CD AND DEMOS REVIEWS - DECEMBER 2001

 

AGES GONE - AGES GONE (Independent, 2000):

This is a very strange band. Starting in the first track as a death metal band with some keyboards and noises that differntiate them from the standard, they evolve through the different tracks into something muchweirder where the keys and pianos and more predominant. The vocals are like the ones in a death metal band, and there is also another type of vocals more like an anguished man. There are interesting guitar solos and a certain jazz influence in many of the tracks here (check the killer solo in "7") and that gives a lot of originality to the songs too. I like the way the keyboards , played by Martin Rascher, start to be predominant in the compositions interacting with the heavy guitar riffs and the bass (there are some really interesting bass patterns like for example in "9", not only in the beginning but through all the song). This is a killer band to don´t miss a step, I think that we can expect more wonderful music coming from them in the near future. One of the albums of the month. Favorite tracks: the whole albumContact: www.agesgone.de

 

ALASTOR SANGUINARY EMBRIO - THE HOWLING CREATURE OF NIGHT (Independent, 1997):

An acoustic guyitar intro called "Odio" opens this demo from year 1997 from this band of Costa Rica called Alastor Sanguinary Embrio and lets us into their world of black arts. Inmediately after that, the band gets into the darkest black metal in a style similar to bands like Marduk or Gorogoroth. The most interesting thing here are certain riffs like the ones at 1:30 in "Poetry For Thy Glory" that are more rocking and are not commonly used in black metal and give more variations to the tracks, The sound of the whole recording is crude and primitive but allows the appreciation of the guitar riffs that are fundamental for the band´s music, specially those that are more elaborated. Favorite tracks: "My Fields are Unholy" and "Ridin thy Darklands". Contact: www.zonaunderground.com

 

ALASTOR SANGUINARY EMBRIO - ETERNAL TEARS THROUGH ASMODEO´S BLACKENED FLAMES (Independent, 1999):

In this new work from Alastor Sanguinary Embrio from Costa Rica, they show a lot of improvements when compared to "The Howling Creatures of Night". Opening like on tthat demo with an acoustic guitar intro ( this is in the vein of some works from Fernando Sor). The band shows here that the two years that separate this new work from the prior one were not spent in vane. They show that they have worked a lot to achieve better songs with better sound (the keyboards here are fundamental for the new tracks and they add interesting phrases to them). The music is still black metal but it has become more complex and they have become more subtle in certain arrangements. Well, since two years have passed since this CD I hope that they will release something new one of this days. Favorite tracks:" The Four in Unisono", "Eternal Tears". Contact: www.zonaunderground.com

 

ALGAION - GENERAL ENMITY (Wounded Love Records, 1998):

Having listened to Algaion´s first album, I have two things to say: 1- they are much better on this album with better compositions and better sound, 2- They have changed a little bit their approach using more often heavy metal riffs (without loosing their black metal roots in the process)and using more arrangements in all their tracks. The two minds behind the banda have developed the way to create great tracks without loosing the heaviness of their music. How subtle are this guys in some parts, and how ethereal in others, and how heavy through the whole album. The guitars are sounding much better this time than on the last album nd also the drums have improved a lot. A great improvement from a great band. Contact: wounder@tin.it You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

AMEN - WE HAVE COME FOR YOUR PARENTS (Virgin Records, 2000):

New Metal, Modern Metal. Call it as you like. This style has become a one on its own, loved by some people and hated by others with the same intensity. Here comes Amen, a band that practices this style but in its most aggressive form as it is shown since the beginning with the short and explosive "OK Killer" . In fact they are not taking influence from bands like Korn, etc. I think they have some Machine Head influences (even though the music is completely different, specially the vocals) because of the guitar riffs that are more hardcore crushing with some artificial harmonics here and there. I prefer the bands that are like Amen to those that have too much hip hop in their music. A powrful album. Favorite tracks: "Refuse Amen", " Under The Robe", "Dead On the Bible". Contact: www.amen-us.com

 

ANTROPOFAGUS - ALIVE IS GOOD, DEAD IS BETTER (Beyond Prods., 2001):

Here is Antropofagus new MCD (with a cover art that is a tribute to Carcass "Symphonies of Sickness"). There are three tracks here and the music is a pure holocaust, pure grind. But the guitars sound much clearer than in any grindcore album (almost like an industrial band...they are mixed quite loud here). The drums are well programmed trying to make it sound more natural and it makes some interesting break and passages. There are plenty of hyperfast guitar riffs and vocals that are extremely guttural, everything surrounded by a horror film atmosphere with voices, noises and sounds that are extracted from movies of the genre. Favorite tracks: "Fucking a Baphomet Made of Flesh" and "Chainsaw Sterilizing". Contact: www.beyondprod.com

 

APOPHIS - HELIOPOLIS (Morbid Records, 1998):

Some issues ago I interviewed this German band and they seemed to me a very interesting death metal band. Now, while listening to their music I am not dissapointed, they are powerful and they have very good skills as musicians to make their music very interesting to the listener. One good thing that I listen of this band is that I feel that they have worked a lot on their guitar riffs making some of them very glorious in the vein of some very technical band s like Megadeth in their "Rust in Peace" album but all in a death metal context (I mean, with a heavier sound and a lot of brutality added). That is, this guys have learned a lot from other styles and from their influences and then they have transformed, adapted and thrown everything into their music making it sound very original. This is also one of the CDs of the month. Contact: www.morbidrecords.de .You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

ASHES YOU LEAVE - THE PASSAGE BACK TO LIFE (Morbid Records, 1998):

This is the debut album from that dark and sad band from Croatia called Ashes You Leave. This is a band whose music is filled with darkness, sadness, anguish and pain. And this is an ideal album to listen in complete darkness or with your eyes shut letting your feelings fly. The first thing that got my attention was Dunja Radetic´s vocals...they are in a mid range and they are deeper than in many of the female vocalist that most bands have. The guitar riffs are slow, extremely heavy and very dark (in the vein of the firstg My Dying Bride for example) and they make a big contrast with the vocals and the violin lines made by Marta Batinic. The keyboards here are not the main element, but they are used instead to make interest arrangements that fit the mood of the tracks. The sound is not very good, specially on drums and guitars but it allows to appreciate the music of the band. Favorite tracks: "The Passage Back To Life", "Thorn The Death Flower" and "Tears". Contact: www.morbidrecords.de

ASHES YOU LEAVE - DESPERATE EXISTENCE (Morbid Records, 1999):

Cover Art: Patricia Skender

In this second album from Ashes You Leave, the band solidifies their reputation as an excellent band in the most deppresive style within the metal realm., sharing characteristics with doom metal, and some atmospheric metal. With the always wonderful vocals of Dunja Radetic singing the melancholic lyrics of the band and giving the songs a black aura to the tracks. The sound in this recording is much better than on its debut album, spacially on the guitars that are better mixed and sound much more fat than on that release. The extense tracks like "Never Again Alone In the Dark" or "Desperate Existence" allow the band to play with tempo changes (in the more than nine minutes that each of this tracks have) and multiple instrumental passages where each musician can explore the dark side of their instruments. There are also some eastern sounding melodies done with keyboards and violins and an interesting contrast between them and the growling male vocals. Favorite tracks: "Never Again Alone In the Dark", "Desperate Existence" and "Searching for Artificial Happiness. Contact: www.morbidrecords.de

 

BASILISK - KYO JYA (Independent, 1999):

Produced and Mixed by Yoshinori Miwa. Assist Engineered by Akinobu Adachi.

Directly from japan it arrives this band that plays black metal in a technical vein with a lot of breaks and tempo changes and there are a lot of different riffs on each of the three tracks contained here on this demo. The music is fast but at the same time melodic, that is the songs have parts that are extremely fast where the guitars do that phrases that are most typical of black metal bands,a nd then there are slower parts that is where the band is in my opinion better because they make more original parts and riffs and they let their music breath and become heavier. This recording is from 1999, I wonder how this band has evolved in this two years since then. The overall sound is good but maybe the guitars could be better equalized and the cymbals don´t be so loud because they cover some frequencies tat can be useful for the music of Basilisk. Contact: basilisk@pdx.ne.jp

 

BENIGHTED LEAMS - CALIGINOUS ROMANTIC MYTH (Supernal Music, 1999):

Benighted Leams make music in the style called black- gothic metal with some ideas that are impressing and some that are not at all (beginning with the vocals that are not as good as should be...they are melodic but they are most of the time doing the same melodies and that turns the tracks a little bit boring). There are a lot of tempo changes which are really abrupt with omnipresent keyboards that are making the basement of the songs. One thing that I would like the band to change is the sound which is of very poor quality, specially the drums that are completely buried in the mix (also the vocals are sometimes so low and in the back that you can barely listen them). Maybe next time this band will focalize better their music and get a better result. You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

BERGTHRON - JAGDHEIM (Perverted Taste Recs., 2001):

