SAMMATH - Grebbeberg review

 

SAMMATH - Grebbeberg

Hammerheart Records

SAMMATH are, in my not so humble opinion, the best Dutch black metal act over the past few decades. They started out in the mid 1990's finally putting out their debut full length, Strijd, in 1999. I originally got into em back in 2006 with their third album Dodengang. They released another great album, Triumph in Hatred, in 2009. But after that I lost track of em. 

Then in 2019 I got their sixth album Across the Rhine Is Only Death. I missed out on 2014's Godless Arrogance. But anyways Across the Rhine Is Only Death happens to be my favorite album by this Dutch three piece black metal act. Obviously the band has changed over the decades. Mainman Jan Kruitwagen is still on guitar and vocals. For the past two decades Ruud Nillesen has been with him on bass. And drummer Wim van der Valk came on in 2016.

What I have always like about modern day SAMMATH is their ferocious take on 90's era black metal. Jan Kruitwagen's full on serpentine vocals combined with guitar work which is one part icy cold tremolo picked riffs or almost grindcore insanity. Add to that you've got Wim van der Valk's drum work in almost grind mode as well. Ruud Nillesen finds a way to insert his bass lines amidst the chaos. 

Grebbeberg is eight songs worth of blackened fury that any genre fan needs to hear. Right now it's a constant play because it's the best of black metal album I've heard this year so far. 

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://sammathhhr.bandcamp.com/album/grebbeberg

OVERKILL - Scorched review

 

OVERKILL - Scorched

Nuclear Blast

OK the art work on the cover is damm good but then aren't they always? Now with that said it's always tough for me to write about a legacy band I've been a fan of since their inception. Yeah I'm bias but honest. The early days of OVERKILL were amazing. The groove metal stuff sucked in my not so humble opinion. Then along came Ironbound in 2010 and everyone was floored by it. OVERKILL were a force in thrash to be re-conned with again.

So here we are thirteen years and a handful of albums later. I have to admit that my excitement is somewhat challenged with this new one. But hey I really liked 2019's The Wings of War full length. Ya wanna know the last time I listened to it? Two years ago I brushed the dust off of it. And I believe this one will gather some dust as well. 

I'll give OVERKILL some due, on here they're finally really breaking from the Ironbound era. The opening track show's some IRON MAIDEN influence in the beginning and in between. It ends up being a cool raise your fist in the air thrash track until they revert to their old groove elements. But hey the song ends well and there's an amazing guitar solo. 

As far as that goes for most of listening to this album I wanted to die. For every asshole out there who repeated the term Hard Thrash in accessing OVERKILL's modern era. Well you can go fuck yourselves. My favorite cuts on here are "Twist of the Wick" (another MAIDEN-esque influenced cut but I'm also thinking PRIEST's Painkiller). Add to that "Fever" is a mediocre groove laden rager that actually kicks some ass. "Harder They Fall" is the best thrash track on here with an amazing guitar solo to boot "Know Her Name" follows second as being a cool thrash track.

Like I said in the beginning, it has a nice cover. As far as that goes let the dust gather on this one. Again like I said earlier, I'm a fan but I'm honest.

https://www.nuclearblast.com/eu/

LISTEN HERE:

https://overkillmetal.bandcamp.com/album/scorched

RUNEMAGICK - Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind review

 

RUNEMAGICK - Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind

Hammerheart Records

Once again Hammerheart Records breaths new life into an old band that I like. RUNEMAGICK were a damm good Swedish death doom act from the late 1990's. Actually they started out earlier in the decade but their debut full length release, The Supreme Force of Eternity, came out in 1998. The band put out three classic albums, in my not so humble opinion, on Century Media Records from 1998 to 2000. 

After that it was pretty much silence for me at least. The band kept going on releasing a handful of albums over the years on Norway's Aftermath Music. Unfortunately I was not following a long. It wasn't until 2018 when I rekindled my love for this band when I heard that year's newest one Evoked from Abysmal Sleep. Yeah the title of the album speaks volumes as well as the music. The follow up Into Desolate Realms from 2019 was decent. But now after another long wait we now have Beyond the Cenotaph of Mankind. 

