Sunday, August 31, 2008
Destruction - D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. (2008)
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Swallow The Sun - Plague Of Butterflies (2008)
1. Plague Of Butterflies
Origin - Finland
Style - Melodic Doom/Death Metal
" Brand new E.P. ?(more than 60 min)from the doom/death powerhouse"
" What you get is a single new track almost 35 min long.....and the entire demo that got them signed in the first place...long out of print!
" The new track Plague Of The Butterflies can be broke down into a few parts and is quite epic and shows the many sides of the band. From the build-up to the clean vocal parts to the crushing melancholic riffs and even a black metal screech thrown in for good measure...it is something that requires some patience and a few listens to fully get it "
Fans of My Dying Bride,Rapture and the like.....check it out!
No Hope !.....Whatsoever!.......Get It!
Click
Hexen - State of Insurgency (2008)
2. Gas Chamber
3. Past Life
4. Knee Deep in the Dead
5. Chaos Aggressor
6. Bedlam Walls
7. The Serpent
8. No More Color
9. Mutiny and Betrayal
10. Seditions in Peacetime
11. Desolate Horizons
12. State of Insurgency
13. Outro
Origin - USA
Style - Melodic Thrash Metal
" HeXeN?..Another Thrash Metal band from Los Angeles releasing their debut? Doesn't sound too impressive in the beginning, does it? Well, I assure you: these guys really kick ass and – hell yeah – they are impressive!"
" HeXeN "fuses the elements of melody, heaviness, speed, and technicality within the lair of thrash" and the outcome is a versatile and diversified album with a pressing and aggressive sound. The CD starts out with "Blast Radius". This song is the musical version of the awesome cover designed by Ed Repka(megadeth). It is distinguished by high speeds, a somewhat lunatic singing and heavy parts. "Gas Chamber" starts as a high speed thrash blast but surprises with a change in speed and the intake of melodies towards the mid of the song. The highlight of "State Of Insurgency" is "Past Life" which shows technical diversity of HeXeN best. A great chorus, awesome melodies, aggressive shouts and extreme speed make this a great song for moshpits and headbanging "
" Altogether "State Of Insurgency" is a great melodic thrash metal album seeing my cd player to be in almost constant rotation. A very versatile, dynamic and diversified album and a real surprise......Now Go Buy The Fucking Thing !
Thrash Attack !........Get It!
Link
Friday, August 29, 2008
Nihilist - Drowned 7" 1989
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sinister - The Silent Howling (2008)
1. Republic of the grave
Origin - Netherlands
Style - Death Metal
" 8th full length of the Dutch wrecking crew"
" "The Silent Howling" still has the usual old school air of the band in it, but it is no less savage and doubtlessly genuine death metal as the trend in the industry today. It's one of those albums that doesn't waste time on intros but jumpstarts with exactly the music that all the base metal heads are looking for. Diabolic speed, guitars searing and twisted to the extreme, plus all the necessary effects to put the listener in a state of deluge - just as the cover art implies, have this album blasting on your speakers and you will know hell. Serious! The richness of detail in the music amid its somehow raw aura simply defines Sinister. With seven tracks that generally range from five to ten minutes, having "The Silent Howling" in your collection would never be a waste of money "
" It's like the album is here to prove that death metal has already been redefined in several different ways today, and to remind us of how it was like before: pure and untarnished death metal incorporated with touches of the modern genre which makes it fit the taste of a metal fan of any generation!
Perpetual Damnation!...........Get It!
Click Here
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Furbowl - Those Shredded Dreams (1992)
1. Damage Done
Origin - Sweden
Style - Death/Doom Metal
" Furbowl -- what's in a name? -- is an oddity. To find a category to place this band in is almost impossible. The band consistently denied that they were a death metal band, though conceded to the fact that they would inevitably be placed in that category. In general terms, this would be correct, but what is it that makes it so hard to truly categorize this band? Well, they're not one of anything, but more of many things. The label death-influenced progressive rock/metal I placed on this band sounds ridiculous I admit, but it's simply meant to give you insight into what this band sounds like. I said they were an oddity, and they truly were, but a good one, and a band worth checking out "
" This is their debut and features Johan Axelsson (aka Johan Liiva)of Arch Enemy,Hearse etc. The songs on the album are groovy, fast and heavy, and showcase some amazing lead work throughout and then some doomy dark, punk moments (gasp!)"
