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Brieviews 66

22/11/2019

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Nocturnalia – III Winter

dark rock
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Nothing new under those vast Scandinavian skies – yes! Nothing boring in the wide open spaces – yes! Nocturnalia are a good example that a mix of Rainbow, Deep Purple, the 69 Eyes combined with a singer who clearly likes Bruce Dickinson never gets boring. For we have heard those things so often before we can clearly identify the roots – always a great thing for every fan(atic) as he can display his knowledge. However, there is something else to that mix that lies beneath the obvious and that is some good and clever songwriting because we must remember – copying is one thing but taking lessons from idols is another. Nocturnalia definitely follow the second line and we can take singer Linus Ekermo as an example here: He knows his Bruce, he knows his Dio but he never dares to simply copy them, he adds little singular characteristics once in a while, for example in “Winter Hymn” when his (nearly) spoken word is a great atmospheric moment - “Frost be the sign of this lost ending year /  Darkness embrace me for winter draws near” words and phrases heard before but combined with a sound reminiscent of the wind of uilleann pipes and a second (at the beginning nearly inaudible) vocal line we are still drawn to it and keep on spinning “III Winter”. 


Wooden Earth – Fangs

hard rock / classic rock
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Wooden Earth (look at that band name – you already see the green smoke rising in the desert) are to release their new track “Fangs” on December 13th. The Dallas-based duo consisting of guitarist Devin Moreno and drummer/vocalist Griffin Thomas will release their debut full length next year and are currently touring their ….. off. No new witches’ brew in their mix of two similar genres, but their play with dynamics is definitely worth lending your ear if you like Red Fang’s ferociousness, QOTSA’s pop appeal and some scruffy vocals to accompany all of that. They throw in a riff that is really genre-like but their dynamics draws you in and the small kicks from the side in form of a sharp noisy lick keep you going just as much as the 60s style psychedelic organ in the background which keeps the atmosphere light and tight. Here you go, Stoner fans, you might have another band to follow! What a name anyway!


Moonreich – Wormgod

metalcore
Les Acteurs De L'Ombre
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My media player sometimes plays a trick on me and doesn’t enlist the tracks in the right order but reverses them, so that the last track is played first. It did that when I started listening to Moonreich’s recent EP Wormgod, and thus the first thing I heard was “Broken” and the first vocals I heard were “If you want control without any pain / How long will you suffer? / How long will you reign?” My mind racing, where had I, what did they, whom had they….  and then memory retrieved the wanted information – it’s a cover of a Depeche Mode-song! No, nothing worrisome about that cover but well, the rest is solid work. A lot of grindy-metalcore, blastbeats, solid screaming gutturals, some quick and harsh turns, a few moments reminiscent of Slipknot (supposedly a major influence) and some posty-swirling guitar loops. A solid Metalcore band doing some solid Post-Metal songs but being unable to hide their roots. A good band to start your summer festival day with, but well …if it wasn’t for that Depeche Mode-cover!


Blackwood – Of Flies

dub doom
Subsound
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Ever wondered what it would sound like if Godflesh emphasized the metal side a bit more and a bit dirtier? Less sterile and less dubby? With a bit less verve and some more doomy gloom? Then you might find yourself drawn to Blackwood, an electro-doom-metal-project headed by Italian artist and composer Eraldo Bernocchi who – via Subsound Records has just released his new EP “Of Flies” with the help of vocalist Emilia Moncayo and a lot of samples, for example the urgent screams “Conductor we have a problem! Press emergency!” taken from a YouTube-video filmed a few years ago, when a man ran around in an American subway screaming these words all the time. The songs are like a descent into the hell of the human psyche, one does not want to listen because of the grittiness of the songs but it it somehow impossible to stop because there might be another even more sensational sound or sample or scream just around the corner of this dirty wall of sound. And just before the finger hits the button he calms it down again and then surrounds the ears with some soothing parts and ethereal moments. But the dirt is always just one step away. A great introduction into a genre some people might never have imagined. Or never wanted to imagine. 


Ghostboy – Disgusting 

dark ambient / edm / house
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“Always on my mind”. Elvis. His late years. A classic. Always recognizable. Always? No, not as in always always, because as Ghostboy shows with his version, starting out like a desert slo-mo-acoustic guitar version then turning into slow ambient song, even a song we have all heard a trillion times can be hard to recognize even though he sticks to the original lyrics. This song was my reason to listen to the new EP by Ghostboy released on and for Halloween and thus aptly titled “Disgusting”. Four songs revolving around the themes lost love, death, loneliness and ghosts are presented here by the electronica artist, who combines burbling dream-pop with dark electronica parts or classical house elements and sometimes garners them with an interesting detail, like the aforementioned acoustic guitar. The only fault in the EP: The cover doesn’t totally fit in with the others, even though it is quite an original track, but its lyrical mood is so different and furthermore because of said western-intro. Maybe he should choose a real Halloween classic for such a themed release – my suggestion: “The Boy with the Arab Strap”. Otherwise, it becomes clear where Ghostboy comes from and where he’s headed as he stays immensely authentic. 

