EARLY MOODS - A Sinner's Past review

 

EARLY MOODS - A Sinner's Past

RidingEasy Records

So here we have the long awaited, well for me at least since it came out in March, second album by Los Angeles, California's EARLY MOODS. This is an amazing Doom Metal band that I originally saw in 2022 open up for SAVAGE MASTER at a club in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. That year they released their self titled debut full length also on this label. 

The best way to describe EARLY MOODS' brand of Doom is a band influenced by the old ways but delivered with youthful enthusiasm. As far as the old goes think PENTAGRAM, TROUBLE and CANDLEMASS with an obvious salute to the almighty SABBATH. If you thought their debut album was amazing then A Sinner's Past will have you thinking perfection.

Just listen to the opening cut "Last Hour" and you'll believe it sounds like something from SABBATH's Volume Four. And that's one of many times this album provides a cool new take on classic sounds of Doom's past which we know and enjoy. Now before any naysayer jaded pieces of shit weigh in. Let me make this clear again. The EARLY MOODS are not the usual grave robbers of the past. 

This band not only honors the past with influences but brings it to the modern Doom metal music world with a force that's been lost by so many before them. The title track comes across like PENTAGRAM meets CANDLEMASS with old Ozzy vocals touched with aggressive harsh screams. Add to that the musicianship on this album is full blown exceptional.  

I mean the riffs are melodic and crunch heavy. The rhythm section is fucking dynamic as hell. The guitar soloing is Tony Iomni approved. But hey the vocals are just cool as fuck. The song structures are all about the occult / horror side of themes. But what's cool is that the band are not pushing the campy bullshit. Listen to "Hells Odyssey" which is the most epic track at eight plus minutes in length on here and you'll be in awe.

This second album by EARLY MOODS is also cool because it slightly progressives from their debut. Their love and appreciation of the old shows in their creative trials to come up with great sounds without being a copycat. With that said yeah the are my favorite Doom metal band of late. And this album is the best Doom album of the year. Come on look at the album cover? They look like a Doom version of the MC5. Hey guys Tony Iomni needs to contribute a solo on your next record. I mean he would love your sound.

https://www.ridingeasyrecs.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://earlymoods.bandcamp.com/album/a-sinners-past

ADVERSARIAL - Solitude with the Eternal review

 

ADVERSARIAL - Solitude with the Eternal

Dark Descent Records

Here we have the third full length by this Canadian three piece Blackened Death act. I first got into this band with their second full length Death, Endless Nothing and the Black Knife of Nihilism. That originally came out in 2015 and on Dark Descent Records. In all honesty I got that release in 2017 and immediately became a fan. I'm pretty sure it was a year later when I got their debut full length, All Idols Fall Before the Hammer, which came out in 2010. 

Now what makes ADVERSARIAL so cool is that they're part of the whole modern take on the Blackened Death genre sound. There's brutality and melody woven together with destructive drumming. Add to that the guitar work crosses into hypnotic territory and still kicks into some violent rage. The vocals are bestial as it gets. Add to that you've got great production which just leaves the listener in a captive gaze. 

And that's also what I thought about em years ago. So here we are now almost a decade between releases. This style of modern Blackened Death still packs a hell of a punch. But it's not so kick ass as it once was. Nowadays it's just damm good.

https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/

LISTEN HERE:

https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/solitude-with-the-eternal

VARIOUS ARTISTS - SVN - King Of The Deatmatches 2024 review

 

VARIOUS ARTISTS - SVN - King Of The Deatmatches 2024

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions

 

On December 14th 2024 at Don Quixote's in Los Angeles, California an amazing wrestling event took place. It was the SVN (Severe Violent Nature) King Of The Deathmatches Tournament. You had a dozen ruthless competitors fight it out to be crowned number one. The event was hosted by Tony Foresta of MUNICIPAL WASTE fame. You can watch the final here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEJCuQo6zXY

In honor of that spectacular wrestling extravaganza the good people at HPGD Productions decided to put together a compilation of great extreme sounding artists from their label.

