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OSHIEGO - The Book Of Wonders
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions
There are good reasons why I listen to releases that come into SFM666 for review over and over again. I don't do it in order to dissect em. Instead there are times when at first a release will not win me over but I'll give it a chance. Case in point, at first while listening to this release I wasn't in the mood for anything death metal. So seeing this as another reanimation of the new wave of old school death metal as well as being influenced by ENTOMBED and DISMEMBER, I was kinda bored with it. Five more listens and I liked it.
OSHIEGO hail from Singapore. The band has been around since 2004 and has a few full lengths, which unfortunately I've never heard, to back themselves up. As I listen to this release the Tupperware sounding drum beats as well as the click drum sound are a distraction. Be that as it may this three piece displays a certain savagery to their take on the Swede Death influence plus adds that reliable Eastern accent of speed as well as subtle melody which it takes a few listens to catch.
Yeah the riff package here is diabolical, the vocals are melodically threatening but the lead work is fa-nominal. Guitarist Bryan Gan has been schooled in the dive bomb death metal slice and dice soloing effect. I await every cut on here to hear what he comes up with to cut the through his already aggressive riff blitz. At times there's some crusty hardcore / speed metal sounds leaking in as well as dynamite groove sections that weave into complete brutality. Give it five listens and you'll be a fan.
https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/
https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/the-book-of-wonders
https://www.facebook.com/Oshiego/
UNU-T 4 5 - Breath of Ahriman EP
Self Released
There is a certain dark age in extreme music history which the layperson in music media cannot explain simply because they were not there to experience it. So they rely on history which can be revisionist at times. I mention that point a lot. Here we have another case where a band caters a certain style which did not make it into mainstream BS territory.
We all know that in the late 80's, as far as metal goes, thrash died and death metal surged forth. In the hardcore realm, the old style died and was replaced by metal-core or the mainstream created crossover. BUT there was music that did not fit into the square pegs of genre purists. There were a massive amount of acts who liked the classic metal style but had plenty of punk rock / hardcore snarl as well as identity to their music.
In the past year or two I've talked about bands like that and here's another one. Hailing from Virginia we have the weird named UNU-T 4 5, a three piece act, who consider themselves priests of the Temple of UNU T 4-5. OK and while I'm not into their spiritual insights I am here to rock the fuck out which they know how to do in spades. This act knows how to pair up riffs that meet standards of headbanging rock and slam pit action mania.
The unique factors, which make this style of music uncanny, start with the non-sectutor vocal style by Peter Avellone (vocals and bass). You've got snarling early thrash screeching mixed with punk fuckin rock snarl. As far as song structures go there's a dynamic that flows along the lines of punishing drum work by Michael Greenhall , exciting and catchy riffs by Darrell Creel as well as a story telling bass playing. The guitar lead work is balanced by 80's fret brilliance and speedy thrash.
The major downside to this release is that it's too short. Yeah I want MORE! OH yeah BIAS ALERT, the bass player Pete is an old friend of mine. Be that as it may as much as I liked his older band, I like this one better because it generates a filthy metal / punk style which is keen today. This is the kinda stuff Hells Headbangers puts out. Hint hint!
https://unut45.bandcamp.com/releases?fbclid=IwAR26mz3qDBqZ6rAdcjCymo3IRjIC0
zjSXtNqERvBciDr--vDfsmhES_FNCc
UNGRAVEN - Language of Longing EP
Self Released
Alright so you figure if Jon Davis of English sludge heavyweights CONAN is going to do a solo project it's not going to be some hokey acoustic stuff. Unlike what a few American sludge meisters did a few years back. Actually I was kinda excited when this came in for review. I was guessing it would not be CONAN .01 and I was right.
Basically this is Davis getting his ya ya's out on six cuts dedicated to some of his other musical tastes. Overall he covers the obvious bases with some noisy racket on the first few cuts aka: "Blackened Gates of Eternity" and "Impale Lore". The third one "Aggro Master" is a shout out to 90's post hardcore. The same could be said with "Onward She Rides To A Certain Death" with it's ode to HELMET riff groove style.