Thorsten
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Brieviews 65

29/10/2019

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Jinjer – Macro 

metalcore
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Donetsk is usually known for its coal, maybe also for its football club. Or the war in Eastern Ukraine, but can you name a metal band from there? Probably no, but there is one now, Jinjer. The band around Tatiana Shmayluk will please all fans of bands like Walls of Jericho or Arch Enemy because they definitely got all the trademarks necessary for being successful in the scene. 
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Their sound is state of the art, the drums energize the songs up to full max, the breaks for the clean parts are well-placed and the vocals easily change seamlessly from growling to immaculate singing. The band is able to incorporate some surprises like the piano-part in “Retrospection” or the jigging off-beat beginning of “Judgement (and Punishment)” hopping along to Tatiana’s lyrics. But the latter also present the one flaw in the Jinjer-puzzle, they are a bit too genre-like; for example the lyrics to the opener “On the Top” with its first glorification of the individual strife for greatness and success and the turn to a criticism of the same. “Retrospection” definitely has the most intriguing lyrics as the beginning is sung in Russian and English with the English parts talking about the wish to return to the family safe haven – the Russian parts make the English screaming much more believable. Nonetheless, genre fans will surely be very pleased with the first band they know from Donetsk, Ukraine.


Karyn Crisis’ Gospel of the Witches  - Covenant 

doom
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“From the darkness comes the light” - a programmatic sentence for Karyn Crisis and her project with husband/Ephel Duath-mastermind Davide Tiso, gloomy sunrises dominate this record. The voice of former NYHC band Crisis has been working with the Italian metal guitarists for several years having released an album in 2015. Now, four years later, they return with a new LP and its 12 songs show a lot of different sides of the duo accompanied by Fabian Vestod (Skinlab) on drums. 
The songs have a certain groove and grow on the listener but they mostly feed off of the energy spread by Karyn’s voice. It is audible that she has been singing for nearly 30 years with a longer break after the end of Crisis in 2004. Since then she has discovered her spirituality and even taught people in order to get in touch with that side of themselves and in some strange ways that can be heard. Very often she uses her strong voice to seduce us, to connect with our third eye.
Listening to Karyn is like watching a black and white movie of a medicine woman with some blue flames flickering before an old Chevy standing at the top of a long canyon with the black gorge looming in the deep. An image one cannot take the eyes off just like one doesn’t want Karyn to stop from lullabyeing. 
Her husband doesn’t overplay his musical abilities he rather uses all his prowess to sustain his wife’s magical abilities. You will find a wide range of dynamics and guitar work on “Covenant” – from doomy riffs to minuscule guitar pickings painting red moons over Karyn’s old Chevy and the black canyon.


Törzs – Tukör (a second opinion)

post rock
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Mountain men mambo. Caveman cha-cha-cha. Those stupid terms can hardly be used more adequately than when describing Törzs’ new album, with a wink of an eye. Why? Later, for now let’s talk about the music itself. 
There is something about this record that resonates inside as much as outside. The reverb on the record is probably as much a derelict of the band’s roots in shoegaze as to the idea behind it. The songs follow a motif of clarity that is also reflected in the change to a purely instrumental band with this release letting go of vocals for better. The Hungarian outfit is able to paint a wholesome picture of deserts around huge mountains without snow-capped tops, of long and winding roads through the Hungarian vastness outside the metropolis. Sometimes the temperatures drop because of the chilling slowness of some riffs and licks (“Hamarlik”) and sometimes the heat rises by the minute because of the jazzy vibrato of the drums (“Ötodik”). Jazz, that is definitely a thing to connect “Tukör” with, the band sometimes sounds like the perfect mix between The Cinematic Orchestra and Bohren und der Club of Gore, and just those two there is one thing that Törzs definitely are really good at – giving their songs just the right amount of time to breathe. They have left all desperate haste and unnecessary hurry at the entrance to the cave in which they recorded this record; and that is no joke – this is real caveman-made music. 


Hegy – We won’t Make it Home

blackmetal / blackgaze
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The second release from Hungary in this edition of the Brieviews, Hegy is leading us onto a seemingly similar path like Törzs with the opening track “Outer Rings” before turning around abruptly and then erupting harshly destroying all ideas one had about the road taken and at the very end the Alcest’ian notions are overturned again with an electronic outro. Those are reconfirmed by the beginning of “Hydra”, the second track, when they use blastbeats to show their roots and then lead into a straight up rock song of which many mainstream rock bands would be proud. It becomes clear that Hegy (Hungarian for ‘mountain’) is a band that is really capable of producing good long-tracks as there is always so much going on in their sound and songwriting. The trio doesn’t bore the listener, the guitars take him by the hand leading him from one sonic idea and motif to the next with the drums explaining a story of a harsh expedition through unknown territory sometimes going up a difficult slope and then again stumbling over earthy ground. 
Sometimes blackgaze doesn’t need vocals if the music is already pointing you in the right directions. Or turns you around to enjoy the right view before you just stare at a blank mountain wall for too long. Or plays a trick on you and you stare at a picture of a view before being pushed off the cliff but falling into an even more interesting scenario. It would be “Nefarious” not to listen to Hegy if you are into post-rock and shoegaze, blackgaze and post-metal. They have a lot to say wordlessly.


