CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE - The End of Antiquity review

 

CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE - The End of Antiquity

Gates of Hell Records

I am shocked, shocked I say because this band reminds me of CIRITH UNGOL in that the music is great but the vocals are horrible. OK horrible is not the right description. I'll just say they're out of sync with the style of music being produced on this release.

This is the debut release by CHARIOTS OVERDRIVE a four piece act from Georgia. By the way all four members of this band are from China. They started out in 2023 and prior to this they released a demo and a single. 

Musically this a mix of 80's Underground Metal, some Thrash and Power Metal. All in all I like their sound throughout this nine song release. The opening acoustic guitar instrumental opening sucks. Then it rocks with "Parasite" which is cool. Every song on here, except for the other instrumental "Sunken Throb" is cool. 

So here's the problem in not so humble opinion. CIRITH UNGOL had Tim Baker's over the top octave vocals. This band has a punk rock singer who can't push an octave above a real guy vocal to save his life. When he tries to push it higher then you feel screwed. The guy's name is Hong Zhao who plays rhythm guitar, some leads and sings. 

One dollar says they get deported as Chinese spies. 

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://chariotsoverdrive.bandcamp.com/album/the-end-of-antiquity

DEMONBITCH - Master of the Games review

DEMONBITCH - Master of the Games

Gates of Hell Records / Cruz del Sur Music

When I saw the name of the band my first thought was cool it's some new female fronted metal. OK I was really fucking wrong on that one. Instead what we have here is some complex out of the box sounding Power Metal with a vocalist who is unique sounding to say the least. 

DEMONBITCH are a US five piece act hailing from Detroit, Michigan. The band has been around since 2011 and this is their second full length release. Now when it comes to the Power Metal genre I'm like sure I've got a collection of what someone better than me would call the classics. I have no problem with that since I'm not an aficionado / expert fan of the genre. 

Normally I use to say I've listened to it and it's not my thing. But I believe this second full length by DEMONBITCH needs to be written about for two reasons. This is either great US Power Metal or I'm still a Power Metal novice and should just give up. Be that either point matters when I listen to this release I can't help but think of CIRITH UNGOL. 

Not that DEMONBITCH sound anything like CIRITH UNGOL. It's just that you've got some really cool sounding music with a polarizing vocalist. Look Logon Saton is an amazing clean singing vocalist with an amazing range. He also lets you know every octave he can achieve throughout this release. What's really evil is that after hearing this five times in a row you actually like his eclectic singing style.

As far as the music goes well there's another break from standards which makes this release unique or insane. I believe the guitar work on here is absolutely insane. I mean there's a steady amount of NWOBHM and Speed Metal rhythm song structure style. But then the guitar soloing comes into play and you're sitting there listening and then freaking out at the six string blasts coming through your speakers.  

In the end it's Yngwie meets MAIDEN meets Power Metal traditionalism meets that crazy band who had guitarists jumping around on trampolines on stage with a singer who's all over the fuckin place. Yeah this is insane and I like it.   

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

LISTEN HERE:

https://demonbitch.bandcamp.com/album/master-of-the-games

 

BLAZON RITE - Wild Rites and Ancient Songs review

 

BLAZON RITE - Wild Rites and Ancient Songs

Gates of Hell Records

Pennsylvania has always been a breeding ground for really good true sounding metal bands. I'm talking about acts who push the epic sounds with one foot in the classic 80's era and the other in the 2000's. BLAZON RITE, a five piece act who hail from Philadelphia, have made a name for themselves in the past few years for following in that vein. 

This is the band's second album. Their debut Endless Halls of Golden Totem, which came out in 2021, garnered the band much praise from underground US power metal/traditional metal fans. Then again so did their self released debut four song EP, Dulce Bellum Inexpertis, from 2020. So will this one be a sophmore jinx or a continuing improvement.