Now before I get into the music on this compilation let me explain something about myself. My love of professional wrestling (or wrasslin as we say here in NC) goes back to when I was a kid in the 70's. I stuck with it from the 70's to the 80's, 90's and early 2000s. Honestly I haven't cared for wrestling in the past 20 years. My heroes are gone / retired. And the newer bunch just bores me. 

But wrestling and extreme music has gone hand in hand for a while. I've always been a fan of it. ANTISEEN, my favorite band of all time, are quite known for doing some wrestling themed songs. Some of their past co-horts like COCKNOOSE and RANCID VAT had plenty of wrestling inspired songs. Then around a decade or more ago I learned that there was a new extreme metal and wrestling phenomena going on from Philadelphia, PA. as well as surrounding areas. And why not since it's the home of ECW aka: Extreme Championship Wrestling. 

Yes you had young extreme musicians from Philly and surrounding areas watching videos of Terry Funk, The Sandman, Taz and Sabo then going on to create full on brutal DM and grindcore music. And of course not so strangely enough it was this label here from Philly, aka: Hostile City, HPGD Productions that promoted much of it. 

So here we have a compilation that's not much about wrestling but more about extreme music be it death metal or grindcore by some great artists from the HPGD Productions label. Honestly I like a lot of these bands. I mean releases this year by the likes of CRUSHUMAN, SULLY, FACHE and HUMAN INFECTION are top notch and well represented here. I listened to this before work the other night in order to have this music in my head to combat the bad Christmas crap sounds played there.

In the end this is a great fuckin comp. The variety of extreme sounds is phenomenal. Check out some BLOOD FREAK, GHOULHOUSE or BRED FOR SLAUGHTER. All good stuff. 

https://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/king-of-the-deathmatches-2024

REVOLTING - Night of the Horrid review

 

REVOLTING - Night of the Horrid

Xtreem Music

Rogga Johansson, who I always refer to as the hardest working metal musician (well as far as Death Metal goes) in Sweden, has been quite prolific this year as far as quality goes. Back in the spring he came out with another cool sounding solo album, Otherworld. Add to that in the fall the new PAGANIZER album, Flesh Requiem, was released. Then earlier this year you had the new full length by RIBSPREADER titled Reap Humanity. 

Just for the record the three releases mentioned above are in my list of Death Metal full length favorites for the year. I mean they are great albums. And now this one comes out with some amazing cover art work to boot. This is the ninth full length by REVOLTING since starting out in 2008. Another amazing thing is that the line-up has always been Rogga Johansson (aka: Revolting Rogga) as vocalist & guitarist. Then there's Grotesque Tobias on bass and Mutated Martin on drums.

Now I might've said it before but it bare's repeating. Rogga Johansson over the past bunch of years has created the purest as well as truest form of Swedish Death Metal throughout his various bands / musical projects. Yes we've got the past and then it ended. Rogga took it and continued onward. The result is some of the greatest Death Metal ever to come out of Sweden. 

With that said checking out this latest REVOLTING album is like handing a loaded pistol to a drunk. I always thought that REVOLTING was Rogga's version of DISFEAR. Going back to their debut album, Dreadful Pleasures from 2009, it was more death thrash and hardcore (or crust) influenced than PAGANIZER. Be that said over the years the band's sound has become a guarantee of relentless rather than obvious repetition. 

Listening to this one I kinda forget the past and wish I could still slam dance to the opening track "Seven Severed Heads" or it's follow up "Blades Will Cut". But hey blasting this one while hearing the amazing melodic guitar soloing work it's way through some dynamic pounding beats is still cool. Rogga's harsh meets beast like vocals always rule. There's a melodic thread tagging on a savage pattern which works well as always with modern day Rogga stuff. In the end this rules.

https://shop.xtreemmusic.com/english.main.index.php

LISTEN HERE:

https://xtreemmusic.bandcamp.com/album/night-of-the-horrid

SATANIC WARMASTER - Exultation of Cruelty review

 

SATANIC WARMASTER - Exultation of Cruelty

Werewolf Records / Hells Headbangers Records

So here we have SATANIC WARMASTER's seventh full length since starting out back in the late 1990s. And if memory serves me I believe the last album, Aamongandr, from 2022 came out in late December as well. Then again what would you expect since it's grim and frosty right now in various parts of the world especially in Finland where SATANIC WARMASTER calls home.

