BURNING SHADOWS - Truth in Legend review

BURNING SHADOWS - Truth in Legend

Self Released




Alright I must admit that I'm not a power metal fan especially the epic stuff. Years ago, back in the past SFM666 days, some obscure German label sent in a release by a just as obscure power metal act. I gave it a decent review and then the floodgates were open. The next thing ya know I was getting flooded with power metal releases. So when I re-booted SFM666 I promised myself I would refrain from accepting everything sent in especially power metal and especially the epic stuff. But hey if you're a Maryland band who have been likened to the likes of ICED EARTH, HELLOWEEN and BLIND GUARDIAN then how can ya refuse.


This is BURNING SHADOWS, a band who have been around for seventeen years, have three full lengths and a bunch of EPs to their credit and they're still not signed to a label. Musically they have all the chops that make for a great band in this genre. Those being for starters a great vocalist which they have in Tom Davy who has that real guy full throat-ed vocal style. Secondly ya need guitar playing that can carry out catchy but crunchy riffs as well as some powerful lead work. On this release that is all evident especially when the band breaks into galloping riffage. Oh yeah and third, it must all come together as interesting. 


On Truth in Legend the band carries you through with eight tales that speak of fantasy as well as history. That's pretty much all you want from a good power metal band as well as everything I previously mentioned. BURNING SHADOWS are keeping it true.

https://burningshadows.bandcamp.com/album/truth-in-legend

https://www.facebook.com/bsmetal

http://burningshadows.com/

SONS OF FAMINE - Alcohol And Razorblades review

SONS OF FAMINE - Alcohol And Razorblades

Horror Pain Gore Death Productions




What we have here is a small dose of blackened death/thrash as well as other vile flavors from a bunch of Midwest metal vets. The members of SONS OF FAMINE have punished our ears before in bands like CORSPEVOMIT, LIVIDITY and GIGAN to name a few. Also in need of mentioning is that a couple of these guys are in the band IMPERIAL SAVAGERY. Now they've joined together for this project. 


According to the promo info the band vows to never conform to standard genres. Ah yeah that's fine but hey the band released a self titled EP last year and this is a re-issue of their demo from 2013. There is a full-length album in the works projected for a 2018 release. As far as these four cuts go yeah they do stretch boundaries but it's more like outtakes from a IMPERIAL SAVAGERY practice. The songs here have that dirty, raw, savage feel to em with some obvious stretches from the death thrash genre. But those experimental moves are short lived as the band members return to what they know best. 


Sure I like it but then again I thought IMPERIAL SAVAGERY's self titled debut from a few years ago was good as well. Either way a new full length would definitely be welcomed. This also reminds me of BONES who are another Chicago band made up of former members of a fairly well known act, in their case USURPER, who regrouped to be harder than before. All Hail Midwest Metal! 


http://www.horrorpaingoredeath.com/

https://hpgd.bandcamp.com/album/alcohol-and-razorblades

https://www.facebook.com/sonsoffamine

https://sonsoffamine.bandcamp.com/album/alcohol-and-razor-blades

DEATH OF KINGS - Hell Comes to Life review

DEATH OF KINGS - Hell Comes to Life  

Boris Records 




OK two points I have to make the first is I can't believe I'm writing about two song 7"ers again. The second point is that I can't believe I'm actually going to say something nice about a band from Atlanta. Of course this four piece band from there are an exception to those previous points. DEATH OF KINGS are a thrash band which is the complete opposite of the typical sludge metal I've heard come out of their town which probably overshadows what else their local music scene has to offer.


But yeah this is a single, "Hell Comes to Life" with the flip being a JUDAS PRIEST cover "Hell Patrol" from the Painkiller album. No surprise on the choice of a PRIEST cover since that was a thrashy album. As far as the original cut on here DEATH OF KINGS do push the old school thrash theme well. Think more Bay Area thrash sounding than say the East Coast. When the song opens it has a SLAYER - esque riff feel plus their vocalist gives off a Tom Araya type scream but other than that it's pretty indistinguishable from most famous thrash acts of the past. Great guitar soloing by the way which is a face ripper. Vocals basically have that high pitch aggro touch.

