stage, being very expressive and putting her heart and soul into each song played, and by her creativity, as she simply loves experimenting with different chains, spikes, fabrics and other material when creating her stage outfit. When asked about how she prepares herself for a concert, Margarita said she tries to rest as much as possible and stay hydrated, and that she doesn’t take too long to get dressed and put on her makeup as she always knows what she’s going to wear. She also said being in a band is a lifestyle she truly loves, and although it’s not an easy one she has a lot of fun and pleasure while working on new material, creating new visual arts for the band and rehearsing, always aiming at moving forward with the band.
Regarding being an artist, our red-haired muse mentioned that she’s always been determined to become an artist since her childhood in Russia, where she was surrounded by art. Her mom used to take her to theaters, concerts and ballets, inspiring her to start performing at a very young age. So far, it has been a thrilling and rewarding ride to her (despite being a very demanding way of life), with honesty, hard work and creativity being some of the most important elements in her career, not to mention her life motto which is “do it because you love it and enjoy every part of the journey, it goes by fast!’’ In addition, singing metal music in front of a huge crowd and recording vocals for Edge Of Paradise were initially a brand new experience and a challenge for her, despite her previous experience as an artist and her passion for classic voices like Dio and Freddie Mercury. Furthermore, Margarita said that coming up with melody ideas and finding her own style were very rewarding steps for her, and of course she’s always interested in evolving as a singer and as an artist in general.
Last but not least, when asked about the importance of image in her life and career, and how social media has had an impact on those, she said that as we live in a digital world where everything is over saturated, social media ends up working as a double-edged sword because we have the tools to reach people, but if you don’t have the best content (both visually and musically) you won’t be able to attract people’s attention. She complemented by saying you really have to create a world that people will want to be part of, inspiring people to follow you, and therefore boosting your creative process. Well, I guess Margarita is absolutely right about that, because if you think about it, who doesn’t want to be part of the unique and whimsical world created by Edge Of Paradise?
“Your music has to speak for itself, invest in your content, in the quality of your sound, if you have a great product you will get your foot in the door! Of course it’s important to promote, and that takes a lot of money too. If you’re an independent band you gotta hire your own publicity, but if you don’t have great content to promote you won’t go very far, so I would say make the music that’s authentic and you’re really proud of and you’ll find your way!” – Margarita Monet
After the six shots of visceral Death N’ Roll fired by these dynamic duo of Russian outlaws, you’ll be pretty much dead.
Some people might agree that whenever you face a really big trouble, all you need is a really big gun to solve that once and for all. With that insurgent idea in mind, two experienced Russian metallers from Moscow teamed up earlier this year to fight stagnancy in music and decided to shoot some traditional Rock N’ Roll music spiced up by the brutality of Death Metal, giving birth to the quick-draw, high-speed Death N’ Roll project Big Guns and releasing their debut EP entitled Six Shooter for the delight of all headbanging gunslingers all around the world.
Big Guns are comprised of multi-instrumentalists Postie (Conflict) on guitars, bass, drum programming, backing vocals and mixing, and Vaarwel (Frozen Ocean, Goatpsalm, Smothered Bowels) on vocals, lyrics and mastering, and based on the music found in Six Shooter, featuring a gory Wild West-inspired cover art by Anton Baskin (Contrast Arts), the synergy between these two outlaws of heavy music is beyond amazing. Postie and Vaarwel fire together six short, violent tunes perfect for getting piss drunk at an old saloon and have a pistol duel with that gunman that wants to steal your sexy lady from your arms.
Although Postie and Vaarwel have only six bullets locked and loaded in their first stint as Big Guns, the final result is truly devastating. Hard as Tin brings forward a minute and a half of madness, with the blast beats blending Death and Thrash Metal by Postie together with the deep guttural by Vaarwel turning this demolishing tune into the epitome of badassness. In Nightmares of Tomorrow, a pub-fighting Rock N’ Roll tune the likes of Chrome Division tailored for drinking a beer or slamming into the pit, simply enjoy its gentle lyrics (“I sang about entrails and gore / I extolled splattered women / I praised mutilation and deeply adored / Dead bodies choking on semen / Hate! Exsanguinate! / Hate! Eviscerate!”) while bass and drums burst sheer electricity into your ears. And in the metallic Natural Attraction, another brutal Rock N’ Roll creation by this explosive Russian duo, Vaarwel sounds like if the Devil went full Western.