What do we have here? This CD consists in three tracks from this guys from Germany. The first one strats as a nordic black metal band and within the first two minutes it turns into something completely different with voices that are closer to gothic and riffs that are more rhythmic than fast (some of them almost rocking). This is possible I think because this track is more than fourteen minutes long and allows this guys to develope some great ideas within the same song structure (there are also some twin guitar melodies in there too, some riffs in the old Paradise Lost vein, etc.). The second track "Im Weissen Wald" is the shortes with almost eight minutes. The main feature here are the vocals done in a manner that remind old pagan songs that are sung over some guitar riffs that are the basis of the track. Again the combination of vocals and guitars reach its climax. This is a great option for those looking for originality and something new within the realms of black metal. Favorite tracks: The three. Contact: www.pervertedtaste.de

 

BLINDED BY FAITH - VEILED HIDEOUSNESS (Tuxedo Prods., 1999):

This is black metal full of guitar melodies. This guys come from Canada and this album showcases their habilities in composing good black metal with a lot of feelings and an omniprescent dark feeling. One of the main things here are the keyboards, played by Tattoo which gives atmosphere, melody and harmony to the tracks (Check for example the beginning of "Behind The Placid Mask..." to see what I am talking about). The guitars play interesting rifffs, sometimes fast, sometimes more mid paced. I would like the band to explore more the more rhthmic riffs which are more original and give Blinded by Faith its own identity while combined with the keyboards and with Tom´s vocals. The overall sound of this recording is good, very clear, and really well mixed. I want to check this guys newest album to see how they have progressed. Favorite tracks "Behind the Placid Mask of the Starlit Cosmos", "My Burnt Wings" and "A Slumber in Cobarebs". Contact: http://fly.to/blindedbyfaith

 

CAD - DEADNATION (Downfall Records, 2000):

23 tracks of pure death grind ( in some of the tracks the structure is more death metal but the vocals are always very grindcore) with some strange riffs here and there and a lot of sense of humour. This is an album where you can listen the 23 tracks and you don´t get bored despite the speed and rottenness of all the songs contained here. I find funny the way in which the band throws certain arrangements here and there, like some guitar phrases...they are very short ! (Check "NO!" to see what I am talking about). The sound is different while comparing the first eighteen tracks to the last five...I like better the first ones because there is more clarity on the instruments and specially on the voclas (the drums are well mixed on both types of tracks). Grind/ death fans will love this one. Favorite tracks: "Destroy NATO Bastards", "Punk as Piss" and "Working Class". Contact: downfall_records@hotmail.com

 

CADAVEROUS CONDITION - THE LESSER TRAVELLED SEAS (Perverted Taste Records, 2000):

The beginning of this CD really fooled me it sounded full of keyboards (There is some Hammond emulator and sounds like sounded as Deep Purple hahaha). And then the band enters with their death metal really brutal with a lot of rocking riffs. The main thing here is that Cadaverous Condition is a combination of brutality and quality....being extremely brutal in a lot of passages and subtle in the way they use the keyboards and certain arrangements that they use very often like certain drum patterns and guitar riffs. The vocals are brutal but sometimes another voice (spoken) is added to change the mood of certain part of the tracks. "Time" has an introduction with violin, acoustic guitars and keyboards (with whispering voices that turn into a more brutal kind later) creating a sad ballad with a lot of feeling. I find this band very original. Favorite tracks: "The Lonely have no Right To Share The Summer Sun", " The Lesser Travelled Seas" and " The Nothing Out of Me". Contac: www.pervertedtaste.de You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

CARNAL LUST - OREOARE YOUR SOUL (Independent, 2001):

Carnal Lust is a grind death band from France. And they are dedicated to the most extreme side of this style, the one with light speed drums and guitar riffs and with anguished vocals combined with guttural ones. And this is their latest demo and they are as brutal as they were in the prior one. There are four tracks totalizing nineteen minutes of pure grind with drums that are a nightmare pounding your brain together with the guitars that play one note riffs at an insane velocity. I hope the band gets a contract soon so we can appreciate them with a better production and obviously a better sound that would do more justice to their music. Favorite tracks: "Cannibal", "Human Die". Contact: www.carnallust.fr.st

 

CLAIR OBSCUR - SOMBRE REVELATIONS (Perverted Taste Records, 1999):

A combination of the most hateful black metal with the most deppresive music in the most calm passages is how I would define Clair Obscur´s music. It is incredible to see the contrast between the faster parts and the slower ones. The band has all the characteristics of a black metal band when they accelerate (fast riffs, raw sound and screaming vocals, plus blast beat drums) and then, all of a sudden the keyboards enter and the role is inverted and they become the main instrument while the vocals change into a whispering mode. The three tracks contained on this CD are l,ong enough (the shortest is almost eight minutes long) to let the band incorporate all the elements they like in their compositions being them melodic or extremely raw and powerful. Contact: www.pervertedtaste.de You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

CROMLECH - THE VULTURE TONES (Beyond Prods, 2001):

First strike: This band has a really good sound with really powerful guitars (very well mixed) and a hyperfast and technical drummer (also with an excellent mixing sound). Second strike: They have original riffs and they use them in a way that the songs are even more powerful than if theywere full speed one note runs. Third strike: they have interesting tempo changes and they are very comfortable specially on the slower parts where the best ideas aredeveloped among the musicians. Fourth strike: The vocalist screams a lot here but it is helpful to meke the tracks as good as they are. Further information: This is a MCD with four tracks and the four are relly heavy as hell!!!. Favorite tracks: I like very much the four tracks contained on this MCD. Contact: www.beyondprod.com

 

CRUSHDOWN - LIKE THIS (MCA Records, 2000):

Here we have catchy alternative rock in the vein of nineties band like Soundgarden with good vocal melodies and some heavy rhythms. The first band that comes to my mind while listening the first track in this album is Soundgarden ("Badmotorfinger" or "Louder Than Love" era) but that changes in the second track which is more like Alice In Chains even if there are some weird noises in there that can be somewhat different. And I think this is where this guys got their influences, from the heavier side of the Seattle nineties scene (even if they are much more heavier than Soundgarden). One positive point is the vocalist who has his own identity even if he sometimes sings certain lines that are similar to the ones used by the bands mentioned above. The album was produced by Saigon Kick´s Jason Bieler who understood what this guys wanted, specially on the heavy sound of the guitars. Favorite tracks: "This ", "Patch" and "Loose". Contact: www.crushdown.com

 

CURTAIN - SECOND FLOOR PARADISE (Warlord Records, 2001):

Well, this is surprising because this French band starts as an electronic band in the beginning of their first tracks before entering into a more gothic side of their music with interesting rhythms and songs that could be hits if well managed. Obviously as I told you the music is full of keyboards and electronics....let me think abot Paradise Lost´s "Host". The vocalist has a vocal range very similar to the one of Depeche Mode´s David Gahan...that is a vocalist who dominates de medium range and does his work to make this songs instant hits. The thing that amazed me most here is how dark are the tracks, because the heavy use of keyboards and clean guitars added to the vocals and combination of real and electronic drums creates a dark atmosphere giving a sense of oppression and beauty at the same time in tracks like "Our Last Dance". Favorite tracks: "Second Floor Paradise", "Push the Trigger" and "Our Last Dance". Contact: www.multimania.com/curtain

 

CURTIS BAHN - R!G (Electronic Music Foundation, 2000):

This CD show us a serie of improvisations done by Curtis Bahn with his "sensor bass" and live electronics. Curtis says in the booklet that the system that he uses to do this music live has 8 audio channels and cannot be fully represented in a stereo context. Judging by this and the pictures of his musical equipment I guess that this must be even stranger in a live context. It is interesting to see Bahn improvising with his instruments letting his imagination fly free and without losing control at the same time. The "sensor bass" played by Bahn sometimes sounds almost like an acoustic bass and sometimes like a part of the electronics used here (when it gets in combination with them). To see this you can check "Sbass" (7:00) where Bahn plays very interesting phrases over the electronics giving a feeling of almost ambient music. Her e you have six tracks of pure experimentation where Bahn shows us why he is a great and original musician who is helping to extend the boundaries of music. Favorite tracks: "Mechanique" and "r!g". Contact: www.cdemusic.org/emfmedia

 

DARGAARD - ETERNITY RITES (Draenor Prods., 1999):

Here we have Dargaard´s first recording. This debut CD´s music can be described as atmospheric and ethereal. Eleven extremely subtle tracks are what you will find here...they are full with keyboards, melodies and harmonies. Sang Drax Tharen and Elisabeth Toriser are the two persons behind Dargaard´s music and they make an excelent job: Sang Drax creating all the music and the lyrics and Elisabeth with her really beautiful voice. The music can be described also as ancient and dark because of the types of melodies used here which are sad and introspective. Favorite tracks: "Down To the Halls of the Blind, "Arcanum Mortis" and "Temple of The Moon". Contact: www.dargaard.com

 

 

