DEKONSTRUCTOR - Ominous Game review

 

DEKONSTRUCTOR - Ominous Game

Self Released

The first time I listened to this I was like wait a minute I've heard this band and written about em before. I was wrong. It's not the band but their style of death thrash which is reminiscent of other great stuff I like. This is the second full length by this four piece act from Costa Rica. The band has been around since 2013 but their first official release came out in 2017 which was a three song demo titled Life Sucking Machines. 

In the past I've always mentioned that despite Thrash being a US metal thing. For me over the past couple of decades I've found the best thrash coming from elsewhere. I'll add to that by saying thrash from Central and South America has pretty much ruled the extreme metal landscape. And this release right here just fuckin proves it. 

Ominous Game is seven amazing tracks that don't break any new ground. Instead they reinforce the coolness of fuckin death thrash extreme metal mania. The vocals are straight up angry. The riffs are pounding to the point of slam pit action. The guitar soloing is fuckin fantastic. And the rhythm section once again screams slam pit action. 

Look people I've said it before that I'm not a huge thrash fan anymore. Mainly because modern thrash is so boring or copycat bullshit. The only thing of late that gets me outta my complacency is something like this. I mean not only does their music make you wanna run through walls but there's some head banging cuts as well. So to the lame-stream music fans out there fuck the bullshit and listen to this.

DEKONSTRUCTOR should be a Thrash household name.   

LISTEN TO and BUY IT HERE:

https://dekonstructor.bandcamp.com/album/ominous-game

CRYPT MONARCH - The Necronaut review

 

CRYPT MONARCH - The Necronaut

Electric Valley Records

Well pass the bong I think I'm SLEEP (for the obvious) or maybe CONAN (for modern listeners). Yes what we have here is the debut album by this three piece stoner doom act from Costa Rica. Now depending on how much of a fan to this particular genre will be the basis for you liking this or not. 

For example if you're into the colors green, purple and black. If you collect SABBATH black lite posters or have every version of SLEEP's Dopesmoker on every format. Then this might be repetitive to you. On the other hand if you're not jaded about what stoner rock acts you check out then this one might interest you. 

I of course fall into that latter category only because I'm willing to give things at least one chance. That and I'm bored with all of my older releases. So this band started out in 2020 but are by no means new to the school. Two of their members were/are also in a band called AGE OF THE WOLF which are also in the whole sludgy, stoner side of doom. 

So The Necronaut consists of three long songs which come in at thirty six minutes. It's basic stoner sludge where the riff be it slow is king. Vocals are held back a bit, hello CONAN, and the drum work is high in the mix. The SABBATH-ian moments abound plus there's a few cool leads which follow the rhythms. Fire one up because it's 420 everywhere.

https://www.electricvalleyrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://cryptmonarch.bandcamp.com/releases

NECROGOD - In Extremis review

 

NECROGOD - In Extremis 

Transcending Obscurity Records

This one took a while to grasp to say the least. I had to first go back for some history. Anyways a few years ago Rogga Johansson, who is Sweden's most prolific death metal practitioner (and in PAGANIZER as well as many more cool bands) hooked up with a guy from Costa Rica who goes by the name of "The Master Butcher". 

The Master Butcher is a vocalist who's in such bands as MORBID STENCH and INSEPULTO. Their collaboration took shape with an EP, The Inexorable Death Reign, from 2015. Obviously both individuals were happy with the results so they continued onward. So here we have the first full length from this collaboration. 

For starters I've gotta say this is some of the most intense shit I've heard from Rogga Johansson. The man is literally on fire with these blazing riffs. Then the solos come in like flaming meteors crashing into the earth. And then he throws in some decent melodic touches as well. Anyone who had their doubts about Rogga, as far as him simply being just Swede Death, can go stand in the corner. 

Now as far as the vocals by The Master Butcher go, this guy's a demon. He's got that blackened death hoarse pitch to his vocals. It's as if he's coughing up blood with every verse. I love that kind of singing style. Hell yeah not only is this an amazing album but it's a perfect album. 

https://tometal.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://necrogod.bandcamp.com/album/in-extremis-death-metal

AGE OF THE WOLF - Ouroboric Trances review

AGE OF THE WOLF - Ouroboric Trances 

Aural Music




If you are an aficionado on stoner rock, sludge metal and doom then you know that there's a band right now either performing it or recording in every part of the world. It's metal and it has no borders as far as appreciating a certain genre. Case in point, here we have a four piece act from Costa Rica who take things out of the traditional box in order to explore the boundaries a bit. 


Of course with a name like AGE OF THE WOLF how could I pass up this one. Secondly you rarely ever get some music which hails from Central America so this was cool. The band started out back in 2015, released a self named EP a year later and now finally put out a full length. Musically the band combines the whole stoner sludge package which at certain times on this release sounds familiar. It's the rare moments when they jump out of the norm which makes this interesting.


The rare moments start with the opening track "Herald of Abyssos" which starts out with a SABBATH-ian groove. Then the psychotic screamed vocals kick in and then some stoner dude drops his bong in their lap. Fact is there's multiple vocals going on via chaotic screams, gruff vocals and slightly clean ones. As the release moves onward you get the feeling these guys have a way with atmosphere in the creation of these compositions. Instead of grooving you to the hilt or pummeling you to death. They invite you into some chaos.


Music-wise I'll admit these guys have heard their share of early era MASTODON. There's no doubt to that in their overall sound and style. Still they find ways to branch off on their own whether it's a harmonic opening bridged with a duel guitar harmony. Or even a violin invitation to begin on the instrumental cut "Witches' Gallows" which gives things a folk metal approach. All in all this seems like 2000 all over again and maybe we need that.


http://www.auralmusic.com/

https://ageofthewolf.bandcamp.com/album/ouroboric-trances

https://www.facebook.com/ageofthewolf/ 

ADVENT OF BEDLAM - Human Portal Phenomenon review

ADVENT OF BEDLAM - Human Portal Phenomenon

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions



What I do here at SFM666 is opinion but I do lace in a few facts within the reviews. Now with that said there is something I've learned a long time ago which is a fact. Metal music is universal. You can visit practically any nation on the planet and you will find good or actually great metal. Thankfully there are cool labels like HPGD who expose some of these little known bands to the masses.


Which brings us to Costa Rica's ADVENT OF BEDLAM and this their third full length. Full disclosure on my part here but this five piece act, who have been around for a decade, are heralded as their nation's greatest metal band or metal export. I'm obviously ignorant to that fact. Although after blasting this (yes this one must be blasted) release for a few days I'm in awe.


ADVENT OF BEDLAM are simply a great blackened death band regardless of where they're from. On this release they take that template, add some decent tech death theatrics plus plenty of melody. But of course there's this menacing brutal atmosphere which shrouds everything. Soundwise this is more inline with mid-2000's Euro blackened death in style. Name dropping ain't important, the music here is, Nuff said.

http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/human-portal-phenomenon

https://www.facebook.com/adventofbedlam/?ref=ts