Our Moscow outlaws add a lot of gunpowder to their instruments and fire a high-octane tune perfect for some sick mosh pits titled Grammar Guerillas, with highlights to the amazing riffs by Postie and its berserk rhythm; whereas in Pearl Jammed an eerie love story is narrated in a very obscure way (“I met her at the Bon Jovi gig, she was pretty delightful / Long leather boots, violet wig, talking so happily sprightful / Word by word we felt this, chemistry burst like a blast / Pelvis dreamt of pelvis, lust language was unsurpassed”), leaning towards sheer Death Metal with hints of Sludge and Doom Metal just to make things more tasteful. Their last shot of aggressiveness, Dragon Hedge, gets back to their Death N’ Roll core essence, offering the listener deep, enraged growls enhanced by sharp guitar lines and heavy beats. When it’s over, I’m sure you’ll be eager for more of Big Guns’ immoral fusion of Death Metal and Rock N’ Roll.
Are you ready to face the most wanted duo of Russian bandits in the world of heavy music? If you have the guts to challenge them for a duel, all you have to do is visit their Facebook page and purchase Six Shooter through their BandCamp page. Six Shooter might be extremely short in duration, but that doesn’t mean this cool EP doesn’t have the devastating effect of a bazooka, all thanks to the intensity and dexterity of two musicians that have an insane amount of lead and gunpowder flowing inside their veins.
Best moments of the album: Nightmares of Tomorrow and Grammar Guerillas.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2016 Independent
Track listing 1. Hard as Tin 1:37
2. Nightmares of Tomorrow 1:55
3. Natural Attraction 1:43
4. Grammar Guerillas 1:48
5. Pearl Jammed 2:10
6. Dragon Hedge 1:53
Band members Vaarwel – vocals
Postie – guitars, bass, drum programming, backing vocals
Do you think you’re worthy of joining this Russian army of Alternative Metal? If your answer is yes, then it’s time to get armed to the teeth with their uproarious and ruthless music.
Don’t you just love when completely independent bands are capable of delivering to the world music that sounds a lot more entertaining and well-crafted than many of the already established and famous groups that have a lot of support from their record labels? Maybe that’s simply a statement of how many magnificent musicians are out there just waiting for their chance to shine to a bigger audience, or maybe that only proves how much the passion for heavy music can push the musician even further in their creative process. In the case of Russian Groove/Alternative Metal act Be Under Arms I would say it’s both, and after listening to their excellent new album Doomed To Life you’ll understand how this solid balance between technique and feeling will take this band to stardom.
Despite being a fairly new band, formed in 2013 by the dynamic duo Anna “White Queen” Logacheva and Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov in Moscow, Russia, Be Under Arms already released a full-length album in 2014 named Let Shots Will Be Your Music, displaying what would be perhaps the most “Americanized” sounding you might ever find on Russian soil. Now with Doomed To Life their main influences coming from bands like Slipknot, Stone Sour and Five Finger Death Punch become even more noticeable, which combined with their unique concept, blending the atmosphere of old westerns with steampunk and our modern and urbanized world, makes their music even more electrifying. Even the dystopian album art transpires rebellion and anarchy. Put differently, are you ready for a neck-breaking experience offered by these talented Neo-Metal troopers?
Be Under Arms kick off the album with the theatrical and contemporary Armed & Defenseless and its Slipknot-inspired intro in an interesting blend of Alternative and Symphonic Metal, where Vladimir is responsible for the deep guttural growls while Anna takes care of the clean (and almost operatic) passages and high-pitched screams, followed by Lord Of The Bomb, a polished onslaught full of elements from Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal. Vladimir pays a tribute to the most gruesome Death Metal singers such as Chris Barnes and Jeff Becerra, with bassist Dmitriy Kashirin and drummer Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy adding tons of groove to the musicality, therefore enhancing the song’s punch. And their working single, Burn For This, is an breathtaking fusion of the high-speed and intricate music by Arch Enemy with the straightforward aggressiveness of the Butcher Babies, with the final result sounding beyond entertaining. Moreover, pay good attention to the metallic riffs by guitarists Viktor Gostemilov and Dmitriy Solo and to the passionate performance by Anna, they truly deserve that.
The whole band demands we keep banging our heads nonstop in March Of The Iron Hearts, a tune that leans towards pure Groove Metal with nuances of Death Metal, and as aforementioned it amazes me how a Russian band can sound so American and consequently ready to conquer the Western side of the world. And yet again inspired by the Butcher Babies, Keep This World provides the listener a violent ambience where Vladimir sounds as bestial as possible on vocals, with the song’s guitar riffs penetrating our heads and piercing our brains mercilessly. Then out of nowhere Be Under Arms morph their musicality from brutal Death Metal to modern Alternative Metal and back again within a short span of five minutes in the thrilling Locked And Bound, where Anna once again steals the spotlight with her deranged screams and also with her potent clean vocal lines.