DARGAARD - THE DISSOLUTION OF ETERNITY (Draenor Prods., 2001):

This is the latest Dargaard album and it seems to be the last part of the saga of Eternity that started with "Eternity Rites". Here again the songs are extremely well composed and they seem to be from a movie soundtrack (specifically from a movie about ancient warriors and ancient times). Full of keyboards and orchestrations, Daargard´s music is the perfect vehicle to manifest the feelings contained in the lyrics done by Tharen. Elisabeth´s vocals are darker than ever and they are one of the main points around which the tracks are developed. People who likes good composition and dark melodies will definitely love this one. Favorite tracks: "As Old As The Bones of the Earth", " In the Omniprescence of Death" and " The Isolated Vale". Contact: www.daargard.com

 

DARK LAND - DARK LAND (Perverted Taste Records):

Perverted Taste records has released this extremely climatic album, full ofm what we can call depressive gothic metal. Yes, I called this deppressive and that is the feeling that you will feel while listening to this CD. In fact, one of the main things that contribute to this depressive aura is the sound of the violin used here as one of the main instruments. This string instrument literally weeps through all the tracks contained here, sometimes with despair, sometimes with sadness, sometimes with hope. The vocals are another important element here because thy are quite similar to the ones in Moonspell, but used in a different way...more slowly, more calmly, darker. The guitars are the third point of the compositive axis creating a lot odf the moods presented on this album. Contact: www.pervertedtaste.de You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

DEATHRAY - DEATHRAY (Capricorn Records, 2000):

This is a rock and roll band with certain influences from punk music and from grunge. The sound here is very commercial...in fact I can imagine the videos of this guys all day on MTV. In fact I think that the only thing that prevents this guys from succeeding in the charts is that they have certain changes and sounds in the middle of the tracks that won´t be easily accepted by the media. But, in fact the melodies and choruses are designed to be catchy and easy listening. Favorite tracks: "Only Lies", "Legionnaires In Doubt" and " This Time". Contact: www.capri.corn.com

 

DIAGNOSTICO FINAL - INVOLUCION (Independent, 2001):

This is music between heavy, thrash and a certain hardcore flavor, specially on some of the riffs and vocals. This recording has a modern guitar sound tat accentuates the results achieved by the band on the guitar riffs. The music is the perfect way for the band to express their feelings through their very crude lyrics (which have a lot of social content...people from Argentina surely will understand them). Well, the music contained here is a kick in your stomach, with a lot of power and not too much subtle elements...here all the emphasis is on the strength and power and feelings!!. The sound achieved in studio is a very good one...maybe I would have mixed a little bit higher the bass to add more bottom end top the band´s sound. A really powerful recording. Favorite tracks: "Siglo XXI, Epoca Feudal", "La Razón de Vivir" y "Sociedad Consumidora de Mentiras". Contact: www.diagnosticofinal.com o www.diagnosticofinal.com.ar

 

DIES IRAE - NAIVE (Oz Records, 2001):

This guys are real beasts!!! And they have achieved an impressing CD. With a death metal truly elaborated and technical, they present us a work in which we must remark the role of the guitars which have agreat sound that soemtimes play harmonies, sometimes open chords, sometimes hyperfast riffs. Another point that is fundamental for Dies Irae is the excellent drums sound that the CD has and that makes easier to appreciate the work that this drummer is doing with his kit. He is an expert in variations, changes and breaks (there are a lot of good drums arrangements, some of them very technical and some of them done witha lot of simplicity). There are really good interludes with clean guitars where the bass shines with his constant arrangements. All this point are fundamental for this guys whose main point is creating great compositions in their style. A band to don´t miss a step. Favorite tracks: "Shattered Mockery", " In porous Verves" and "Ice In Dawn". Contact: www.ozproductions.com. You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

DISINTER - DEMONIC PORTRAITURE (Morbid Records, 2001):

Some issues ago I reviewed the previous album from this death metal machine called Disinter. Now is time for their latest opus "Demonic Portraiture". The first thing that I notice is that this time the sound is much better than in their previous effort making the tracks more effective. The music is still hyper speed death metal with melodies here and there, and extremely technical (those super fast guitar melodies on the first track for example are really difficult to do while beig coherent with the rest of the band). This CD contains ten tracks of this crushing band, and all of them are extremely brutal but at the same time they have some subtle riffs and certain melodies that make the things more interesting (also there are interesting drum patterns like the one at 1:19 from "An Eternity of Pain"). Lovers of brutality, here is smething for you !!Favorite tracks: "An Eternity of Pain", The Hunter´s Moon" and "Whirling Spectral Voices". Contact: www.morbidrecords.de

DIVINE RAPTURE - DIVINE RAPTURE (Hrborrah Records, 1999):

This is Divine Rapture´s debut album that contains six tracks from a demo in its Original Versions and in its Primal Raw Versions, where the first ones are better sounding than the second ones. The music is a modern death metal in the vein of the fastest Morbid Angel with good and fast solos  (some of them done with Harmonizer, like the ones in "Purging Thy Torrents") and emphasizing the more rhythmic side of their musicl personality (some riffs are great for seeing the band live in front of stage diving crowd). There is also a powerful and growling vocalist and some melodies that are thrown here and there and help the tracks to have their own identity ("Black Moon Harvest" is a total death metal hit)The sound is not so good, specially the drums are a little bit opaque, but considering the one that they have achieved in their new material they have solved easily this problem. Favorite tracks" "Black Moon Harvest", "Unyielding Presence" and "A Glimmer from Beneath". Contact: www.divinerapture.net

DIVINE RAPTURE - PROMO 2001 (Independent, 2001):

Divine Rapture comes back after their debut album (which was a demo CD with different versions of six tracks) with this brutal tracks that maybe will be part of their next full length. The music is even more brutal than on the "Divine Rapture" CD... and the mix is much more clear. They have chosen Morbid Angel/ Alas guitarist Erik Rutan to engineer and mix their new tracks and he has done a good job making the sound like a mix between modern death metal bands and clasical bands like Dismember, Morbid Angel or Disincarnate. The three tracks contained on this promo CD are full speed and brutality, with some original touches like the more rhythmic stuff and the guitar riffs. I am waiting for their new full length for this year. If it is like this three tracks, it will be like an atom bomb. Contact: www.divinerapture.net

DREAM CIRCUIT - DREAM CIRCUIT (Independent, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and mixed at Townhouse Recording Studio
Unit 15
Audley
Staffordshire, England

Track List: 1- The Freedom Man, 2- Moment of Clarity, 3- Heaven's Gate, 4- Second of Eternity.

Well, this band really urprised me. First of all with their acoustic intro (with keyboards that create the main melody), then with the vocals in the vein of bands like Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin. There is a lot of seventies progressive rock influences here and I like it. Also it is very interesting to see the big emphasis that this guys are making on their vocal work and on the voices arangements (they have a reaaly great singer and the other guys make very subtle and interesting choruses and harmonies). There are a lot of keyboard melodies and phrases that are one of the main ingredients here too (thumbs up for the keyboard player and for the tasteful guitarist who are the ones who create the main structure of the songs). There is a certain dose of psychodelia here and there but it is not so evident, but above all there is reaaly good musical skills (there are certain yes influences on "Heaven´s Gate which I liked a lot). Favorite tracks: "the Freedom Man" and "Heaven´s gate". Contact:

 

ECZEMA - SOLEDAD, EL LLANTO DE LA MUERTE (Independent, 2001):

Here we have in one CD the two latest works of this Spanish band. They are called "Soledad, el llanto de la muerte" (Loneliness, the cry of death with one 29 minutes track divided in five parts) and "Al otro lado del espejo" (The other side of the mirror"). This band is a very good example of the new scene that I would like to call Iberic extreme metal scene. Eczema makes a technical kind of death/black metal (there are elements of death metal in the guitars riffs which are more rhythmic, say in the vein of Death and also a lot of black metal in the vocals and certain melodies). What I like from this guys is that they use speed as a complement and not as their main element. They have a profound sense of what is constructing a track and they have structured their songs really well while using a lot of different parts within the same track. There are also a lot of guitar melodies which help to make the songs more interesting , and also millions of rhythm changes (excelent!!!). This is another of my favorite CDs of the month. Favorite tracks : The whole CD. Contact: ivaneczema@yahoo.com

 

ENS COGITANS - HEART OF THE WAY (Nostradamus Records, 2001):

On their previous album, Ens Cogitans reminded me as a mix of the Paradise Lost of "One Second" and the Apradise Lost of "Host". That is a band with certain electronic elements but still very heavy and gothic with their own identity. This time this guys have changed their sound and their music has become more technical. There are multiple passages withinm each track going from the most calm parts with keyboards, clean guitars and whispered vocals to heavier parts with distorted guitars, more dynamic voclas and interesting drum breaks and tmpo changes. One thing that I must remark is the interesting work of the bass player who contributes a lot to the final result doing a lot of arrangementes (the bass is mixed really loud on this CD). This is one of the best bands that I have listened from the Russian metal scene. Favorite tracks: the whole album. Contact: http://nostradamusrec.euro.ru. You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