Arx Atrata – The Path Untravelled

black metal
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Agalloch, Saor, Winterfylleth, Panopticon – the list is long and seemingly endless when it comes to atmospheric black metal bands nowadays. Most of them have a feeling for dynamics and the situational eruption amidst vast quietness. Ben Sizer aka Arx Atrata is no exception to it. The mastermind and only member of this project uses synthesizers to spice up his musical vision which becomes clearest in the title-track of this, his third record. A 10-minute-opus, the track plays with the audience often using small ambient passages or clean guitar parts to disrupt the eruption. Sizer is definitely able to use the synthesizer to his best advantage, supporting the blastbeats and eerie guitar motifs with effective scapes in order to purvey some kind of loftiness of sound that is also noticeable in small things like some minor background guitar work where some simple chords provide a breath of air and slowly raise everything a bit higher. ‘Higher’ in general seems to be the direction that Sizer strives for, as his compositions always reach towards the open sky. Whether he will be able to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors when it comes to the success they had, remains to be seen – he surely took a lot of pages from their books and constructed his own vision and trademark sound. That is something that not too many people on the long list of atmospheric black metal bands can say for themselves. 


​Thorsten

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Brieviews 59

11/3/2019

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Tim Linghaus - About B. (Memory Sketches B​-​Sides Recordings)

ambient / classical
Sound In Silence
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A nice gem from the ever expanding Sound In Silence label, containing seventeen short yet playful ambient pieces. With the piano as central instrument and gently synths freely floating, Tim Linghaus delivers something I can only compare to the "nouvelle cuisine" of ambient. The tunes are delicious and highly enjoyable but oh so short. Fans of Olafur and Nils will definitely enjoy this and so will everyone who is need of a little breather once in a while. My advice? Purchase this album and let these tunes become your tiny moment of serenity during your busy day. You deserve it, and so does Tim Linghaus.

Antoine Panaché - Endling

experimental / noise
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The bizarre world of Antoine Panaché is as enigmatic as it's uncomfortable. This project has often found a way to be featured on this pages and with its new output, 'Endling', Panaché once again deals in the opposite of normal. Basically driving on noise, the six tracks on this tape are audio experiments in old fashioned musique concrete style, here and there also influenced by everything Cold Meat Industry has ever barked out. My favorite is closer and title track 'Endling', a mysterious and angsty piece of music. On the other hand, if you like angst, you should certainly start with 'Zwarte Agnes'.

Misty Bliss - Misty Bliss

alternative rock / psychedelic rock
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Right, time for some good old fashioned rock 'n roll, courtesy of Swiss duo Misty Bliss. Inspired by the extravagance of classic rock and the gloomy overtone of gothic rock, this duo throws four great songs in my speakers. Opener 'Misty Bliss' is a strong, anthemic piece of rock music, something fans of everything between Led Zeppelin and PJ Harvey can appreciate. Blues fans will drool over 'Love Confession', at least if they can also appreciate post punk and garage rock. Then there is the punky closer 'Take On The World', the fastest song on the EP but a trustworthy rock 'n tune. Heel yeah!

Thecodontion - Jurassic

death metal
Xenoglossy Productions
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Hailing from Rome, Thecodontion comes up with something they call "prehistoric metal of death". This four track EP, 'Jurassic' contains four tracks, created by bass, drums and vocals only, with lyrics about fossils and prehistoric creatures. Yet, they do manage to create a rough, chaotic and primitive version of death and black metal, not so much old school as well, pre-school. Then again, back in the glorious days of Pangaea, there was no melody, no flashing guitar solos and no professional recording studios. So, if you like your metal obscure and chaotic, Thecodontion definitely deliver the good.

Wang Wen - Endless (theme song for "Space Challenge")

post rock
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Chinese post rock juggernauts Wang Wen surprise their fans with a ten minutes lasting anthem, a  genre defining theme song in two sections. Kristian Karlsson (PG Lost) produced the song and Magnus did the mastering. Along with Wang Wen's elaborate crew list, the addition of these seasoned craftsmen turns this music into a baffling group effort, one that every post rock fans will surely appreciate. Balancing on the edge between post rock and score music, 'Endless' is yet another one of those beauties by Wang Wen, a long, anthemic and immersive piece of music that can stand the test of time.

Blair Coron - On The Nature Of Things

ambient / classical
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A beautiful and immersive album by Scottish pianist and sound sculptor Blair Coron, 'On The Nature Of Things' narrates the splendor of contemporary classical music. For the most part, this album brings a minimal but soothing listening experience. It's quiet and gentle but is also contains a few dreamy ambient anthems, like 'R/B/G/' or poetry like 'Ode To The Cimmerian' or the folkiish 'Olives and Marzipan'. In all, this is a surprisingly interesting album and quite varied for something that roams in the world of classical music. My advice? Check it out, you'll definitely found something you like here.

A Vintage Death - Acrid Death Fragrance

doom / black metal
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Hailing from Italy, one man doom metal band A Vintage Death unleashes a first EP, titled 'Acrid Death Fragrance'. Founded by solo member Carmine, this project combines melodic doom with elements of black and death metal. The result is a rough, harsh version of bands like Saturnus, November's Doom and so on. The four song are decent, excellent at some points but the production value somewhat diminishes the experience, which is too bad. It's obvious that Carmine is a talented musician with good ideas and great songwriting abilities. All he needs now is a professional producer and, why not, a live band. But for now, this EP is an excellent debut.

Ûngrûn - Demo 2019

black metal
Tartarus Records
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Dutch/Frisian black metal outfit Ûngrûn (featuring (ex-) members of Verwoed / Dool / Kjeld and Lugubre) comes up with two ferocious, skull battering pieces of black metal. Titled 'It Hiele Brânoffer' and 'De Oanstjit Ta Hjar Ûngerjuchtichheit' these tunes will pierce your eardrums and destroy the the final signs of sanity behind it. Mostly driven of hyperspeed drums and shrieking guitars, these tunes are instant favorites for fans of Dodecahedron and many other avant garde black metal acts. This is simply another one of those brutal forces from the Netherlands, which comes highly recommended.

