HELLOWEEN - Self Titled review

 

HELLOWEEN - Self Titled

Victor

In my not so humble opinion there are two camps of HELLOWEEN fans. Camp A are the ones who have every release regardless if it's good or not. And they probably went apeshit when they heard this was coming out. Camp B on the other hand has the band's essential releases and maybe a few more worth checking out. They heard about this new release and figured well they'll put it on their I'll get it later list. 

I fall into Camp B obviously and to be honest the last album I have by HELLOWEEN is Straight Out of Hell from 2013. So the skinny on this one is a few years back the band did this Pumpkins Re-United tour which saw the return of past members; vocalist Michael Kiske and guitarist / vocalist Kai Hansen. The tour went so well with the camaraderie being so great that yeah you knew a reunion album was in the making. 

Now of course on paper it would seem like a good idea but in reality the best made plans seem to be a huge fuck up. So the first time I listened to this release I was like OK it's sounds like a HELLOWEEN album. Three more plays and then I found some negatives which should not be a surprise because the band has put out some stinkers over the past twenty years. So let me just start off by saying what I hate and follow up with what I liked.

For starters I thought "Best Time" is a pop metal flounder of a song. "I will have the best time of my life. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery". Wow how poignant as well as obvious. Why didn't you just hold hands. Next crapper "Angels", this is a modern era HELLOWEEN type of cut which sneaked it's way on an album focused on the band's classic era. "Indestructible" is another cheap ass cut. Musically it's cool with some amazing guitar solos but lyrically it's horrible. The instrumental "Orbit" is a waste of time. "Skyfall" is an in and out number. The vocal and melody mix blows but the guitar solo excitement is great.

Now everything I didn't mention is damm good as fuck. OK it's downright amazing. We're talking those cool galloping rhythms with exciting guitar solos that light the fucking sky. Not a perfect album but then again the band never put out one. Yeah that'll hurt purists. But hey they're still the greatest power metal band of all time.

https://www.helloween.org/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A1Ou5WpqDc

ABSCESSION - Rot of Ages review

 

ABSCESSION - Rot of Ages 

Transcending Obscurity Records

As much as I love old school Swedish style death metal there comes a time when it's needed to say enough already. Seriously there's only so much you can do with that HM-2 Boss guitar pedal. Then this band comes around and I'm "Ah OK this is fuckin fierce". But then again I was a bigger fan of DISFEAR than AT THE GATES so there you go.

What we have here is the second full length by ABSCESSION a four piece act from Sweden who started out back in 2010. Strangely enough 2010 was a year when the revival of old school sounding death metal had reached it's peak. On this release ABSCESSION are not going for that past sound. They're pushing for something more aggressive.

Musically this is like listening to ENTOMBED's Left Hand Path on 45 speed. Then again I could say GRAVE's debut as well but there's that keyboard action later on in this release which is a give away. The vocals are barked to a point which you would take personal offense. The drum work is fantastic with those blastbeats and fill action just perfect.

Aside from the whole death metal / hardcore push this band does they add some melodic points which break away from the slam pit action thrust of these cuts. Seriously listening to this I wanna get up out of my chair and slam around into the walls. Oh and by the way did I mention that I'm in my 50's. Is this the new school of Swedish Death Thrash or a revival? 

Actually I don't know but hey I got a friend who can fix the hole I put into the wall after slamming into it. Nuff Said.  

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://abscessiondeath.bandcamp.com/album/rot-of-ages-death-metal

OXYGEN DESTROYER - Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind review

 

OXYGEN DESTROYER - Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind

Redefining Darkness Records

OK before I start talking about the band and their second full length release there needs some explaining. OXYGEN DESTROYER are a Kaiju band and their music which they've been doing since 2015 is based on Kaiju. Now Kaiju is a Japanese genre of films and television featuring giant monsters. The original Godzilla film from the 1950's, which is the best Godzilla film, is considered the first Kaiju film. Speaking of which the band took their name from the device which killed Godzilla in that movie. 

Now that's out of the way here we have the second album by OXYGEN DESTROYER. We are talking blackened death metal / thrash here with a theme. Basically you've got songs inspired by a bunch of Japanese Kaiju movies on the beginning of this release. The other half is dedicated to a few US monster movies as well as one cut dedicated to the big English monster movie Gorgo. And ah yeah it's perfect Halloween Metal.