ENSOPH - BLEEDING WOMB OF ANANKE (Beyond Prods., 2001):

Ensoph ´s music is really difficult to label...it is not black metal (although in the fastest parts it may seem that it is), not gothic. It has a lot of variations and experimentation going on. There are different type of vocals, from a very deeep one (male vocals, courtey of Nicola) to another one that is really like a demonic shriek (this is an extremely original type of vocal...really horrifying!!...and it comes from a female singer called Anna who also plays flute ), and a lot of whispers. Plus there are a lot of effects and keyboards that are one of the main points of Ensoph ´s music. What makes this recording so original is the combination of all this types of vocals with some heavy and clean guitars and all the keyboards, flutes and electronic effects (in fact this three last items are constantly making melodies and arrangements to embellish the compositions of the band). A must for extreme music lovers. The original version comes in a four folders digipack with a twenty pages booklet . Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.beyondprod.com

 

 

ESPERANZA - ESPERANZA (Jester Records, 1997):

Those who loved Ulver´s latest album "Perdition City" Will surely like this CD. Thos who don´t like that kind of music will not. Don´t expect here crushing guitar riffs with distorted guitars and blast beats...here you will find electronics, keyboards and drum machines. The music is very experimental, diving deep in the electronic nature of the sounds to conceive this sixteen tracks that have each one its own identity. Despite being experimental the music here is full of melodies and is not threatening to ears that are not accustomed to this style. The more accessible thing here are the drums patterns which are not playing odd time signatures and so are easy to listen. Favorite tracks: "Chichen Itza", " The Farao Was a Spy" and "Cartoon U.F.O". Contact: www.jesterrecords.com

 

ETOILE NOIRE - SLEEPING BLACK EYES (Independent, 2001):

What a strange mix! This guys come from italy and their music is like a mixture of gothic rock, punk rock and straight forward rock and roll (there are certain arrangements that would not be out of place on a metal band like the beginning of "Eyelids Covering Mirror"...really gothic). The first track here, called "Ascension" is really the hit, because is simple, potent and has the hooks needed on the chorus to make the song stuck in your mind. The vocals are sometimes really late seventies punk rock, and that is really curious for me because it makes a contrast with other parts where the singer uses a deeper voice more on the gothic vein. There are certain acoustic passages like the mentioned beginning of "Eyelids Covering Mirrors" and some use of violin .This is original. Favorite tracks: "Sleeping Black Eyes" and "Eyelids Covering Mirrors" . Contact: www.etoilenoire.net

 

FATAL PORTRAIT - AN ELUSIVE INSTINCT OF LASCIVIA (Downfall Records, 2000):

Satanic black metal...the name can full you a little bit eventhough the band plays that style. Why? Because the band is not a raw black metal band like Dark throne could be, even if they are really fast in some places and they have black metal riffs played over hyper fast blast beats. This band has a big difference, and that is their keyboards player who was recently added to the lineup and is constantly doing some bases to the tracks adding a lot of colour to the songs. Also the band has certain breaks and changes that are not typical of a black metal band and a lot of guitar melodies. For example when they start the melody at 1:49 in "Five Dimmensions of Pleasure" where the guitars are playing their melodies over a good drums pattern while the keyboards make an interesting chord progression before getting into a break and into a fast part again. A good definition would be Cantabrian black metal to give the band the identity and recognition that they deserve. Favorite tracks: "Drowned in your eyes", "Cantabria Under Siege" (a long track and the most complicated) and "Winter and My Grief". Contact: downfall_records@hotmail.com

 

FEAR FACTORY - DIGIMORTAL (Roadrunner Records, 2001):

Fear Factory has become a cult band within the metal realm after their first two albums "Soul of a New Machine" and "Demanufacture". This time we have here their newest offer called "Digimortal"....thi album follows the path of albums like "Demanufature" being heavier than "Obsolete". As always the band is helped by a great production to achieve the heaviness and mechanical sound that is their main characteristic. In "Digimortal" the band explores their heavier side (the contrary than they did in "Obsolete" where they explored their more melodic sound. As always Dino Cazares guitars are exptremely heavy and combined with Raymond Herrera´s mechanical drums give the band its true identity. Obviously one of the main points here are Burton C. Bell´s vocals which are really original diferentiating Fear Factory from their imitators. Plus this record includes four bonus tracks. Favorite tracks: "Damaged", "Linckpin" and "(Memory Imprints) Never End. Contact: www.fearfactory.com

 

FLESHLESS - NICE TO EAT YOU (Obscene Prods., 2001):

Obscene Productions brings us this brutal band from their homeland the Czech Republic. This band is completely inmersed in the style that we call brutal death metal and they do it very fluently. The thing tat helps a lot is the guitar sound that is really fat (they have a lot of bottom end and is mixed very loud). Plus the guitars, apart from being extremely heavy, make a lot of changes in the tracks. This death metal is extremely technical and seems to be very popular in the Czech metal scene. It is always good to see in tracks like "Culture Meat" or "Where´s Mine resurrection" how this guys have enough technical skills to play this complicated brand of music, specially the killer drummer who is a machine behind his kit. My favorite tracks are those in which there are more changes and technical stuff, like "Breathe and Bleed" or "Culture Meat". Contact: www.obscene.cz

 

 

GALLOPING CORONERS - DANCING WITH THE SUN (Neurot Recordings, 2000):

Where do this guys come from?? They come from Hungary and their real name is Vágtázó Halottkémek which means Galloping Coroners in english. This guys have been in concert with bands like Today is the Day, Neurosis and Voivod. But they make a music completely differnt from all this bands. In fact this is more climatic and almost acoustic in all its integrity. The music has eastern european influences and some folk influences too. While the tracks may be rhythmic enough to dance along them, they have some experimental quality in them, such as certain guitar lines that are weirder and have this eastern flavor on them. Sometimes the music here is more ambient using the instruments to create sounds in order to make the tracks even more weird. The lyrics are completely in hungarian language and that adds the special touch to this awesome recording.. Favorite tracks: "With My Ancestors", "Inspiration" and "Spinning Into Joy". Contact: www.neurotrecordings.com

GARDEN OF DELIGHT - RADIANT SONS (Trinity Recs,, 2000):

Interesting band from Germany that mixes gothic elements with some from different styles such as industrial. While listening to this CD come to my mind bands like Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails and others fom dark and mechanical styles. The combination of clean and heavy guitars as well as the electronic elements used along with the keyboards are what give this sensation of being in the presence of a gothic/industrial/ metal band. The voices are in a medium and low range adding depth to the music of the band, plus there is a female guest vocalist too to add the higher range to the vocal side. If you like this coimbination of dark melodies, heavy guitars and spectral keyboards then this is yours. Favorite tracks: "Agony", "Obsesed" and "Twilight". Contact: www.garden-of-delight.2xs.de

 

GODLESS TRUTH - SELF REALIZATION (Shindy Prods,, 2000):

Fucking death metal at its best!! Heavy as hell, extremely huge guitars and killer drumming (since the beginning of the first track) with technical guitar riffs in the vein of the most potent Morbid Angel (also I find some Benediction and Suffocation influences here and there...but with a more modern sound that allows the guitar to sound much bigger than in the aforementioned bands). There is a lot of speed here but the main feature is the heaviness of the tracks. I have to congratulate this guys because of the sound that they have achieved on this release, it is cristal clear and makes the results much more effective than would have been with a worse sound (for example it is great to listen the bass suporting th guitar riffs while not missing a beat of the bass drums). Please, check this band because you will not be dissapointed. Favorite tracks: "Disdain", "Next Step" and "Predetermined Disfiguration". Contact: www.shindy.cz

 

GONORRHOEACTION - PROMO (Independent, 2001):

This is death grind in all its aspects !! The band starts at total speed with "Cunt Cutlet" with their fast riffs and two types of vocals unleashing all the sonic madness. I think this could be more appreciated with a better sound (here is a little bit opaque making all the instruments sounding too much in the background) and I think that next time this is the main point to look at, because the compositions are good, having some catchy rhythms and a lot of changes. And here is what I like most from Gonorrhoeaction...the multiple riffs within the same song structure, combined with their power and the two voices...one more gutural and the other one more screaming...in the vein of old Napalm Death. There is a Malignant Tumor cover called "Nature Warning/Human Extinction"...This is grind that in the future can shatter the world. Favorite tracks: "Pile Into Piles" and "The Torturer". Contact: www.gonorrhoeaction.de

 

GOREROTTED - MUTILATED IN MINUTES (Dead Again Recs. - 2000):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Philia Studio, Henley UK

Engineered by Dave chang

Cover Art by Rob Filth

Track List: 1- Hacksore, 2- Bed´em, Behead´em, 3- Stab Me Till I Cum, 4- Cut, Gut, beaten, Eaten, 5- Corpse Fucking Art, 6- Put Your Bits In a Concrete Mix, 7- Mutilated in Minutes, Severed in Seconds, 8- Gagged, Shagged, Bodybagged, 9- Severed, Sawn and Sold As Porn

