NIGHTMARE - Self Titled EP (reissue) review

NIGHTMARE - Self Titled EP (reissue)

Dying Victims Productions

Not to be confused with two dozen or more bands named NIGHTMARE. Here we have four guys from Whittier, California playing straight up true 80's metal. This is a reissue of their demo from 2016. These guys love PRIEST, RIOT and horror. There's some classic heavy metal screams, very cool soloing and damm good riffs.

As always I'm honest as the day is long and with that said I like this a lot. The simple reason why is because I'm old school. This sounds like it could've been on an old Metal Massacre compilation. In an age where there are a ton of bands out trying to be old school metal sounding, these guys don't have to try that hard.

  

https://www.dying-victims.de/

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/nightmare-nightmare

https://www.facebook.com/NightmareOfficial2016

MEGATHERION - Self Titled EP review

MEGATHERION - Self Titled EP

Dying Victims Productions




This came in tagged as blackened thrash from Germany. Seriously for the past two years I've heard blackened thrash from everywhere but Germany. And the Germans fuckin created the genre. Well at least two of it's greatest practitioners, SODOM and DESTRUCTION, are German. DESTRUCTION being my favorite of all time of course.


Unfortunately this is really not blackened thrash per say. As far as this one goes, MEGATHERION are a new band that goes a little further back than their home country's brethen. There's some simplistic HELLHAMMER and BATHORY worship going on. Nothing against that of course. Hearing another modern day band going all Tom G. and Quorthon style is cool. 


MEGATHERION 's five song debut sounds better than the usual generic sounding bands of today who play blackened thrash by the numbers. The basic riffage is similar throughout but the vocals have this coarse burnt throat quality. Speed varies from mid-tempo to more of a thrash style at times. In the end this German four piece act won't win over any innovative snobs. But for us evil craving faithful this is pretty good.


https://www.dying-victims.de/

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/megath-rion-megath-rion

https://www.facebook.com/megatherionofficial

BLACK WIZARD - Livin' Oblivion review

BLACK WIZARD - Livin' Oblivion

Listenable Records

This Canadian stoner doom outfit has been around for almost a decade now. At first, as in on their 2010 eponymous debut, they were semi strict genre stalwarts. But over the years through further releases they've developed into a band that likes to keep one foot in the genre. While the other foot steps into unknown territory or other genres in order to do some stretching. 

On their last studio full length, 2016's New Waste, they played on the traditional stoner doom side for some of the album. But they also dabbled in some proggy PINK FLOYD-ism stuff as well as thrash. On this new one they've gone more with the thrash add ons to their heavy sound. Plus some traditional 80's metal crunch with a few throbbing rhythms and some cool guitar soloing. 

Of course there's a few other doom acts of late expanding or experimenting in this way. What sets BLACK WIZARD apart is how it all sounds effortless and natural. Whereas some other acts sound forced in their interpretations. Since the thrash and stoner genres are in a new state of "copy what others make work" mode then a band like this shines.

http://www.listenable.eu/

https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/livin-oblivion

https://www.facebook.com/blackwizardband/

WARDANCE - Heaven is for sale (reissue) review

WARDANCE - Heaven is for sale (reissue)

Dying Victims Productions




Once again we go combing through the past for almighty gems thanks to metal labels who do it best. Here we have something by the German band WARDANCE who had a short career from 1988 to 1992. This album first came out in 1990 on No Remorse Records. Prior to this they had an EP which was released in 1988. The only info on em is that they were an upcoming band within in the German metal scene back then that were thought to be really cool. Unfortunately inner band problems kept them from hitting it big.


Musically it's mostly straight up metal but of course back in the day people would've called this speed metal, power metal or even hardcore to a certain degree. The thing that jumps out of the box is vocalist Sandra Schumacher. She's got a harsh kinda Wendy O Williams style going for her on here. I wouldn't be surprised if the PLASMATICS or WOW were an influence as well as the standard bearers of thrash in their day.