OXYGEN DESTROYER are also a four piece act from Seattle. I figured that needed to be said. This release is actually short coming with a run time of less then thirty minutes. Then again with blackened death thrash you don't need fuck around. We're talking about songs dedicated to giant monsters who crush, kill and destroy. You either run for your life or die. So musically the only slow parts of this release come in their choice of movie samples. 

When it comes to their execution it's the rhythm section which powers through. The drums and bass set the maniacal tone followed by riffs. In fact if you add in the dive bomb guitar solos you are reminded of a early MORBID ANGEL influence. At least they got that part right. Also bassist / vocalist Lord Kaiju has a venomous sounding singing style which fits so well. Yeah another great album for 2021.

http://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://oxygen-destroyer.bandcamp.com/album/sinister-monstrosities-spawned-by-the-unfathomable-ignorance-of-humankind

NEKROMANTHEON – The Visions of Trismegistos review

 

NEKROMANTHEON – The Visions of Trismegistos

Indie Recordings

Here's the latest from Norway's NEKROMANTHEON who I learned about and liked a while ago. How long ago you ask? Well I got their debut Divinity of Death in 2010 and thought it was damm good. Basically they're blackened thrash but when their debut came out to me it rose high in a sea of like minded acts. But of course I have to be honest and admit that their guitarist and bassist/vocalist are also in another band I like, OBLITERATION.

The Visions of Trismegistos is the third full length by this three piece blackened thrash act. Unfortunately I missed out on their previous release, Rise, Vulcan Spectre, from 2012. Now be that as it may when talking about Norwegian blackened thrash the elephant in the room will always be AURA NOIR. I mean as far as extreme music fans go they were that band which represented Norway as far as the whole blackened thrash genre was concerned. 

So years ago when NEKROMANTHEON came out with their debut it was speculated that the mantle had been passed as being the best. At least I thought so. Fast forward to here and now. Over the past five years I've heard some good Norwegian acts who do thrash well. But once I heard this album it was fuck it this rules, period end of story.

The Visions of Trismegistos is a fast album as in a little over thirty minutes in length. Don't let it breeze by you or they'll be things you'll miss. NEKROMANTHEON basically take the blackened thrash to a higher level, add their own stamp to it and put out one of the most ferocious sounding releases of the year. Oh yeah to those ignorant people out there, this is progression.

Along with the blackened speed you've got precision guitar soloing which will slice face flesh paper thin. The drumming on here is maniacal. It's a little on the high side, cymbals and snare power versus bass drum work. And of course the vocals are not embellished in the harsh or brutal way. In the end I'd say this is the best thrash album of the year. 

https://shop.indierecordings.no/

LISTEN HERE:

https://nekromantheon.bandcamp.com/

PROFANE DESECRATION - Abysmal Stillness review

 

PROFANE DESECRATION - Abysmal Stillness

Godz Ov War Productions

I like when a band starts off with a horrendous sound which makes you wonder what pit of hell did this crawl out of. After a movie sound bite which opens this debut full length by Massachusetts's death metal trio PROFANE DESECRATION. Things just get rolling and never slack off.

Musically the band are total OSDM but manage to inject some individuality into the genre mix. At first you would think they're total death metal barbarians wanting to bludgeon you with spiked clubs then covering themselves with your blood. OK maybe that's not so far fetched.

The major standout is the production on here. PROFANE DESECRATION are loud and in your fuckin face. The snare sound is punishing. The bass lines are thick. The guitars have an eerie diabolical feel with some tech death delivery. And of course the vocals are barbaric. I did say these guys are Mass-holes right?

Another thing which is cool, their songs fit perfectly in with the Halloween season. I mean with titles like "At Midnight" which  has a great Death & Roll feel. "The Reaper Is Waiting" which is one of the most ruthless songs on here. And of course "Forest Graves" which pushes some tech death guitar treatment but in a savage way. 

Anyways PROFANE DESECRATION's debut is something worth grabbing on to as well as remembering them. I mean this band on this debut is doing the old school brutal stuff, some death n roll, death thrash and touching on death grind with their cut "Abysmal". Versatility and variety in death metal is the new progressive movement in extreme metal. And this band is on that left hand path.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/abysmal-stillness

ISOLATED - The Enemy of Reason review

 

ISOLATED - The Enemy of Reason

Godz Ov War Productions

Originally self released in 2015 that's what you have here people. Another rough diamond of Polish death metal from a few years back that never made it into your psyche. By the way mine neither so thanks to the good people at Godz Ov War Productions for bringing this one forth. 