Of course nothing's perfect and that pertains to the ambient and aptly named piece "Deep Rest". Granted you need a segue with all the head crushing noise being thrust upon you but I was never much for drone. The final cut on here, "Targetted", will have CONAN fans sit up. It's an almost eleven minute seething fuzz fest of monstrous proportions. Imagine Davis jamming with ELECTRIC WIZARD. All in all this is worth having especially if if you're a fan of CONAN or just sludgey stuff.
https://ungraven.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ungraven/
ANDEIS - Servants of the Cold Night
Fallen Empire Records
The first time I played this release was at five am on a Sunday morning. Ah yeah I do have weird hours but for some reason it worked. Oh yeah it was a cool night to say the least. So what we have here is a piece of work that's been going on for a few years now and has finally been put to a conclusion. The members of ANDEIS, a three piece black metal act from parts unknown, but I have a guess from where, started out in 2015. According to the band info the songs were written over the period of 1999 to 2016. It was finally recorded in 2016 and finally released now.
As far as the music goes this is a twenty five minute journey into the creepy and raw atmosphere of symphonic black metal. The keyboard work on here is important but not overwhelming. Basically it serves a purpose put forth by multi-instrumentalist Laignech who performs on bass (what bass?), keyboards and vocals which by the way are of the harsh screeching variety.
At times it reminds me of a soundtrack to an Italian Horror film from the 1960's meets DARKTHRONE for dinner at the HAWKWIND compound. Part of the time during the ambient keyboard only parts I was waiting for the credits to roll by. Hmmm, slightly under twenty years to write an EP's worth of material? And this sounds like Norway 1992 at best but really it's in a basement of Seattle 2019. Then again I could be wrong.
http://www.fallenempirerecords.com/
https://bandcamp.fallenempirerecords.com/
https://andeis.bandcamp.com/album/servants-of-the-cold-night
ENIME - Bleeding Out
Self Released
When it comes to old school thrash specifically the so called Big Four, in the "M" category I stand by MEGADETH were as many of my close will go for METALLICA. So when a new band comes my way that really has a MEGADETH influence to em I get excited. Seriously you can only take so much of the SLAYER / EXODUS retreads. Now I'm not going out on a limb saying that this band is in full Dave Mustaine worship but they're close. And that's a good thing dammit.
ENIME are a five piece thrash act that hails from Montreal, Quebec. Strangely enough they do not have any VOIVOD influences. This release here is their second full length since starting out in 2014. After blasting it for a week I'm at the point of calling it one of the best things you'll hear today as far as modern thrash goes.
So lets start with the vocals and their singer Grey has a perfect voice for thrash. He has that cool average guy voice plus he can get evil and harsh at times. Better yet he can belt out some high pitched screams. Next up musically this band has that meaty sound to their riff package and song structure. Think somewhere between more modern versions of MEGADETH and dare I say OVERKILL but with a great sense of melody. And of course the soloing is fuckin explosive.
Getting back to their song structure side ENIME lay down ten blistering tracks that show more depth than your typical copycat act from the thrash revival days. Sure look it's thrash and there's gonna be strong influences which one could pick out or pick apart. But ENIME literally rip apart from the past and show themselves to be forerunners of a movement all their own. Damm Good!
https://enime.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ENIMEBAND/
GRAVE VIOLATOR - Back To The Cult
Reaper Metal Productions
Well when a band opens up their release with a song titled "Baptized In Filthy Semen", I know I'm in for a sleazy experience. This is the full length debut by Finland's GRAVE VIOLATOR, a four piece act who have been around since 2007. For some reason I believe I've heard the name before. Over their career they've just put out an EP, Ghoul Call, from 2011.
On the other hand musically this is very familiar territory being covered with some actual surprises. Basically this is blackened thrash. It's some what low-fi at times but not in any way does it come off as that generic shit which has permeated this genre. I think the drum pattern is the same for almost every cut on here. Vocals are of that simple blackened rasp type.
But I think what pushes this over the top is, not so surprising, the lead guitar work. It all reminds me of the 80's with a lot of blues scales. Maybe not totally in a classic metal sense but from the early days when the term speed metal came about. Great riffs as well as vocals and then some cool guitar leads that capture your attention enough to for go any limitations you'd find going on in their punk infused metal style.