All in all this is a great release. Even the metal version of the ANIMALS classic, "House of the Rising Sun", comes off well. Most of the cuts are speed fests. Some others are straight up power metallish cuts. Either way it's a blast from the past that's worth your time and money.


https://www.dying-victims.de/

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/wardance-heaven-is-for-sale

SPECTRE - Silver Invaders / Stand Alone 7" (reissue) review

SPECTRE - Silver Invaders / Stand Alone 7" (reissue)

Dying Victims Productions




It's 2018 and I'm still reviewing 7"ers by obscure bands. A semi reissue as well to boot buy hey who else will do it. SPECTRE is multi instrumentalist Will Spectre from Hobart, Tasmania. Yeah I know where else? If you're familiar with Will's career, and you're not, then I'll just say he's in a number of other bands from the Tasmanian metal scene. 


SPECTRE is Will's solo project dedicated to reviving the true sounds of NWOBHM. This release originally came out on Heavy Chains Records last year. These two songs will take you back to those days, if you're old enough to remember those days. I'm talking about galloping rhythms, decent guitar solos and clean vocals although Will does have a gothic tone to his voice on here. Be that as it may I still love this stuff (ergo: I'm old enough to remember it).


https://www.dying-victims.de/

https://hcrspectre.bandcamp.com/album/silver-invaders-stand-alone

SKRAECKOEDLAN - Appeltradet (reissue) review

SKRAECKOEDLAN - Appeltradet (reissue)

The Sign Records




Pardon the pun but I've heard this all before, at least the style in sound. As far as this band goes no I never heard them or of them before. And unless you're from Sweden neither have you. So here's some info for ya. This is a reissue of the 2011 debut full length by the Swedish band SKRAECKOEDLAN. This four piece stoner doom act started out in 2009. This album was originally released on the Transubstans label years ago. Obviously it didn't go anywhere.


So now the good people at The Sign Records have unearthed this gem for all you stoner rock enthusiasts. As far as hearing this all before well yeah I have. Think stoner sludge with a little  psychedelia and prog thrown in plus some 70’s era SABBATH swagger for good measure. Sound familiar? Yeah it should as in something like MASTODON meets QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE playing a show for all of their copycats. 


Now I'm not dissing SKRAECKOEDLAN at all. Remember this came out at a time when this style of music was sorta fresh. Of course my head was banging a few times to the grooves. I'm guessing if this originally got out into the public hears back in 2011 then it would be widely accepted as a classic album. So hey with this one reissued then fans should not make the same mistake twice by ignoring it. Nuff Said.


http://thesignrecords.com/

https://skraeckoedlan.bandcamp.com/album/ppeltr-det-2

https://www.facebook.com/SKRAECKOEDLAN?ref=ts&fref=ts

KHEMMIS - Desolation review

KHEMMIS - Desolation

20 Buck Spin




This Denver, Colorado act has not been around for long and yet they're in a constant state of flux. This their third album now is another change in direction for KHEMMIS. In fact the only constant this band has is that they've got cool looking album covers and hipsters like em. With that said when first listening to  Desolation I thought hey put some vikings on the cover, sing songs about Asgard and hey they could pass.


KHEMMIS are now epic sounding metal with more 80's style and a touch of Scandinavian viking metal flair. Of course it's about as original as a cover band but if they just rehashed what they've done before then this would suck. Plus they still have some touches of doom within. The vocals are cleaner than my ex's bathroom. Plenty of galloping riffs and duel guitar soloing to get you nostalgic. Hell imagine playing PARADISE LOST, IRON MAIDEN and TYR consecutively and there you have it.


https://www.20buckspin.com/

https://khemmis.bandcamp.com/album/desolation

https://www.facebook.com/khemmisdoom

BLUTVIAL - Mysteries of Earth review

BLUTVIAL - Mysteries of Earth

Heidens Hart Records




Last time I heard from this English black metal act was in 2009. To be specific that was when they released their debut full length, I Speak of the Devil, on Spinefarm Records. I have it by the way and it's a decent release. Over the years I never kept up with em. So here we have their third full length. Their last one was 2011's Curses Thorns Blood.


Why the long span of years between releases? Well because the members have other projects going on. Two guys are in CODE who are fairly busy. They also have a new drummer from the Dutch black metal act ISRATHOUM. I have an old CD by them as well. But enough about all of that.