What we have here is a four piece act out of the recent past with their second full length which originally came out in 2015. Musically this band mixes heaviness and atmosphere well. At one point you're being pummeled by riffs, pounding drum beats and hellish vocals. Then the band will slow down to a torturous pace with a suffocating presence. 

To be honest there's a BEHEMOTH influence going on here. I pick it up in their arrangements plus some of the staccato style drumming. Of course there's the blackened death metal structures which are apparent. But it all makes this a worthwhile release to check out for connoisseurs of Polish Death Metal.

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-enemy-of-reason

IRON MAIDEN - Senjutsu review

 

IRON MAIDEN - Senjutsu 

Parlophone

Whenever it comes to new releases by a big name legacy metal act there's always that early hype which for someone who writes about these things needs to avoid. And lets be honest here, IRON MAIDEN are still one of the biggest names in metal on the planet. Now that SABBATH is gone only JUDAS PRIEST stands on the same level with em. So coming into this and being a fan of em all these decades I try to be honest with my own perspective on things. Still I did see / hear that one song from this album which had the cartoon video on YouTube. But otherwise I've done well not to be influenced by the multiple opinions out there on the inter-web. And trust me there have been a shit ton of opinions on this one.

So I spent now more than a week listening to this off and on. I've gone through a lot of notes as far as this seventeenth full length is concerned. For starters the new Eddie cover artwork looks amazing. Yes people when it comes to MAIDEN their Eddie artwork on the cover is important. Seriously people get into arguments over that shit on the internet. They'll probably sell a lot of merch aka: shirts, hoodies, posters and flags. Secondly the band is still following that modern era sound / style which started over a decade ago. So if you've been a fan of everything they've done since Brave New World then you're familiar with the path the band has taken.

Now as I said I had a bunch of notes which were a bit favorable towards Senjutsu. But I just wanted to give it another spin before I finalized this write-up. About halfway through the first CD, it is a double CD package by the way, I had this internal urge to take a bathroom break. OK I had to take a huge shit which I did. So when I was finished and stood up to flush I couldn't help but look into the toilet. That's when I became inspired and said fuck my notes. I'm not gonna sugar coat this one. Because everyone knows I'm as honest as a good bowel movement.

I am no fan of this album and my reasons are valid well at least to me. You see I'm an old IRON MAIDEN fan. So when this new era, fourth era or Brave New World era (or whatever you want to call it) of the band started I was late to the party but eventually gave it the benefit of the doubt. Brave New World was a decent enough release as far as "comeback" albums go. I mean sure Bruce and Adrian were back so that was cool. But since then the band has been on a huge slide downward as far as exciting album output.

First off there's ten tracks on here, most are seven minutes in length or longer. Now I don't have a problem with long cuts and obviously the band has explored extended songs before. But on here most of em are repetitive and really boring. I'd say "Lost in a Lost World" is the worst offender but then I'd be leaving the whole second CD's four cuts out of contention. Since I'm going there I'd say those songs are just unlistenable as in sleep worthy. Some of these cuts sound like they'd be more welcome at a Seattle Soy Boy coffee shop than a Hard Fuckin Rock bar with a Trooper banner on the wall.

Now being nice I'd say Senjutsu has some decent moments. The opening title track is a long epic power metal style cut which ain't horrible. Actually it's a good mid paced welcome back type of number from a band whose been silent for a while. "Stratego" is the only track on here which hearkens back to the band's early days of galloping riffs and decent drum work. Albeit not as powerful as they would've done back then. I was not a fan of the band doing Americana Southern Rock on "The Writing on the Wall". Yeah that's the song from the cartoon video. Ironically even on their last handful of albums I could only stand two songs off of each one.

 

In the end this is not the reprise album I'd want to hear from MAIDEN. Fine they can do whatever they fuckin want. But the fact is that the whole time I was listening to Senjutsu I kept thinking who the fuck am I listening to? There are plenty of other legacy bands out there who have found ways of progressing forward and still sounding relevant or interesting. I'm talking about bands like SAXON, ACCEPT, DEEP PURPLE and most recently JUDAS PRIEST. As far as MAIDEN goes they've always been a one trick pony. That's why there's a musical descriptive term called MAIDEN-esque. Senjutsu shows that the band has simply run out of tricks and the old horse is lame.