Well given that listening to the opener "Autumn Fear Brings Winter Doom" and the CD cover art depicting a cold Winter scene. I felt March was the wrong month to listen to this one. But my overall answer to the question made is yes BLAZON RITE have progressed in a great way. Musically this album is like GATES OF SLUMBER meet IRON MAIDEN at an online fantasy adventure game conference with MANOWAR in the upper wings whispering "I think I heard em say steel".

You've got seven songs in the traditional metal realm. The riffs/song structures are very MAIDEN-equse. The guitar lead work by Pierson Roe is damm good. And of course I like the vocals by Johnny Halladay. He has this clean baritone vocal style which is a kick back to so many cool sounding singers from the past. Hey people you don't all have to be screamers.  

The more I listen to this album the more I think it's kinda amazing. The production is pitch perfect in that it reminds you of the past. Plus the songs carry you along as if this were a concept album or a great saga as opposed to a patch work of cuts. BLAZON RITE has earned the right to be heralded as modern day fighters for true fuckin metal.

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://blazonrite.bandcamp.com/album/wild-rites-and-ancient-songs-2

NEKKROMANIAC - Plague Eater review

 

NEKKROMANIAC - Plague Eater

Gates of Hell Records

So the skinny on this one from the new German four piece blackened thrash band is that they are inspired by classic extreme acts like BATHORY, MERCILESS and SODOM. OK that's fine but now let's take note. Inspiration is one thing, influence is another. So this act have relatively nothing in common musically with those above mentioned bands to a point. Trust me I learned that on my first listen. 

But don't let that deter you away from this band. This is their debut full length. Prior to this they've released a couple of short form releases since starting out in 2013. And personally I'm glad that they don't rehash the sounds of the above name dropped bands. Although I'll give em the MERCILESS touch and there's one cut, "“Bleed for the Master”, which does give some homage to BATHORY.

Basically NEKKROMANIAC are just good at what they do. Which is creating some old school blackened thrash that sounds actually threatening. Their songs are a mix of full on thrash assaults, some black n roll plus there's some mid-tempo melody. They're not trying to be like some band from 1989. Instead they're bringing back a past sound and adding their own personality to it. To me that's a cool thing especially since they're not generic sounding.

There's eight cuts on here, all great. There's some savage sounding guitar riffs throughout. Their vocalist has a crazy range as far as going from screams to gruff singing. And the rhythm section are some real savage sounding bastards. I've heard plenty of blackened thrash acts this year, go figure? As far as I'm concerned this one by NEKKROMANIAC is the absolute best. I mean when this release blasts away I wanna hurt people. Nuff said!

http://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://nekkromaniac.bandcamp.com/album/plague-eater-new-mastering

PULVER - Kings Under The Sand review

PULVER - Kings Under The Sand

Gates of Hell Records




Here in the States if a handful of bands put out releases echoing the days of traditional heavy metal, a bunch of music scribes in the media will declare it a "newer wave". But over in Europe it's just another typical year in metal. Case in point, here we have the debut full length by Germany's PULVER. They're a new band that wants to rock you like it's the late 70's / early 80's.


Now this five piece act is not about reliving a past they never had by copying some classic metal act's great style. Instead PULVER take the influences and go their own way with it. To me that's what makes this exciting. First off the vocals are a cross between Lemmy and TANK's Algy Ward. Actually there's a lot of TANK influence on here. I mean those riffs, simple and grimy, the shout out backing vocals and dirty lead work. 

In the long run these Germans love BUDGIE, PRIEST, SCORPIONS, UFO, MOTORHEAD and of course the previously mentioned TANK. Still they've combined their influential love of the past to bring it all forward a bit. We're talking great rocking melodies tempered with steel. The production on here is very 70's. The artwork on here looks like a BUDGIE album cover. Frankly I would believe ya if you said this was a long lost classic from years ago.


https://www.gatesofhellrecords.com/

https://pulverheavymetal.bandcamp.com/releases

https://www.facebook.com/PulverHeavyMetal/