If there's one thing I've learned over the years about English black metal, or UKBM for short, is that there is no cohesive or distinct sound from their scene. I mean you name a blackened sub genre and they have an example of it. Add to that the band actually sounds like they came from somewhere else as well as being just as good.


Which brings us back to this new one by BLUTVIAL. Mysteries of Earth sounds like Norwegian black metal circa 93/94. But of course it's been polished up to modern standards. Imagine if you will two dentists donned in corpse-paint, ala Gaahl formerly of GORGOROTH, boring holes into your skull. Sound good to you?


The vocals are creepy rasps. The riffs and lead work are icy and savage. Add to that the drum work is absolutely fantastic. BLUTVIAL has come out of nowhere and refined old school black metal meets 2018 without bending to outsiders wanting to progress beyond the genre parameters. All hail English black metal.


http://www.heidenshart.nl/

https://heidenshart.bandcamp.com/album/mysteries-of-earth

https://www.facebook.com/Blutvial

WINDHAND - Eternal Return review

WINDHAND - Eternal Return

Relapse Records



Well for at least a year now I've written about a half dozen stoner doom acts from around the world who have used this Richmond, Virginia band's style. Call it homage or bandwagon jumping, whatever, all I can say is thankfully the real thing has finally presented itself with this their fourth full length.


Now some quick history for ya. I've been a fan of this band ever since I wrote about their two song demo back in 2010. I thought their debut album was fantastic. Their second album was very good. I liked the early split releases they did as well. But I didn't care too much for their third full length. It's wasn't all bad. I liked two songs on it but the rest seemed like rehash from the previous two slabs. But that was then.


I think it was a month ago that Relapse dropped a video for a song off this album. I forget which one but after hearing it I thought ok this is cool. So here we have Eternal Return, an aptly titled album to say the least. Now WINDHAND hasn't changed who they are but basically they've sharpened up a few areas to push them beyond an average stoner rock act. And there are many examples on here.


First and foremost Dorthia Cottrell's vocals, she's actually singing and it's clean and clear sounding. Sure she still has that haunting air to her vocal style. But now she's not overwhelmed by the heavy handed sound the band pummels away at. If you ever heard Dorthia Cottrell's solo album, which by the way you should, then you know she has an amazing voice. In fact there's a cool cut on here, "Pilgrim’s Rest", which reminds me of her solo work but on here it's an amazing break from what you'd expect on a WINDHAND album.


Next up, about that pummeling sound well guitarist Garrett Morris and bassist Parker Chandler have reined in some of their heaviness in favor of melody, a slightly upbeat in rhythm and more psych. Someone (producer Jack Endino?) injected some 90's grunge into em as well. With drummer Ryan Wolfe laying in more fills the band is not sounding so much like a hippy metal stoner jam band. Yeah WINDHAND's a four piece act now minus guitarist Asechiah Bogdan. Obviously the loss has made them sound tight as well as exciting.


The bottom line, well in my not so humble opinion their debut full length will always rank up there with some of the greatest doom albums of all time. But as far as this one goes it's probably their best album so far in their career. Their last one, Grief’s Eternal Flower, touched upon what they created here and maybe that's why I didn't care so much for it. Eternal Return is easily one of the best albums of 2018. Nuff Said.


https://store.relapse.com/

https://windhand.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WindhandVA

UNEARTHLY TRANCE / PRIMITIVE MAN split review

UNEARTHLY TRANCE / PRIMITIVE MAN split


Relapse Records




Here's a split release with one band I've always liked and one which mostly has bored me over the years. Now past readers will easily figure out of to whom I like and do not. But for you now well I'll digress. This release starts off with a minute long intro which supposedly has both bands collaborating on. It's just a wash of noise which bleeds into PRIMITIVE MAN's first of two tracks, namely "Naked". This cut lumbers onward like a drunken SUNN O))) until this Denver sludge trio kicks into gear with their crush kill and destroy signature style. 