IRON MAIDEN WEBSITE:

https://www.ironmaiden.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIjNthG-_SU&t=46s

PROFECI - Aporia review

 

PROFECI - Aporia

Godz Ov War Productions

I would love to say this is just emotionally driven Polish Black Metal and walk away. Obviously I can't so here we go. Aporia is the second album by this four piece act who started out a few years ago. This band only follows a few tropes which you would consider BM. But with that said they have this inviting feeling almost like straight up classic metal or power metal. 

Like I gave notice early on, it's the emotionally charged vocals beautifully sung in their native language and clean sounding which gives this such a personal feel. Add to that the cross between aggressive sounding cuts versus the more mournful doom epic influenced ones. You get lossed in the rhythms as they carry you along a venture into the band's psyche. 

Aporia is an album full of dramatic twists, turns and inviting elements featuring blackened touches on a variety of metal styles. The whole of when I listened to this multiple times the thought continued that it's familiar but in the end it was not. What we have here is something totally unique and beautiful. 

 http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/aporia

ETERITUS - Rotten Transition review

 

ETERITUS - Rotten Transition

Godz Ov War Productions

Personally I like my Polish Death Metal to be brutal and uncompromising. ETERITUS, who started out in 2013, are with this their third full length not that way at all. Instead sound-wise they look towards the old school shores of Sweden for musical inspiration. Sorry guys but that intro was a dead giveaway to what I was about to hear.

ETERITUS are not the first Polish band that I've heard which has looked elsewhere for extreme influences and probably not the last. Musically they're definitely running the gambit of melodic death (minus the MAIDEN influences), thrash and some doom. Better yet they're making it their own sound which is the only reason I'd write about em.  

There are two highlights to this album. First off all of the songs on here are damm cool. I mean these guys can write some killer music which really grabs hold of ya and never lets go. The song structures have plenty of variety. Great riffs and tasty soloing that just flows along a saw's ragged blade. 

The second highlight is vocalist Oz Villarruel Gomez. This guy is amazing whether he's doing guttural style vocals or insane screams. When this release is blasting I can picture him in front of me screaming in my face. ETERITUS is the type of band you'd wanna see on the stage at Wacken. Thousands of people going crazy for their music. 

http://godzovwar.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/rotten-transition

SHORT STACK October 2021 part Two

SHORT STACK October 2021 part Two

All these damm EPs I've gotta review

FATHER BEFOULED / EXAUGURATE - Purging Holiness Split

Rotted Life Records

Just a two song, two band, both US death metal split for collectors. This falls into the category of the one you know and the other you don't split EP formula. FATHER BEFOULED is the one I know. They're an INCANTATION worshiping four piece from Georgia who I've been a fan of since 2010. For this one they contribute a typical slow death number titled "Seraphic Augury / Once Righteous". The latter part of the cut is an instrumental.

The newcomer, to me at least, on here is Alabama's EXAUGURATE who are a four piece OSDM act. This is their second release since starting out a year ago. By the way their debut was a four song EP and released by this label. I like their one cut "Enveloped". It's got a little faster pace to it as if the band members were into death thrash in their past. Nothing overwhelming but decent. As far as a winner from this split goes I'll say it's a draw. But I wouldn't mind hearing more from EXAUGURATE.

https://www.rottedlife.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://rottedlife.bandcamp.com/album/purging-holiness

ENSLAVED – Caravans To The Outer Worlds EP

Nuclear Blast

I like early ENSLAVED when they were a Norse Mythology influenced black metal band. They had a unique sound which was part of the individualism of second wave Norwegian black metal. A lot of modern day idiots don't get that fact. And I'll still say my last favorite release by em was Blodhemn but Eld was much better. Frost was their greatest release ever.

Be that as it may I have never been able to get into the band's releases anymore since they turned into a Norse prog rock band with slight black metal influences. What's worse is that all of those releases have the same tired theme. They show a little black metal influence and they totally fuck it up with their Norse prog crap. 