After a few listens to this new one I have to say that Werwolf (the main man / multi-instrumentalist) is probably the last man with integrity from Finland when it comes to creating true Black Metal. Look I've been a fan of SATANIC WARMASTER since the first album, Strength & Honour, from 2001. But I have to say Werwolf's more recent out put has become my favorites from him. Aamongandr, from 2022, became my new favorite album by SATANIC WARMASTER. This one continues on to that same territory.

Musically of course for fans of old you still get plenty of that patented cold, cruel sounding necro blackened brutality. It's a tremolo picked ice storm of riffs with Tupperware drum blastbeats and that blasphemic acid tinged vocal style. But then modern day Werwolf cuts in with the slow atmosphere breaks, tosses in beautiful melodies and dare I say it, sounds like some synths are added in the far background. 

But hey blast "Harken the Bells of Damnation" to the hilt and tell me in ain't twenty years ago sounding and better. Tell me that "As Blood Snarls a Macabre Silhouette" is not a head-banging Blackened rocker which turns into a slam pit frenzy? Tell me that "I Inhale the Cruelty of Winter's Breath" is not one of the best BM cuts you've endured in the past decade? Notice that there are no trend hopping bullshit going on. No stupidity, no hiptard bullshit and no weakness is what you find on this release. Yeah this one rules!!!!

https://www.werewolf.fi/

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzL7q29tASo

GATES OF SLUMBER - Self Titled review

 

GATES OF SLUMBER - Self Titled

Svart Records

Well it's been a while since we last heard from this great US Doom three piece. Their last album, The Wretch, came out in 2011. The band broke up a few years later. After that two former band members passed away. But in 2019 mainman Karl Simon (guitarist / vocalist) decided to revive the band with two thirds of APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE on board. You've got Chuck Brown who did play drums for GATES OF SLUMBER in the early 2000's. And also there's Steve Janiak on bass and vocals.

Now from what I had read Karl Simon just got this act together in order to do some big shows, play the old songs and collect a paycheck. But hey the guy has so much talent plus he's with two great friends so it was inevitable that this line-up would record something together. And here we are years later with a damm good GATES OF SLUMBER album. By the way I am a huge fan of this band so that's a bias alert. 

With that said this new self titled album is not an obvious follow -up from 2011's The Wretch. Instead it's a throwback to the band's early SABBATH-ian roots with quality help from the new guys. The addition of Steve Janiak is a stand out with his heavy handed bass lines plus his added vocals give things a newer approach. Chuck Brown, whom I'm use to being the guitar / vocalist for APOSTLE OF SOLITUDE, played drums for GATES OF SLUMBER on their debut album. So it all comes to a reunion of sounds. 

So yeah musically this is amazing US Doom. I love listening to "The Fog", "We Are Perdition" and of course the opening track "Embrace the Lie". But hey all six tracks on here are great. All I can say is Karl Simon please keep things going. 

https://www.svartrecords.com/en

LISTEN HERE:

https://thegatesofslumber.bandcamp.com/album/the-gates-of-slumber

PESTILENT HEX - Sorceries Of Sanguine and Shadow review

 

PESTILENT HEX - Sorceries Of Sanguine and Shadow 

Debemur Morti Productions

It's good to see some newer bands making early era Black Metal great again. In this band's case it's Symphonic BM but not from what you've been exposed to by the generic wannabes who copied past greats. PESTILENT HEX are a two piece act hailing from Finland who started out back in 2017. Their debut album, The Ashen Abhorrence, came out in 2022 and on Debemur Morti Productions. 

On this their second full length their sound is some what grandiose, definitely hypnotic and harsh as fuck. The band consists of multi-instrumentalist Lauri Laaksonen who's responsible for the guitars, bass, drums and keyboards. I know him from his work in the death metal act DESOLATE SHRINE. Matti Makela is responsible for the vocals and lyrics. Once again I know this guy from his work in the death metal band CORPSESSED. 