Their second cut, "Love Under Will", is a subdued piece starting off as echoing extracts to what you might hear if they were going full bore. Think of it as listening to PRIMITIVE MAN while on Thorazine at the precise moment of your death from cancer. Is that a good thing? Nah it ain't, in fact it's kinda boring. I believe these are throwaway cuts from 2017's Caustic full length.


Next up are four cuts from UNEARTHLY TRANCE who most readers should know I really like. Also I've made it perfectly clear in the past that I like their short form releases (EPs and split releases) more than their full lengths. Looking back at their last full length, 2017's Stalking The Ghost, I thought four out of the eight cuts were good. On here their first two cuts, "Mechanism Error" and "Triumph" come at you like a filthy distorted sludgey doom version of HELMET. I've always wanted to use that analogy comparison because it fits. 


Third cut "Reverse the Day" starts off great in a sludgey grunge of distorto filth reminiscent of late 80's / early 90's noise rock. My favorite cut on here but then it ends or better yet segues into a "418" which is just noise distortion and painful screamed vocals. Basically it's filler. But hey in the end it's the  UNEARTHLY TRANCE tracks that make this a must have for you doom and destruction fans.


https://store.relapse.com/

https://unearthlytrance.bandcamp.com/

ARCHGOAT - The Luciferian Crown review

ARCHGOAT - The Luciferian Crown

Debemur Morti Productions




I took an oath to this goat back in 2006 with their debut full length Whore of Bethlehem. Since then whether it's their full lengths or short form releases, this Finnish black metal institution never disappoints. ARCHGOAT does something which is a rarity in metal and that's they get better with each new release without any dramatic changes to their sound. They advance but at their own pace which is carefully calculated.


The Luciferian Crown is an album of all positives for these necro Finns. The production/sound quality is much clearer. They've added more depth by slowing down to a mid tempo approach on certain cuts. Albeit they still know how to push the slash and burn aesthetics. There's more computerized choir added on here which gives it a added gothic / somewhat symphonic appeal. The vocals are still in the growl mode, Riffs still punish and new drummer, Goat Aggressor, easily fits right into this bands patented sound. 


ARCHGOAT wears this crown well and this is, in my not so humble opinion, their best album by far.


https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/

https://archgoat666.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/archgoat.official

FUNERAL MIST - Hekatomb review

FUNERAL MIST - Hekatomb

Norma Evangelium Diaboli




I was kinda wondering where MARDUK's creative balls went on their last album and here they are. When Daniel Rosten, under the name Mortuus, joined Marduk in 2004 he revived that band from their played out thrashy attack into a more diverse sounding black metal act. Of course their Panzer Division holdouts never got it. Then again they never got into the true and blasphemies sounds when that same man went by the name Arioch in FUNERAL MIST.


So it's been nine years since the last FUNERAL MIST release and this is not a reliving of past greats like the Devilry, Salvation or Maranatha. In fact this is what was expected of MARDUK. But here you go with an extreme attack. Far more aggressive with completely filth ridden riffs, solid tremolo picked guitar rage, bloody vocals and an explosive-ness in production which is why hiptards could never get into them.


Good black metal will always be under one's own interpretation. For me the best comes when it's not only threatening to the average laymen's perception but brings about a tense feeling. Sweden's FUNERAL MIST have always been a band that makes your average BM fan uncomfortable. On this latest one Arioch continues pummeling away at the listener with his tried and true approach while still adding a few twists along the way. Definitely one of my favorites this year.


https://www.noevdia.com/

https://funeralmist.bandcamp.com/album/hekatomb

https://www.facebook.com/funeralmistofficial

DEGRAVE - Self Titled review

DEGRAVE - Self Titled 

Self Released




A few weeks ago a kid at work was playing METALLICA. It was a couple of songs off of Ride the Lightning. He was also playing some other thrash acts of the past. I was like, "hey cool finally some decent music." Then the inevitable comeback ensues as in "Yeah I only like their first three albums and that's it." I wouldn't argue against that point. But there is something significant in that stance.


The original reign of thrash metal lived and died by it's own rules; aka: loud hard and fast. After four years that was about it. The bands moved on to explore other avenues or just called it quits. The thrash revival from a decade ago was shorter lived obviously since they were copying the past. Albeit some were not that bad at it and allowed for a few enjoyable moments.