The pattern continues on this EP. Opener "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" starts off cool, palpable hard edged blackened hard rock. Then they fuck it all up. Next three cuts are all throwaway tracks. Norse prog rock is not rock at all. It's boring and if it wasn't for the keyboards their guitar rhythms would be shit.

https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html

LISTEN HERE:

https://enslaved.bandcamp.com/album/caravans-to-the-outer-worlds

MAYHEM – Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando

Century Media Records

As much as I liked 2019's Daemon full length I immediately thought this EP was gonna be full of throwaway tracks simply because of it's timing. The first side of this one sounds like either alternative versions or throwaways. Sure it's modern MAYHEM and I like it. 

The second side of this EP contains the covers which, according to the label were influences on MAYHEM. That's real bullshit. Wanna know who influenced the band, VENOM, BATHORY and CELTIC FROST. Sure there's a demo with a DEAD KENNEDY's song on it but so fuckin what? The bottom line is that MAYHEM were never influenced by DISCHARGE, THE DEAD KENNEDYS, RUDRIMENTRY PENI and certainly not the RAMONES. So why do these covers? Who knows?

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq0gGPdQzMo&list=PL5jglv0Xs5IPnIsAZFWeNH-FBrmA1QWdX&index=1

GOATSKULLT - Tevras EP review

 

GOATSKULLT - Tevras EP

Self Released

My fondness for Finnish black metal never goes unrewarded. Over the decades it is each year I'll get to hear a new release by an old favorite or some act that's completely new to me. As far as this one goes it's the latter. GOATSKULLT is a three piece black metal act who hail from Helsinki. As far as their history goes the band has been around since 2017 and to their credit have put out one full length and a bunch of short form releases. So far this is their third EP in a row.

This is the first time I've heard GOATSKULLT but it captures so much from the Finnish black metal scene that they're more like an old favorite to the ears. First off the lyrics are sung in their native language which just adds to the hostility. The six cuts on here are a mixed bag of musical styles. You've got some cuts which are full on speed induced necro blackened face rippers. Then to break the cycle GOATSKULLT will slow down to a sinister crawl or a mid tempo pace giving into some doom type atmosphere with less harshness to the vocals and tremolo picked melodies.

Usually on an EP especially from a black metal act you're gonna get a one trick pony continuous type of vibe. Basically I'm talking about bands who give ya all fast head snappers or contemplation pieces. This band does what I like which is show the many facets of their style even on a small EP format. Great stuff.

LISTEN HERE:

https://goatskullt.bandcamp.com/album/tevras

SHORT TAKES for October 2021

 SHORT TAKES is a batch of reviews which are short because the subject matter is easy to define.

TOXICROSE - In for the Kill

Golden Robot Records

So you look at the album cover, see the name and band photo plus their release's title. You think MOTLEY CRUE wannabe's right? Well I saw a video by them and my first thought was that Shagrath from DIMMU BORGIR had a make-up and wardrobe sale on E-Bay and these guys cleaned him out. 

As far as their music is concerned this is Swedish pop metal with more cheese than France. The children of EUROPE (yeah that 80's Swedish rock band with their final countdown) did not turn out so well. OK musically this is melodic as hell, catchy and well performed. Instead of shout at the devil it's more give us that Swedish Grammy. We're talking radio friendly power metal stuff here which I strangely like.

http://goldenrobotrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYqoiK3SLBg

GOJIRA - Fortitude

Roadrunner Records

I've given this band plenty of chances to excite my metal senses and they always come up short. I think the people I've actually heard say great things about this band were lying in order to not look sophisticated. Seriously GOJIRA have always been a boring band that critics like. Now of course I'll get the typical snarky hipster reply "well you're not open minded enough to get it".

 

You know what, they right. Their version of open mindedness means they have small brains so there's plenty of room inside their skulls for boring music like this to congregate. And hey what's not to get about harmless modern metal? There's nothing progressive or technical about this band's sound. This album is a perfect example of background music that you try hard to get far away from. 

https://store.roadrunnerrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE & DIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cS9GVBRdwM

PARADISE LOST – Gothic Live At Roadburn 2016 

Nuclear Blast

OK I'm a PARADISE LOST fan, Gothic is one of their best albums and I've never seen em live. So yeah to me this is a must have release for fans. Also this was recorded when they appeared at the Roadburn Fest in 2016. Now for those of you unfamiliar, when bands appear at Roadburn they tend to put on special as well as amazing performances. 

The skinny on this one is pretty simple. Back in 2016 the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of their Gothic album by playing it in its entirety. Now not just here at Roadburn but in other places as well. And just like all other bands when it comes to their albums, they don't play every track off of them on tour. So it's these special releases where you hear live versions of some tracks for the first time ever. 