This is the band's second single but they have a few more small format releases to their credit. Of course there's word that they'll have a full length out later this year. That's something to look forward to.


http://boris-records.com/

https://deathofkings.bandcamp.com/album/hell-comes-to-life-hell-patrol-7

https://www.facebook.com/deathofkingsmetal

INSULTERS - Metal Still Means Danger review

INSULTERS - Metal Still Means Danger

Unholy Prophecies





If there's one genre in extreme metal that will always bring a sadistic grin to my face it's blackened thrash. When performed right it's like a middle finger salute to just about everything. So when this label sent me something to check out it turned out to be one song from an upcoming release by some death metal act. I wasn't interested in one song so I checked out what else the label had and this stood out. 


Hailing from Spain this is the band's second full length. Musically it's your basic blackened thrash with plenty of crowd pleasing shout along cuts like "Bang Your Fucking Skull", "Forged in Hell's Fire" as well as the fist raising title cut. Yeah it's fast, dirty and ass kicking. Were I live there's a couple of blackened thrash/punk acts but listening to this kinda makes them sound lame. 


The INSULTERS lean more in the direction of modern blackened thrash ala TOXIC HOLOCAUST than say anyone from the classic Teutonic side. That seems to be a staple these days but not a hindrance as long as your songs push people into a sonic rage which this certainly does. 


http://www.unholyprophecies.com/

https://unholyprophecies.bandcamp.com/album/metal-still-means-danger-cd-giant-digipak

https://www.facebook.com/insulters666/

https://insulters.bandcamp.com/

HAEMOPHAGUS - Stream Of Shadows review

HAEMOPHAGUS - Stream Of Shadows

Selfmadegod Records




On this their third full length, Sicily's HAEMOPHAGUS make you an offer you can't refuse, that being fourteen cuts of horror obsessed death/grind. Seriously that's the best type of death/grind there is. The band is also not ashamed to let their influences proudly shine out. I'm talking about the likes of CARCASS, REPULSION and AUTOPSY. Seriously after a few listens to this you'll want fuck some shit, or persons, up.


HAEMOPHAGUS didn't just come out of nowhere with a bag of influences and a copy cat's dream. Like I said this is their third full length but these Sicilians have an extensive back catalog of short form releases, all splits, that go back a decade. Interested parties should check out their Necromantical Death Grind: The Early Years CD from 2016 which is a compilation of some of that material plus cuts from their first demo. You listen to that fucker and you can see/hear how this band honed their craft to a deadly edge.


Just by naming their influences should give you a packaged idea of what to expect on Stream Of Shadows. But for the sake of explaining everything I'll dissect. Yeah the drum work is phenomenal, the riffage and craft in song writing is pushed to a head snapping effect. The lead work is tight and of course the vocals have that aggro harshness to em. This more than just a fourteen song death/grind feast. It's perfection.


https://selfmadegod.com/shop/en_US/index

https://www.facebook.com/Haemophagus/

https://selfmadegod.bandcamp.com/album/stream-of-shadows

https://haemophagus.bandcamp.com/

SCUMFEAST VIDEO Rants and Raves but mostly Rants

SCUMFEAST VIDEO Rants and Raves but mostly Rants


It's the return of reviewing band videos. Most blogs/websites like to say "Exclusive Premiere" of some band's video as if they're the only ones who get it sent to them. Bullshit! Usually I just re-post em on my Facebook page to let friends watch em and laugh. But I figured hey why not give em a chance here at SCUMFEAST METAL 666. So shall we begin?

Here is the latest video from NERVOCHAOS a Brazilian extreme metal act who I do like and reviewed here on SFM666 recently. You can check out the review here: 

http://scumfeastzineblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/nervochaos-nyctophilia-review.html

This song "Ritualistic" is the second cut off of their latest full length Nyctophilia. As far as other info goes the video was directed by Angela Rodrigues and Jackson Kleber with filming/editing by Adonai Filmes, photography by Victor Ponce, Art Direction by Lu Bueno, and Color Grading by Marcelo Cosme. So let's check it out:

VERDICT: Rant

Ya know when you like a band's music but then they put out a crap video? Yeah here we have it. But hey look here, NERVOCHAOS has a better video than this one as in their song "Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam" which is also off of this album. I guess the bottom line is hit and miss.