And so here we are a decade later and I'm listening to the second album by DEGRAVE, a four piece thrash act from Jefferson City, Missouri. Well moreover I'm listening to a band highly influenced by MEGADETH and VOIVOD. Not an odd pairing of influences at all and obvious noticeable from their first song onward. Still as the release played out I have to say it never got boring. 


I give em credit for capturing the essence of their predecessors without wanting to turn them off and reaching for the original thing. The power components here are wild soloing, inventive song craft and basic thrash style riffs that are familiar. One cut even has a opening bass solo. The vocals have that early hardcore harshness sound to em. Yeah I bet their live shows involve a lot of slam pit action. Some big label should sign these guys. As far as that kid from work, well after the thrash he put on some rap so fuck him.


https://degrave.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/degravethrash/

HELLISH - The Spectre of Lonely Souls review

HELLISH - The Spectre of Lonely Souls

Unspeakable Axe Records




OK so since I'm on a South American extreme metal kick (and I'm not even discussing Greyhaze Records reissues). Here we have another blackened thrash act from Chile. HELLISH has been kicking it around their native country since 2010. I first learned about through a South American PR guy back in January 2017. He sent me their Grimoire full length which came out in the Fall of 2016. I checked it out but decided not to write anything about it because of the three month's old timeline. Which is probably why he cut me off for six months.


As far as this, their second full length goes, I'd say labeling this as straight up blackened thrash would be an insult to the genre. Although not as insulting as all of those recent Joel Grind produced generic blackened thrash acts. That's the second time I've mentioned Joel Grind in a month. Hey honestly I like TOXIC HOLOCAUST, but as a producer he tends to make bands sound like him instead of themselves. He's not the only one of course.


Be that as it may when I listen to The Spectre of Lonely Souls my first thought is hey these guys are better than some of those other SLAYER worshiping bands in the thrash revival from ten years ago. Along with SLAYER these guys also love some Teutonic thrash ala DESTRCTION. With that combination it's easy to overlook the rehash and settle in on the primal rage the band sends forth. 


http://www.unspeakableaxerecords.com/

https://hellishband.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Hellishchile

FLESH HUNTER AND THE ANALASSAULTERS - The Plague review

FLESH HUNTER AND THE ANALASSAULTERS - The Plague

Hammer  Of  Damnation




From an older fan perspective when it comes to blackened thrash I'll take the Teutonic sounds of early SODOM and DESTRUCTION, Norway's AURA NOIR, early CELTIC FROST and a ton of South American acts over the present crop of over saturated retro acts. Sure some of the new school acts, mainly from the states, wear their influences proudly on their vests but that's about it. They just play by the numbers of a formula they have little connection to other than they own the repress versions of past classics.


With that said here we have a band who's existence actually has a connection to the genre's history. FLESH HUNTER AND THE ANALASSAULTERS hail from Chile, a nation known for (and that I've written about many times) has spawned some of the evilness sounding acts from below the equator. With the exception of Brazil and Columbia, Chilean metal is basically harsh and extreme. Although the members of this three piece act, who started out in 2010, cite their biggest influences to be late 80's Brazilian blackened extreme acts.


After blasting this on and off for a few weeks (I apologize for the backlog, my regular job is taking a lot of my time) I get the Brazilian influence but these guys also add some Scandinavian and an occasional nod to CELTIC FROST. Secondly it doesn't have that modern and generic produced by Joel Grind sound to it. On this their second full length FLESH HUNTER AND THE ANALASSAULTERS have shot for a sound from yore and nailed it. 


The Plague is eight cuts, mostly all furious blasts with the exception of an instro classical guitar cut near the end. Expect some serious pitched black tremolo riffs, maniacal blast beatings, acid tinged vocals and an overall barrage in sound. I guess there's an arguable point to make as to what this actually is, black metal or blackened thrash. Then again all the above isn't a bag tagline for something this cool.


http://www.hodrecs.com/

https://hammerofdamnation.bandcamp.com/album/the-plague

https://m.facebook.com/fleshhunterandtheanalassaulters

ESPIONAGE - Digital Dystopia review

ESPIONAGE - Digital Dystopia

Self Released




Can I just say this is one of the best true metal releases of 2018 and be done? Hmmmm, I guess not. OK imagine if you will IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA  meet up in Germany (the home of power metal) and do a whole Wacken moment. Look here people, a couple of songs into this release I was won over. 