So now it's 2021 and the album's 30th anniversary so the band (and label) made this recording available to us fans. I mean seriously the only people I know who've been to a Roadburn Fest are those in bands. You and I will never ever get to go. The tickets for the fest sell out faster than a cheetah late for supper. But be that as it may yeah this is a must have for any PARADISE LOST fan.

https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/shop/index.html

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUOiT7vDozc&t=1970s

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM - Primordial Arcana 

Relapse Records

Just to recap from the past. WITTR were famous years ago for calling themselves Cascadian black metal. The genre term would go onto mean "We borrowed our sound from DRUDKH". They were synonymous with the whole hipster black metal pedigree back when those cretinous individuals invaded the metal scene. Finally I still own two of their releases. One I like a bit and the other I hate. Oh yeah and I haven't heard anything new by them in a decade.

Seeing that this new full length is their first release on Relapse Records. I expect some ginned up hype via mainstream music scribes. But hey it's all about the music, right? So sound-wise this is cut and paste atmospheric black metal. It's a cloning of what has come before so much that even on it's decent moments I found myself bored. The harsh / growled vocals are held back deep in the mix. Some cuts have way too much keyboard use. For the most part I kept thinking well at least they're leaving DRUDKH's work alone. But now they have some Norwegian and Swedish acts to deal with in copyright issues. Folk influence thievery is not good.

https://store.relapse.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://wolvesinthethroneroom.bandcamp.com/

MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT - Kings Of The Deathmatch review

 

MATSUNAGA WAS RIGHT - Kings Of The Deathmatch

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Extreme music and Hardcore Wrestling have had a connection for a very long time. Years ago it was underground bands from the punk side of the aisle like ANTISEEN, RANCID VAT and COCKNOOSE (aka: The Confederacy of Scum). Most of those band's albums had songs about wrestlers on em. Plus their live shows had plenty of wrestling shtick. 

Some decades later you started to see bands from the metal side of the aisle, mainly thrash and grindcore acts, who showed their love for the sport of kings through their music. Hell I learned a few years ago that hipsters up north in NYC were getting into extreme wrestling. Yeah well how's that fad going? Maybe as long as women's roller derby?

But anyways being a fan of wrestling since I was a kid watching early WCW then NWA and later on ECW it's automatic for me to like any band who's into it as well. Ah but this band goes beyond the realm of US TV wrestling programs. This band takes to the realm where we fans only knew via VHS tapes be they traded for or bought. We're talking Japanese Death Match worship. 

This band here, who by the way are from Ohio and play grindcore, name themselves after one of the most famous Japanese extreme wrestlers of all time, Mitsuhito Matsunaga. The band is made up of a singer (if you wanna call it singing) two guitarists and a drum machine.

Now I'm not gonna play word games here. Musically this is fast insane styled grind. We're talking fifteen songs in around ten minutes. It's all about the guitar riffs, screamed vocals and snippets of live wrestling events. Overall, as a grind fan, yeah it's cool. But as a wrestling fan who's into extreme music I'd rather listen to the Confederacy of Scum bands. 

Oh and by the way as far as me liking wrestling well here ya go.

Nuff Said. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/kings-of-the-deathmatch

DREAD SOVEREIGN - Alchemical Warfare review

 

DREAD SOVEREIGN - Alchemical Warfare

Metal Blade Records

So some years ago when I heard this band's 2013 debut EP, Pray to the Devil in Man, I was excited as fuck. You see this three piece act started out with Alan Averill on bass and vocals plus Simon O'Laoghaire on drums. Both of these guys are in the great Irish black metal act PRIMORDIAL, who I'm a huge fan of. Their extraordinary guitarist goes by the name Bones. Also this little o'l side project was all about Doom Metal.

Since then the band has released three full lengths with this one being their third. Also Simon O'Laoghaire has left the band only to be replaced by the also amazing Johnny King who plays with CONAN. Now as far as their previous full lengths go well they're OK as far as repeating past doom legend influences go. Basically it was PRIMORDIAL gone doom which ain't bad. 

So with this new one I was expecting another dust collector dink because I'd rather hear PRIMORDIAL. But no since finally guitarist Bones has been let loose from the shackles of influential pasts in order to cut a rug of his own. Sure there's plenty of SABBATH-ian doom style going on here. But with the wild song structures, riff salad overtures and melodic soloing damm this is good.