So with all that said this duo takes the old 1990's Symphonic BM style and compresses it into something morbid yet classical to a point. The opening piano instrumental piece "Nocturne" is a perfect example of BEETHOVEN deranged. From that point onward it's controlled chaos meets a wall of sound with ice covered tremolo picked riffs, over the top blast beat drum work and some cool sickening and harsh vocals. The keyboard parts are held into the rhythm background. 

The seven cuts on here (six real songs and the above mentioned intro) take the listener to realms where you feel like you've been thrown out into your back yard naked. You're surrounded by hungry wolves held on leashes by black hooded figures who you cannot recognize. Let the raveness torture begin with some synths in the background. In the end you're enveloped by the harsh beauty even with diabolical pain. 

I always say the best BM releases come out when the temperature is low. The past three nights listening to this it's been below freezing after midnight. That's real atmosphere to concern oneself when it comes to Black Metal. I'm enjoying this one a lot in a way that's on a plane of existence. A horrific place where I just can't resist. 

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

LISTEN HERE:

https://pestilenthex.bandcamp.com/album/sorceries-of-sanguine-shadow

ASS TO MOUTH - Enemy of the Human Race review

 

ASS TO MOUTH - Enemy of the Human Race

Selfmadegod Records

So with a band name ASS TO MOUTH I'm gonna guess that these guys are into some extreme porn. Although on this release I couldn't find anything in their fourteen cuts which represented that. To me that's actually a good thing because at this point in time I'm tired of it. On the good side I found this band to be pretty cool sounding. 

ASS TO MOUTH are a three piece Grind / Brutal Death Metal act hailing from the great nation of Poland. Now as we all know Poland is the most Extreme Metal nation in Europe and Grindcore is nothing new to their musicians, But listening to this band's third full length I'm like holy shit that nation rules another genre. ASS TO MOUTH mix Grindcore, Brutal DM and some fuckin cool as Hardcore to their sound.

This is an album that I could see a lot of modern punk rock fans leaning to. I mean the vocals are a mix of screeches and hardcore vocals. The drum work sounds like pounding on Tupperware. There's a cool rocking anti-Notsee song. Some gang vocal sing along cuts meet with grinded out endings. In the end this fucker rocks. 

 

https://selfmadegod.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/album/enemy-of-the-human-race

WHOREDOM RIFE - Den vrede makt review

 

WHOREDOM RIFE - Den vrede makt 

Terratur Possessions

Norway has been going through a Black Metal rebirth over the past few years. If you're in the underground (yes it exists) then you probably know about a few newer bands from that nation who have come out with some remarkable music. WHOREDOM RIFE is one of those bands. This is a project started by multi instrumentalist V. Einride back in 2014. You might know him from his time in KEEP OF KALESSIN. While Einride is responsible for the guitars, bass and drums he's joined by Kjell Rambech who is responsible for the cool as fuck vocals.

What we have here is WHOREDOM RIFE's fourth full length release and in all honesty I've been behind the curve when it came to checking out their previous releases. Den vrede makt is the first album by them that I've checked out the year it came out. Be that as it may when anyone says this band is a return to Norwegian Black Metal greatness it's not a nostalgic copycat run through. 

WHOREDOM RIFE's latest six song release is slightly over fifty minutes in length or in other words their songs are long. Also this is not a re-imagining of KEEP OF KALESSIN who I can honestly say I was never a huge fan of. So with this band and on here V. Einride creates this atmosphere which in part are icy tremolo picked melodies, aggressive hypnotic hostile environments and just plain old school savagery. 

Here is an album that I'll be listening to for many years to come. WHOREDOM RIFE's take on Norwegian Black Metal is a rejuviniting fit for the modern day listener. V. Einride doesn't destroy it by going beyond the template which was done in the 2000s. The beauty is here as well as the grim and frosty elements and the full blown melancholic draw. Damm this is a great album. 

https://terraturpossessions.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://terraturpossessions.bandcamp.com/album/den-vrede-makt

NUNSLAUGHTER - Devils Congeries Vol. 5 Compilation 3 CDs & DVD review

 

NUNSLAUGHTER - Devils Congeries Vol. 5 Compilation 3 CDs & DVD

Hells Headbangers Records

So as I've said many times before yes I'm a NUNSLAUGHTER fan but I only own their full lengths and a few EPs. So years ago when Hells Headbangers Records decided to do this compilation series on NUNSLAUGHTER short form releases I was always on board. Obviously because I'm not going to buy every short form release they've ever done. And by the way there are two many out there and it would cost a lot. I have the four previous volumes in this series. 