Like I said in the review of the compilation from Dead Again Recs., Gorerotted seem to me the band with the best production and sound. Those carachteristics are also on this CD. First level grind/death with a spectacular sound (recorded in thePhilia Studio from Henley with Dave Chang as sound engineer). Every instrument can be heard with total clarity and you can even distinguish which is Fluffy´s guitar and which is Dicksplash´s one. The vocals from Mr. Gore and Baby Sliced dominate the recording due to their gutturality ( a clear example is "Bed´em, Behead´em" where the vocals interplay is crucial to the song). Titles like "Stab me Till I Cum " or "Cut, Gut, Beaten, Eaten" show this band lyrically in the path tat showed in the early nineties Cannibal Corpse with their two first records. Totally recommended for fans of the style. Favorite tracks: "Corpse Fucking Art", "Cut, Gut, Beaten, Eaten" and "Severed, Sawn and Sold as Porn". Contact: www.deadagain.fsnet.co.uk

 

GROOVE GARDEN - SOULFOOD (Soulfood Music., 2001):

This CD consists in tracks from differnt styles. There are four tracks of Wingmakers who play a strange mix of electronics, world beat and tribal chants (with some female vocals here and there to add more mystery to this mixture). After that we have one track from flamenco guitarist Pedro Cortez, combining his guitar with some sitar or instrument like that, with excelent duet phrases and a great spanish feeling through the whole track. Then, Entering Dreamtime showcases their chants and a lot of keyboard progressions in a style more eastern sounding with some tribal percussion and melodies thata re typical from Middle Eastern cultures, mixed with some electronic effects. After this, is the turn of Sky Spirit, a project consisting in a lot of flute melodies, and this is the quieter part of the recordings. The last project to be featured here is Steve Kuether´s tranquility who takes us to songs based on piano, almost new age sometimes, full of phrases and melodies of great beauty. Favborite tracks: "Chamber 11", "Flamenco Soul","Tulku´s Palace" and "Evolution". Contact: www.soulfoodmedia.com

 

 

GURKKHAS - A LIFE OF SUFFERING (Morbid Recs., 2001):

Directly from France we have this powerful death metal beasts!!! In their style of the most brutal death metal, this guys are kings!! Fast rhythms with modern riffs sounding extremely DEATHLY!! Two things to point out....the great and modern sound that this guys have achieved on this recording. In fact this gives an extra flavour to their music because being so fast and brutal, it needs a very clear mix to be fully appreciated. The main theme around which the songs spin is WAR....that is the content of Gurkkhas tracks... and the music is something that fits the lyrics perfectly, explosive, powerful and extremely brutal. Guttural vocals, riffs that are fast and have a good guitar sound in order to achieve better resyults...a killer fast drummer, all this elements and more are combined here to made this music that I would label Battle war metal. Favorite tracks: "The Day of Battle", "If I Should Die" and "Chronicles of Chaos".Contact: www.multimania.com/gurkkhas

 

HEAVEN´S BURNING - FREE AGENTS (SOUL´D HERE) (Cosmic Pageant Prods., 2001):

Heaven´s Burning is a female duo consisting in Angela Santiago Chung in voclas, guitars and bass and Kristy Jones also in vocals, guitars and bass. The music here is alternative rock with a lot of melodies and hooks and the main carachteristic are the vocals of Angela and Kristy. There are shades of some bands of the seventies and eighties in there that are thrown into the mix to obtain Heaven´s Burning Music. My favorite tracks are the darker ones like for example "Shake This World" with its slow beginning along the beautiful vocal line made by Angela. Lovers of melodies that are somewhat dark and somewhat depressive but at the same time beautiful, here is for you Heaven´s Burning. Favorite tracks: "Shake This World", "Good" (some Nirvana influence in there) and "Strip Me Down". Contact: www.heavensburning.com

 

HOLLENTHON - DOMUS MUNDI (Napalm Records, 1999):

On last issue I reviewed Hollenthon´s latest album "With Vilest of Worms To Dwell", and it was an album that I really loved. It was like a soundtrack for a movie (this comparison that is immediately brought to your mind has made some stupid power metal journalist to ask Martin if he feels related to Rhapsody because of the term Hollywood metal used to describe the music of the italian band). And here is Hollenthon´s prior album , the amazing n"Domus Mundi". This recording is somewhat more crude than "With Vilest..." even if there is a lot of orchestration too, but there are certain elements that are less subtle as the vocals and the guitar sound (in some parts of the first track the guitars reminded me of Celtic Frost´s "To Mega Therion" because of their sound). But Martin obviously knew what he wanted before recording "Domus Mundi" and this is like the seed of what "With Vilest..:" would achieve, this is like a diamond that has to be a little polished (not that much because you have wonders like "Homage- Magni Nominis Umbra" with its oriental melodies and harmonies or "Lure- Pallida Mors" with its guitar melodies and gregorian chants. This was a great first step on Hollenthon´s career. Favorite tracks: "Homage - Magni Nominis Umbra", " Premonition..." and "Eclipse - Vita Nova". Contact: www.napalmrecords.com or www.hollenthon.com

 

IAN SMITH - DAYBREAK (Emanem Disc, 2001):

As always, Emanem Disc brings us improvisational and spontaneous music recorded by great musicians. This time is the work of great trumpetist Ian Smith (who also plays the flügelhorn) and who is joined here by great guitarist Derek Bailey (I commented some collaborations of this excellent artist on previous issues), Trombone master Gail Brand, Oren Marshall on tuba and Veryan Weston on chamber organ. The music here is an exploration into the combination of sounds that this musicans can achieve, sometimes in duet form, sometimes in trio, and sometimes all together (there is also one solo piece by Veryan Weston where he explores the possibilities of his instrument). The result is very spontaneous, going from organized chaos to melodic within the same track but without losing control. The thing that I like more from this type of recordings is that they "catch the moment" in which the recording was done...and that is something that can not be reproduced again on another recording done a different time. This guys have a lot to offer . Favorite tracks: "There We Are", "Carpe Dentum" and "Windsurfing". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

 

IN AETERNUM - PAST AND PRESENT SINS (Orion Music Entertainment/Necropolis Recs., 2001):

Technical data:

Artwork and Layout: José Montemayor

All tracks were recorded between 1995 and 2001.

All recording from 2001 are from the Abyss Studios. Recorded by Tommy Tägtgren.

Track List: 1- Cursed Legions, 2- Demon Possession, 3- Witches Spell, 4- The Arrival of the Horde, 5-The Pale Black Death, 6- Black Moon Attraction, 10- Abigail, 11- Wolves Blood (live), 12- Revelation of Hell (live), 13- Ultimate Warfare (live), 14- When the Vultures left (live)

This is an album of this black/death metal beasts consisting on tracks recorded through all their career that were considered rarities, some new tracks, two covers and some live tracks taken from the "Plague Across Europe Tour" on 12^th february, 2001. Also this recording feature a participation of Schmier (Destruction) on guest vocals on the track "Cursed Legions". This band goes in the path of the blackest of metals ( on tracks like "The Pale Black Death" you can hear a definite Venom influence, in fact I like this track more than some of the speediest ones becaus here they show more interesting ideas). It is interesting to see the evolution since the 1995-1996 tracks whose sound is not so good, compared to the newest ones like the two first tracks (from 2001 and 1999) and the covers of King Diamond´s "Abigail" (march 2000) and Venom´s "Countess Bathory" (March 2001) (this versions are really crushing) whose sound is definitely much better. Also the sound of the live recording is really muddy( it sounds like air recording).This is a CD for collectionists of black metal and for those who don´t know In Aeternus and want to have a good sample on their music . Favorite tracks: "Cursed legions", "Countess Bathory" and "Wolves Blood (live)". Contact: In Southamerica: furias@ssdnet.com.ar or calling (+54-11)4583-9955 or fax: (+54-11) 4581-4066. Rest of the world: www.necropolisrec.com

 

INFERNAL LEGION - SCULPTURED HUMANS (LSP Company, 2001):

Technical data:

Recorded and mixed at the Sound Shape Studios

Recorded and mixed by Frans V. Steembergen.

