RECENT ALBUM REVIEWS
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SERIOUS BLACK – As Daylight Breaks
Serious Black is a "supergroup" originally featuring ex-members of Helloween (Roland Grapow), Blind Guardian (Urban breed), Tad Morose, etc., according to Encyclopedia Metallum. On this, their debut album they don’t deviate much from the Helloween style with a slant toward AOR. The focus is on big choruses, guitar solos and excellent vocals of Urban breed…
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SERIOUS BLACK – Mirrorworld
Serious Black’s debut was a pleasant surprise in my ears, solid power metal mostly focused on aggressive melody and effective thought-out choruses while delivering a few AOR bumps on the road. I was curious where they went next: Did they keep up the great choruses, vocalizations, drumming and the melodic aggression of last year’s "As…
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SERPENT CROWN – Incantations of Vengeance
Serpent Crown is a thrashy sludgy doom band, but I hear plenty of punk and crust, too, on "Incantations of Vengeance". The album is more like an ep as it is shorter than Slayer’s "Reign in Blood" (Def Jam Recordings, 1986), 6 tracks clocking in at 27:15. The material is explosive and technical but has…
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AMPHISBAENA – Amphisbaena
Amphisbaena’s self-titled ep has actually been around in digital form since December 16th of last year but only on September 9, 2016 did Iron Bonehead Productions released it in a physical form. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first seeing the weird looking cover that screamed "I am a demo and of…
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MESHIAAK – Alliance of Thieves
The Australian quartet known as Meshiaak is more or less a brand new outfit in the sense that the band was formed in 2014 while this 9-track album of theirs, "Alliance of Thieves", is the debut album. An impressive debut album, mind you. Interestingly, seasoned drummer Jon Dette who has trod the board with (legendary)…
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NECRONOMICON – Advent of the Human God
Necronomicon, named after a fictional book in H.P.Lovecraft’s horror novels, are a Canadian seriously blackened symphonic death metal band from Quebec, Montreal and are among those promoted and represented by Jon Asher, the man without whom we would never hear of Sludgehammer, Medevil and BornBroken, to name only a few. The Canadian’s sound could be…
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HAMMERSCHMITT – Still On Fire
German band Hammerschmitt has been around for 20 years, and still with the original lineup in tact! "Still On Fire" as their fourth studio album represents a new twist on their melodic metal platform – as they transform from German lyrics to English probably in the hopes of gaining more international appeal. Taking in these…
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MYRKUR – Mausoleum
The Danish phenomenon that is Myrkur has been a rather controversial addition to the (black) metal scene with some being of the opinion that the band is insanely overrated and others believing that we are witnessing something monumental, almost as if Myrkur marks some kind of rebirth of the genre. Me, I have been somewhat…
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MARSH DWELLER – The Weight of Sunlight
Marsh Dweller is a one man melodic black metal project of one John (that is all you can get from the internet). The album sounds like very early Opeth in terms of structure as well as Dimmu Borgir but for the most part the material holds its own. It is catchy, melodic, artistic and well…
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CHARIOTS OF THE GODS – Ages Unsung
Chariots of the Gods’ debut album "Tides of War" came out at a time when the chief metalcore bands, with the possible exception of Killswitch Engage who reinvigorated by the return of their original vocalist released the excellent "Disarm the Descent", were going through a decline in creativity. Chariots presented an album that actually had…
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DESCEND INTO DESPAIR – The Bearer of All Storms Disc
Go to Encyclopedia Metallum type in the name of the band and click on the tab "Similar artists". It will say "No similar artists have been recommended". Romanian Descend Into Despair (DID) is a new band and has only one record, this one, and what a record it is! This album has been pretty much…
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DANTE FOX – Breathless
UK band Dante Fox have been a mainstay of the melodic rock scene – releasing their debut album in 1996 and taking a few breaks in their career while maintaining a high quality standard through their discography (having a personal affinity for the third album "Under the Seven Skies" from 2007 on Frontiers). "Breathless" is…
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VOLTURYON – Cleansed by Carnage
The Swedish death metal squadron known as Volturyon has vomited forth a brand new onslaught of brutal and pummeling tunes, more specifically ten of them that collectively constitute this third full-length album of theirs entitled "Cleansed by Carnage". The opening track, "Pile of Human", pretty much explodes in your face and from there on there…
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MEDEVIL – Conductor of Storms
Canadian quintet rightly describe themselves in the words of their front-man Liam Collingwood as power/thrash/prog/heavy metal. Add large helpings of Black Sabbath and I can think of one album that matches "Conductor of Storms" in scope, delivery and powerful production – While Heaven Wept’s "Vast Oceans Lachrymose". Like on that masterpiece, the strength of the…