What you've got here is a six song release that comes across just as dangerous sounding as the band was back in the day. But there's this thick menacing atmosphere prevailing upon everything. Mainman Nicklas Rudolfsson's (guitar & vocals) always had a death doom vision which was epic, powerful and driving. The combination of his deep diabolical vocals and driving hypnotic riffs sets you on a wild ride.   

Along for that one is bassist Emma Rudolfsson who has stuck with RUNEMAGICK since 2000. Her bass lines are magnificent on here. Next up you've got Jonas Blom who use to be on drums back in the glory days. But now is supplying guitar work which slides in like a dynamic malice. And of course Daniel Moilanen an amazing drummer for Katatonia is here. 

RUNEMAGICK in 2023 is in a word majestic. I mean here's a band that has learned the finesse of including atmospheric tech style into the old school death metal framework. They haven't moved beyond the threshold of what they know how to do best. Yes this is slow crushing death doom with a touch of groove, some cool moments that ride along and plenty of punishing vocals. I'm glad to be back with ya.

https://www.hammerheart.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://runemagick.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-cenotaph-of-mankind-2

CONDENADOS - El camino de la serpiente review

 

CONDENADOS - El camino de la serpiente

Evil Confrontation Records

I got into this Chilean Doom act back in 2017 with their second full length, The Tree of Death. That one came out on Shadow Kingdom Records and I kinda figured they would be huge by now. I'm talking underground huge but unfortunately that never came about. Worse yet it's been five years since last we heard from this band. 

But hey here we are now with this new album who's title translates into English as The Path of the Serpent. There's been a line-up change in CONDENADOS as well. While Fernando Vidal is still on vocals and guitar now you've got Matias Hernandez, who's been handling bass for a while now contributing on drums. Matias also owns Evil Confrontation Records.

As far as this third full length goes. The intro is three minutes plus of ambient noise which I didn't like. In fact this one starts off mediocre. It's not till the fourth track, the self referenced "Condenados", that we get some rockin and major solo rips. From that point onward you've got rockin doom in the vein of GATES OF SLUMBER meets MANILLA ROAD. 

When "Mi Maldicion" kicks in with it's SABBATH-ian slugey riffs we are in the highlight point. Fernando Vidal sings in Spanish and in a high vocal style plus he's held in the back ground as the music takes center stage. "Humo negro" will have you trolling on stoner grooves. "La mano del destino" is SABBATH in Spanish with Sabotage riffage. Final cut "Lucifer" shows off some damm good bass lines. 

In the end CONDENADOS are a band that you really want to be greater. At least I do but, like with their last album. It ends up being OK.  

https://www.evilconfrontation.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://condenadosdoom.bandcamp.com/album/el-camino-de-la-serpiente

Paralysis Volume One Compilation review

Hey I like Sludge Metal and frankly who doesn't. Now there are a few four letter words that all people into metal know well. One of em is the word FREE. Yes if your're into Sludge Metal then here's a cool compilation for you to check out, for free. 

Personally I lost a week or two of my life listening to this compilation but hey it was worth it.

LISTEN HERE:

https://sludgelordrecords.bandcamp.com/album/paralysis-vol-1

MUSKEG CHARNEL - Decomposition Part 3: Rigor Mortis review

 

MUSKEG CHARNEL - Decomposition Part 3: Rigor Mortis

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

A few years ago (2016 to be exact) the artist Wretch, a one man US black metal act, decided to come about a multi album project under the band name MUSKEG CHARNEL. In 2016 he put out Decomposition Part 1: Pallor Mortis which came out on Dread Records. That release was originally a cassette only piece with 100 copies available. For any kvlt types left out there, here you go.

In 2020 WRETCH continued with his second saga titled Decomposition Part 2: Algor Mortis. That one came out on Depressive Illusions Records as another cassette release, 66 this time around. Attention kvlt types out there! So here we are at the third part of this project. Thankfully Horror Pain Gore Death Productions has done a good job showcasing it better than the previous two. Yeah well this label always does a great job. 