So here we have another cool collection of stuff which rules in NUNSLAUGHTER circles aka: Everything. I will say that the majority of the EP recordings are cool. The live stuff is OK. The cover songs are decent. But yeah this is for Fans Only especially if they don't wanna pay out the ass to own the oringinal vinyl. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://nunslaughter.bandcamp.com/album/devils-congeries-volume-5

DESTRUKTOR - Indomitable review

 

DESTRUKTOR - Indomitable

Hells Headbangers Records

For some strange reason Australia is a nation that can boast some pretty fuckin extreme metal acts let alone two well known hard rock bands and two cool punk bands. I don't need to name drop em all. If you're into cool music then you should know who I'm talking about. But anyways years ago I heard DESTRUKTOR and I was floored on how cool they sounded. So of course I placed them in with the extreme metal greatness of Australia. 

Now that was based on getting their debut full length Nailed from 2009 and their last one Opprobrium from 2015. Both of which are greatness when it comes to Blackened Death Thrash. So here we are nine fuckin years later and I'm at a crossroads. Indomitable is a good release still holding true to the band's past style. I mean diabolical riffs, powerful drum work and cavernous vocals. But after nine years ya could've improved. Instead this is average sounding Blackened Death Thrash. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://destruktor.bandcamp.com/album/indomitable

DECEASED - Children of the Morgue review

 

DECEASED - Children of the Morgue

Hells Headbangers Records

I belong to this Facebook Metal group site (don't laugh) and a while back someone posed a question on who in Metal is the most consistent band since starting out. To me the answer was easy and it's DECEASED. I mean they started out in the mid 80's. Their debut album, Luck of the Corpse, came out 1991. Over the years they've always had a sound which was part Death Thrash and part straight up Metal. Despite going through various line-up changes they still hold to a certain sound which is recognizable. They never sold out to musical fads / popular trends. I mean there's a clear reason why I call DECEASED America's best Metal band because of what I just told ya.

So here we have DECEASED's eleventh full length although I thought 2021's Thrash Times at Ridgemont High was a covers compilation album. But on here it's the mighty sound which you know carries you though out this album. Obviously when it comes to this band's sound it's King Fowley (vocals) who has the vision and it always stays true. I still say that their 2018 full length, Ghostly White, is fuckin amazing. 

So on here you got plenty of death thrash assaults to the head which make you wanna rise to the occasion of slam pit action. But this time around the musicianship kicks in a lot of melodic touches especially on some of the guitar soloing. But still it's the amazing song writing. I mean you've got the galloping riffs, the death thrash punishment, some doom style moments and of course their newer melodic yet harsh style. 

Every listen to this album excites the fuck out of me. Musically it's the epicness of cool sounding extreme metal. The song structures are diverse in the band's normal style but then kick out into wild territory. I mean this one here is a fuckin masterpiece, period end of story. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://the-true-deceased.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-morgue

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution review

 

BLOOD FEAST - Infinite Evolution

Hells Headbangers Records

A couple of things to mention here as far as credit to goes. First off to guitarist and now vocalist Adam Tranquilli who has kept this band going (in a way) since starting out in 1986. Secondly thanks to Hells Headbangers Records for giving them a home label that's stood behind em for quite a while now. I mean this label put out their 2017 comeback album The Future State of Wicked which is still one of my favorite Hells Headbangers' releases. Add to that you have their Chopped, Sliced and Diced EP from 2018 which was also killer. And hey a bunch of years later we've got this new one. 

But before I get into this new one there needs to be some historical baggage unloaded. So let's go back to the late 2000's when you had that whole Thrash Revival. Now you had plenty of new bands just copying original Thrash from the 80's sounds. But you also had renewed interest by young fans in Thrash bands from the 80's who were not the Big Four or had major label releases. One of the many past bands which got renewed interest in was BLOOD FEAST from Bayonne, New Jersey which was not far from my NJ roots. BLOOD FEAST had a decent sounding debut full length titled Kill for Pleasure in 1987. Their four song EP Face Fate also from 1987 is also cool to collect as well. 