Combine it all with the powerful drum work, outstanding vocals and the familiar yet melodic riff work ah yeah this is outstanding. You've got eight great doom / heavy metal cuts and the ninth one being a decent hardcore style BATHORY cover. 

https://www.metalblade.com/us/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dreadsovereign.bandcamp.com/album/alchemical-warfare

SEEDS OF PERDITION - Suffering Of The Dead review

 

SEEDS OF PERDITION - Suffering Of The Dead

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

Just for the record the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is home to a vibrant and historical musical heritage which goes back centuries. I mean we're talking about a city that's given America some amazing music as far as classical music and opera, also R&B, jazz, soul and of course rock n roll. I mean hey Philly is the city where Dick Clark started American Bandstand. 

But fuck all of that shit because since the late 80's I've been lucky enough to write about the city's underbelly of extreme music. That's why I call it Hostile City and here's another act from Philly which pushes the extreme. SEEDS OF PERDITION are a newer act out of the city who are more about carrying on tradition than pushing limits. The genre tagline on them is death thrash but they've got more to offer than that.

This is the second full length by SEEDS OF PERDITION. Prior to this their debut came out in 2017 and before that they had some short form releases. As far as this album goes it reminds me of something from twenty years ago and hey that's a good thing. Sound-wise this gives off an aura that's like old leather with blood on it.

Some of the highlights on this release are the vocals by Chris Natalini. The man has that in-between DM vocal style where it's not bestial or caustic. Basically somewhere in-between and could be a touch on the hardcore side. Add to that the cool range in sound which this band covers is beyond the whole death thrash pedigree. Sure you've got the heavy and fast paced cuts but the band does delve into some doom like moments that lend depth in punishing ways. Decent stuff.

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/suffering-of-the-dead

 

THE SLOW DEATH - Siege review

 

THE SLOW DEATH - Siege 

Transcending Obscurity Records

What we have here true believers in the realm of death doom is an Australian super group of sorts. A bunch of these musicians play in or have played in bands I'm quite familiar with. For example there's drummer Yonn McLaughlin who's in NAZXUL and PESTILENTIAL SHADOWS. One of their vocalists (she also does keyboards), Mandy Andresen, was in MURKRAT. I was a huge fan of her vocal style back in 2008 when their self titled debut came out. Now I know where she went.

So when I said that Mandy Andresen is one of this band's vocalists then you figured out the obvious. Mandy sings the clean vocals and their male vocalist, Gamaliel, does the growls. But hey it's death doom with Mandy adding some airy keyboard melody which carries along the rhythms as a backdrop. The heavy handed guitars are the staple throughout. Add to that a suffocating atmosphere which is to a point haunting as well as dream inducing. 

Trust me on that one, I had my eyes closed during the song "Pestilence" and I saw trails of Hell behind my eyelids. I guess the safe bet here is that if you're into MOURNFUL CONGREGATION, which this band's guitarist Stuart Prickett use to perform with, then you'll like this. Siege is four songs spanning over an hour's time. But every second I hear Mandy Andresen vocals is worth it. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://theslowdeathband.bandcamp.com/album/siege-atmospheric-death-doom-metal

REPLICANT - Malignant Reality review

 

REPLICANT - Malignant Reality 

Transcending Obscurity Records

There's that feeling you get whenever hearing a new band and they remind you of someone else. But you just can't come up with the other band's name. When I first listened to this release the feeling of being dumbfounded went on till about the halfway point of it's play through. That's when I finally gave in and read the PR info on the band. Of course that's when you wanna smack yourself upside the head and go "Duh"?

So for the record this is the second full length by REPLICANT a three piece act who hail from the great state of New Jersey. I say great state because I was born there. I left there when I was 12 but hey according to many people I still retain some of the accent. And I still call people "Douche-Bags". Be that as it may REPLICANT's sound / style is rooted in the early days of tech death. But instead of repeating the US variety, these guys take their cues from beyond US shores. 

I won't spoil ya with name dropping past greats. But if you want your conservative metal mind blown to bits then check out "The Ubiquity of Time". It's an eight plus minute opus of jazz influence, dissonant atmosphere, feedback, violin and groove laden death metal. Sure they left that till the end because the rest of the album blows away your conformity to the genre. 