" Unfortunately Furbowl remain virtually unknown having been virtually unknown from their inception. This was a truly unique band at the time, the closest resemblance being Entombed with their trademark death 'n' roll style. That is still not an accurate comparison, but its a valid starting point if you're interested "
Dalen...........Requested This....!
Rot And Roll !...........Get It!
Link
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
House of Usher - On the Very Verge (1991) E.P.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Revokation - Reincarnated Souls Of Hell (1999)
1. The old one's abbey
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Mezzrow - Then Came the Killing (1990)
1. Then Came the Killing
Origin - Sweden
Style - Thrash Metal
" Here is an interesting record for you....Mezzrow was a relative Swedish unknown. They produced only one album and were gone as soon as they had begun "
" Mezzrow played solid Thrash much in the vein of early VIO-LENCE and TESTAMENT. Little melody creeps into their music and its pretty straightforward for the most part. This one album of theirs is quite a good one. Given a good production and being moderately heavy, Then Came The Killing is loaded with power. Considering what was going on at the time(1990 death metal)these guys chose a different path and played the U.S. brand of thrash....Lotsa time changes,shouted vocals.......Gang Style !
Not swedish death metal?......Huh?
Click Here
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Godgory - Sea of Dreams (1995)
Origin - Sweden
Style - Melodic Death Metal
" Godgory's debut album still retains much of the charm it displayed at the time of its release -- its convincing production, courtesy of Dan Swano's Unisound studios, attains an accurate balance between the mid-tempo guttural heaviness shed by the potent rhythmic section combined with Matte Andersson's powerful vocals and the delicate, crystalline acoustic melodies wisely interspersed throughout the tracks. Godgory's atmospheric death metal debut was, and so remains to this day, a profound and very enjoyable release, graced with generally catchy songwriting, and with the very remarkable and characteristic talents of axemen Stefan Olsson and Micke Dahlquist -- few Scandinavian death metal bands could, at the time, claim to have such proficient and inspired guitarists in their ranks "
" Awe-inspiring solos of both the electric and acoustic variety are in every track and make this record special.....Fans of early Opeth might like some of the acoustic interludes....and the atmosphere that this album has"
Haunted By Voices !...........Get It!
Click Here
Friday, August 22, 2008
Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God (2008)
Origin - Sweden
Style - Melodic Death Metal
" 7th full length from the Swedish Clan "
" Full of epic,chest pounding anthems and quite melodic and very catchy. Groove-laced melodic death metal all about Vikings and norse mythology "
These guys are terrific live !.........Catch them if you can....
Thor Arise !...........Get It!
Link
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sacretomia - Altar of Sin (1992)
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death Metal
" One and only demo from Sacretomia who would later reform as Chronic Torment"
" Crushing doom riden death metal....an absolute gem from this era "
These guys were silent until 2006 when they reappeared as Chronic Torment...also crushing Metal Of Death...done the old way"
Metal Of Death !...........Get It!
Link
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Paganizer - Born to be Buried Alive (2008) E.P.
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death/Thrash Metal
" Roger Johansson must write death metal in his sleep....this guy has more projects going than anyone else in Metal (Ribspreader,Demiurg,Carve,Those who bring the torture etc) "
" So a new e.p. for paganizer...I hear more old-School Death than anything else. Downtuned buzzsaw riffs and the gory vocals...gotta admit he constantly delivers the goods !
Wardog Injection !..............Get It!
Link
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
The Haunted - Versus (2008)
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Melodic Death/Thrash Metal
" 6th full length from this gothenburg supergroup"
" Im still listening to this...........Review soon.....
Go Ahead !..........Get It!
Link
Monday, August 18, 2008
No Emotions - My Will (2008)
Origin - Ukraine
Genre - Technical Death Metal
" Unrelenting Technical death metal from the Ukraine is on tap here!.....This disc is crushing yet time changes and tempo's make it different than most blastfests"
" Recorded at the mighty Hertz studios(Decapitated,Vader) it is a strong guitar production but the drumming is very technical and blast heavy also. The vocalist has a deep growl that fits nicely and the song structures are quite diff than most...I suppose you could make the Decapitated reference...but not a clone"
This one takes a couple of spins to sink in....to absorb all thats going on....but in the end....what you have is a Hateful,Emotionless(hence the name)brutal album...and I for one Dig this !