GRAVE VIOLATOR, as well as many bands I've covered in the recent times who are part of this genre, are the new crossover. Now remember I'm not talking about the stuff being pushed by the mainstream wing of metal media. This is the real deal that pushes limits which is what the whole extreme metal ideal is about.
http://reapermetalproductions.com/
https://reapermetalproductions.bandcamp.com/album/back-to-the-cult
GOREGANG - Neon Graves
Transcending Obscurity Records
The two members of GOREGANG (Jeramie Kling – vocals, guitars and Taylor Nordberg – drums, guitars) are both alumni of Sweden's Rogga Johansson's musical enclave. Check out the releases of RIBSPREADER. Hell Rogga's even involved with this release via the layout by Turkka Rantanen who's another alumni of his. But on the other hand Jeramie Kling plays drums now with VENOM INC. (aka: We Hate Cronos).
With all that said I'm not surprised that this Floridian duo have a touch of Swede Death n Roll to their overall sound. Maybe DISFEAR is a point of style to signal an influence. Toss in some DISSECTION for good flavor as well as DISMEMBER, AGNOSTIC FRONT and one of my favorite Floridian bands HOT GRAVES. This is the second release by GOREGANG. Prior to this full length they also put out a three song self titled EP in 2017. All three of those cuts also appear on here.
Neon Graves is a dozen songs that have me sitting on a painful fence. On one hand they sound like a cool hardcore band that likes some death metal and can actually play their instruments. While on the other side it's like a lo-fi death metal act covering every old school base in order to sound cool. Either way it's a cool and memorable listen. I was on my way to work the other day and had the songs "False Flags" and "Plague of Hammers" in my head for hours. Fun Stuff.
https://tometal.com/
https://goregangband.bandcamp.com/album/neon-graves-death-metal-crust
https://www.facebook.com/goregang/
EREMIT - Carrier of Weight
Transcending Obscurity Records
To say this release is just epic is to say the Great Pyramids of Giza are just monuments. This release is monolithic! It's power incarnate. It's sludgey, droning doom. It's over an hour long and only has three songs. And they're a three piece act from Germany. Frankly I wish I could end it at that. But I feel like I'm in a doom metal parody version scene from The Excorcist. The power of the music compels you to write more. The power of the music compels you to write more. OK fine but seriously stop throwing holy water on me and get that cross out of my face. You could put an eye out with that thing.
I look at these three cuts as a trilogy of directions and emotional episodes. The first part "“Dry Land” is a droning sludgey dirge which runs over twenty three minutes into lethargic time. Pass me a cup of strong coffee I might've missed something. The second part, "Froth is Beckoning”, with it's over eleven minute time limit actually rocks with a Southern US sludge groove. The third part, “Cocoon of Soul”, is where the listener is taken on an echo journey into a pseudo psych realm. Pass the acid I think I'm Timothy Leary.
In the end I see EREMIT as not a band creating music. This is more of an experience, an atmosphere that compels one to rethink about those past days fucking around with mind altering substances. The second time I listened to this I was having flashbacks. The third time I saw God. Alright I'm joking, about the flashbacks part, but seriously folks Carrier of Weight is about as good an hour of time you could have listening to music which absorbs you.
https://tometal.com/
https://eremitdoom.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/EremitDoom/
PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT - Self Titled
Rising Nemesis Records
So a few years back I was reading some metal magazine article and the writer made a joke about someone owning the complete discography of PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT as being not so cool. I didn't think it was funny considering at that time I did have all their releases. Fuck you hipster scribe is what I thought afterwards. Bias Alert, yes I am a PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT fan. Should I add the term "Duh" to it? They're extreme and brutal death metal from Holland a nation of my heritage and I write about extreme metal. Oh yeah DUH!