Frontcover by Kris Verwimp

Track List: 1- Intro, 2- F.T.W., 3- Dead in my own reality, 4- Sculptured humans, 5- Under Influence of Sickness, 6- Gift of Destruction, 7- Melancholy Reigns, 8- A Forgotten World

Hyperfast black thrash metal is the music that this band called Infernal Legion does. Why am I saying this? Well, it has the vocals that are typical of black metal but instead of using the fast one note progression riffs that most bands use, this band prefers to use some thrash rhythms and breaks like on 2:02 of "F.T.W." where the drums play the rhythm while the guitars remain sustained before getting into full speed mode again. There are clean guitars intros in some places, like in the beginning of "Dead in my own reality" and a lot of changes that gives a lot of interesting qualities to the tracks. Plus the combination of old school sounding riffs with modern sound will be loved by nostalgics and lovers of black metal and thrash equally. The power of thrash metal is back but has evolved a lot! Favorite tracks: "Gift of Destruction", "Melancholy Reigns" and "Dead in My Own Reality". Contact: www.lsp-company.com

INTERNAL SUFFERING - PROMO (Independent, 2001):

Internal Suffering is a band completely dedicated to the most extreme kind of death metal....yes the one with hiperfast blast beats and extremely guttural voices, with fast guitar riffs in the vein of the first Cannibal Corpse´s albums and some breaks and stops typical of the genre. There are some guitar riffs that are original like on "Summoning the Ancient Ones" where they throw some pinch harmonics within one riff but perhaps this could be more appreciated doing some combination with slower parts and some deeper riffs. This guys are recommended for the ones who love extremely fast and brutal death metal in all its variations. Contact: www.zonaunderground.com

 

JUDAS PRIEST - DEMOLITION (Atlantic Records, 2001):

Judas Priest is back !!! Again with Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals (this time more confident and with a more personal voice). I think that Judas Priest is one of those bands that does not become stagnant even if they have their own style and even if they are a legend. So, this time,as happened with the previous CD "Jugulator", Judas Priest has a definitely more modern sound, specially on the guitars and in tracks like "Machine Man" or "One on One" (thefirst two of the album) they have achieved a heavier result (obviously diehard Halford fans will say that they don´t like it and that Rob Halford should come back). But the good thing is too see a classical band evolving and doing it better with each album creating always great melodies for their songs (eventhough there are not much guitar solos here and I would like to listen them because Tuipton and Downing are killer guitarists). The sound is great here and they sound as a classical and at the same time new band. Favorite tracks: "One on One", "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Feed on Me". Contact: www.judaspriest.com

 

KENT CARTER - BEAUVAIS CATHEDRAL (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Free Improvisations done by cello and double bass master Kent Carter during 1974 and 1975 , recorded at the Chateau de Maignelay. This are spontaneous ideas that MR. Carter had in his brain while playing in that moment. You can listen a lot of variations in his music, going from melodic lines using the lower spectre of the instrument sound to some high pitched sounds. But it is incredible how coherente and yet experimental is the music that Kent Carter does...how he has in mind certain structures nad he constantly uses them and breaks them and puts them together in a different way creating a collage on its own. While being certainly strange in some moments, the music here is not as difficult for the normal ear as sometimes improvised or spontaneous music can be. In fact the sound of the cello and double bass is so warm and the mastery of the instrument that Carter has are enough to guarantee a great result. Favorite tracks: "Cello Solo 1: Pinch", "Bass Suite No 1" and "Tarragona". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

 

KOAN - FRONTIERS (Red Stream, 2000):

Koan´s music is really weird. Full of electronics and ambient parts with some vocals, and heavy use of keyboards and programming. In fact the vocals here are used as another instrument. That is, the voices here are doing melodies in order to make the result stranger and sometimes they are harmonized in order to create some weird chants (sometimes kind of gregorian, sometimes kind of tribal). There are some electronic drums that give rhythm to some of the tracks contained on this CD. If you like experimental music and electronics with innovative composition, this can be yours, if you don´t like it, probably you will hate it. Favorite tracks: "Unfolding Spaces", "Looking For the Forntiers" and " Chaos". Contact: www.redstream.org

 

LIFEND - ENTWINED EMOTIONS (Independent, 2001):

A magnificent keyboard introduction leads us into the world of the music of Lifend. This is an italian ban thart makes a music that we can call death/black/gothic metal, that was formed in 1999 (under the name My Dark Side before changing their name to Lifend on September 2001). Thir music is heavy and extremely dark and melodic at the same time. And they rely heavily on the use of keyboards (Davide is great in making all the melodies tha make so special their music) that contrast with the crushing guitars (who also make sad melodies in the vein of early My Dying Bride). One thing that I would like to remark is the great combination of vocals...there are two types of male vocals (one more gothic and the other more death/black metal) and also a female vocalist called Sara who has a really personal vocal style and adds a great contrast to the music. I can define Lifend´s mnusi as Light nad Darkness, that is full of contrasts between the instruments and the voices. A great first step for this band. I hope to listen more of their music in the future. Favorite tracks: "This Cold Life" and "Wait in Silence and Die". Contact: www.lifend.cjb.net

 

M3 - UN EAR THING (Sublingual Records, 2001):

M3 is an improvisational trio consisting in Roger Miller on bass and electronics systems/looping and drums, Laurence Miller on drums and Benjamin Miller on guitar, arch-top guitar and drums. The musiuc here is really spontaneous and at the same time has great coherence among the three musicians, creating passages that go from really hevay like on the first track "Crossing Guard", to almost ambient sounding ones in the next track "Mobile". I find this trio an experimental group that is far more interesting than most of the other outfits that are out there because their ideas are better presented and they have achieved great results here. It is interesting to see how while Benjamin and Roger create weird sounds and new stuff, Laurence manages to do some interesting rhythms to make the tracks more experimental and accesible. A good release for fans of improvisation. Favorite tracks: "Batique Space", "Code Gate" and "Plow". Contact: www.sublingual.com

 

MASTIFAL - HOLOCAUSTO MENTAL (Independent, 2001):

This is pure thrash metal with elements typical of that style like certain drum patterns or guitar riffs. I like the way the tracks are made with a lot of arrangements on the guitars (like on "Devastación" in the middle part). The vocals are more brutal than in most of thrash metal bands and I think this give identity to the band, specially when used diferent from other bands. The main element here are the guitar riffs combined with the drums and the vocals (in the choruses there are screamings like in bands like Exodus for example). The CD is mixed in a way that reminds the thrash bands from the late eighties and beginning of the nineties with the bass really up in the front. The lyrics of this band are centered on the problematics of modern society, specially in third world countries...as an example check "Ebola" or "Devastación". Favorite tracks: "Holocausto mental", "Cuando el Sol crucifique Mi Nombre" and " La Plegaria del Obrero". Contact: www.mastifal.com.ar

 

MAINPOINT - HEAVEN / EARTH (Morbid Records, 2001):

How can I describe the music of Mainpoint and be fair? I think that sayiong that it ahs element of gothic music, and a lot of elements of metal would be a correct but short sighted way...but the elements and influences in Mainpoint are so many to be described in just a few words. Here we have nine powerful tracks which are completely different one from the other. Some in the vein of maybe Moonspell (the vocals sometimes remind me of that band) but heavier. And what gives a lot of identity to the band are the keyboards that are all the time playing arrangements in all the songs. One word that I would use to describe this CD is dense. It is like being in the middle of a fog that starts surrounding you without letting you breath. The guitars are extremely heavy and have a very particular sound (they sound like eighties heavy metal but playing a completely different music). Favorite tracks: All the CD. Contact: www.morbidrecords.de .You can find this CD in Argentina on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521 Tel. 4584-3643. Mail: Furias@ssdnet.com.ar

 

 

MILO FINE JAZZ ENSEMBLE - KOI / KLOPS (Emanem Disc, 2001):

Milo Fine plays a lot of instruments ....and on this recording he is playing electronic drums, drums, piano, clarinet, electronic clarinet, violin and celeste (what a variety of different instruments!!). The recordings presented here are from three Milo Fine concerts, one on Decmber 2000 and the others on February an April of 2001. He is joined here by Steve Gnitka on amplified guitar, Jason Shapiro on piano and synthesizer, Nathan Smith on acoustic bass and guitar an dbass clarinet and Scott Newell on tenor saxophone and vocals. Playing in different line ups through the recordings, allows Fine to experiment with different musical formats, letting his imagination fly, and combining his sounds with the ones produced by the other musicians in order to create his musical structures. There is a lot of jazz influence on this particular recording, specially on the first track where Milo pays the piano and on certain acoustic bass passages. This is recommended listening for those who like improvisation and spontaneity. Favorite tracks: "MF/SG 121001" and "MF/SG/JS/NS 22012". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

MING - RED (Hombré Recordings, 2000):

 Ming is a project that makes electronic music in a more accesible format. I mean this because of the kind of rhythms that are used within this recording and because of the vocals that are used to which are really melodic. But in fact this is not music conceived to be in the charts, because the melodies are too ethereal, too obscure if you like or maybe they are different from what the people that like commercial music are accustomed to listen to. There are some beats that are fairly accessible and the songs have common song structures like intro - verse - verse - chorus - verse - chorus. SO who knows if Ming can not be in the charts in the future?. Favorite tracks: "Still", "Angels" and "Fish". Contact: www.hombre.co.uk

 

MISANTHROPE - LIBERTINE HUMILIATIONS (Holy Records, 2000):

Technical data:

Recorded and Mixed at Fredman Studios

Engineered and Mixed by Fredrik Nordström

Artwork by Severine for Holy Records

Track List: 1- Misanthrope Necromancer, 2- Matador de L´Entreme, 3- At 666 Days, 4- L´ecume des Chavans, 5- Total Eclipse Chaos, 6- Sous L´Eclat Blanc de Nouveau Millenaire, 7- Crisis of Soul, 8- Combatant Sans Sepulture, 9- Antiquary to Mediocrity, 10- Humiliations Libertines

As most of you surely know Misanthrope is one of the main bands in Holy Records, this label that always surprises with bands .like Stille Volk, Septic Flesh and many more. The music of Misanthrope is the most complex death metal with a lot of technical passages, sudden breaks and very heavy rhythms. This can be fully appreciated on this release because of the excelent mix done by Fredrik Nordström that gives a lot of clarity to the drums and bass and adds a lot of bottom end to the guitars making the result more powerful. Excellent rhythms and many arrangements are what makes this release so special. This is originality within the death metal realm. Favorite tracks: "Matador de L´Entreme", "At 666 Days" and "Total Eclipse Chaos". Contact:

 

MNPLTR - PRTTP (Precipice Recs, 2001):

Why the hell this band does not use vowels in the titles of his songs and in all the booklet?? Why?? In fact the name of the band would Manipulator if all the vowels were there. Well, I don´t know, but the music here is strange too. Somewhat industrial, somewhat trance. But I like it! From the start with "Cnfssn" (confession?, confussion?) with its electronic beats and the vocals that are sometimes singed, sometimes whispered. Track number two "Ftrlf" is heavier with distorted guitars, but the electronics and industrial sounds are still all over the place. The music here is really experimental (in some passages the singer reminds me of John Wetton in the great King Crimson album "Red"). One fundamental thing here is the electronic percussion that is heavily used aontrasting with calm vocals. A strange CD but all people who like experimental music will love it. Favorite tracks: "Ctchr", "pdwn" and "Shttr". Contact : precipice@mindspring.com

 

MURDER - FROM DEEP INSIDE (Lixo Sounds and Discos, 2001):

Power / thrash metal directly from Colombia with a really modern sound and some new metal influences in some aprts. The first thing that gets my attention here is the great guitar sound and the diversity of the vocals used (from heavy metal, to some voices more like rap and others more death metal). I liked a lot this band, because they are original and they have a lot of influences whicha re not evident, like Carcass, Machine Head, New Metal bands and At the Gates. All this influences are totally mixed in order to get an original resulta. Half of the tracks here are in spanish. Tu remark again, the vocals interplay, specially thumbs up for Daniel Vazquez who creates different moods with his vocals and congratulations to the guitarists and the drummer who have achieved a great sound (there are great rhythms and solos too). Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: http://listen.to/lixo

 

MY INSANITY - SOLAR CHILD (Season of Mist, 2001):

From the first few seconds when you start this CD it impacts the strength that this band has, and how they have achieved a great mix of brutal and subtle moments. This is one of those bands that knows how to do excellent songs...and this is what this is all about: Songs. That is tracks whose music is sometime gothic, sometimes death but structured in a perfect way, designed to have a beginning and a perfect conclusion that closes the history within that track. Sometimes heavy as hell, sometimes full of melody (two types of vocals are used here for those who like melody there is one really good and moody vocalist, for those lovers of the death like growls there are vocals like that in some places too). There are also a lot of vocal harmonies in the choruses and for lovers of melody and harmony the guitars and the keyboards are permanently looking for new melodies to put in this great songs. Totally recommended. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.season-of-mist.com

 

MYOPIA - CONCENTRATION OF SUFFERING (Independent, 2000):

Here we have a powerful band that makes with total conviction their death/grind style. Lovers of the style will surely like this one...it has all the elements that they love: guttural voices, hyperfast riffs over blast beats, cool breaks, a killer drummer, fat sounding guitars. They alos have some killer riffs: My personal favorite are the ones in the fifth track called "Coerced Sympathy" where there is a cool break at 1:45 before the band gets into the full speed mode again. The sound is really good and the mix is a good one too where you can listen clearly all the individual instruments even in the fastest parts. A good option for grinders and deathsters. Favorite tracks: "Salvation In Death", "Coerced Sympathy" and "Acts of Futility". Contact : http://listen.to/myopia

 

NAHEMAH - CHRYSALIS (Iberian Moon Records, 2001):

This is one of the albums of the month! Heavy and subtle at the same time, sometimes black metal, sometimes heavy metal....with spectacular keyboards that are the main point here...the ones that set Nahemah apart from any other band in the genre, when combined with the heavy and distorted guitars (which play excellent melodies within their riffs) thay arrive to its climax, being original, melodic and having a lot of strength at the ssame time. The vocals are really multifacetic and they reflect what that specific part of the song means...that is they are sometimes really rotten, really guttural or really screaming , sometimes they are whispering and sometimes thay sing melodies. Thumbs up for the guitarists who have achieved originality in their riffs and melodies even in the fastest parts, playing original lines even when the drums are doing some similar rhythm as a blast beat. This is an album that I think will please those who like this type of extreme music or those who love good musicianship and excellent instrumental passages. A must. Favorite tracks: "Autumn is My Sin", "A Crystal Delirium" and "The Teardrop Fall". Contact: www.afaland.com/nahemah

 

NO FEAR - OUR SAYING (Independent, 2000):

Directly from italy comes this heavy metal band with a really heavy sound on the guitars and a powerful vocalist who has a wide vocal range, called Dario Tirolongo. Are you thinking about bands like Rhapsody or something like that? Forget it !! This is much much heavier and this music can be reproduced live (while the one made by the band mentioned before needs of countless samplers). Here the music is epic but really rocking at the same time (there are certain guitar riffs that sound like a hard rock band but they sound differently because they are played with a much more heavy guitar sound). There are some tracks that start slowly and get heavier after a few moments and one of the things that I favoured is that the band does not abuse some heavy metal cliches that we all know. A promising metal band. Favorite Tracks: "Virus of Silence", "Fake Madness" and "Point of No Return". Contact: http://nofear.freeweb.org

 

OBSCENE EXTREME 2001 (Obscene Productions, 2001):

This is a compilation of many differetn artists from genres that go to death metal, to brutal death metal to black metal to grindcore. There are very well known bands here like Exhumed, Groinchurn and Cripple Bastards, some that I know for reviewing their material like Sanity´s Dawn, Ingrowing and some who I did not know like (Needful Things, or Maledictive Pigs. As on every compilation here you have different levels in all the bands and their music, some of them better than the others. The most known bands have better sounds than the less known ones but that does not mean that they are better in fact there are some almost unknown bands that have a lot of quality here and that I would like to listen with a better production (like the one bands like Exhumed or Ingrowing have). An excellent compilation of sick music with a total emphasis on brutality. Favorite tracks "To Give" (Lykathea Aflame), "Hyperspace Souls" (Ingrowing) and "Isolated Victims" (Godless Truth). Contact: www.obscene.cz

 

PAULA COLE BAND - AMEN (Imago / Warner, 1999):

Paula Cole is an excelent singer and I can say one more thing...she knows how to compose her music!! Yes , she is a great musician who can do all the great songs contained in all her albums. IN fact if you think that this woman is like what you listened on the MTV hit "Where have all the Cowboys Gone?" forget it. This girl can do much more than that song (I think that is not one of her best songs, even if it is one of the more catchy), and she has a great vocal range (I would love to have her singing in some of my own projects), being original and personal and immediately recognizible. After her success with her album "This Fire" she comes with "Amen", this alobum that I think is much deeper and that is self produced. Showing a more diverse spirit than its predecessor, "Amen" is the vehicle for Paula to demonstrate her vocal skills and her composer skills too. Check tracks like "God Is Watching" to see what this woman is capable of constructing. Favorite tracks: "Be Somebody", "I Believe In Love" and "God Is Watching". Contact: www.paulacole.com

 

PERVERSIST - NECROPHILHARMONY (Grodhaisn Prods., 2001):

What this band does is old school brutal death grind. They have the advantage of having a really good drummer among them who also has a very clear sound throughout the whole recording. The guitars here are really brutal and they use a lot of guitar riffs that are extremely heavy (the guitars have a lot of bottom end and the mid ranges totally cut), some of them at extreme speed. Also the guitarists love to throw some pinch harmonics here and there on their riffs to add some different taste to them obtaining more variations. The voclas are really guttural in the vein of the more bestial death metal. One thing that got my attention was the acceleration on the track "Necrophilharmony" because it goes from slow to fast very progressively, changin the tempo gradually and that is not very common. Total brutality on this recording!! Favorite tracks: Body Devourer", "Bells of Insanity" and "Necrophilharmony". Contact: grodhaisn@seznam.cz

POP MUSIC FAVORITES (Ubus Records, 2001):