Kill At Will !..........Got It!
Link
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Traumatic - The Morbid Act of a Sadistic Rape Incision (1991) e.p.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Revocation - Empire of The Obscene (2008)
Origin - USA
Genre - Technical Death/Thrash Metal
" Holy Fucken cripes !......I didnt see this one coming !....Awesome technical death/thrash from the USA.....Huh? "
" REVOCATION is a technical metal band that combines the power and aggression of the old-school thrash metal style with the twisted musicanship of technical death metal. And I am here to tell you this kills !.....Astounding riffery,mind blowing drums,Dimebag like solos,huge vocals of both the gutteral and the thrashy mid-range style,outstanding bass playing to support the massive production.....Im running out of fucking things to say about this record "
" If you are into ruthless,inventive tech death/thrash this could be your Gold Medal winner for 2008 !........I shit you not....Buy this record ! Period.
Get Going !...Or Get Out Of The Way !
Link
Friday, August 15, 2008
Projections of a Stained Mind (1991) Compilation
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death Metal
" Compilation of classic Swedish underground bands from the inception of the Swedish death metal subgenre in 1991"
" Towards the beginning of the Death Metal wave C.B.R. records put out this compilation and sent it to the far corners of the world to show metalheads what was going on in sweden....Many of these bands later became famous....some infamous!...But all were at the cusp of something special that still rings true even today !
Here are some of my fave tracks :
1. Entombed - Forsaken captures the elegance of their second album without the excess of swing in its rhythm, being compositionally more of the second but in spirit and playing of their legendary "Left Hand Path."
5. House of Usher - Battle of Spectrum provides a definitive "Swedish death metal" track that resembles an Unleashed/Dismember hybrid; fast tremolo riffs run into a melodic slow breakdown that ambles like a newly created river.
6. Merciless - Nuclear Attack is what, had they continued to develop, a band like Metallica might have been: violent riffs, a catchy chorus, and enough musical deviation in the latter half to give musicians room for not only well-designed solos but use of drums and bass to higher potential.
8. Nirvana 2002 - Mourning sounds extremely similar to Dismember, from the slow melodic opening to the faster pickup riffs colliding into similar progressions played slower with the impact of dramatic theatre, sliding into choruses that are both vocal hook and flavorfully compact and resolute progressions. Did this later appear on "Like an Ever-Flowing Stream" as "Soon to be Dead"? Members of Entombed shared with Dismember helped produce it. Hmm.
13. Macrodex - Cremation reminds the experienced listener of Finland's Belial: plodding verse riffs and fast choruses with an underlying implication of melody stated in four notes, followed by pure rhythm riffing of a punkish simple nature to offset its impact. This song builds through basic riffs and pocket drumming toward a melodic takedown that is effective but not as repetitively as used here.
14. Traumatic - A Putrid Reek of Mangled Remains opens with a chromatic suspension riff like the one that opens Deicide's "Oblivious to Evil," and then drops into a running downstrum riff that is fantastically catchy but has to set it up against rock-style seizure pauses that play on our desire for forward rhythm with sudden stops; the rest is simple death metal that could be stuck in Florida or Stockholm with no effect on either.
You Know What To Do !......................Get It!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Vinterland - Welcome My Last Chapter (1996)
1. Our Dawn Of Glory
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Melodic Black Metal
" VINTERLAND are a somewhat mysterious Swedish band that released this killer album in 1996 and disappeared a short time after that, which is really very sad. After all “Welcome My Last Chapter” offers first-class melodic, intense Black Metal which could be described as a mixture between DISSECTION, old NAGLFAR (“Vittra”)"
" I wouldn't even go as far as to call the tracks "songs" - they mix into a long stream of pure hate and sorrow. That is how I describe the album, pure hate and sorrow incarnated in music. The drums are extremely fast and hard, with double bass through most of the album. The melodies consist of constant harmonies from the guitars. The vocals are raw growls that make the spine shiver from the pure power they contain. On to the band. The band is swedish. There are only three members in Vinterland, Pehr Larsson (strings of vinter, acoustic guitars and backing vocals), Forn Bragman (strings of knight, acoustic guitars, bass and vocals) and Andreas Larsson ("black abyssic thunder" which I guess means drums). The album is released on No Fashion Records and "This work is eternally dedicated to the memory of Gustav Ekbäck" (quote from the booklet).
