doom / heavy metal

Follow The Grain is an album released on April 9, by renowned underground German musician better known by the alias of Morphinist. Though mostly known by his releases on the genres of traditional and atmospheric black metal, Follow The Grain witnesses the musician experimenting with doom and heavy metal, in a very unexpected, but interesting experimental mood. Forty one minutes long, the record has only three very long tracks (which is somewhat a remarkable feature of his): the eponymous Follow The Grain, The Demons Of Doubt and Battle Wounds. With amazingly solid and vociferous, but at the same time soberly clean guitar lines, Follow The Grain from the beginning reveals itself to be a great and marvelously crafted instrumental album. With lucid, but very imponderable harmonies, perfectly delineated at the height of severe rhythmic ordinances, Follow The Grain encounters Morphinist in his best creative shape, brilliantly displaying the vigor of his colossal energies in a style not familiar to his audience. Nonetheless, the final result couldn’t have been more formidably amazing. 

Underlying the visionary cosmic strength of serene melodies, these three tracks effusively consolidate the sonorous ritual of a sentimental intensity that deeply elevates its harmonies into an imaginary field of astounding deliverance. With exceedingly factual poetical elements that acts at the direct interface of the songs, the extraordinary sensible intonations that plays with a more spiritual level of intricacy reveals a genuinely effective musical structure, whose technique is perfectly correlated with the sensitive ordeal that joyfully precipitates the consistency of the sound into an imaginary cosmogony that dreams abundantly in the unpredictable fields of mind expectations.

With a surreal predicament of a linear embodiment of devotional artistry, Follow The Grain is simply a tremendously magnificent album, with the most audaciously ferocious and imponderably creative guitar lines that you will ever hear in your life. Preciously beautiful, inherently natural and vehemently undertaking a wonderful sonorous journey of exhilarating rapture, the three tracks of Follow The Grain are simply formidably arranged masterpieces, that will elevate your soul to different standards of existence. 

With no faults to be pointed out whatsoever, this is an album for a lifetime. A majestically monumental state of the art work – one of the best and most fantastically exceptional guitar driven albums ever to be conceived –, whose sagaciously demanding imperative beauty has created sonorous galaxies of perceived excitement and graceful healing, Follow The Grain is an unusual move for Morphinist, that once more has proved why he is one of the greatest and most versatile musicians in the contemporary underground scene. 



Wagner

heavy metal

The Second Fall is an album by Greek heavy metal group MAHAKALA, released on March 13. With nine tracks – Army of the Flies, Redemption Denied, Purgatorium, Better to Reign in Hell (Than Serve in Heaven), Darkness in their Eyes, Wrath of Lucifer, Unholy Fight, Blessed Are the Dead and War Against Mankind – The Second Fall is quite an interesting album, not the typical heavy metal record, although following the traditional features of the genre in several aspects of its musical direction, where it becomes perceptive and incredibly predominant which are their driving forces and basic influences. Despite the fact that The Second Fall is not a fantastic or deeply innovative album, it has several qualities, and a force of its own. With cohesive guitar lines and a creative musical guideline of their own, this album proudly aggregates interesting components to the genre, with a spontaneity astoundingly masterminded at the center of a profoundly methodic style.

With authenticity and abrasiveness, MAHAKALA has careful and cautious melodies, more centered on constructive and well-balanced harmonies, than heaviness or aggression, although you are mistaken if you think their sound is soft. Not recommended for beginners, although there is a proficiently inserted tranquilizing component brilliantly installed in their music – whose versatility really outstands itself at the height of an amazing musical technicality – MAHAKALA is unforgiving on their wild side, but always maintaining their compromise with a well-shaped and coherently dilapidated rhythm, with a harmonizing detailed nature, that unravels a band very secure of their style, their capacities, their abilities, their goals, and what they can really achieve, with the perfect convergence of all the qualities they have at their disposition. 

With the discreet insertion of symphonic and power metal elements, MAHAKALA remembers a lot bands like Iced Earth. They are not just another generic act, despite honoring the tradition, especially with overwhelming and astronomic guitar solos, that seems to wander endlessly throughout the whole universe, going back and forth. With a lucid and very prominent sound, this interesting and astute Greek band proves with The Second Fall their relevance, although they really have to crystallize with more strength and sobriety the peculiarities of their own style, to avoid a generic marginalization of classification, that they barely avoid in some tracks. Nonetheless, I think that all enthusiasts of heavy metal will appreciate The Second Fall. Whether you are predisposed to admit this conclusion or not, this is a record that does a lot more for a true rescue and a genuine perception of heavy metal than most contemporary bands of the genre.           

So, despite the fact that this album cannot be categorized as a masterpiece, it stands as a serious, strong, decent, cohesive and interesting album. Different passages in different songs sound too similar, but I think that MAHAKALA is in the right direction, revolving, evolving and consistently developing a genre that really deserves not to die, since it has been for quite some time now relegated to a despicable limb of boredom and unoriginality. If there is a band that can really revive heavy metal, and elevate the principles of its true standards, you can be sure that this band is MAHAKALA. 


Wagner

progressive metal

dark ambient

post rock

shoegaze / psychedelic

symphonic doom

grindcore

alternative / metal

dark ambient

indie rock / pop rock

punk rock

rock / blues

funeral doom / black metal

noise / drone / spoken word

heavy metal

death metal / black metal

Serge

hard rock

A hot summer afternoon. You are standing in front of a stage with a cold beer in your hand. Someone asks who is playing. A band is performing and you do not know the name yourself. Attracted by expressive guitar solos and an intriguing soaring voice you start asking around, because now you really want to know who is responsible for this sensational atmosphere you start noticing. A big hairy fat guy with tattoos all over his body, an old school metalhead all the way, answers you. You learn that it is ‘Four Star Revival’. Catchy. To the point. You start concentrating on their music. You are certainly amused. 

Four Star Revival (Dayton, Ohio) is described as the world’s hottest new hard rock band having an 80’s metal sound with a modern twist. I think this is indeed the best way to present them to you. Listening to their latest work gives me some kind of sense of nostalgia.

Their debut album ‘Knights of the revival’ received enthusiastic reviews by the press. Now Jack Emrick (vocals), Benny Bodine (guitar), Ed Girard (bass) and Paul Strausburg (drums) released their brand-new EP ‘The Underdog’. The band brings us a highly entertaining five-song collection. Is it something new? Not really. Is it something revolutionary? Not to me. Is it enjoyable? Very much. Is it something I would buy? Yes. 

Although 4SR has a very recognizable sound the tracks on the album are all quite different. It never becomes boring at all. Jack Emrick has an impressive voice which is in perfect harmony with the rest of the instruments. Not only can he to bring more power when this is needed, but he is also able not to exaggerate. The variation he brings on a vocal level is absolutely a surplus. 