Here we have 24 tracks of totally experimental music, going from ambient to electronic, to noise...every style is represented here. All this compiled by Robert Kasch, the man behind Telesmata and Ubus Recs. Here we have different kinds of experimentation. I will describe some of them. Most of you know telesmata from the reviews that I did of the latest works of this project: well Telesmata focalizes its experiemntationa round some instrument (like the weird Bullshit Grinder). Here there are bands and projects that depart fropm that. For example Maximal is an almost ambient project with interesting atmospheres and some experimentation within this calm context. Other band that surprised me is Sickness with its noisy and industrial sounds pouring all over the track. Rare Parts is an almost ambient band but with some elctronic touches that are the main experimental device on this track. Dichotic Symphony is one of the projects contained here which is closer to noise doing hasrh sounds and experimenting twisting them up to when they are almost chaotic. Favorite tracks: "Backstreet´s Back", " Full Body Contact Sports" and "Right Out there". Contact: http://homestead.com/ubus/main.html

 

RANDY COVEN - THE BEST OF RANDY COVEN (Koch Recs,, 2000):

Everyone knows that Randy Coven is a great bass player...he has show this on his solo albums and in works with guys like Steve Vai or his band Holy Mother ...or even playing live with Yngwie Malmsteen. This time what we have here is a compilation of his best solo tracks...coming from his solo albums "Funk Me Tender" and "Sammy Says Ouch!". There are plenty of guest musicians here like Steve Vai ( "instantly recognizible on "Funk Me Tender"), Vito Bratta, Blues Saraceno or Al Pitrelli to name just a few. Randy shows all his skills through his compositions and through some covers like The Beatles "Yesterday" ...obviously played with bass (a great version). And he also shows that as every good musician should be, he is really open minded and knows how to play in many different styles (Check for example the acoustic and almost country "Tree"). This is music for lovers of virtuosos and instrumental music. Favorite tracks: "Funk Me Tender", "S-Bass Secrets" and "Manhattan Mama". Contact: www.randycovensite.com

 

REFRACTORY - BLACK MAGIC FOREST (Independent, 2001):

How peacefully starts this recording...with the sound of nature and an intro with acoustic guitars and keyboards. Then the keyboards volume goes up and you start listening a baby crying in the background and some voices. And then teh band enters with its black metal.at half speed before getting in full speed. One important thing here are the melodies created by the guitars and the progressions that the keyboardist is doing in the background. There are two types of vocals here: one is more high pitched than the other that is similar to death metal bands. The tracks are very fast with a lot of blast beats but with original guitar riffs like the ones in "Black Magic Fores". There are great moments where the guitar plays some chords along with the keyboard with a more syncopated rhythm and the vocals adapt also that rhythmic structure ("Black magic Forest").The sound of this recording is in overall good but I would have mixed a little bit louder the snare drum and the bass drum (the cymbals and hihat are loud enough).Favorite tracks "Bloody Crack of Dawn", "Visions of a Burning Sky" and " Black Hordes (live)". Contact: refractory@gmx.de

 

RHYMES OF DESTRUCTION - A SUN REVOLUTION (Shiver Recs,, 1999):

Rhymes of Destruction is a band from Belgium that makes a strange kind of music. I can not label it relating it with some particular style such as black metal, death metal, etc. Rhymes of Destruction has certain black metal riffs but the vocals are completely different from those of this style and the guitars sound fatter and completely different too. There are interesting rhythm changes here and parts full of melodies, clean guitars and interludes with whispering vocals. Also, the use of a drum machine (really well mixed) contributes to the mechanical feeling of the tracks and to a certain industrial feeling (even if the music is completely differnet from this style too). I can feel that this guys have great musical skills because of the quality of the tracks which are sometimes very complicated. Favorite tracks: "Onherbergzaamheid...", "Leven In Het Teken..." and "Terugkeer Naar Het...". Contact: http://bewoner.dma.be/rhymes

SALACIOUS GODS - SUNNEVOT (Cold Blood Industries, 2001):

Well, many people mention countries like Norway or Sweden to mention countries whose scenes are full of black, death and many other metal styles. But they forget two countries: Holland and Sweden. In fact, Salacious God is a killer black metal band coming from The Netherlands. And they are crushing. Having all the characteristics that have made bands like Dimmu Borgir famous but retaining certain raw aspects in their sound, Salacious Gods have achieved with "Sunnevot" a great result. This is an album darker than death, totally blasphemic, and with great musicians working at full speed. One extra point is the excellen packaging that this album has containing all the lyrics plus excellent photographs of the members of the band. Can we call this epic black metal? I think so, because of the use of keyboards to accentuate the musical passages that add an extra flavor to the tracks. An interesting point are the guitars here which play some fast lines but also some more rhythmic riffs like in 2:43 "Twaeduster Facht". Lovers of black metal here is a new demon to keep the blasphemy alive!!!!. Favorite tracks: "Manifest of the Phantoms Fasade", " Twaeduster Facht" and "Testify My Vanity". Contact: www.coldbloodindustries.com

 

SATANIC SLAUGHTER - THE EARLY DAYS: DAWN OF DARKNESS (Necropolis Recs, 2001):

Satanic Slaughter is the band that eventually gave birth to what now is called as Witchery. Sounding as a more primitive version of that band, Satanic Slaughter made its huge impact on the Swedish underground. The music is at the same time similar but rawer than Witchery´s, with those great guitar riffs that the band has and a lot of the elements of death/thrash/black metal that we are accustomed to hear on their CDs. There are 25 tracks here from different eras of Satancic Slaughter ´s career. I prefer the newer ones better because they sound much better and they have more mature ideas. As always Richard Corpse and Jensen shine with their guitars which are the fundamental ingredient here. It is a cool decision by Necropolis Records to rerelease thios recording that is a fundamental aprt of the history of swedish death/black metal. Favorite tracks: "Into the Catacombs", "Breath of the Serpent...." and "I´ll Await My Lord". Contact: www.necropolisrec.com

 

SEPTICEMIA - HOPELESS AGE (Independent, 2000):

Septicemia is a band that comes from Austria and they make an interesting blend of very technical black and death metal (also there are certain slow parts almost doom on "Hopeless Age"). I find since the beginning of "Enter Me" a band completely compenetrated in their riffs that are sometimes fast as hell and sometimes more mid paced adding a thrash flavor to the songs here (like some of the riffs that you can find in"Distress of the Night" for example). IT is interesting how this band changes rhythms very often within the same song, but that doesn´t mean that they play one riff two times and then they change it. No, they have a lot of ideas and they develope them into the tracks that we can listen here, that is they have a perfect connection among their ideas using a riff or drum pattern until they decide it has to be changed or transformed into another idea. The vocals here are guttural adding the perfect atmosphere to the tracks. I would like the band to mix the whole recording with a different drums sound that sometimes is a little bit opaque (I like the way the bass is mixed, you can listen it even in the fast parts). This is a good option for death metal fans looking for great ideas. Favorite tracks: "Hopeless Age", "Origin of this World" and "Possessed by Bloodlust" (killer opening riff). Contact: www.septicemia.start.at

 

SEYMINHOL - NORDIC TALES (Independent, 2001):

A classical guitar introduction opens this CD from this French band of heavy metal, before getting into a slow part with some melodies that lead into a heavier segment. The singer Kevin Kazek shows here that he is a really clean vocalist (with this I meen that he can do some intrincate vocals without distorting his vocal range....in fact one of the main elements of Seyminhol´s music are the vocal harmonies). He is in the vein of singers like Timo Kotipelto from Stratovarius but with a vocal range that relies heavily on the middle range instead of the higher pitches. This MCD has four tracks and the lyrics are about Nordic Culture, really epic. Talking about epic...the tracks here have a lot of qualities that make them sound really epic, like the guitars that play melodies and the rhythms that are thought to sound very omnipotent (I like that the guitars have a really raw sound not typical for the style). Favorite tracks: "Part 1: Immortal Lords" and "Part 3: Back of thunder". Contact: www.chez.com/seyminhol

 

SIGNS OF DARKNESS - BEYOND THE AUTUMN LEAVES (LSP Company, 2001):

Black metal with a female vocalist (Sarah) who makes a big contrast with male voices. The original thing about Sarah is that she sings different from most of the female singers out there. In fact, she uses a lot her middle range and does not use too much vibrato on his voice.The band has a killer drummer which allows thm to do the really fast parts without missing the tempo. It is good to see that Joris, the bassist and vocalist knows how to make hooks together with the guitars in order to create interesting parts along with his vocals. There are some parts of clean guitars with an omnipresent keyboard/piano that makes Signs of Darkness Music really melodic and obscure, yet heavy. The music has a lot of changes and that is good for my ears that find it more interesting (check the bass interlude at 2:41 of "Poet Winter" followed by a real melodic part, just to have a sample). Favorite tracks: "The last Shinning Moon...", "Poet Winter" and "Stars in the Nocturnal Sky,..". Contact: www.lsp-company.com

 

SILENCER - KOZMOS (NTT Records Group, 2000):