So in 2007 after about being broke up for seventeen years Adam Tranquilli decides to resurrect the band with some new people and hell yeah they're doing shows and fans are wanting more. So fast forward to this album here, because I've already gone through their recent history. The whole reason why I like em and this new album is that BLOOD FEAST are not bullshit artists. You listen to this release and it's pure late 80's Thrash. The production is still of that era. The song structures are still late 80's intact. They haven't changed to meet with the styles of popular ideas or tech advancements. 

Regardless of Adam having a line-up of people with him for ten years and less. Plus he's doing vocals now after the departure of Chris Natalini. Infinite Evolution is a cool as fuck album. I think there's a lot of irony in the title. But musically I think this nine song release makes the old school fan in me get excited. I wanna hear songs like "Eye of Glass", "Outbreak" and "Ravaging the Loins of Mary" live mixed in with classics from their past. I mean trust me this album is better than anything new by KREATOR or EXODUS. 

https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://blood-feast.bandcamp.com/album/infinite-evolution

OXYGEN DESTROYER - Guardian of the Universe review

 

OXYGEN DESTROYER - Guardian of the Universe

Redefining Darkness Records

So just to get the basics out of the way. OXYGEN DESTROYER is a blackened death thrash act from the far Northern left coast of the US, aka: Seattle, Washington / Portland, Oregon. The band are influenced by Kaiju movies which is a Japanese genre of films and television shows featuring giant monsters. Their name is taken directly from the device which killed Godzilla in that original 1950's movie. 

So with that said this is my second time hearing from them. The last time was in 2021 with their second album, Sinister Monstrosities Spawned by the Unfathomable Ignorance of Humankind. That was a damm good album and here on their third full length the band has really pushed their ferocious style beyond the past. Basically this is a musical onslaught by a wall of thrash guitar riffage, powerful drumming and sinister sounding serpent tongued spit and filth barked vocals. I can only say that this band's third full length is a soundtrack of death thrash brutality and slaughter. 

Now with that said I must admit that I'm only into this for the music. I do know that this album is a musical tribute to the three Gamera films that came out in the 90's. For those of you who don't know the specifics behind that Kaiju then simply put Gamera was a giant turtle with super abilities. I never saw these particular movies. I remember watching the Gamera movies from the 60's and 70's when I was a kid and I hated em. In fact the last good Japanese big monster movie I've actually liked was that recent Godzilla movie. 

https://www.redefiningdarkness.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://oxygen-destroyer.bandcamp.com/album/guardian-of-the-universe

THANATOS - Four Decades of Death compilation review

 

THANATOS - Four Decades of Death compilation

Agonia Records

Let me tell ya something. While listening to this one I've got the most evil sadistic smile on my face. Now I say that because I'm a fan and here's over fifty minutes of great stuff. So for those of you not familiar then I'll explain. When you think of Dutch Death Metal then sure bands like ASPHYX, PESTILENCE and you better know GOREFEST come to mind. But hey THANATOS is not only in the top four but they started the whole thing. 

THANATOS originally started out way back in 1984. I didn't get into them until 2000 with their third full length Angelic Encounters. I've been a fan ever since. Now what I always liked about them is that they are a killer sounding Death Thrash act. Of course there are people who just call em Death Metal and that's fine by me. Actually it's not, they're fuckin great Death Thrash but fuck it.

So what we have here is a bunch of demo songs as well as re-recorded cuts from the past. As a fan yeah I like this a lot. I mean their last album, Violent Death Rituals from 2020, was killer as fuck. But I read a while ago that the band was calling it quits. In fact with this release you also get a DVD of the last (supposed) THANATOS show from 2022. 