Also, Bodine succeeds in intriguing me with his mature guitar work as well. Sometimes I am taken back by his melodies, to the eighties, nineties… but when I almost feel lost in time I am suddenly brought back. Heavier, faster guitar riffs similar to thrash destroy my speakers.

‘The Underdog’ will, in my humble opinion, not become a “classic EP” but it definitely deserves respect. It is an entertaining high quality product created by a promising band. Older, more experienced hardrock fans will undoubtedly appreciate possible singalongs like ‘Broken’ and ‘The Garden of Good and Evil’. 

Michiel

hard rock / heavy metal

There are two kinds of debuts. The first is the one by young, starting bands who are extremely proud of their work, even when the whole thing isn't technically perfect and an average reviewer can easily detect the tiny errors and flaws. Then, there are debuts from bands formed by seasoned and experienced musicians who meticulously write, record, master and produce the whole thing in order to throw something highly professional on the market.

This one is the latter.

Formed by members from bands like Purplesnake, Athlantis, Mastercastle and Sadist, Italian heavy metal act Ruxt has the necessary background to be a solid player in the game. Their debut simply does not sound like a debut. Even more so, this sounds like the whole thing started way back in the late eighties and the nineties. With a strong hard rock and heavy metal sound, Ruxt are definitely ready to take on stages all over the world. 

The songs are well-written, not too complex and often thrive on catchy choruses, reminding me of acts like Whitesnake or Dio. So yes, this sounds pretty old school, but still relevant and still well-able to entertain large audiences on rock and metal festivals. Other acts that often come to mind, include Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Dokken, Foreigner, Gotthard and Black Sabbath, just to give you an idea of the quality delivered by these Italians.

Highlighting in songs like 'Scare My Demons', 'Where Eagles Fly' and 'Between The Lies', this is a long album, almost seventy minutes. However, like all good hard rock bands, Ruxt easily manage to keep things interesting. There is an excellent amount of variation between heavy rock anthems and emotional ballads, some of them perfectly capable of reaching billboards and charts everywhere.

In all, 'Behind The Masquerade' is an awesome piece of modern day hard rock, loyal to the old school but also looking forward. As a lifelong fan of quality music, I can only recommend this one to fans of all the bands I mentioned in this review. I'm sure that this album has something for every single one of you. I cannot imagine Ruxt disappointing, not on this album, not on stage. There is still hope for the world of hard rock, and its name it Ruxt!!!


​Serge

doom / heavy metal

Last year, I reviewed a tape, titled 'Fuck You, We're Lucifer's Fall'. It was an aggressive heap of vintage doom metal, covered in a pink sheet (but you can read all about that here). Now, these Australians return with a full-length that simply won't stop kicking your nutsack. This one is called 'II- Cursed & Damned ' and it basically contains the same elements as its predecessor. However, this one shows the evolution this band has made over the past twelve months.

When I mention "the same ingredients", I'm talking about references. I can hear influences from bands like Candlemass, Type O Negative, Voivod, Reverend Bizarre and - of course - Black Sabbath. The majority of the songs are old school sounding doom metal tracks, here and there enhanced with influences from heavy metal, thrash metal and hardcore punk, the latter mostly in the fast songs.

Yes, there are a few fast songs. In fact, opener 'Mother Superior' is an uptempo rocker that caused me to add the tag "heavy metal" on top of this review. The often use of dual lead guitars reminds me a bit of old Iron Maiden on a stoner rock trip. Is that good? Well, of course it is. It rocks and that's all a self respecting metalhead needs. 'Damnation' is a classic and epic doom metal anthem, followed by one of my favorites on this album, 'The Mountains Of Madness'.

Funny thing is, in both songs, lyrically, a lot "will rise", from Lucifer over chaos to the mountains. Personally, I would have placed both songs a bit further apart on this record but perhaps I'm just overthinking things. A bit further down the album, we find the awesome punk rocker 'Fuck You, We're Lucifer's Fall', a blasting headbanger of a song that still reminds me me Type O Negative's 'Kill All The White People' and smashes every point of criticism about this full-length.

That being said, yes, this is a damn varied album, something the doom metal scene rarely seems to produce. I have to admit, I had my doubts at first but the album seems to grow on the listener. Besides, it contains magistral beauty (in 'The Necromancer'), along with sheer aggression. Then, there is the mid tempo blues doomer 'Sacrifice'. For some reason, the words "this needs more cowbell" come to mind when I listen to this one. 

Anyway,  after a few listens I'm convinced that this is a damn good album, delivered by a solid , attuned and headstrong metal band that dares looking over their genre boundaries. So I can only recommend this thing to all you doomers and old schoolers out there. Check it out, and then check it out again. Have a beer, raise your fists and accept Lucifer's Fall in your heart (and cd shelf). You know you want to...


​Serge

death metal

We kick off this edition of Brieviews with two brutal old school death metal songs, courtesy of Icelandic horde Narthraal. This digital single is the forerunner for the upcoming full-length, which is scheduled to be released somewhere in 2017. An important aspect of their sound, is the use of the Boss HM-2 pedal which creates a filthy, raunchy sound. Furthermore, the main influences for this act are the old school bands we all love so much, including Grave, Dismember, Unleashed and Carcass. I don't think you need any more convincing. Go ahead, download the album, and prepare to fiercely bang your head. You know you want to...

death metal / metalcore

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Somewhere between the realms of death metal and metalcore roams the Belgian quintet Dead End Path. They handed out this three-track ep at the latest edition of Rocktoberfest, where the played an all-consuming set in front of a handful of people. Well, my friends, you can see this little review as a nudge to get your attention on these guys because they're damn good. Melodic yet brutal death metal which quite often reminds me of something between At The Gates, All Shall Perish and Unearth. In three tracks, these guys show a tremendous technical ability, along with the skills to write and perform decent songs, all of course as brutal and crushing as it can get. Harsh stuff!!!

noise rock / hardcore

Something a little different, but in no way less in-your-face, is this ep from Spanish noisemakers Balcanes. What starts out with an impending piece of drone and noise, quickly turns into a hardcore punk infused frenzy in 'Combustible'. 'Masada' drags the ep deeper down into the world of sludge, driving on inelaborate but damn infectious riffs and monotonous drumming. That being said, no, there is not a lot of variation to be found but Balcanes definitely makes up for that by creating an intense wall-of-sound and beating you into a pulp with it. If you're a fan of sludgy noise rock, like Melvins or Harvey Milk, you should check out this little gem. Oh, and Balcanes need to tour Europe, like now!

alternative rock / hard rock / grunge

Back in Belgium, a country that still teems with people who hold rock music close to their heart. That certainly counts for hard rocking squad Daddy Was Wrong. In five songs, and about fourteen minutes, they showcase some of the first songs they have written together. Although they have a firm hard rock sound, I do sense some influences from grunge and alternative rock, but of course, they mainly add to the level of variation. My favorite track is the groovy 'Immortal', probably the most headbanging-worthy track on this ep. Anyway, if you're ready for a decent portion of good old fashioned hard rock, you should give these guys a shot. Rock on!!!!