Musically Wretch's project, MUSKEG CHARNEL, has always been in the vein of the Scandinavian BM direction. On here it's totally raw with atmospheric touches that lighten the hostility. To a point you feel as if this is depressive BM with wounded bestial vocals. Although there are also harsh screams which come across as triumph amongst the tragedy. The riffage is standard fare from the genre style. Overall it's all about the mood.

All in all this release is rooted in the mire of early 2000's rawness and tribute awareness. Over two decades later plenty of BM fans have moved on from the whole kvlt sound aesthetics. But I'm sure there are some still out there who'll call this a classic. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/decomposition-part-3-rigor-mortis

SAVIORSKIN - Invicta Mori / DoomFather review

 

SAVIORSKIN - Invicta Mori / DoomFather

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

So this is my first time checking out this gothic death doom act who hail from Houston, Texas. Although I have heard some tracks by them on the Horror Pain Gore Death Productions' compilations. I never listened to any of their full lengths, this is their third, until now. But I'm very familiar with the style of metal they're producing.

Throughout this album you can hear influences from what is known as the Peaceville three aka: PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE and ANATHEMA. Add to that there's a touch of early 1990's industrial metal or mechanized tempos. It's as if Justin Broadrick (JESU, GODFLESH) came in to toss in some ideas. There is a guest on this release but I'll get to that later.

To me this is late night music in right now as I'm writing this review. The vocals are a mix of wounded growls and melancholy clean singing. Musically the band's sound is one foot in death doom and the other in some epic gothic metal style. The early part of the album shows off more of the experimentation. Like on opener "Iconoclast" you've got everything previously mentioned plus a cool guitar solo which breaks out of the darkness. 

Mid-way through the album the band breaks from the harsh reality to add some melodic touches. What continues onward is once again on par with the band formula. The special guest on here is MORGOTH's vocalist Marc Grewe who contributes on the album's last track, "Sycophant." The album is nine songs worth of miserable joy. By the way the CD version contains the band's four-song DoomFather EP as an extra.

In the end I'm PARADISE LOST fan therefore any band that takes them as an influence and injects some personal touches, I'll also like. This third album by SAVIORSKIN is damm good. I'm sure people into this style of metal will go ape-shit over it. Oddly enough Horror Pain Gore Death Productions is known for putting out releases by bands who's sounds are what I'd call beating people up music. And I like that a lot about em. So this release is like OK I beat the shit out of someone last night but I have a sensitive side. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/invicta-mori-doomfather

HELLRIPPER - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags review

 

HELLRIPPER - Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags

Peaceville Records

This is the third full length by HELLRIPPER aka: James McBain. For those of you who don't know, yes HELLRIPPER is a one man band. McBain is Scotland's version of Joel Grind of TOXIC HOLOCAUST or maybe Athenar from MIDNIGHT. In that musically HELLRIPPER specializes in speed metal with some blackened touches, mainly McBain's vocals. 

Also this is not my first time writing about HELLRIPPER. My history with em goes back to their beginning with the The Manifestation of Evil EP from 2015. So for the past bunch of years McBain has put out plenty of short form releases all sounding in the blackened thrash/speed metal formula. If ever he's shown some progress it's been on his full lengths. 

HELLRIPPER's second album, The Affair of the Poisons, from 2020 showed that McBain was showing more of a traditional heavy metal style in his song writing. This latest one shows that he's accomplished it all without compromise. Opener "The Nuckelavee" is a perfect example to were you have blackened speed metal meeting up with some melodic riffs in mid-song. Add to that some cool lead guitar work. 

The rest of this album confirms it all. There's melodic black metal meets NWOBHM. There's heavy riffs ala 1980's meets speed metal mania. All in all it's a great record and HELLRIPPER's finest.

http://www.peaceville.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hellripper.bandcamp.com/album/warlocks-grim-withered-hags