ESPIONAGE is an Australian four piece metal act who started out in 2014, released a single and an EP in 2016. Since I never heard those releases this their debut full length (and self released) came in and of course hey let's see if the PR info passes muster because half the time it doesn't. But this time it does.


Digital Dystopia is one part excellent sounding traditional heavy metal (aka: True Metal) but with a foot firmly planted in the modern era. The vocals are fantastic. Song structures are have a dynamic and exciting quality. The band wear their influences proudly but don't weigh themselves down in retro sounding shtick. 


The bottom line is that Digital Dystopia is a great release for fans yearning for true metal as it's suppose to be. Nuff Said.


https://espionageofficial.bandcamp.com/album/digital-dystopia

https://www.facebook.com/espionageband

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - Serpent's Curse review

HEADS FOR THE DEAD - Serpent's Curse  

Transcending Obscurity Records




I'm having a problem as to classifying this one. Is it a super-group, a side project, who knows? Basically this is the work / creation of multi instrumentalist Jonny Pettersson. Now he's been in many acts that I've never heard of but I do know he's in Sweden's WOMBBATH. 


The second person of note in this musical project is vocalist Ralf Hauber. Now if you're a fan of Euro death metal then you probably know he fronts Germany's long running REVEL IN FLESH. If you don't then I suggest you pick up a copy of their Emissary of All Plagues full length from a few years ago. 


Now adding fuel to this fire Pettersson has also enlisted fellow WOMBBATH band mate Hakan Stuvemark as well as Matt Moliti from SENTIENT HORROR to lay down a few guitar solos. Finally on drums there's Erik Bevenrud who spends time in another super-group / side project I've written about previously, DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN. 


So now that we've named all the players, what is this thing musically. Well supposedly this is the debut album by Pettersson & company (which means there will be more) and it's straight up death metal. Well more to the point it's a more horrific bent influenced version of old school Swedish death metal. Like seeing ENTOMBED on Halloween. 


Now I know there will be people reading this thinking "Swedish DM? Heard it all before." And I believe you'd be missing out since for starters Ralf Hauber is an amazing DM vocalist. He is a major contributor to this release being more than average. Secondly Pettersson's song writing follows the genre's left hand path of fiery fast riff cuts to slower moody doom passages. And of course with the two guest guitar slingers adding lines that cut through any type of boredom. So like I referred to earlier this is not to be overlooked.


https://tometal.com/

https://headsforthedead.bandcamp.com/album/serpents-curse-death-metal

https://www.facebook.com/headsforthedead/

DEATHBELL - With the Beyond review

DEATHBELL - With the Beyond

Kozmik Artifactz




DEATHBELL is a four piece doom act hailing from France who started out in 2016. Musically you have, on this their debut full length, a band that employs your standard Sabbath-ian riffage, bass lead ins, a slow somewhat psychedelic atmosphere to their songs. And then there's singer / keyboardist Lauren Gaynor adding that airy, haunting vocal style.


Sound familiar? It should. The formula is nothing new but it's popular enough to have been repeated time and time again. There's nothing wrong with that of course. I've written about a half dozen bands this year who push the whole female fronted stoner doom / psych style. The key with all of the bands including this one is whether or not the music is exciting or just rehash of someone else's hard creative work.


So over multiple listens my answer is yes to both explanations. DEATHBELL are the French version of WINDHAND. Now I have no problem with that but I'm sure Dorthia Cottrell and company are smiling somewhere. Still the vocals by Lauren Gaynor are less drone, more clean sounding. The guitar work is more psych with wah wah pedal leads running throughout. Plus the keys add more psych damage and melody. All in all it's worth your time if you like this style of doom.


http://kozmik-artifactz.com/

https://deathbelldoom.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/DeathbellDoom/