heavy metal

Once upon a time, this Canadian act start out as a Venom cover band. Yet, gradually they grew into what they are today, a headstrong heavy metal act with lyrical inspiration from Tolkien and musical inspiration by bands like Venom, Amebix, Manowar and several others. What you can expect on this album is pure, uncut heavy metal in the veins of their predecessors but with a raunchy, somewhat experimental edge. To me, is sounds like some of the very old school black metal albums, when the genre hadn't discovered blast beats and corpse paint yet. For you, this might be a good way to start checking out today's heavy metal scene. There is some great stuff to be found, including this one.

industrial / dark psy

When band photos show the man behind this projects with respectively a KMFDM  and a Godflesh t-shirt, you know you might be in for something interesting. That certainly is the case with this ep. Dwelling in the realms of industrial metal and dark dubstep, these four songs pretty much sound like modern day electronic remixes of songs by Fear Factor or Ministry, created by Infected Mushroom in a darkstep mood. For an electronic album, it's damn heavy, coming close to the stuff Amduscia, Xotox, Ambassador21 or Noisuf-X have been blasting out over the years. My favorite track here is 'Dragged By The Shadows' which or more suited for headbanging than dancing. Check it out, this is pretty awesome

drone / ambient / post-rock

The album from Argentinian band Bhutan was submitted by a fan. According to his email, Bhutan was the support act for Nadja in Argentina and are considered a household name in the drone-scene of their country. Well, dear fan and band members,  as far as I'm concerned, this trio should find an international record deal and a world tour to show of their beautiful blend of drone, ambient and post-rock. I mean, when an album reminds me of acts like Klaus Schulze, Pink Floyd, Aidan Baker ànd Godspeed, You Black Emperor, something fascinating is going on. This is a damn varied piece of sonic art, one that will undoubtedly be a stunning experience live.

drone / doom / psychedelic

What does a psychedelic doom act with an ever-changing line-up of no less than fourteen musicians sound like? Well, apparently like a jamsession between Master Musicians Of Bukkake, Earth and Jimi Hendrix.  The word "jamsession" is important here because that's pretty much how this whole album feels. There is a number of drones and soundscapes, some strange vocals, minimal drums and a load of psychedelic guitar solos to be found on this album, all seemingly improvised on the spot. The result is an set of immersive vintage seventies psychedelics, which are at best when played at a loud volume.

trip-hop

Now this is something nice. Luxembourg resident trip-hop act Monophona come up with a little pleaser to soften the wait between their brilliant 'Back To Black' album and the new one. On this 7", the band covers respectively Johnny Cash and Morrissey, both in Monophona's beautiful blend of gentle electronics and Claudine's fragile vocals. My favorite here is 'Folsom Prison Blues', which is an excellent cover version, bringing the song into this era. 'Every Day Is Like Sunday' takes on a different approach, a heavier, one showing some dark drum & bass electronics and a funky breakbeat rhythm. But, you know, like I said, this is a pleaser, and I'm here waiting for the next full-length.

dark metal / death metal

Back to the heavier side of the musical spectrum, this time with Swiss combo Xaon and their debut ep 'Face Of Balaam'. At first glimpse, it might be easy to place these guys into the melodic death metal scene of the nineties, reminding of bands like Soilwork, In Flames to Children Of Bodom. However, listen deeper  and you'll find some more influences. From Type O Negative to My Dying Bride. Deeper still, and there is a flash of metalcore hidden beneath the violent, crushing guitars, which drags the entire melodic death metal scene into the current era. It certainly is a varied piece of work, this ep, and it shows a band that can easily pull through to the top of today's extreme scene.

hard rock / alternative

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Greek rockers Fliptop Box are masters in balancing on the edge between rock and metal. In that aspect, they remind me a lot of bands like The Foo Fighters. Their heavy rock is influenced by acts like Therapy?, Danzig, Volbeat and Alice In Chains and that's exactly where you could place this album. With awesome songs like 'Blast', 'Class Of Underdogs' and the highly immersive and quite Deftones-inspired 'Desert', these people are paving their way to today's alternative rock scene. As a rock fan, I think you should definitely check this one out, and as a metal fan I suggest you do the same. This thing rocks and, from the sound of it, it pretty much guarantees a party when played live. 

black metal

And we're back into the realm of all consuming darkness and dark misery. The album by Danish horde Gespenst is a tensive, harsh and fiercely immersive piece of work. It draws elements from black metal, funeral doom and dark ambient and blends them together into a massive whirlpool of sonic violence. The four lengthy tracks will undoubtely maintain their grasp on fans of today's post-black metal scene. In other words, this album is an epic piece of atmospheric extremes, one that you should definitely own if you like to be hypnotized by eerie guitars and haunting screams. I hope these guys come over to Belgium soon because I definitely want to see this live.

stoner / doom

Hailing from Jaén, Spain, this trio comes with an excellent blend of stoner rock and doom, a delightful must-have for the fuzz-freaks out there. Firm drums accompany vintage stoner doom riffs, while here and there an immersive post-rock passage appears. That's all good and fine and nice and stuff but what I really like on this album are the vocals. They remind me a lot more of acts like Jesus and the Mary Chain or Slowdive. You know, the shoegaze way. Sometimes, there are some Conan or Yob chants, which also fit quite well. The combination of those epic riffs and these distant vocals make this ep a stand-out for me. I hope these dudes will tour Europe soon. Recommended? Definitely!

crust / hardcore / black metal

Why the hell is this band named 'Rest'? I can easily imagine people seeing this in the window of a record store and buying it because they expect something calm and relaxing. Then they come home and play the record, only to be completely wrecked by the intense blend of black metal, crust and hardcore. 'Rest', as if they want to say, "you can, you need and you will have some rest after this spiked steamroller grinds your eardrums and leaves you behind traumatized".  Italians have a weird sense of humor I guess. Now, I have to say that this is one fierce motherfucker with four brutal tracks and one epic piece of music, the closing track 'V'. If you like crust, hardcore and black metal to be relentless, intense and harsh, you need this.

dark ambient

Welcome to the Organ House. You may enter after you have become silent. Feel free to have a look in each room, but try not to make any noise. You don't want to interrupt what you're about to witness. Oh, and beware of the god... 
Kammarheit and Cities Last Broadcast's Pär Boström joined forces with his sister Åsa, not only to create Hypnagoga Press (their publishing house and record label) but also to share Orgelhuset with the world. This is a dark ambient album of extreme quality, like we're used to from Pär (read). The right soundtrack to your inner travels. 
One can hear the cathedral of aerophones, the organ, blow in every room of Orgelhuset. In some rooms there are people hypnotically chanting, in other places the flute or the piano is present - never obtrusive but always in harmony with the rest of the sounds. Wherever you go, there's subtle sound effects intertwined with the drones, creating ever varying soundscapes. For fans of Raison d'Être, Subheim, In Slaughter Natives.

heavy metal

When I was a young, learning metalhead, I often visited the local library to quench my thirst for more of those awesome riffs and more of those evil vocals. In the CD section, I could find either classical music, jazz, blues or pop bands like ABBA. I think I was too young for those things back then, so I quickly moved over to the vinyl section, or, as I called it back then, "heaven". Right there, in those plastic shelfs the mesmerizing covers of Accept, Venom, Metal Church and Sacred Reich lured me into a word of relentless aggression and brilliant music. Things would never be the same again...

