RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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FLOTSAM AND JETSAM – The End of Chaos
"Flotsam" and "jetsam" are nautical terms, describing goods washed overboard by waves ("float some") or deliberately thrown overboard by a ship’s crew ("jet some"), but you probably only care that bassist Jason Newsted played in it before joining Metallica in 1986. Although their roots go back to 1981 they don’t predate Metallica but functioned as…
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HELEVORN – Aamamata
The Spanish melodic doom/gothic ensemble named after a lake in Tolkien’s "The Silmarillion" have been around since 1999, this being their 4th album, so how come they went under my radar for so long? Melodic doom is one of my favorite metal genres so there’s no excuse for that, Eddie, especially when a band has…
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PORN – The Darkest of Human Desires Act II
The demented industrial rockers known as Porn (you gotta love that name!) are back with a hard and punishing new effort that marks the second chapter in their depraved "Mr. Strangler" trilogy. As with its predecessor, "The Darkest of Human Desires Act II" is a varied and compelling affair that strikes a near-perfect balance between…
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NEXUS OMEGA – Password: Infinity
The roots of this German melodeath/metalcore troup go as far back as the year 1996 when melodeath outfit Phorkyas was conceived, released one EP and "Endzeit" LP (2005), and broke up in 2007 only to resurrect as X-terminate, also a melodeath project. X-terminate released one demo, "Termination::2107" (2010) and, would you believe it, split up…
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BREIDABLIK – Nhoohr
This Norwegian ensemble is an interesting one and dabble in ethereal and otherworldly soundscapes interwoven with synth-driven (and slightly prog-inspired) melodies that recall such diverse acts as Tangerine Dream, John Carpenter, Mare Frigoris (the obscure cosmic ambient project from Hungary), Klaus Schulze, Brian Eno, and to a lesser extent Ashra. Having said that, Breidablik has…
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MORTAL SCEPTER – Where Light Suffocates
The Fresh thrashers, that is, the Skelethal vocalist/ guitarist Lucas, guitarist Maxime The Sorcerer, vocalist/bassist Valentin and drummer Guillaume, gave birth to Mortal Scepter in 2012, independently released a demo in 2014 and "As Time Sharpens The Sentence" EP in 2015 on Unspeakable Axe Records, then caught the attention of Xtreem Records for this debut…
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M.I.GOD – Specters on Parade
This 21-track concept opus by German outfit M.I.GOD. is quite something. For one thing, the song material is rigorously arranged, but the album as a whole is also technically impressive and ranges from melancholy introspection to majetic ourbursts of fury. Eerie piano tinklings and a dense ambient soundscape kick things off before the band lanches…
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RIVAL SONS – Feral Roots
With "Feral Roots", classic rock sensation Rival Sons may well have crafted their most complete and emotionally charged record to date. Simply put, vintage hard rock in the vein of the mighty Led Zeppelin has rarely sounded better than it does here and the fact that "Feral Roots" and its eleven songs encompass and encapsulate…
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VEDERKAST – And In the Abyss They Sleep
The info on this Norwegian progressive stoner rock/metal is very obscure but what we do know is that they have come into being as Vederkast sometime in 2014, consist of four members: Paul-René Aronsen (vocals, bass), Finn Fodstad (guitars, backing vocals), Sindre Bakland (guitar) and Magnus Tornensis (drums) and have released two albums: "Northern Gothic"…
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WARKUNT – Of Ruins And Agony
The French death metal band’s name may give you a chuckle but their antiwar stand is serious,what with an adage "Everyday is a fucking war" adorning "Of Ruins And Agony" booklet. Framed in 2016, Warkunt, today composed of Laurent Damelincourt (guitars), Loïc Mulheim (vocals, lyrics), Valentin Rouviere (guitars), Timothée Pfau (bass) and Grégoire Galichet (drums)…
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IN PURULENCE – Putrid Valley
This fairly new French death metal ensemble was spawned in 2014 but they have been inactive until 2015, so the material for their debut album, presented here, "Putrid Valley" was created in about two to three years. Unlike some of their other labelmates, these guys have been lucky, this debut being their one and only…
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EVERGREY – The Atlantic
Frightening is this passing of time, once said Death’s mastermind Chuck Schuldiner to a Polish "Metal Hammer" magazine interviewer. And indeed, it seems I reviewed the near-perfect "The Storm Within" from the Gothenburg progressive/power metal masters just the other day and gave it a 5.5/6 score. But only I and the host of heaven know…
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GARY PARKER – Original Jethro Tull – The Glory Years, 1968 – 1980
The legendary progressive folk rockers Jethro Tull hardly need any introduction; they have sold millions of records, toured the world more times than anyone cares to remember, and written some wildly exciting and influential music that still resonates with people to this very day. In other words, Tull reign supreme when it comes to eclectic,…
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NEONDERTHAL DEATH – Neonderthal (Nightmare Begins)
This 2-track vinyl EP by the strangely unsettling ensemble that is Neonderthal Death is a highly original and wonderfully eccentric piece of work. The two compositions that constitute this release are driven by warm and pulsating synthesizers, a rather simple beat, and murky death metal growls. Weird or intriguing? The answer is “Both”. What initially…
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EMERALD SABBATH – Ninth Star (A Tribute to Black Sabbath)
Emerald Sabbath is an interesting ensemble consisting of the talented Michael Suilleabhain Bundade and a long line of former members of Black Sabbath including Neil Murray, Bev Bevan, Bobby Rondinelli, Ron Keel, Vinny Appice, Laurence Cottle, Adam Wakeman, and Terry Chimes. "Ninth Star" contains eleven renditions of various Sabbath classics such as "Die Young", "Trashed",…