 

SCUMFEAST VIDEO Rants and Raves but mostly Rants

It's the return of reviewing band videos. Most blogs/websites like to say "Exclusive Premiere" of some band's video as if they're the only ones who get it sent to them. Bullshit! Usually I just re-post em on my Facebook page to let friends watch em and laugh. But I figured hey why not give em a chance here at SCUMFEAST METAL 666. So shall we begin?


Our first video comes to us from KING SATAN an industrial black metal act from Finland or are they just a revival of rave goth disco with a little MARILYN MANSON shock added to boring synth pop. Whatever, SATURNAL RECORDS released KING SATAN’s debut album titled ”King Fucking Satan” May 26th, 2017 and also released this music video from the album titled "Satanized (Praise Hail Satan!)" Oh aren't you scared?

So for some info the band is led by vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and a guy who must spend a lot of time posing in the mirror, KING ALEISTER SATAN (a.k.a. FRA. ZETEKH) known before also as fronting the black metal band SATURNIAN MIST. Good o'l ALEISTER started KING SATAN in 2015 first as a solo project but the act got popular so he enlisted a couple of others. They would be this chick dancing like she's a goth hippie and the guy in the gas mask (what's up with goth fuckers wearing gas masks?)

VERDICT: Rant

Despite KING ALEISTER’s obvious position in the Finnish black metal scene, he owns BLACKVOX STUDIO where he had produced not only his own bands before, but such acts as BARATHRUM, HORNA, TELOCH and SACRIFICIUM CARMEN, musically it's just synth pop suitable for the gay dance circuit or a Pitchfork office male staff circle jerk. The video is like a car crash, you just have to watch it. It has all the visual trappings of black metal as well as the goth scene. But after a few viewings I think someone should tell KING ALEISTER that Abbath called and he wants his exaggerated facial expressions back. I'm sure the folks at the Youtube site Hipster Black Metal will have a field day trashing this.



NEXT UP we have the official video (whoa, "official", that sound's serious) from the Swedish Black Metal act GRA for their song "Ramsvarta Tankar" which is part of their latest two song single release. It also includes a cover of Lord Belial's "Osculum Obscenum." This all comes from Carnal Records. Take a look at this and feel the fire.

As far as the band info goes GRA started in 2010 by vocalist Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral, Cursed 13, ex-Domgård) and drummer Dimman (Spazmosity, Cursed 13, When Nothing Remains) and have since upgraded their line-up. Their name comes from a mixture of the Icelandic "grár" and the Swedish "grå", simply meaning "gray."

VERDICT: Rant


OK so you have the band filmed in black & white while performing in white face and adding some torture video scenes (in color obviously because of the blood) that would make Gaahl blush but some terrorist groups proud. Alright so these Swedes don't care for jesus or the bible as certain video props suggest. Sorry but I'm not shocked at all. Musically it's OK as far as Swedish black metal goes but if ya really wanna be edgy then try switching your religious target. I mean seriously I don't see any bible thumpers trying to behead people, molest and rape women (ya know like in Sweden) or forcing people to convert or die. That would be another group of fundamentalists who are presently performing terrorist acts in Europe and England. Nuff Said.



Finally we have a video by German power metal band SPITEFUEL. The song is called "Purified" which comes from their album Second To None which was released in April 2017 by MDD Records. Take a peek: 

The footage for this video is from the recording sessions in the Troisdorf-based Gernhart Studi

o where the band recorded this album.

VERDICT: Rant

Yeah we all love in studio videos, ah no. Musically it's a cool song but their singer's faux tough guy acting is just laughable. The guy looks like he could be  Dave Mustaine's kid. The rest of the band members look serious enough but that just makes it bad as well.