Anna Havoc - Anna Havoc

hardcore
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Don't let the band name and the lovely painting on the cover fool you, Russian combo Anna Havoc will rip your eardrums apart and you will love it too. That is, if you're into harsh, intense and chaotic hardcore. In five tracks, Anna Havoc bashes a tremendous amount of stinging riffs, battering drums and fierce vocals through your speakers. The tempos are suffocating and the abrasiveness is pulverizing. Their furious hardcore is infused with elements from sludge metal, noise rock and a hint of black metal or grindcore. The result is one baffling five piece EP with heaps of brutal energy.

Beyond Our Sight - The Void Within

metal / death metal / metalcore
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New band from Ghent, Belgium, deals in thick as fuck riffing, serial killing drums and ferocious growls. Plus, here and they doomy clean vocals appear, along with a load of other influences, all brutal, obviously. If you're into bands like Lamb Of God, Gojira, As I Lay Dying and Machine Head, you might want to lend these guys an ear and get your hands on a copy of this seven track EP. Personally, I'm not a fan of this stuff, but I know the genre well enough to consider Beyond Our Sight a force to be reckoned with in the near future. Just listen to the pulverizing single 'Strenuous' and you'll know what I mean.

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Chaoseum - First Step To Hell

6/2/2019

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metal / metalcore
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While browsing through my pile of CDs to be reviewed, I found this little thing. I think it has been there for a while. I remembered when it came in. I opened the envelop and saw the CD plus the biography. I read the words "symphonic" and "metalcore" which almost caused the album to become forgotten.

Why? Well, I simply don't like metalcore and it has been ages since I listened to symphonic metal. Today the album almost literally fell into my lap while I was sorting out the CDs. I decided to give it a shot and I have to say, I am not as disappointed as I thought I would be.

The album opens with the powerful and forward pushing 'Lilith'. Immediately influences from bands like Arch Enemy, Trivium and Lacuna Coil appear. Fronted by the versatile Lola Van Loo, this Swiss band is a raging tribute to metal, certainly capable of causing most pits and crowd surfers. So far so good but the following track, 'Don't Waste Your Time' somewhat reduces the joy. Although this is not a bad song, you can hear a searching band, not yet fully convinced of their abilities. Either that, or they take the element of experimentation a bit too far.

Then again, 'Crawling In The Dirt' is a top level metal track, combining the best from Otep with the best of Arch Enemy and that is a serious compliment. It also show a bit of humor, which I think is a good thing. 'Blue Scorpion' is a cracker but also seems to drown in the planned versatility of the band. Sometimes I feel as if Chaoseum tried to adopt too many influences at once, giving the music an unnecessary complexity. In my opinion, fans will crave more tracks like the brutal 'F.T.S.' or the pummeling 'Devil's Wedding'.

'First Step To Hell' is not a bad album. In fact, it's certainly above average. The music is performed to perfection. There is plenty of power and the whole thing is varied enough to remain interesting, apart from a few missteps. What Chaoseum needs now is heaps of stage performances. If all goes well there, there is a big change for founding them on big stages in the future. In a few years, they might release a masterpiece. This CD has planted the seeds for that. There is potential, that's for sure.


​Serge


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Brieviews 53

30/10/2018

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Dizorder - Moon Phases

alternative / metal / metalcore
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Although I'm not always content with the term "female fronted metal", I have to say that in this case the presence of Chloé defines the whole identity of Dizorder. While the men behind her deliver a solid modern day metal foundation, Chloé varies from melancholic to firm to brutal several times in a row. This EP contains four tracks, an intro and an outro. It showcases a wide of influences, from Evanescence and Flyleaf to Linkin Park, Deftones, Otep and today's metalcore scene. Furthermorre, there are some excellent tunes to be found, like 'Erinyes' or 'Pick'. Nice work and an excellent business card.

Greyhawk - Ride Out

heavy metal / power metal
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Tsss, those Americans, rebooting something everybody in Europe laughs at, except Manowar fans but I don't think they have that much to laugh about anyway. Heading from Seattle, Greyhawk comes up with old school heavy metal, inspired by the greats and breathing the exact same air as Dio, Judas Priest, Blind Guardian, Helloween and so on. The result is this highly enjoyable and perfectly executed power metal EP, named 'Ride Out'. Fans of the old school will undoubtedly eat this up. So check it out, raise your horned fist and join the glory of heavy metal as it should be!
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Gramma Vedetta - Proof of Concept

hard rock / stoner rock / alternative rock / grunge
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We're not done having an old school party here. Next up is London based Gramma Vedetta and their infectious blend of blues, grunge, psychedelic rock and jam rock. Somehow these guys are stuck between the sixties and the nineties, which results in extravagant party tunes like 'Behind the Blinds', strange punky rockers like '.Taranto Train to Toronto Town' and instant grunge classics like 'She (Has A Plan)'. This EP is loaded with energy, fun and rock 'n roll. If this band can't get your party started, you are throwing the wrong party, that's for sure. So grab a beer and join me in the pit!