Fast forward to a few days ago, when I first started listening to this album by Canadian metal gang Medevil. The cover looked somewhat Old Man's Child-ish, which immediately aroused my attention. I know I wasn't dealing with a black metal band, after all, I read the biography before I started playing the album, but I was quite sure that this was going to be something qualitative. Something like Iced Earth maybe, another band that I like but always seem to forget about. Perhaps that's the problem I have with more modern metal bands; I forget about them because they don't take me back to a time when everything seemed to be easier.

Well, Medevil is different, but what would you expect from a band whose vocalist sounds quite similar to Udo Dirkschneider? Backed by extremely talented musicians, vocalist Liam drags all of us back into those early to mid-eighties. Not because his voice is alike Udo, but because his voice is so perfectly suited for this kind of old school thrash metal that the whole thing sounds like it's coming directly out of those plastic shelfs in the library. Just listen to opener 'Nightwalk' and you'll get sucked into the vintage-sound.

Fast paced, vicious riffs remind me of the very best of those old albums and I quickly start missing my long hair. 'An Empty Glass', for example, is a massive headbanger, perfectly capable of hypnotizing an entire festival audience, from young to old. Besides, there is some unbelievable guitar play in here, from flashing licks to almost psychedelic solos. There's also plenty of variation in tempo and atmosphere. Speaking about atmosphere, the brilliant ballad 'The Angel Of Rain' drives of a simple but awesome guitar lick, one that each and every post-rock band simply forgot to write. Too bad, now it belongs to the collective heavy metal scene.

One more thing I'd like to mention is the conceptual feel of the whole thing, probably triggered by the similarity in 'The Angel Of Rain' and the classic metal anthem 'A Sacrifice'. I miss that feeling in many present day heavy metal albums. Classics like 'Ride The Lightning', 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying', 'Painkiller' or 'Breaker' were no mere collection of songs but a musical unity. Well, 'Conductor Of Storms' has that same feeling as those classics, something I can only applaud. This album is a gem, a must-have in every self-respecting heavy metal collection. 


​Serge

death metal / black metal

Blackened death metal from Dhaka, Bangladesh, that is something you don't hear every day. But you could, and perhaps you even should lend this ep an ear. After all, regardless of where it comes from, old school black and death metal are still some of the truest and most brutal genres in the world, and this album is no exception. After an intro, Serpent Spells throw three slashing pieces of music in our faces, loaded with malevolence and a dark, haunting atmosphere. The ep kinda reminds me of the vintage blackened sound of nineties Europe, fueled by thrash metal and mercilessly grinding through the listener's skull, a sense of melody and a massive heap of aggression. Lovely stuff...

nu-metal / rapcore

Hah, nu-metal, one of the most rediculised sub-genres within the world of heavy guitars. Yet, just like its older brothers, death, thrash, death and doom metal (to name a few), nu-metal refuses to step aside, refuses to go silent. French quintet Blunderbuss faithfully follow the path of bands like Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach. Parts rap, accompanied with striking guitars and lively drums, and parts irrisistible headbanging bliss, that's what you get on this ep, highlighting in the stunning tune 'Jump' and 'Stop It Now'.  I also dig the melodic approach here, and I'm quite sure I'll be shaking my ass off when I ever get the chance to see these guys perform 'Vee Stoneheart' on stage...

hardcore / punk

We already reviewed a band named Zeit in the past, so don't get confused with this one. The Zeit I'm talking about in this brieview, hail from Italy and are currently slashing a massive heap of chaotic, noise rock induced hardcore through my speakers. In ten songs, lasting a bit over twenty minutes, this combo rages on in a highly destructive and pulverising manner. There's no breather, except maybe for the eerie instrumental 'Disguised'. The rest is simply brutal and chaotic hardcore, solely focused on intensity and ferocity. Consider this a warning, this ep is a massive assault on your eardrums and on your sanity. With stuff like this, the world as we know it is bound to come to and end soon...

post-metal / sludge / doom

Time to groove things up a little, without losing the intensity of this whole brieview-writing session. We're in Sweden, where members from several hardcore, progressive and death metal bands combined their love for slow, downtuned and heavy music. The result is this awesome kick-in-the-groin, loaded with monolithic riffs and brutal screams. The three songs on this ep are and immersive blend of sludge, stoner rock and doom metal, perfectly suited for fans of Isis, Mastodon, Baroness, Cult Of Luna and so on. I can only hope that this is the harbinger of great things to come for Grizzlyman. I definitely want to see them perform awesome tracks like 'Last King' (my favorite here, mainly because of a little The Cure reference) live.

black metal

One song, sixteen minutes, constantly altering between frenetic black metal and haunting ambient passages, opening with didgeridoo sounds, that's what you get on this stunning ep by Australian duo Somnium Nox. The overall atmosphere is intensely dark, perhaps one of the darkest things you'll ever hear. On one hand, this ep perfectly fits in with today's post-black metal scene where even Pink Floyd could be regarded as an influence. On the other hand, this is as brutal and ferocious as some of the harshest blackened acts out there. Fans of bands like Blut Aus Nord, Altar Of Plagues, Deathspell Omega and Drudkh, this is a must-have for you, so get your hands on this thing, now...

crust / d-beat / black metal

When members of Endstille and Dysangelium form a band from the idea that modern day music lacks violence, you could be damn sure that something extreme is heading your way. Well, Kommando is extreme. They call their music 'Machinegun Punk', which stands for an intense mix of black metal, death metal, hardcore, crust and d-beat. It shouldn't be a surprise that this ep is loaded with brutality, violence and sheer noise. The songs are short but furious, a vicious assault on anything you could possibly imagine. With songs like 'IndoctriNation', Bitching Hours' and 'Alle Gegen Alle', this ep is arguably one of the most aggressive releases you can buy this year...

mathcore

Mathcore, a genre I never really understood, but I guess that's the whole idea. We're in France, being utterly confused by a trio of musicians without boundaries. On this album, these guys come up with complex yet immersive pieces of music, hinting towards the noise rock scene and the world of (extreme) (post) metal alike. In a way, this sounds more like free jazz to me, but distorted and perplexing. There are some pieces which are perfectly suited for a little headbanging session while other passages are way too complex to make any kind of movement. In fact, the best way to dance to this is mouth wide open while being completely paralysed physically. Weird stuff, intense but weird...