But seriously Malignant Reality leaves no doubts to what they're all about with shocker opener "Caverns of Insipid Reflection". If it wasn't for my appreciation of some older tech death bands hailing from places like Quebec, Finland and France then I might've past on this. I never cared for what tech death later turned into which for me was music for those addled with ADD. 

REPLICANT are far from that hideous style. And despite what their name might suggest they're not copycats. You can take an old style of music, learn it well and then progress onward as if it's your own. The bonus points are that they nail the angular riffs. The whimsical bass lines flow in well on certain cuts. The vocals are just as tortured as their guitar strings. Finally their songwriting is compelling enough to keep you glued. Great stuff.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://replicantband.bandcamp.com/album/malignant-reality-dissonant-death-metal

VREID – Wild North West review

 

VREID – Wild North West 

Season of Mist

My main reason for getting into Norway's VREID in the first place many years ago was obvious. They were the former members of WINDIR who continued on under a new name after their former mainman Valfar died. Since I liked WINDIR a lot my hope was that maybe these guys would continue the legacy. I thought their first couple of releases were decent. But for me 2009's Milorg was a great milestone for them. 

Even to this day whenever I wanna hear something from this band's catalog I go straight for Milorg. Afterwards I'll bounce around to their other releases. I will say that the band's last four full length releases haven't been bad. 2011's V is a decent album I'll play straight through without being bored. As far as everything which came after well those releases had some high points and plenty of mediocre moments. 

So because I'm a fan and a completest I had to check out this latest one hoping for the best. And after a few listens I look at this their ninth full length with the same respect I gave their past few. The album starts off well with the band's melodic black metal style in full bloom. I like how on a few cuts the band reach back to their early days for inspiration and influence. To put in nicely there's some WINDIR moments. So first four tracks in and we're good here.

But then it's on the second half of the album when things get weird. After an amazing "Spikes of God", which is black metal incarnate for these guys, the band heads into black n roll territory. Now if you thought their foray into mello death an album or two ago was bad. Well you'll not be too won over with "Dazed and Reduced" which is like a bad Alice Cooper wannabe cut. Actually Alice would give it some well needed justice. 

After that flop it's followed by the equally bad "Into the Mountains". The closer "Shadowland" has decent moments for a end of album opus but it's close to ten minute time length stretches too much. Oh well keep stretching guys, number ten is next. Let's see if you can capture lightning in a bottle again.

https://www.season-of-mist.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://vreidsom.bandcamp.com/

VEILBURNER - Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull review

 

VEILBURNER - Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull 

Transcending Obscurity Records

A few years ago while writing about VEILBURNER's fourth full length, A Sire to the Ghouls of Lunacy, I clearly made an important point. When one thinks of bands from the blackened death genre you pretty much have a two sided idea of what to expect. VEILBURNER introduces a third option. Of course I found out that option was to create something which actually earns the term progressive. I also called it perfection.

VEILBURNER, who hail from a former home of mine aka the state of Pennsylvania, seem to have created something which forgoes the typical boring or pretentious aspects of what passes for prog in metal. They make it fuckin interesting. So on this their fifth full length this two piece act (yeah I know) does not repeat where they left off in 2018. On the contrary they take another step forward.

Of course their basic template is blackened death metal with plenty of avant garde Euro black metal touches. That's the easy part. From that point onward the band twists song structures into prog pretzel knots. Guitar solos dive in akin to the jazz work of Jeff Beck or even better, the Robert Fripp / Adrian Belew era of KING CRIMSON. Yeah I'm showing my age here because I'm ignorant as far as modern prog or jazz fusion go.

From that point onward you're enveloped in an ever changing soundscape. There's the dissonant tones hanging in backgrounds just waiting to jump out and grab you. The horror tinged melodic solos which morph into dentist drills while ABSU like drum runs pound away. Of course there's always an atmospheric break which is either murky or filled with grandeur.

Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull is an aptly titled over fifty minute journey into the subconscious of the truly discontented. While the heavy handed cuts full of discordance dazzle your open mind. It's the quiet yet suffocating “Para-Opaque” with it's dissonant tones, prog sound slate and whispered vocals which could be the most terrifying cut on the album. I believe my investment with time while listening to this release might've shaved a year off. Either way I believe VEILBURNER has earned their legacy with this one.

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://veilburnerband.bandcamp.com/album/lurkers-in-the-capsule-of-skull-dissonant-death-black-metal