Godless - Swarm

thrash / death metal
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Right, enough fun, time to torment our eardrums with some vile extremities courtesy of Indian death-thrash combo Godless. After an impending intro all hell breaks loose as we descent into a frenzy of riffs, blast-beats and ferocious screams. Influenced by everything between Kreator, Morbid Angel and Behemoth, Godless rages on with a murderous tempo and mind shattering intensity. This EP is short, but so is a chainsaw into the skull and that is a perfect comparison. Godless are not here to mess around, they are here to demolish, destroy and conquer. 
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O n s e t - Unstructured Dissemination

doom
Weird Truth
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This debut EP by Onset, a collaborative effort of Mirai Kawashima from Sigh and synthwave artist Microchip Terror, is perhaps one of the most surprising doom metal releases this year. With elements from traditional doom, post rock, space rock and extreme metal, Onset delivers something both immersive and unsettling. The riff-heavy approach of funeral doom meets with the soul piercing experimentality of noise to create two epic pieces of dark and heavy music. This is definitely not an easy EP to listen to but it a unique and refreshing entity in the world of doom, which imply means it's awesome.

Ssanahtes - Ssanahtes

doom / sludge / post hardcore
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French "not another post metal" act Ssanahtes comes up with a whole lot of noise, surprisingly close related to post metal. This self-titled album is an intense, brutal and abrasive piece of sludge doom and noise rock, coming at you in six psychotic tunes. The band claims to be influenced by bands like Neurosis, Meshuggah, Cult Of Luna and Kickback. You might as well add the deranged sounds of Japanese acts like Skullflower to that list as well. The result is an extremely unsettling album, one that will definitely get on your nerves. Whether that's a good thing or not is up to you to decide.
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Frenzy Frenzy - Just Another

pop rock
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Time for something on the lighter side of the rock music spectrum, which takes us to French trio Frenzy Frenzy. Their six track debut EP is loaded with sweet pop rock tunes, inspired by the pop music of Michael Jackson, INXS and Jamiroquai but also by rockers like Queens Of The Stone Age and The Black Crowes. The result is a fun album that will get many asses shaking, both on rock festivals and wedding receptions. I can't pick a favorite here but 'Into It All' is a potential chart hit. This is a fun EP, no doubt about that.

Charles In The Kitchen & Them Stones - Stones In The Kitchen

pop rock / alternative rock
bandcamp
Charles In The Kitchen
Them Stones
More joyous rock 'n roll from France, this time with a split singe by Charles In The Kitchen & Them Stones. Each band delivered one track beginning with the uptempo 'Arrogant Teenage Rag' by Charles In The Kitchen. This song somehow reminds me of the B52's, which is quite rare these days. Nonetheless, this is a neat tune and a definte dancefloor filler. The other side is for Them Stones, who showcase a more serious approach. Here the grunge scene comes to mind, heavy on riffs and methodical on the drums. Alice In Chains meets Weezer, something like that. In all, this is a enjoyable single, nothing more, nothing less.
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​Serge
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Cyclus - Sekt

17/7/2018

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metal / metalcore / mathcore
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Back to Belgian soil, this time with a heritage from the Antwerp Metal Fest event (read). One of the most surprising bands was Cyclus with their suffocating blend of metal, hardcore and mathcore. Now, they combine their previous EP's into one full length, titled 'Sekt'.

The band is formed by members of Minus45degrees, Born From Pain, Calibre and Facedown (amongst others). Yet, with Cyclus they decided to shed all genre boundaries and create a whole different musical universe, loosely based on the 1951 movie  'The Day The Earth Stood Still' .


On the album, the band looks at the earth and humanity from the perspective of an alien race. They see what humans do to the planet and decide to eradicate that virus. This concept reflects mostly in the intros of the three separate EPs. The rest of the sixteen songs are powerful pieces of heavy music. 'Distress Signal on a Stellar Wave' and 'A Most Painful Realisation' can probably best be described as metalcore with their crushing riffs and intense screams. Yet, more often the vocals take on a clean form, something I can surely appreciate.

The combination between complexity and intensity is overwhelming. Very little on this album is predictable. In my head, heaps of bands pass by, be it only for mere seconds. Killswitch Engage, Amenra, Anthrax, Oceans Ate Alaska, Tool, Dillinger Escape Plan, System Of A Down, Despised Icon, Calibre (which perhaps might be expected) and heaps more appear, it's like a three day metal festival crushed into a bunch of three minutes lasting tracks. Is that good? It certainly is impressive.

'Is Your Feeling Formidable?' and 'No Force is Half Felt' are two of my absolute favorites here. Somehow Cyclus has managed to combine noise, chaos and sheer brutality into one massive distress signal. My advice would be to just dive in and let the music do its mesmerizing work. Fans of the extreme should absolutely check this out. Cyclus isn't just another band to explore musical horizons, they are a unique and overpowering entity in an already baffling metal scene. So yeah, this comes bloody recommended.


​Serge

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Brieviews 46

25/6/2018

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Federico Dal Pozzo - Untitled_VNZ

ambient / experimental / noise
Krysalisound
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Italian musique concrete composer Federico Dal Pozzo delivers a strange but enigmatic track, dedicated to the city of Venice and it's sound. The result is not so much a relaxing ambient album but an exploration of sounds from rocks, metal, water and so on. It resembles the beautiful city with its gondolas, romantic bridges and canals. In a way, Dal Pozzo takes you along a lesser known guided tour through the cities, blindfolded and only focusing on the aural aspects of the city. This tour is 49 minutes long, constantly moving and evolving. It carries a strange atmosphere but is definitely worth your attention.