To finish this review, some words of advice: Go fucking buy this CD. Now.
Wings Of Funeral !..........Get It
Link
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Eructation - Demo (1992)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Kaamos - Lucifer Rising (2005)
1. Black Revelation
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death Metal
" These guys sure know how to craft some solid death metal. Kaamos play death metal the Swedish way, not the modern Gothenburg way but the old Swedish way in the vein of early Entombed, Grave, Vomitory and Dismember. This was sadly their last full-length before breaking up...But it is a heavy bastard!
" A comparison can be made with the more widely acclaimed Bloodbath, as they both recreate the sound and feel of death metal's golden era, but done in such an energizing manner that it is impossible to dismiss either as unoriginal rehashes or mere emulation. It seems almost superfluous to comment on various aspects of the album; anyone at all familiar with this kind of music will not be treated to any real surprise, but nor will he think that his money has been wasted by purchasing this album. Definitely recommended.
Blood Of Chaos !.....Get It!
Link
Monday, August 11, 2008
Deny the Urge - Blackbox Of Human Sorrow (2008)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Torture Division - With Endless Wrath (2008)
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death Metal
" Debut demo from Lord K (Kenth) Philipson - guitar (The Project Hate,Dark Funeral), Tobias Gustafsson - drums (God Among Insects,Vomitory) & Jörgen Sandström - vocals, bass (Grave,Vicious Art) "
" Blasting Death Metal all the way through....A punch in the fucking face of all the shit bands putting out records every day of the week "
Torture Division is so sure you will dig their music they are giving it away for free !
Now their arent to many bands doing that nowadays.....So visit the site....get the music here or there and buy a damn shirt to support a Death Metal Band !
Torture Division
Open The Gates!......And !........Get It!
Link
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Torture Division - We Bring Upon Thee (2008)
Friday, August 8, 2008
Uncanny - Transportation to the Uncanny (1991) Demo
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Goddefied - Abysmal Grief (1993) E.P.
1. Blaspheme In Blood
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Death Metal
" Recorded and Mixed at Sunlight Studio,Stockhom24 & 25 of June 1992 & 30 and 31 January 1993, Produced by Tomas Skosberg And Goddefied Engineered by Tomas Skogsberg "
" Another Entombed,Dismember worship band.......But a very good one "
" This is their only release.....through the obscure Wild Rags records "
Swedish History !..........Get It!
Link
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Obscure Infinity - Beyond the Gate (1992) Demo
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Carbonized - No Canonization (1990) single
Monday, August 4, 2008
Aeternus - ...And So the Night Became (1998)
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Convulse - World Without God (1992)
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Excruciate - Passage of Life (1993)
Friday, August 1, 2008
Undivine - A Deceitful Calm (2008)
Origin - Sweden
Genre - Black/Death Metal
" Just a few seconds into the opening track and Im diggin this already....Melodic Blackened death is what I would call it....Like a mixture of Dissection,Naglfar,Necrophobic....are those strong enough names for you?"
" UNDIVINE do not play blastbeats all the time but rely on their ability of composing, combining catchiness and partly hypnotic vocal lines with amazing guitar sprints. Multilayer guitar towers and stomping drums and Surprising breaks and hardly noticeable changes in measure care for well dosed alternation, but do not destroy the dynamics of suspense. Vocally....Sacramentum comes to mind...harsh & raw screams and some well placed spoken passages that I dont mind at all "
" The Musicianship is top quality....the production is perfect for this genre and these swedes have come up with a real Devil of a record ! This truly is a powerful slab of blackened/death metal !
Highly Recommended for fans of Dissection,Naglfar,Necrophobic !
To death you bleed !.........Get It!
Link