My history with this great and legendary band is interesting to say the least. But yes the nation of Holland or the Netherlands if you prefer has had some great representatives of extreme music in the death metal category. This band, for some stupid reason, has been considered a black sheep. Once again "Duh"? The band started out in 2000 and for almost a decade produced some seriously aggressive slightly technical death metal. Their biggest turnoff for some people is their choice of album cover art. But hey I don't care because it's great death metal. I saw their fourth full length, Descendants of Depravity from 2008, to be their best work.
But then everything stopped for a few years until the almighty comeback of From Crotch to Crown came out in 2014. Definitely a great record if you consider a band sticking to the formula which brought them out of obscurity. But as if on cue the band took another long creative break until now in 2019 we have this self titled full length. Obviously from the Jack the Ripper inspired cover art it's understandable why it's self titled. Musically it's the same as their last release. But then that's what is cool.
Basically you're getting a Dutch version of CANNIBAL CORPSE. You have a balance of brutality and technical prowess. The songs are intense and violent. Speed is their main engine with nine songs firing in at a little over thirty minute time span. The riffs are punishing with solos chiming in more harmonies that savage. Vocals are typical low tone gruff death metal roars. Bottom line yes I'm bias but hey it's great death metal for anyone who can appreciate it without getting butthurt. I might just include it in my year end best of listings just to piss off the hiptards.
http://risingnemesisrecords.bigcartel.com/
https://risingnemesisrecords.bandcamp.com/album/prostitute-disfigurement
FRENZY - Blind Justice
Underground Power Records
Aside from the fact this band mixes their love of metal with their love of comics. Despite the fact that the album title and cover art is a direct homage to Marvel Comic's Daredevil character. Despite the fact that it's 2019 and playing 80's era heavy metal is cool but you really can't bring anything new to the table because we only wanna hear and see nostalgia acts. Yes despite all of that I have to say damm does the singer of this band sound a lot like Klaus Meine of the SCORPIONS or what?
FRENZY are a five piece heavy metal from Spain. The band started out in 2014. Since then they've released a five song EP, Lethal Protector, in 2016. Now here we are with this their debut full length. The best I can say of this is that at least these guys are influenced by the musical basics of 80's metal and not the flashy stuff. Now when I say basics I mean decent powerful riffs and some melody. Toss in plenty of twin guitar action, dynamic lead work and of course a great vocalist.
Anthony Stephen is an exceptional vocalist and perfect for this style of metal. Yes he sometimes sounds like Klaus Meine then again there are times he reminds me of Don Dokken or Rob Halford. The guy has the gift. And this band also have the gift of song craft. Of the eleven cuts on here not one is a dud. This band has tapped into a vein of coolness as if they stepped out of a time machine. Bias alert, I was in my twenties in the 80's so of course I love this. Which is why I consider this one of the best releases of 2019.
https://www.underground-power.de/
https://frenzymetal.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/frenzymetal
VARIOUS ARTISTS - Doombanomicon
Black Doomba Records
So who doesn't want a cool doom metal double LP compilation that's gonna be limited to 300 copies? Ah yeah I know what you're thinking, single genre compilations tend to be boring. A good comp needs variety. So I can say that yeah this one has plenty of that. Secondly it needs familiarity to make you comfortable. The sound cannot be so experimental that it drives you to the off button. And finally the artist talent needs to be consistent. Remember label samplers which would have the top tier artists paired with lower tier acts? Not on here, this is even handed.
Doombanomicon consists of thirteen act all adding one track a piece. I've heard some of these acts like DOOMSTRESS, STONEMAN, WITCHCROSS, BLUDY GYRES, ORDER OF THE OWL and COFFIN TORTURE. The other acts all do good as well especially the label founder's TOMMT STEWART'S DYERWULF.
https://blackdoombarecords.bandcamp.com/
https://blackdoombarecords.bandcamp.com/album/doombanomicon
HERETICAL SECT - Self Titled EP
Redefining Darkness Records / Vendetta Records
The genre of blackened doom has shown itself to have many more facets then one would assume. Take this debut release by Santa Fe, New Mexico's HERETICAL SECT. A three piece act who plunder the classic essence of epic doom and totally shove it through a blackened smoke stack. Even the vocals sound as if they're sung by a black lung cancer patient.