Deadsmoke - Forest Of The Damned

doom / sludge metal
Let It Bleed Records
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Receiving something from sludge doomers Deadsmoke is always fun and with this two-track 7" it is no different. Halfway through opener 'Forest of the Damned II: Enter the Forest' I'm already in awe. What a delightful krautdoom this track is, uptempo, melodic and showcasing ferocious butt shaking qualities. Side B, 'Forest of the Damned III: Gray Ashes of Hope' then grabs everything that survived the wild party and mangles it into fertilizer for the ever expanding and all devouring forest. With twisted doom riffs and the power of a heavy rainfall of steamrollers, Deadsmoke once again delivered sheer awesomeness.
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Antoine Panaché - Pleasures

experimental / avant garde
Barreuh Records
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Dutch avant garde sound art performer Antoine Panaché also returns with a two track EP. Released by Barreuh Records, this tape contains two covers, 'Forever Young' (Alphaville) and 'Nocturnal Me' (Echo & the Bunnymen). However, both tracks are performed in Panaché's strange, out of this world tradition which makes them barely recognizable. They're noisy, strange and unusual but they're both highly adventurous musical experiments. Fans of so-called "outsider music" definitely need to check out these tunes. It rarely gets any odder than this, I promise.

Misantronics - Zührpruym

drone / electronic / ambient
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Belgian drone experimentalist Misantronics in his turn surprises with this one-track release which perfectly fits into his 'Contraformance' series. 'Zührpruym' is 23 minutes long and explores the regions of ambient, drone, noise, jazz, darkwave and electronic music. Although this is one track, you can distinguish different parts, ranging from ambient noise over downtempo electronics to glitchy jazz drums and pounding techno beats. All come together in a frenzy of soundscapes, flutes and dark electronic percussion. Of course, the overall atmosphere is rather gloomy and even somewhat dangerous sounding. Check it out!
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Woes - The Coldest Place Is Within Myself

hardcore / crust / black metal
bandcamp
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Danish noise makers Woes deliver a fierce and brutal eight track album, loaded with blackened hardcore, sludge metal and crust punk. Yet, the whole thing opens quite peaceful with a plunky intro before hell breaks loose. When the brutality finally occurs, it gnaws, claws, pierces and punishes with sheer ferocity, not always on hyperspeed but that isn't necessary. In fact, 'The Cold Wind Whispers Your Name' is quite slow for crust punk but it is one of my favorites here. In all, this is a great piece of aggressive no-nonsense extremism, well varied, massive intense and earth shattering...

Brass Owl - Brass Owl

psychedelic rock / stoner rock
website
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For some good old fashioned rock 'n roll we turn to Ohio residents Brass Owl. Formed and fronted by shredmaster Brian Tarter, this trio brings the jam back into psychedelic rock with flashing solo work, immersive bass lines and drums directly from rock 'n roll paradise. This four track EP is a neat warming up for when the band comes to conquer the world with their blues inspired stoner rock. Fans of everything between Led Zeppelin, Cream and ZZ Top better start paying attention to Brass Owl because soon you'll be shaking your ass to 'State Of Mind' and 'Mushroom Sally', I promise you.
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Dead Man's Eyes - Words of Prey 

indie / alternative rock / psychedelic rock
bandcamp
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Germany's Dead Man's Eyes do something highly enjoyable with rock music. On one hand they seem to be inspired by the English indie rock scene but on the other hand they  apparently have a massive background in psychedelic rock. The result is a nine track album loaded with neat, immersive and hip shaking rock tunes that bring everything between The Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, White Stripes, Ween and Lemonheads to mind. Highlighting in opener 'Radiant Smiles', the gloomy blueser 'Be Good' and 'Two Dozen Eyes' this album is an absolute must-have for old school rockers and psych-fans.

Jübl - Thinking Sweet

dream pop / trip hop
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Jübl is the new band from Rudy (A.R. Kane), featuring Maggie Tambala and Andy Taylor. On this debut EP you can find two brand new tracks and one nine minutes lasting remix. What to expect exactly? Well, opener 'Thinking About You' does something Tricky meets Slowdive meets Sonic Youth and immerses you into a vast universe of electronically driven dream pop. 'Sweet Dreams' does something similar and in my opinion even better. On one hand this single could be a smash hit but on the other hand, today's smash hits don't have this kind of musical quality anymore. So yeah, check it!
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Autger - Eucharistia, Praedestinatio Gemina

dark ambient / neoclassical / dark jazz
bandcamp
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Russian act Autger seems incredibly busy, having appeared in our previous edition of Brieviews. Now, he delivers a three track EP, based on Christian aesthetics. The result is an impending, dark and eerie piece of music that ranges from neoclassical music to gothic electronic and even harbours elements from dark jazz. Opener 'Pater' is currently one of my favorite tracks from this project, one I suddenly compared to a very, very, very dark version of Enigma or a more experimental version of Diary Of Dreams perhaps. My advice, give it a shot, it's certainly a unique entity in the dark music world.