hard rock / rock

Still in France, but this time with something a little more radio-friendly, rock-radio friendly that is. Ego Miss Blinded is a rock band from the region of Paris, mainly influenced by bands like Metallica, Kiss, System Of A Down, AC/DC and even Bob Marley, but no, there's no reggae on this ep. What you do get, are five strong songs with plenty of power to get your rock-ass shaking. Opener 'That's What I Am' is a potential rock-hit, 'The Knife To Your Throat' is a vivid old school anthem, 'Alive' is a grungy ballad and the 'Raise Your Head' dual track reminds me a little of Guns 'n Roses meets Motley Crue, or something like that. In part 2, I can even hear flashes from Pink Floyd. Varied stuff, that's for damn sure...

death metal

Right, back to the extremes, this time with a brutal old school death metal band from Chile and their short but scathing album 'Serpent Of Chaos'. Opening with eerie soundscapes and haunted voices, this album slowly fastens its grip on the listener, a bit like a constrictor perhaps. Yet, once 'Via Sinistra' kicks off, Porta Daemonium kick you down with their crushing and grinding sound. The tempo is tremendous. The drums constantly hammer on your skull while the thick and sick riffs rip your insides apart. Meanwhile, the vocalist growls all kind of unpleasantries into your ear, eventually leaving you behind in a pile of rotting flesh, as an offering to the dark lord. Enjoy...

heavy metal

I've been writing about old school stuff a few times on this edition of 'Brieviews' but believe me, dear reader, it doesn't get more old school than this. English metal band Vulturic Eye say this about their music "...if Rush were a nihilistic metal band..." and I can only agree. On this ep they come up with vintage heavy metal, reminding me of old Iron Maiden, old Judas Priest, Dio perhaps. The songs are pretty varied and show a great deal of musical craftsmanship, especially my favorite one 'Legacy Of Failure'. So, whoever claims that there's no decent heavy metal being made today, please shut your mouth and listen to Vulturic Eye. If they don't make you change your mind, you're officially old...

hard rock

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First, a warning: Don't go searching for this ep on Google, I think you know why. This Glory Hole was formed by Cedric La Piche in order to create "sexy music".  In a way, they quite succeed in that, as I can certainly imagine some beautiful women shaking their shapely hips to this infectious blend of rock, hard rock and funk. The music reminds me of a mix of Living Colour, Rage Against The Machine and Prince, the latter mostly in the song 'Anaconda's Sister'. My favorite song is the heavy rocker 'Kill Your Flatmate' but the whole album is highly enjoyable, loaded with dirty rock 'n roll which will absolutely get you off your feet wherever Glory Hole decide to play.

black metal / folk

Opening with a piano-track, followed by a lengthy passage with only an acoustic guitar and soundscapes and still being a black metal album, that's something very few bands successfully pull off. The acoustic guitar is the central instrument on this ep by Winnepeg (Canada) band Noire, but they can also deliver a decent slab of progressive black metal. In a way, the songs on this epic piece of work remind me a bit of bands like Agalloch, teaming up with black metal icons like Immortal or Enslaved, and Opeth-influences are never far away. The title track is a massive anthem, definitely my favorite here, but I also like the ritual ambient and acoustic tracks. This is a brilliant ep, period.

heavy metal

Epic heavy metal from Italy, obviously with testicles of steel. I mean, it takes guts to write music that sounds somewhat outdated, compared to whatever the young generation of metalheads is spewing out. Etrusgrave has those guts, coming up with an album that might have well been an effort by Manowar or Grave Digger. With lengthy songs, containing flashing solos, battle-ready riffs and heroic vocals, Etrusgrave brings back the glorious days of the eighties' heavy metal scene. Honestly, it took me a while before I was getting into this album because it really sounds like it's recorded in 1984 or so, but it gradually grew on me. Now, I'm singing along with epic tunes like 'Coward' and 'Festering Slash'.

funeral doom / neo classical

Funeral doom is one of my favorite genres but it's always hard to write about it, mainly because there is not that much happening on those albums. This album by Portland, Oregon, US residents Disemballerina is somewhat different. It's not that much doom metal but nudges more towards the dark chamber music of acts like Ataraxia or Dargaard. Yet, there's always that grim doomed atmosphere throughout the whole album. How best to compare it? Well, how about Apocalyptica and Olafur Arnalds crawling into a dark recording studio to rewrite the music of Esoteric or Shape Of Despair. In all, this is a beautiful piece of work, dark, immersive and grievous.

heavy metal

Another flashback in time, this time courtesy of English metal band Forced In Black (formerly known as Merciless Fall). With this four track ep, these guys are aiming for their spot in metal history. What kind of metal? Well, they don't seem to care. Parts Judas Priest, parts Candlemass, parts Testament, parts Iron Maiden and about six percent other influences. The result is, unsurprisingly, a highly varied ep, loaded with massive solos, epic riffs and a wide array of vocals. Headbanging is obviously an absolute must, and quite frankly, I think it's going to be pretty impossible not to bang your head to this. If you can, I'm afraid you're not really a metal fan...

extreme metal

We kick things off with a massive slab of modern extreme metal, courtesy of New Jersey, US residents Monument Of A Memory. 'Catharsis' is their sophomore ep, after their debut ep 'Dreamwalker' (2015). This is one of those albums that combine old school death and thrash metal with influences from modern extremes like post-hardcore and deathcore. Influenced by At The Gates, Killswitch Engage, Lamb Of God and Parkway Drive, these guys rage on in sheer brutality and ferocity. Needless to say that this is quite and intense ep, guaranteed to make you bang your head and start a moshpit. Recommended only for the metal extremists...

heavy metal

More headbanging material, be it a bit less extreme this time. Devolted, a quartet from Dublin, Ireland, are dedicated to headbanging, moshing and partying in the best way possible. They name bands like Guns 'n Roses, AC/DC, Megadeth and Ozzy as their influences, and that might be true but I certainly would add bands like Machine Head, Pantera and even Sick Of It All to their infectious blend of metal. The four songs on this album are groovy, immersive and definitely intense enough to start a massive party. My personal favorite here is 'God Of Light' but all songs have the so-called "true-metal" power that gets every fan off his feet and into the pit.

death metal

This is a perfect example of how diverse death metal can actually be. Horricane, from Estonia, come up with a completely different version, (mostly) slower, nudging towards the industrial side of the metallic spectrum and grinding on your darkest emotions and fears. The use of horror-themed keyboards certainly makes these songs have their own identity. It also makes it hard for me to compare this music to other bands.  Fear Factory? Samael? The Kovenant? Sybreed? I don't know. All I know is that this ep is a monster, intense, heavy and immersive. It's about time these guys climb on bigger stages allover Europe. This is the shit I want to see on festivals...