I say "supposed" because given the right amount of offered money a band will come back to play a few shows. Either way if you're an old school THANATOS fan then you need this period end of story. If you're a new school extreme metal fan looking for the old and true well sure get this one. But be prepared to max out your credit card because the band's early albums are not eight or twelve bucks anymore so best of luck.

https://www.agoniarecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/four-decades-of-death

HAIL OF BULLETS - Self Titled EP reissue review

 

HAIL OF BULLETS - Self Titled EP reissue

Agonia Records

I guess you'll have to file this one under "For Fans Only" of which I am. For those of you who don't know then I'll explain. HAIL OF BULLETS was basically a side project of ASPHYX which started out in 2006. While ASPHYX was death metal / death doom with various lyrical subject matter. HAIL OF BULLETS was similar in sound but lyrically all about historical World War Two subject matter. 

Now being a huge ASPHYX fan years ago I was instantly drawn to liking HAIL OF BULLETS. Their line-up consisted of Martin van Drunen (ASPHYX) on vocals, Paul Baayens (ASPHYX and THANATOS) on guitar, Stephan Gebedi (THANATOS) on guitar, Theo van Eekelen (from HOUWISTER) on bass and finally Ed Warby (formerly of GOREFEST) on drums. Yeah they're a Dutch Extreme Metal supergroup to say the least. 

Their first two albums; Of Frost and War from 2008 and On Divine Winds from 2010, are fuckin amazing. Also toss in their 2009 EP Warsaw Rising for good measure. Now I will say their final album, 2013's III: The Rommel Chronicles, is decent but I hardly listen to it anymore. Now as far as I know the band is in limbo or are no more. 

Be that as it may this EP here is their 2007 four song demo which was never officially released. Actually it was a self-release which the band burned CD-R copies of and gave away to people. Sorry I never got a copy back then. Anyways for fans and completists Agonia Records has given it some respect with cool artwork and you can get it on vinyl.

Now some naysayers out there will say "well all four of these songs are on their first album Of Frost and War so what's the point?" OK that's correct but hey if you're a fan then maybe you want this on vinyl or maybe you just wanna blast these four songs until your head explodes. Which ever comes first I don't care. To me it's just cool to hear these songs again on a different format.

 

https://www.agoniarecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://agoniarecords.bandcamp.com/album/hail-of-bullets

PANDEMIC - Phantoms review

 

PANDEMIC - Phantoms

Dying Victims Productions

OK so long time readers of this blog (and what are the rest of you waiting on?) know that I'm the biggest proponent of Polish extreme metal albeit I'm not Polish. Truth is it's just great music created by amazing people from a damm good nation. Now aside from the usual Death Metal, Black Metal, Grindcore as well as avenues into Doom and Speed Metal hell yeah Poland rules. But when it comes to Thrash I'm thinking yeah but no one comes to mind. 

Be that as it may here we have the second full length by PANDEMIC a four piece Thrash act from Krakow, Poland. This band has some storied baggage since starting out in 2015. But I'm gonna forgo that part and concentrate on their sound. So in all honesty I'm sure some modern day jaded Thrash aficionado could pick this album apart with their negative bullshit. That's not me, thankfully, because if the music sounds cool and gets you excited then it's good Thrash. 

What makes this eight song album by PANDEMIC so damm good in my not so humble opinion is the musicianship. They're a fuckin great band. You've got Gniewko Jelski on bass and vocals. As far as the latter goes he's got a clean yet aggressive vocal style which I like. He kinda reminds me of Kurt Brecht from DRI. But hell his bass lines are thick and powerful as fuck on these songs. Next there's guitarist Marcin Konieczny who's a damm good savage riff master who's totally schooled in 80's era Thrash without being a copycat. 

Next up you've got the shredder in guitarist Wiktor Lobarzewski. This guy is damm good whether he's ripping your face off or laying down some melodic lead work. Finally there's drummer Filip Worek who has to follow up with all of this fierce music and keeps it all organic sounding as well as exciting. 

PANDEMIC's Phantoms is one of the best straight up Thrash albums I've heard this year. There are times when I listen to a song of theirs and think yeah these guys like US Speed Metal as well as Thrash. Call it what you will but hey I just like it a lot. Eight perfect cuts for you to slam pit to. Yeah I'd love to see this band perform at a show and watch people go fuckin nuts. 

https://dying-victims.de/

LISTEN HERE:

https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/pandemic-phantoms-lp