Dr Space - Dr Space's Alien Planet Trip Vol 1

krautrock / psychedelic rock
bandcamp
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Right, time to close your eyes and embark on a journey through time and space with Oresund Space Collective's own Dr Space. On this record you can find five sonic adventures, ranging from bluesy guitar ambient to seemingly neverending krautrock grooves. Mostly live improvised these tracks definitely grab the listener's attention while showcasing an immersive set of jams, soundscapes and guitar solos. Yet, there is also something dark, lurking behind these musical alien planets. I like that and I surely like this album, it's as if Santana is chill-jamming with Ozric Tentacles.
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A Scar For The Wicked - The Unholy

death metal / deathcore
bandcamp
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This is weird. This EP was presented as something for fans of Aborted, Black Dahlia Murder and Whitechapel and yes, there is plenty of death metal and deathcore galore to be found here. Yet, somewhere in between the pummeling drums, the brutal growls and the fierce riffs I hear elements from Children Of Bodom and even Cradle Of Filth screams. I'm not really a fan of deathcore but this EP is a real stand-out, well-varied, aggressive as fuck and loaded with metallic brilliance. So either the deathcore scene has grown up or we're dealing with a band that's too talented to be put in a box. You decide...

Stelios Ventas - Faded Flower 

rock
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Greek solo artist Stelios Ventas treats his listener to some good old fashioned rock songs. Being a guitar player, Ventas focuses on rough, bluesy rock tunes with plenty of solos and a load of playing joy. The songs on this EP are basic and stripped down to the bare necessities, being guitars, bass, drums and vocals. I don't think that any of these five tracks will ever become huge hits but that doesn't mean that they aren't enjoyable. Besides, 'Faded Flower' and 'Alone In The Desert' are great tracks in vintage blues rock / hard rock tradition. They'll do good in your day-to-day playlist.
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Feelament - Hate Delivery

groove metal
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How is Moscow still standing with a band like this residing there? Feelament harbours tonnes of aggression, fronted by the undoubtedly dangerous Masha. While she spills her guts in a wide variety of vocal performances, the men behind her throw a neat mix of groove metal and metalcore under her feet. The result is something massively impressive, often melodic, often a sheer beatdown, often simply insane. I hear elements of Pantera, Arch Enemy and Lacuna Coil but most of all I hear a band that might as well become a force to be reckoned with. Fucking awesome!!!
Serge
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Brieviews 38

14/3/2018

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Mixtaped Monk - Northern Eye

post rock
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Indian multi-instrumentalist Mixtaped Monk returns with a beautiful, melancholic and immersive EP, dedicated to a dear friend of his who is battling cancer. On this EP you will find four tracks, each one balancing on the edges between downtempo electronics, experimental ambient and post rock. As usual, with this talented young man, that results in nice, friendly but somewhat stubborn music that has the power to both get stuck in your head and serve as background music for a nice get together with friends. Obviously, I can only applaud these efforts, especially when they sound this professional and unique. Definitely recommended.

Onhou - Onhou

doom / sludge / psychedelic
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We stay in the downtempo regions but move towards the extremes with Dutch horde Onhou and their self titled two-track EP. On this one, you will find two ten minutes lasting tracks, both being outstanding pieces of psychedelic drone doom. The whole thing sounds a bit like Conan or Yob on LSD, and I quite like that. The music is harsh, dark, aggressive and as immersive as quicksand. It's also slow, very, very slow, yet hints of melody and tonnes of atmosphere keep the the tracks interesting, not only for a good listen by for several listens in a row. This is a dark entity with a bright future.
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My Secret Safe - Storytelling

metalcore
bandcamp
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Hailing from France, My Secret Safe delivers solid metalcore, compleet with the djenting riffes and the brutal vocals. On the other hand, you might also see this as nu-metal on steroids. Either how, this EP features an awesome intro and five harsh and brutal metalcore tracks. Now, I'm not really a metalcore fan but I can definitely appreciate the melodic passages in songs like 'Disruptive' and 'The Cure'. For fans of the genre, this is a high quality must have, one that also proves that the use of electronics in metal is no longer frowned upon. So, extreme youngsters, this is a must-have.

Alaska Gold Rush - And The Sky Dives Again

folk / alternative rock
facebook
Formed around a guitar, a voice and a set of drums, Belgian duo Alaska Gold Rush are about to release an intriguing EP. They seem to be influenced by American folk music but also deliver a great dose of alternative rock. That results in acoustic rock songs that bring acts like Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom and The Posies to mind. The EP contains six tracks, each one a gem in its own term. Although the songs can be surprisingly heavy, they are also warm and emotional. So yeah, this might something interesting to discover.
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Things That Aren't There - Slow Down

post rock / shoegaze
Spotify
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Surfing on the waves of post rock, shoegaze and downtempo electronics, we find English duo Things That Aren't There. They could have chosen a better name because I couldn't find a bandcamp, soundcloud or facebook link to add to this brieview. However, I did find three amazing pieces of music in which slow, atmospheric music comes to life in a breathtaking way. Opener 'Slow Down' mostly takes on the electronic approach but 'Neon Cross' is a brilliant piece of post rock, one Mogwai wished they had written. This stuff really is great, perfect enough to send you over to Spotify and check it out...