black metal

Fierce old school black metal from Greece, is there a better way to describe this album? Isolert formed in 2015, making this their debut album. But there's no way in hell that I'm going to believe that this is the first effort by these people. Judging from awesome songs like 'Your Hypocrisy', 'The Dance of Tormented Spirits' or 'Frozen Mist' they must have had their share of experience. If not, well, then these are skilled artists who know a thing or two about writing a brilliant black metal song. Their main influences include Mayhem, Gorgoroth, Dissection and Sargeist and that's exactly where this album belongs on your shelves, right in between the great ones...

metal / hardcore

Hell yeah, this is the shit. Rock 'n roll in its roughest form, loyal to the power of the riff and blasting through my speakers like a tsunami. Media Solution come from California, USA.  Their name might sound like a shady business but they rock like a freight train. The music is a blend of heavy rock 'n roll, groove metal and hardcore, reminding me of a mix of Rob Zombie and Biohazard. Opener 'Destroy Something Beautiful' sounds like a damn good advice, and the rest of the album is the perfect soundtrack for that adrenaline rush you'll feel while tearing the house down, highlighting in the brilliant song 'Coward'. This is pure aggression, absolutely recommended stuff for fans of anything between Motorhead and Sepultura. 

heavy metal / power metal

Formed in 2013 by bassist/composer Andrea Franceschi, Italian metal band Silverbones pay tribute to the awe-inspiring sound of eighties and nineties power metal. Their influences include Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Gravedigger and Running Wild, but personally I'd like to add Hammerfall and Helloween to the mix as well. Why? Well, these songs have the same atmosphere, the same heroic and battle-ready sing-along capacity and the same rush as those bands have been producing over the years. I especially like the title track, which might be one of the best power metal songs I've heard in awhile. This stuff makes me a bit nostalgic, and that's a good thing.

post hardcore / sludge

"Five friends from Norwich who hang out and jam" they mention on their facebook page. After listening to this album, I'd turn that into "five friends from Norwich who spew out their deepest fears, terrors and emotion in a whirlpool of harsh yet melodic post hardcore". That being said, yes, this is post-hardcore, but it comes with a highly immersive slab of post-rock influences and, for me personally, this makes this whole album quite interesting. I admit, the word "alternative-emo" on their page made me a bit weary at first but now that I'm into the album, I have to say that this is pretty damn good stuff. Hardcore for post-rock fans, there you go, excellent ep with a stunning opening track.

black metal

This album by Canadian act Idolatry is pure chaos, which would be a bad thing if it weren't a trenchant black metal album, fueled by evil and misanthropy. Even in the world of black metal, this is quite a stand out. While many black metal bands work extremely hard to create a grimm image of themselves, Idolatry simply is evil. Their satanic aesthetic is real, their lust for chaos and disorder is predominant. Their music is a severe kick in your face, spawning from the deepest undergrounds you can imagine. Their vocals range from haunting growls to deranged screams. I don't know what goes on in these guys' heads, but it must be more terrifying than any splatter-horror movie you've ever seen. And that is a compliment.

ambient black metal

Another, equally interesting, form of black metal comes from Philadelphia, USA. I loved this band immediately, simply because of their name, but when I heard the music for the first time, I was sold. Fierce black metal, often alternated or enhanced by strange noise, ambient and even minimal folk passages. Sometimes, the combination is weird, as in the massive song 'Immaculate Deconception', but the whole is so damn intense and immersive that is is quite impossible not to bang your head repetitively, until you reach a state of pitch black trance. I surely hope that these guys find a way to Europe soon and conquer the old continent with this stuff.

black metal

Symbol Of Domination

This album by Ukrainian one-man act While They Sleep could quite possibly be the wickedest release in these breviews-series. The project was founded by sole member ​Kvolkaldur (also known as Ildverden) in 2013. His style comes close to that of other one-man acts, including Leviathan, Xasthur, Nortt and Burzum. It's lo-fi, haunting, sharp and straight-forward. Personally, I'd place this album into the depressive black metal scene, but I'd mostly recommend this to anyone who is constantly on the lookout for the grimmest, bleakest and darkest releases from the underground. This is one of those gems that sound so old school that they never get outdated, and that's not an easy thing to accomplish.

heavy metal

Well, time for some good old school fashioned heavy metal, the kind I haven't really heard since the eighties or early nineties, when I was rocking along with the intro-music by a number of wrestlers. There they were, with their larger-than-life personas and their blasting heavy metal music, running towards the ring to beat each other's asses. Those were the days, and those wrestlers actually inspired me to grow my hair.

That wrestling-paragraph was not coincidental since I'm currently listening to two wrestlers and an ex-Dio guitarist. Brute Forcz was formed by Slammer and Jammer in 2010 and released a full-length 'Out For Blood' in 2012. Then, a number of setbacks followed, including injuries, financial problems, departures and even death. But now, the trio is back with their "kick-ass" heavy metal, planning a stranglehold on audiences far and wide.

The four songs on this ep are vintage heavy metal songs, obviously inspired by bands like W.A.S.P., Motorhead, Danzig and Judas Priest. Opener 'Phatt Ass Girls' is an in-your-face song: fast, relentless and merciless.  The other tracks too are vintage heavy metal songs with enough power to bodyslam André The Giant. '(Ain't Gonna) Tear Me Down' is probably my personal favorite but I can assure you, there's plenty of headbanging going on.

So, if you're into the very old school, this ep certainly deserves a spot in your collection. Are grinding guitars, neck-tormenting tempos and flashy guitar solos your thing? Well then, what are you waiting for? On the other hand, if you want the modern stuff, you might find this thing a bit too primitive, but I don't think Brute Forcz really gives a damn about that. They just want to kick ass and rock hard, something I can only applaud...


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heavy metal / black metal

Here at Merchants Of Air, we often review debut albums, sometimes second or third ones too but I don't think we ever reviewed a fifteenth album by a band. Then again, Dutch metal act Countess has been around since 1992. A year later their debut album was released and since then, they've never let down their fans. Ever loyal to their immersive blend of old school heavy and black metal, Countess now returns with a new full-length.

Perhaps that's where Countess differs from most black metal bands today. Instead of a constant array of grinding riffs and vicious blast-beats, Countess produces music with plenty of melody, mid tempo songs and even some folk passages here and there. This is just as much Manowar or Manilla Road than it is Venom or Hellhammer. The music is raw, primitive but so damn immersive, especially with those epic keyboards.

Yet, it's the keyboards that made me doubt this album at first. In 'Runenlied' they sound weird, a little too joyous for this kind of music perhaps. They also sound as if they're made by a bunch of young musicians, debuting their music and not by a seasoned band. But I quickly forget that when I listen to great vintage black metal tunes like 'Fly The Battle Flag', 'Fires Of Destiny' or my favorite on this album, 'Rise Of The Horned One'.