In a way sound-wise this shares more with some South American blackened death doom acts. It's got that harsh diabolical punch. And yet you still believe they're flaying you layer by layer with precision. There's only four cuts on this release but after plenty of repeated plays you feel as if you've experienced some long lost ritual.
https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/
https://redefiningdarknessrecords.bandcamp.com/album/rotting-cosmic-grief
https://vendettarecords.wordpress.com/
CEREBRUM - Iridium
Transcending Obscurity Records
I believe many metal fans can agree that there were times in their fandom when they liked a certain genre of music but over time it's waned. Personally I can attest to quite a few but in particular is technical death metal. I shouldn't say "fan" because I can't say I ever was. As a matter of fact the only reason I have some of the prescribed tech death classics is merely because of chance. Once in a great while I'll pull one out to reminisce but it always ends up as a dust collector as opposed to other death metal releases I like.
Now I feel obliged to admit my bias toward a genre of which this Greek band CEREBRUM are part of. But since this comes from Transcending Obscurity Records, a label I admire and respect, then why not give it a shot. For the most part the music created by this four piece act is not what I'd call over the top or annoying. Basically this is old style tech death with space left open that lightly touches upon prog and jazz. At least the vocals are rough and rhythms grudgingly mean.
Of late I've been listening to various hard rock from the seventies and that includes some of that era's prog rock. Hey I grew up then so there you go. Anyways CEREBRUM allows some of that song structure abruptness to seep in. Add to that there's that jazz inspired interplay between the guitar and prominent bass lines. It all definitely has that KING CRIMSON goes death metal appeal.
In the end I think CEREBRUM's Iridium, which by the way is their third full length since forming in 2002, is a comfortable tech death release which will or should not invoke hails of name dropped past greats in order to please people who need a reference. CEREBRUM just does a great job on their own to be modern, interesting and captivating.
https://tometal.com/
https://cerebrumgreece.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CEREBRUMOFFICIAL/
VIRCOLAC - Masque
Dark Descent Records
I first learned about VIRCOLAC in March during my Irish Metal Assault music theme posting on Facebook, because I have nothing better to say so lets post music. I posted their The Cursed Travails of the Demeter EP from 2016. Ireland is not known for death metal so it was cool as fuck to check it out. Little did I know that the band had a full length.
And speaking of which here it is in all of it's blackened death metal filth. So after listening to this one you'll notice that this four piece act are not playing totally by present genre rules. To me that's a good thing and keeps it interesting. The band allows some synths in for good atmospheric tension breakers. At times the blast beating goes into grindcore modes of aggression. Riffs vary from death doom deviancy to actual head banging groove.
But for me it's the pissed off attitude vocals that wins me over along with the insane solo repertoire. On one cut the solo dives in like a maniac welding a knife while other times it's like a solom monolithic touch which crushes. Toss in the rampaging riffs, the sizematic registered drum beats and of course the song structures that drag you upon chaos and you have a great fuckin release.
http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/
https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/masque
TIDES OF SULFUR - Paralysis of Reason EP
Sludgelord Records
You ever try to fit a square peg into a round hole? I'm speaking metaphorically of course not literally, don't be an idiot. So yeah if it doesn't work then you move on. TIDES OF SULFUR are a band that makes it work. What we have here is a three piece sludge metal act from the UK that combine plenty of outside influences into their brand of extremism.
TIDES OF SULFUR are not relatively new to the music scene. They've been around since 2011 and over time have accumulated a nice bunch of releases. I'm talking about an EP, a split release, a full length which came out in 2016 and a compilation of old stuff aka: Pot of Piss at the End of the Rainbow which they put out in 2015.
Now getting back to influences musically TIDES OF SULFUR start out with a somewhat familiar Southern US style of sludge as a canvas. Next they pelt it with savage yet simplistic punk rock aggressiveness. Toss in some death metal groove, blackened vocals and a bunch of samples. It's definitely a throwback to the late 80s with an acknowledgement to modern extreme metal. You could easily hear this as grindcore played slow. It's definitely one of the more exciting things coming out of the UK.
https://thesludgelord.bandcamp.com/album/paralysis-of-reason
https://www.facebook.com/TidesOfSulfur
