RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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SATAN – Life Sentence
Originating from Newcastle, England in 1980, Satan is one of the more notable acts in the NWOBHM movement. Their debut album "Court in the Act" from 1983 is often cited as one of the top 10 studio albums from that sub-genre. Inactive for quite a while (but still active with other bands like Blitzkrieg for…
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CULT OF THE FOX – Angelsbane
Proper metal band names appear to be a dying breed. The shorter the better I always say. As such, Sweden’s Cult Of The Fox is not a promising start as I can’t imagine audiences large (or small) shouting ‘CULT OF THE FOX’ in between songs or at the end of a set to cajole the…
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REDRUM – Victims Of Our Circumstances
The best way to make an impact in the melodic hard rock scene when you hail from Greece is to hire one of the stronger singers in the business- no matter where he or she lives. In the case of sextet Redrum, that means reaching out to ex-Jaded Heart/ Letter X vocalist Michael Bormann and…
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CREMATION – Rise of The Phoenix
Here´s an unsigned gem for your death metal listening pleasure. Cremation hails from Switzerland and started out back in the early 90´s. "Rise of The Phoenix" is actually Cremation´s third output but yet they remain unsigned for reasons unknown. Their brand of death metal is actually quite enjoyable and does not differ much from many…
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TERMINAL PROSPECT – Redefine Existence
Certain standards apply to differentiate the contenders from the pretenders in metal. Especially in the case of popular sub-genres: open for discussion when taking in Terminal Prospect is their brand of thrash metal on this album "Redefine Existence". The Swedish quartet formed in 2005, straddling the line between old school uppity thrash and a more…
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CEREMONIAL OATH – The Book of Truth – Re-release
Melodic death metal is one of the sub genres that is most near and dear to this writer’s heart. After all, it began my entry into the wonderful world of underground metal. One of the earliest purveyors of the style was Ceremonial Oath – a band that never got the full credit they deserved. I’m…
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THE STORYTELLER – Dark Legacy
Back on the recording scene after disbanding in 2006, Sweden heavy/power metal act The Storyteller release their fifth full length "Dark Legacy" independently through their own Dark Legacy Music label. What you’ll get with these 11 tracks is an energetic form of double bass driven power metal, with vocals more in a medieval/traditional style. Acts…
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FIENDS AT FEAST – Towards the Baphomet’s Throne
«Towards the Baphomet’s Throne» åpner med den kjedeligste og dårligste låta på skiva og jeg erindrer at ved første lytt var denne promoen fryktelig nært ved å havne i søppelbøtta. Men noe skjedde. Min oppmerksomhet ble trukket mot noe annet i noen minutter og da jeg igjen rettet hørselen mot musikken som strømmet ut av…
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WORMED – Exodoromos
Wormed took their good time on releasing the follow-up to their (in my opinion) somewhat overrated debut "Planisphærium" from 2003. I know the album is good and was well received but it´s not an album that gets to much play time these days. It was therefor with some exitement that "Exodromos" entered my inbox a…
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SKINEATER – Dermal Harvest
So-called "supergroups" seem to pop up fairly often these days. A couple of dudes with pedigree from other successful endeavors collaborate, and bam, another supergroup! Some are good, some aren’t so much. One simply never knows. Skineater is the latest of such groups to fall upon my always-open ears. When you have members who have…
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MOURNING BELOVETH – Formless
Fans of brooding doom metal no doubt know of Mourning Beloveth, so no need for introductions. The veterans return this year with their fifth full-length, and it packs a wallop. With six tracks, and one of which that comes in under 14 minutes, there’s a lot to digest. However, this certainly isn’t a case of…
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INFANT DEATH – Cursed To Damnation- Demo II
Quicker than expected Trondheim, Norway blackened thrash band Infant Death return with their second demo, a 4 song effort that rips your ears apart in 11 minutes. Obvious influences continue to be of the raw, primal brigade: Cyclone, Venom, Hellhammer three of the most prevalent in terms of the savage vocals, unrelenting riff commotion, and…
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TOXIC HOLOCAUST – From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction
Joel Grind and his one-man inferno Toxic Holocaust has raised some eyebrows since the inception back in 1999 with its furious mix of speed/thrash/black influenced metal. He has since then expanded his lineup with an additional drummer and basist but this compilaiton called "From The Ashes of Nuclear Destrucion" that contains various splits/demos and Ep´s…
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TOXIC HOLOCAUST – From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction
Dette er ikke et nytt studioalbum fra Toxic Holocaust. Det er ei samleskive med gullkorn fra splitter, demoer og tidligere vanskelig tilgjengelig materiale. Den er vel verdt å sjekke ut om du er fan av det enkle, for dette er hele 22 spor med enkel oldschool black thrash uten noen som helst forsøk på krumspring.…
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PRETTY MAIDS – Motherland