By now, the keyboards don't bother me anymore. In fact, they take me back to when I first heard this band. It must have been somewhere in the late nineties when I was into bands like Mörk Gryning and Ancient Rites. Back in the days, I loved their elementary but atmospheric sound but over the years the ever evolving technology caused me to move to other regions of the musical universe. Now, I'm glad I can once again listen to this old school stuff.

Because that's exactly what this is, awesome old school stuff. 'Plague Upon The Pious' for example is a great piece of work, epic, melodic, infectious and metal as hell. I guess I'll choose this one as my favorite on this album. Or how about the folky 'Treason Of Kings', which brings images of medieval Netherlands. So does 'Bard Van Het Verleden', a massive anthem with Dutch lyrics. 

For fans of Countess, this certainly is a must-have. I guess it's safe to say that this band is one of the pioneers of Dutch black metal, or at least one the keepers of keys to the old school. They always deliver and they will always be Countess, firm, loyal and strong-willed. So yes, I will recommend this album. It's different, it's vintage, it's varied and it rocks. What else could you possibly want?


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hard rock / heavy metal

Their facebook page shows the band in front of an airplane with their logo and band name painted on it. That aspect obviously brings up some Iron Maiden references and I can easily imagine some people thinking 'hah, they want to be like Iron Maiden, how cute'. It's not the only reference to Bruce and company either. Being a heavy metal band, Higher Than often shows some comparable twin-guitars, solos and riffs but that's perfectly fine.

They're French, residing in the beautiful but troubled city of Paris. The creative process for this debut began last year after the previous band of members Jim (vocals), Phil (guitar) and Vianney (bass) split up. The album is mainly influenced by their mutual fascination with aviation and good old heavy metal, hence the perfectly chosen title 'Purgatory Airlines'. It's a voyage to the hard rock sounds of the eighties and nineties.

After lift-off in the intro, Higher Than kicks of with immersive melodic hard rock which often reminds me of bands like Skid Row, Poison, Motley Crue to Queensryche, Judas Priest and Saxon. Yet, this quintet gives the whole a modern twist by adding samples and synths, which successfully takes the old school sound into the new era of heavy metal. 'Broken Tales' and 'Miss Mindend' are solid tracks, perfectly capable of convincing even the most headstrong hard rocker.

My favorite track is the title track 'Purgatory Airlines', a brilliant piece of hard rock with great guitars and a highly immersive tempo. The whole album pretty much possesses that atmosphere but for some reason, this song comes out on top. 'Unchained Tiger' comes close to that, so I'll take that as my second favorite. On the other hand, 'Near & Far', the obligatory ballad, is a pretty decent song too.

Oh well, let's just face it, this is a splendid heavy metal album, written and recorded by skilled musicians and talented songwriters. The production is spotless, the level of variation is perfect and the entire approach makes this album an excellent addition to your already crammed cd-cabinet. So check it out, and treat yourself to a flight with 'Purgatory Airlines'. It might be a bit turbulent at times but it's definitely worth it...


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hard rock / heavy metal

Learn stuff from reading reviews, part twelve (or so): The Café Procope, in rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, is called the oldest restaurant of Paris in continuous operation. It was opened in 1686 by the Sicilian chef Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli. It started out as a café, where people could drink coffee, which was pretty exotic at the time. Later it became a theatrical café, there have been woman dancing on stage and now it's a restaurant. It's history is legendary. Look it up on Wikipedia and step back into very, very, very old and often scandalous Paris.

'Finisia Café' by Italian rockers Fenisia is inspired by that rich history. Since 2009, the band has been creating heavy rock music, inspired by the occult, by alchemy and by ancient myths. Their first album 'Lucifer' was well received, well enough to start working on the follower. And that follower has become a strong album with great, immersive songs and flashing guitar solos. Musically it takes us back to the glory days of vintage heavy metal, which is almost always a good thing.

The album opens with the sing-along 'Outpost', immediately bringing bands like Ozzy and Black Label Society to mind. I guess there's a Zakk Wylde fan on guitars here. In fact, fans of everything from Whitesnake over Guns 'n Roses to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Soundgarden can find something they like on this album. I know, those are quite a lot of different references and I can add a few more, how about Judas Priest, Biffy Clyro, Alter Bridge or Black Crowes? It's all here, speaking the universal language of riffs and licks.

There's plenty of rocking goodness to be find here, highlighting in 'Blizzard' and the massively immersive 'Wasted Times', which might also be the strangest song on this album. Nonetheless, this simply is an excellent hard rock album with a vintage sound and some decent credibility. Recommended only if you are not one of those adolescents who forgot where their favorite bands learned the trade. This one is for the old school rockers among us.


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hard rock / heavy metal

We kick off today like we finished yesterday... With some good old fashioned hard rock.  We're in Finland for this one, a country that already proved to be able to lead many heavy scenes. Everything seems to be possible in Finland, including not only renewing music but also successfully reviving vintage rock and metal.  That's indeed what you get here, a nice journey through the history of hard rock, before it became extreme.

The album opens with the title track 'Chasing Rainbows', which is a damn catchy blues rock song.  I soon found myself singing along and air-drumming instead of writing this review.  Perhaps it reminds me a bit of ZZ Top or Deep Purple or something in between but I'm sold.  When 'Science Fiction' kicks in, I started headbanging a little.  Not much, just a little, but this is one of the fiercest tracks on this piece of work.

Wishing Well also seem to know their way around vintage doom metal.  'Sacrifice' rolls on in perfect Candlemass fashion, right before we go back into a highly melodic version of early day Iron Maiden with 'Luck Is Blind'.  Yes, this album is that varied.  Another example, 'I'll Never Let You Go' could be a Guns 'n Roses meets Faith No More ballad.  Wishing Well never really is as heavy as those two, but ballad-wise they come quite close.

This is not the fuzzed-out stoner rock which is pretty popular these days, but that doesn't make this album any less valuable.  It reaches back to a time when metal wasn't really invented yet. Today, a  song like 'Sands Of Time' would be classified as power metal but back then it would simply be an epic hard rock song, which is just as good.  This is a damn strong track by the way, Manowar meets Helloween or something like that.

If you are a fan of vintage hard rock, you should definitely get your hands on a copy of this album.It has the same vibe as the old classics and it doesn't sound too modern or electronic, which is often a problem these days.  Yet, as good as this debut is, we need to keep an eye out for these guys, there is way more to come in the future.  Well, hopefully there is...


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metal

Talent has no age.  I've seen twelve year old musicians awe experienced artists before and I'm no longer surprised when a young band take a seasoned act with them on tour as support act.  American combo Black Tide signed their first record deal when the vocalist was only fifteen years old, played Ozzfest, toured with Bullet For My Valentine and gained a lot of attention from press and audiences all around. 