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LAHMIA – Resilience
Lahmia is a ruined city in Nehekhara, located on the eastern side of the Worlds Edge Mountains but the Italian melodic death metal band likely takes the name after the demon from the horror "Drag Me To Hell", which is also the name of the opener on their debut album "Into The Abyss" (2012). The…
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HEKSEN – Post-Mortem Psychanalyse Reloaded
The French death/thrash metal act formed in 2008 and their first demo, "Inquisition: The Way Of Suffering", was released a year later. Heksen broke up in 2011 only to reactivate two years later. Their debut album, "Post-Mortem Psychanalyse" was independently released in 2016 and caught attention of Great Dane Records, whereby the idea of releasing…
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NEKHRAH – Cosmic Apostasy
This "4-piece nihilistic, anti-carnal, anti-cosmic brutality from Cyprus" as vocalist A, guitarist C, bassist T and drummer M describe the death metal quartet, was first born in 2011 as Impalement, independently released a digital only three track demo "Let There Be Nothing" (2014) to change the name to Nekhrah a year later, although given their…
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MOURNING SUN – Último Exhalario
The cleverly and sardonically named Mourning Sun, comprised of four Chilean atmospheric doomsters, female vocalist/lyricist Ana Carolina, guitarist Sebastián Castillo, keyboardist/pianist Eduardo Poblete and drummer Claudio Hernández at the time of the recording of this here LP, was conceived in 2013 and two years later released their first EP "Vaho (Visions And Hidden Oracles)", all…
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SYRENCE – Freedom in Fire
Syrence offer pure, no-frills heavy metal with power and bombast to it and it seems to incorporate influences from Dio, Judas Priest, early Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath (the Dio and Tony Martin eras), and even Thin Lizzy and Rainbow at their most aggressive. In fact, this 12-track album of theirs very often brings to mind…
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CRYPTIC GRAVE – Cryptic Grave
The French death metallers Cryptic Grave formed in 2015 by former Satanic black metal outfit Torgeist’s vocalist/guitarist Richard, guitarist J-B, bassist Gaby and drummer Etienne and two years later independently released the self-titled EP. In 2018, having signed with Great Dane Records, they re-released their debut EP with an intro "Through Death’s Door" and outro…
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CHAOSEUM – First Step To Hell
The Swiss metalcore outfit formed last year when four members of symphonic/power/gothic metal band Elferya, Serbian-born vocalist Lola "Van Loo" Milovanovic, guitarists Loic Duruz and Valery Veings and drummer Greg Turini, desired to change direction to a metalcore territory in the vein of Killswitch Engage and Trivium while incorporating some influences from their past musical…
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CALCINED – Discpline
This Swiss brutal death metal band was born in 2008 and, a year later, independently produced a demo "4th Degree Burns", followed by "Thwarted" EP (2009), neither of which secured them a label. Finally, Calcined as Simon Piffeux (bass, backing vocals), Lionel (drums), Florian "Magnus" Jacot-Descombes (vocals) and Jéjé (guitar) signed a deal with Great…
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MOONSHADE – Sun Dethroned
The Portuguese melodic death metal outfit was formed in 2010, and rightaway an EP "The Path Of Redemption" was recorded. After four years, another EP "Dream/Oblivion" signified the band preparing for a full length, this here, "Sun Dethroned", which they have recorded with vocalist/lyricist Ricardo Pereira, guitarists/backing vocalists Pedro Quelhas (also keyboards) and Daniel Laureano,…
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ALMØST HUMAN – XS2XTC
The Swiss act named Almøst Human is an interesting one in that it mixes and blends progressive metal with something akin to alternative rock and the result is both musically satisfying and surprisingly cohesive on a structural level. I love the way in which totally different parts with atmospheres that are in stark contrast to…
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ECTOVOID – Inner Death
US death mongers Ectovoid have released some rather impressive things that reek of all things rotten and vile since the conception of the band back in 2010 and this upcoming 7" EP/tape EP of theirs entitled “Inner Death” is no different. Foul and vicious death metal with nods to Incantation and Autopsy is the order…
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DEATHTALE – Origin of Hate
The Austrian death/thrash metal outfit formed in 2009 and is one of the most interesting bands I never heard of before this, their third full lenght. The band consists of vocalist Patrick Pieler, rhythm guitarist Arian Rezaie, lead guitarist Gilli Gehring, bassist Philipp Späth and drummer Tom Kräutner. What fascinates me as much about Deathtale?…
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EMBRYONIC CELLS – Horizon
Embryonic Cells? Sounds borrowed from Sepultura’s song on "Arise". But whether or not it is, this French deathened black metal outfit has a knack for economics, what with a three men lineup: Max (vocals, guitars), Dom (bass) and Djo (drums) while no longer requiring Pierre Le Pappe’s keyboarding services, though "Horizon" is drenched in keyboards.…
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STRIKER – Play to Win
The Canadian heavy/power metal quartet has been around since 2007, has released six full lengths to date and consists of guitarists Chris Segger and Tim Brown, vocalist Daniel Cleary and bassist William Wallace with a session drummer Randy Black hired just for the recording of "Play To Win". In the past, especially on "Armed To…
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PALACE – Binary Music
Let me start out by saying that the Swedish ensemble named Palace took me by surprise and pretty much blew me away by means of its arena-sized tunes and countless delightful hooks. One could argue that there are strong and prominent parallels between Palace and the legendary Europe, but I would wager that is a…