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AWAITING DOWNFALL – Distant Call
Starting in 2009 and going through the usual newer band lineup shuffles while honing in on their sound, Germany’s Awaiting Downfall released their "No One Will Be Spared" demo EP in 2014, setting the stage for this full-length album "Distant Call". Wisely seeking out the production, mixing, and mastering abilities of Seeb Leverman from Orden…
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SLUDGEHAMMER – The Fallen Sun
Thrash/heavy metal with a nod toward gore and Witchery riffing style. Lightening fast paces, relentless grinding with speed metal delivery that will have no youtube kids covering them for futility. The riffs change on a dime supported by dual (clean shouted and growl) vocal delivery of Chris Szarota and Dan Ayers as if in a…
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FROM THE VASTLAND – Chamrosh
The Iranian black metal ensemble named From the Vastland is an interesting one. "Chamrosh" is the fourth full-length assault conjured up in only five years, so this is obviously a highly active and creative outfit with a lot on its mind. Well, actually it would be more fitting to say that main man Sina has…
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MISTWEAVER – Nocturnal Bloodshed
The Spanish ensemble Mistweaver appears out of nowhere but this is their fifth full length in the 17th year of existence. They play evilly blackened symphonic death metal with plenty of melody and some of the best guttural vocals since Michael Akerfeld turned on the microphone. The musicianship and songwriting is beyond excellent and there’s…
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MAGOTH – Der Toten Gesang
It was quite by chance that I stumbled on this rather excellent and well-executed 7-song effort on Bandcamp by the German black metal outfit named Magoth. Entitled "Der Toten Gesang", this self-released album is an energetic and utterly dark affair that displays both talent and potential. Although the band was formed in 2011, "Der Toten…
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ARS VENEFICIUM – The Reign of the Infernal King
The relentless and brutal horde from Belgium known as Ars Veneficium spews forth bombastic and violent black metal of the vilest kind. These guys obviously go into battle with the aim of pulverizing you completely, which is totally fine by me. While the nine tunes that make up the album sound like they were spawned…
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MIZERY – Absolute Light
A great thrashcore in the vein of "Beg To Differ" and "Prove You Wrong" Prong with a touch of early Biohazard complete with the gang backing vocals. Plenty of hooks and razor sharp guitars (think shark’s teeth) wrapped in thought provoking socio-political commentary, sometimes straight-up hardcore with Anthrax attitude (the title cut). But Mizery is…
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TWILIGHT FORCE – Heroes of Mighty Magic
Triumphant symphonic power metal from Sweden – Twilight Force arise at a perfect time in a scene that needs over the top excitement and joy. "Heroes of Mighty Magic" is the second full-length for the sextet, giving the listeners 12 tracks and 70 minutes of choir-oriented happy melodies, orchestral keyboards of splendor and guitar displays…
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DENOUNCEMENT PYRE – Almighty Arcanum
The 2010 debut (World Cremation) was a rather average affair. Presented was a well-executed blackened death metal with a thrashy attitude in the vein of early Watain. It was short (36:34) which made for a decent listen. Already, though, it has a melodic potential realized on the follow-up "Almighty Arcanum", which shows progressive touch and…
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DENOUNCEMENT PYRE – Black Sun Unbound
The third installment of the Australian trio picks up right where "Almighty Arcanum" left off and takes us right back to hell. Immediately after a somewhat pointless guitar intro I’m thinking Azarath from "Blasphemer’s Malediction" for the sound and climate but the music is closer to Enforsaken’s criminally underrated "Forever Endeavor" right down to the…
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HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY – III – Trauma
The group’s second disc "Aokigahara" was a wonderful display of very melodic black/shoegaze occasionally approaching melodeath and Katatonia, particularly impressive on a favorite "Homecoming: Denied!". The greatest thing about this band is they never for a second cease to be catchy and melodic even at hyperblasting speeds. You just can’t get yourself to turn this…
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KROH – Altars
Kroh serve up gothic doom from the UK’s midlands where such things began in the first place. These days I treat the whole doom subgenre with a lot of scepticism. There are so many bands popping up claiming to be the next big thing, with their fuzzy guitars and recycled Sabbath riffs. Most of what…
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INANIMATE EXISTENCE – Calling From A Dream
Inanimate Existence (IE) started out as a more deathcorish tech death "riif salad" on the debut (Liberation Through Hearing) but already on a follow-up (The Never-Ending Cycle of Atonement) incorporated melodies and unexpected twists and turns beyond mere technicality in the vein of Decrepit Birth or Pestilence. The third installment, "Calling From A Dream", is…