In a way that shouldn't be much of a surprise.  What Black Tide do, is not out of the ordinary or extremely renewing but they do know how to come up with something that will please a lot of metal heads.  Blending old school thrash and speed metal with modern day post-hardcore and arena-rock, these youngsters surely have made a name for themselves. Perhaps it's a matter of being there at the right time with the right music.

The result is simply an awe-inspiring album, well-varied and perfectly suited for a decent headbanging session.  The songs aren't too complex but do have a certain level of musical craftsmanship that not everyone seems to possess.  I don't think it's easy to crawl into a rehearsal studio and create something that will maintain its quality, both in small venues and on large festival stages.

Bands that come to mind while listening to this piece of work include Metallica, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Motley Crue, Skid Row, Escape The Fate and Thrice to even Foreigner and Kiss.   That might give you an idea about the immense versatility within this band.  I can easily imagine a large audience screaming along with tracks like 'Chasing Shadows' or 'Sex Is Angry'.  The latter wins the price for song title of the year.

In all, I'm quite positive that this album too will gain these guys a lot of attention and loads of gigs in the near future.  The old school fans will love those brilliant guitar harmonies while the younger fans will adore the sheer power coming from the music.  Hell, even fans of decently written power-pop will be awed by the level on songwriting.  That being said, check it out, you'll be in for a wild ride with Black Tide...


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metal

'Metal', that's a very easy and lazy term to describe what I'm listening to right now.  You might wonder now, what kind of metal?  Black metal, death metal, heavy metal, power metal, post-metal, progressive metal?  There's a simple answer to that question: 'yes, all of them'.  This is decades of extreme music thrown into eight sonic blasts.  This is as confusing as it is intense and this comes highly recommended indeed.

Rectified Spirit hail from Guwahati, India, formed in 2005 and resurfaced with a new line-up in 2011.  Members seem to have had their share of experience and influences in many different subgenres before and combine them into this album.  It sounds simple, no?  They sure make it sound easy to write and perform these complex and powerful songs, something which is only possible when your heart bleeds metal.

The album opens with 'The Art Of War', a highly aggressive slab of blackened heavy thrash metal with fierce guitars, neurotic drums and a wide array of growls, screams and clean vocals.  Seemingly effortless, Rectified Spirit combines Children Of Bodom, Hammerfall and Dimmu Borgir, to name a few.  It's not until 'Winter In Thine Eyes' that I realize that this is actually a heavy metal band, comparable to bands like Primal Fear, Queensryche or Edguy.

Although, 'The Green Goblin' then suddenly turns the whole to extremes again and I'm even reminded of the recent post-metal era.  And even then, there's so much more going on which starts going beyond my comprehension, so here's another bunch of names: Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, Halloween, Slayer, Iron Maiden, Between The Buried And Me, Pantera, Machine Head,  Evergrey.  I can go on like this.

But I won't.  All I am going to do is recommend checking this out for yourself.  Metal rarely gets as varied as this.  It shifts between subgenres faster than Madonna switches outfits, resulting in massively complex and immersive songs.  This is only possible when your band has a tremendous amount of technical skills and songwriting talent.  I'm sure that Rectified Spirit are one of the most talented bands in India and around the world.  


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doom metal

It's surprisingly warm for the time of year.  At the moment the sun is shining as if it were early spring.  Some trees have started to blossom again and I'm quite certain I witnessed some pigeons making baby pigeons.  Yet, I prefer to stay inside, in a dark room, lit only by my computer screen and my charging cellphone.  Some technical issues made this a damn frustrating morning and I'm pissed-off, mainly because of the rage some minor flaws can cause in a human being.  No wonder we're all fucked up...

So, since I've decided to lock myself in, I might as well blast some doom metal through my speakers and exorcise my anger and frustration with a thick wall-of-sound.  Enter Italian doom band Black Oath.  We're reaching back to the old days of the genre, when the term 'doom' wasn't yet added to 'metal'.  Riff-worshiping heaviness in a tradition setting, reminding me of acts like Trouble, Candlemass or Solitude Aeturnus is exactly what I need right now.

It's already the third album by Black Oath.  I have to admit that I didn't know the band before today but they certainly got my interest.  While the music slowly drags itself along, the clean vocals narrate some mythical themes.  In that aspect, and also in the combination between heavy guitars and clean vocals, this music reminds me a bit of power metal ballads by bands like Helloween.  That being said, the songwriting capabilities are massive.

Judging from the technical and melodic quality, especially on songs like 'Flesh To Gold', Black Oath could well be a power metal band.  They have the skills and the experience to pull it off.  Flashing guitar solos, epic arrangements... They certainly have it all. Yet, I prefer the doomed version, the slow to mid-tempo thickness of vintage heavy metal.  Here and there some instrumental post-elements seem to be added.  I'm not sure if that's on purpose but it certainly adds a lot to the music, bringing an old genre to a new era.

Doomers of all ages, and old school heavy metal fans, you have to check this out.  This simply is a fascinating blend of two old school genres which perfectly fits in today's metal revival scene.  I'm quite sure this album will be a welcome addition to your collection since it's loaded with awesome songs.  'Sermon To Fire' is my absolute favorite and will appear on this audio-set a lot of times from now.  So, thanks Black Oath, I'm feeling better again and I think I will enjoy the sun for a while now.


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heavy metal / doom / death metal

Wait, what is this now?  How the fuck am I supposed to properly do my reviewing job if bands like this make it so hard to classify something.  Don't you guys want to sell albums or do you want to stun an unsuspecting audience with this blend? One moment I'm listening to Death, the next moment Black Sabbath comes along, being pushed forward by Slayer.  I'm confused and I still have some more paragraphs to write, dammit.

Ancient Spell is a traditional doom metal band with fierce grunts, hailing from Los Angeles (USA). Formed in 2012, they have been working on quite a unique blend of metal styles.  From doom-loaded riffs over traditional hard rock and flashes of death metal, mostly of course in the vocals, this acts does something really weird.  They sound both like a beginning metal band of the nineties and a seasoned doom act who want to try something new.

Besides the previously mentioned bands, acts like Manowar, Metallica, Trouble, Black Label Society, Type O Negative and Saint Vitus pass the list of musical landmarks.  Yes, that means slow to mid-tempo music which rocks.  We get some flashy solos and that thundering grunt to add to the confusion about this one.  Besides, some of the songs are damn catchy too, 'Fall Of Humanity' could even be a sing-along.

I'm a bit torn in between two opinions about this album.  On one side, it lacks the convincing power of the band's progenitors.  Yet, on the other hand, you can easily find me headbanging to 'Beyond The Gates' or 'March To Your Grave'.  The only solution I guess is hoping that they will ever come to Europe with this material.  I think on stage these guys can convince and come up with an intense live show.  For some reason I'm quite sure that will...


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