Veterans of the melodic metal scene, Denmark’s Pretty Maids appear to be on another upswing in popularity. Performing at some of the best festivals across the globe- Wacken, Bang Your Head, cruises, ProgPower USA- the band appear razor sharp in terms of songwriting prowess and performance. "Motherland" is their latest studio platter, the follow up…
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RESONANCE ROOM – Untouchable Failure
When a sonic blend occurs that provokes energetic outpouring and a change of outlook, you know you’ve got something special in the making. Italy’s Resonance Room on their second album "Untouchable Failure" possess this magical lightning in a bottle, as the quartet perform a dark progressive gothic doom metal style with these 10 songs. Imagine…
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SCENT OF DEATH – Of Martyrs’s Agony and Hate
Her har vi et spansk teknisk brutalt death metal band som har bygd opp musikken sin rundt en sound som band som Rebaelliun og Krisiun fra Brasil har brukt og fortsatt bruker. En del av riffene og vokalen er kanskje det som minner mest om de nevnte bandene men der slutter egentlig likhetstrekkene. For og…
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TAUNTED – 9 Sins
21 years plugging their thrash/speed metal style, San Jose, California’s Taunted has been slowly transforming itself into more power/melodic elements, especially evident on this third full length "9 Sins". Vicious Rumors drummer Larry Howe is the latest addition to the Taunted lineup, and his potent, steady tempos add a little kick to crunchy material like…
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NADER SADEK – Living Flesh’
It always seems strange to me when a band with only 1 or 2 albums out releases a live album, but then I come from an era where the double-live gatefold was king, and was always preceded by 5 or 6 studio albums. Whatever the case, I do find the release of ‘Living Flesh’ a…
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SPITFIRE – Devil’s Dance
Sometimes the best things in life are simplified. 100% stripped down to hard rock ‘n roll basics, the German trio SpitFire evolve from a successful sold out EP release to their first full length "Devil’s Dance". No- it’s not a type-o: the EP and album have the same name. And 4 of the 13 tracks…
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LONG DISTANCE CALLING – The Flood Inside
Passion- precision- strength- attributes all necessary to execute what we as humans desire to get outside of ourselves mentally and physically. Traits contained within the best musicians in the business. Going along with that train of thought the fourth album from German progressive rock act Long Distance Calling has an appropriate title- "The Flood Inside".…
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THE ARROWS – The Lines Are Open – Re-release
The second album from Canadian melodic rockers The Arrows originally hit the streets in 1985- prime time for this style of music. Due to label pressure to get that instantaneous, radio worthy hit, "The Lines Are Open" did not succeed in terms of album sales- but is still worthy of re-release for its catchy songwriting…
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RED ELEVEN – Idiot Factory
Starting in 2009 as Project Red Eleven, this quintet of musicians contains some of the best Finnish metal talent running- members within groups like Code For Silence, Sons Of Aeon, and ex-Swallow The Sun/ Machine Men to namedrop a little. "Idiot Factory" as such is not your normal debut album that can often be a…
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CONVULSE – Inner Evil
Ahh, the expectations, the expectations. After first reading about it and then receiving the new EP from finnish death metal legends Convulse I must admit my hopes where pretty high for a new lession in how to do proper old school death metal. "Inner Evil" is the first sign of life since 1994 and their…
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CROWN – Psychurgy
Hvordan begynner man å beskrive ei skive som denne…vel, den er sær, voldsom, mørk, melodiøs og styggvakker. Den første fulle utgivelsen til dette franske tomannsbandet trekker deg inn i en mørk drømmeverden jeg ikke visste fantes før jeg hørte plata. Dersom Neil Gaiman noensinne ønsker seg et lydspor til Sandmanserien synes jeg denne passer bedre…
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ZOMBIE INC – Homo Gusticus
Some bands you need to take with a grain of salt- or attempt to plug into their sense of humor. Take Austria’s death metal quintet Zombie Inc. – which features in their ranks former Pungent Stench vocalist Martin Schirenc and Disbelief guitarist Wolfgang Rothbauer. A shift in the rhythm section ranks during 2012 allows bassist…
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SORCERY – Arrival At Six
Sorcery are back! Are you sure? Is it not another swedish band who call them self Sorcery and play old school death metal? No, it´s the real deal! The cult band who released "Bloodchilling Tales" back in 1991 and then went under the radar since. They signed with Xtreem Records and are now in focus…
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TORMENTED – Death Awaits
Svensk death metal. Så vanvittig midt i blinken. Guttene startet opp i 2008 med intensjon om å spille death metal som death metal skal høres ut, og ikke minst DM sånn de vil høre den. Med band som Dismember, Entombed, Slayer og Autopsy som største påvirkningskilder skulle i alle fall grunnlaget være der. På sin…
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PUTREVORE – Macabre Kingdom
Putrevore, the collaboration project between death metal master minds Rogga Johansson (Demiurg, Bone Gnawer, Paganizer, Revolting) and Dave Rotten (Avulsed, Christ Denied) is back with their second effort "Macabre Kingdom". Both musicians have their plate full with various other bands/projects so it´s been four years since their first output, 2008´s "Morphed From Deathbreath" (the album…