Circus worlD - The Deceiver

alternative rock
bandcamp
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For five good old fashioned alternative rock songs, we turn our attention to Circus WorlD and their brand new EP. Opening with the infectious song 'High', this EP brings us right back to the nineties and its raw but melodic garage rock sounds. What I like most about these songs is the dark rock edge that they seem to showcase. In one aspect, because of the guitars and drums, this brings me back to the alternative rock scene of the nineties but the vocals bring those awesome dark rock and new wave bands to mind. The opener is my favorite track, closely followed by the awesome 'Kill Their Sons'. Nice stuff, surely recommended.
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The Divided Line - Paramnesia

progressive rock
bandcamp
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This EP by Canadian progressive rock album The Divided Line suddenly went from "not bad" to "wow", halfway through opener 'Breathe'. I was a bit sceptical at first but then the mix of Tool, Deftones, Incubus and Russian Circles fully opened. Now I can't seem to get enough of this sound which somehow brings the progressive underground to the level of arena rock. In six songs, these Canadians clearly show their skills and talents as a modern day melodic rock band. They also never seem to lose their cool, never take things to the extreme and never tone down on quality. So if you're into progrock, you need this.

Adonai Atrophia - Metahistory

dark ambient
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An immersive piece of dark, mystic ambient, courtesy of Bulgarian one man act Adonai Atrophia. While opener 'The Infinite She' gently lures you in, 'Al Awwal' brings out the haunting darkness and uneasy atmosphere that make dark ambient such a mesmerizing genre. From there the album easily maintains its grasp on the listener while guiding them along eerie soundscapes and fearsome percussion. The album contains eight tracks, with the harsh and intense 'Malah Ga-Mavet' being my favorite. Dark ambient aficionados can easily trust this release to deliver the angsty goods, I'm absolutely sure about that.
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Barrel Blood - Midwinter live improvisation

experimental / avant garde / classical
bandcamp
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Armed with violin, cello, their voices and an array of electronics, American quartet Barrel Blood brings strange but soothing experimental music. This EP contains three tracks, all improvised and recorded live. In all, you'll have over half an hour of musical experimentation that sounds both unusual and intriguing. There are hints of classical music, ambient, folk and avant garde but the whole still maintains a coherent and certainly narrative atmosphere. Fans of Godspeed You Black Emperor, Dark Ensemble or Kuro will definitely appreciate this music and I think even jazz fans will like it. Neat stuff!

Black Strike - 132

stoner rock / alternative / metal
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Belgian alternative metalheads Black Strike have been listening to a wide array of heavy duty bands. Throughout this short but explosive three-track EP, all kinds of acts come to mind, including Alice In Chains, Channel Zero, Soundgarden, Kylesa , Monster Magnet and even Rage Against The Machine. Opener 'Rat' clearly draws the stoner rock card while 'Tiger' delivers some awesome rap metal. Closer 'Hunt' goes full grunge rock on our asses. So yeah, this is a surprisingly varied EP from a band I'd certainly like to hear more from in the near future.
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Funeris - Baleful Astral Elements

funeral doom
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Argentinian one man project Funeris delivers solid and sluggish funeral doom, seemingly inspired by the neverending vastness of the cosmos. On this album, he brings five lengthy tracks, plus one intro, with a deep, dark and massive sound, complete with deep growls. Fans of acts like Evoken, Until Death Overtakes Me and Shape Of Despair can easily trust Funeris to come up with the torpid and tormenting music they love so much. Personally, I love how the drums take this music to almost industrial levels, especially in my favorite track 'Through The Vast Cosmic Plains'. Funeral doom must-have!!!

Without Dreams - Funeral In The Infinity Of Cosmos

funeral doom / ambient
bandcamp
Don't go away yet because I found another funeral doom gem on that exact same bandcamp page. Without Dreams is a project that goes heavy on the ambient sounds but also comes up with the beloved distorted and droning guitars and the deep, guttural grunts. Here the tracks are even longer, all over twenty minutes, but they never seem to go stale. On the contrary, Without Dreams adds heaps of melody, piano and keyboard to the typical doom sound and I can only applaud that. So you'll have all of that and the usual depressive atmosphere. This really is funeral doom delight.
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Diana Rising - Stars Can't Shine Without Darkness

3/7/2017

Comments

 
metalcore
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This album has been staring me in the face for quite some time now. So I decided that today is the day that I'll finally give it a shot and get on with the review. It was presented to me as a metalcore/deathcore hybrid and it just so happens that I'm not a fan of these genres. Apparently, nobody on Merchants Of Air is. In all honesty we desperately need more writers. But anyway, here I am, listening to a metalcore/deathcore album from a French combo. At the moment I'm writing these words, I'm five tracks into the album, with 'Reborn' currently blasting through my speakers. And, although I'm still not a fan, I do recognize some great craftsmanship.

Quite often metalcore bands drown in their own breaks, riffs and energy. Eventually that usually results in uncontrollable musical chaos that only the die hard fans can appreciate (you know, those youngsters who invented a weird and spastic dance). Yet, Diana Rising seems to focus on songs rather than technicality. They have thrown plenty of melodic leads into their music and enhance the whole thing with minimal but well fitting electronics.

Then of course, there is the vocalist, the one member of a metalcore band I usually just can't take seriously. Again, here that is different. Instead of constantly switching between growls, screams and pig squeals, this one focuses on hardcore screams, loaded with intensity. Besides, he quite often lets the music do its job, which is also a plus. That music obviously is loaded with gut ripping riffs and enhanced by an excellent drummer.

So yeah, for a metalcore album, this certainly is a stand-out. I mean, I managed to listen to the entire album which is extremely rare in this genre. So I can only recommend this one to all extreme metal fans out there, since that is exactly what this thing is: extreme. You can fiercely bang your head to it, you can do that silly dance if you want or you can get into the pit. Diana Rising might be one of the best metalcore bands out there, isn't that a surprise...


​Serge



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