Don’t even think about taking a break, because there’s a lot more to come in this awe-inspiring album, starting with To Rise From The Ashes, which presents that characteristic riffage from bands such as Slipknot by Viktor and Dmitriy, helping Vladimir and Anna in offering a great vocal duo to the listener. Be Under Arms then put the pedal to the metal in a hurricane of Melodic Death Metal full of anguished growls, fast beats and tons of groove entitled No Place Like Home, a short and sweet tune perfect for putting the audience to “dance” (or, in other words, slam into the circle pit). Surprisingly, after that we’re treated to a distinct chant named Spit On Your Grave, which is in fact a thoughtful power ballad despite its demented name (who doesn’t love that movie franchise?). While Anna’s vocals work extremely well during the whole song, Vladimir sounds a little weird with his clean vocals, somewhat like a gothic singer from the 80’s, but in the end when all is put together the result is very pleasant indeed.
The last part of the album gets back to sheer brutality, as you’ll be able to enjoy in Human Testing, which due to being slightly rawer than the other songs will surely cause a strong pain in your neck and maybe some bruises when played live. Then we have the title-track Doomed To Life showcasing the best riffs of the whole album by far (Viktor and Dmitriy were remarkably inspired when they composed them), with all other instruments being boosted by that energy flowing from the guitars and consequently turning this into another top moment of the album. On the other hand, in Kings Of Wasteland they tried to be even more alternative than usual, and despite not being a bad song it sounds a bit over the top. That doesn’t harm the overall quality of the album at all, but it’s surely the weakest chant in Doomed To Life. Lastly, we have the vile Metalcore chant Becoming A Monster, where we can enjoy a more introspective side of the band with highlights to the outstanding performances by Anna and Denis (not to mention its short but effective guitar solo), perfectly depicting the name given to it.
Do you think you’re worthy of joining this uproarious cyber army of Alternative Metal from Russia? If your answer is yes, go check their Facebook page, VKontakte and YouTube channel, and in order to get armed to the teeth with their ruthless music, you can find Doomed To Life on sale at the band’s official webshop or BandCamp page, as well as on iTunes. As aforementioned, based on what you will be able to witness in Doomed To Life, you’ll quickly realize this talented sextet from Moscow is actually “doomed” to awesomeness.
Best moments of the album: Lord Of The Bomb, Burn For This, No Place Like Home and Doomed To Life.
Worst moments of the album:Kings Of Wasteland.
Released in 2016 Independent
Track listing 1. Armed & Defenseless 4:39
2. Lord Of The Bomb 3:53
3. Burn For This 3:53
4. March Of The Iron Hearts 2:57
5. Keep This World 3:43
6. Locked And Bound 4:57
7. To Rise From The Ashes 3:29
8. No Place Like Home 2:24
9. Spit On Your Grave 2:36
10. Human Testing 3:19
11. Doomed To Life 4:27
12. Kings Of Wasteland 3:06
13. Becoming A Monster 4:28
Band members Anna “White Queen” Logacheva – vocals
Vladimir “Szandor” Nasonov – vocals
Viktor Gostemilov – guitar
Dmitriy Solo – guitar
Dmitriy Kashirin – bass
Denis “John Doe” Vinitskiy – drums
Brought into being in the dirtiest and darkest alleys of Moscow, Russia by members of local underground bands the likes of Grond, Act Of God and Gwarloth, the ruthless Death Metal creature known as Kadavereich has just unleashed hell on earth with their debut EP, entitled Radiance of Doom. Recorded at Rofocale Studio during the summer of 2021 (with the exception of drums, which were recorded at Giereolith Studio in April 2021), mixed at Angelrape Studio, and featuring a sick artwork by the band’s own bassist Daemorph, Radiance of Doom will bring to your ears 19 minutes of brutality, hatred and obscurity masterfully crafted by Morkbeast on vocals, Panzer and Bonecrushing Apocalypse on the guitars, Daemorph on bass, and Kist on drums, providing fans of the most devilish form of Death Metal with a very good reason to slam into the pit and headbang like a true maniac .
If you want to add the apocalyptic and venomous Death Metal by Kadavereich to your personal collection of evil music, you can grab a copy of it directly from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Godz Ov War Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD, a black cassette or a red cassette, showing your utmost support to our beloved underground. Hopefully the unrelenting Russians from Kadavereich won’t take too long to crush our souls again with another release, maybe their first full-length opus, but until then we can rest assured the 19 minutes of infernal death found in Radiance of Doom will keep us absolutely entertained in the name of darkness.
Dealing with the conquest of space in different parts of history, 
Anton’s journey through space and time can be appreciated in its entirety on 
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 