AESMA DAEVA - HERE LIES ONE WHOSE NAME WAS WRITTEN IN WATER (Roor of All Evil Recs., 2001)

Produced by Nick Copernicus

Tracks: 1- O death (Rock me Asleep), 2- Downvain, 3- Stay, 4- Disdain, 5- Introit, 6- when I have Fears that I may Cease to be, 7- Luceat Eis, 8- Introit II, 9- Communion, 10- Sanctus, 11- Darkness, 12*- Darkness (Stromkern)

Spectacular CD!! This one of the best CDs of the month. Combining dark metal with a lot of orchestration and keyboards and some electronic elements. Also there is the spectacular voice of Rebecca Cords making this CD an experience in beauty. There a re a lot of elements of classical music (that is not strange because guitarist Jon Prassas is classically trained) and the music is very heavy in some parts and very subtle in others. There is always a predominance here of vocal harmonies that make Aesma Daeva´s a trully original band. This CD was originally released by Ascension Recs. in germany and now is released in America by Root of All Evil. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

 

BRODEQUIN - FESTIVAL OF DEATH (Unmatched Brutality Recs., 2001)

Produced by Seven taran Sky

Brodequin´s music is hyper fast grind/death without subtle elements. Here are all the elements of the style and on certain tracks like "Judas Cradle" there are better riffs. One thing to remark: the drummer Chad Walls is very fast and very precise at the same time playing very tidy and clear blast beats as well as other rhythms. The vocals here are hiper guttural as grind demands. This CD is thirty minutes long and there are really good ideas like at 0:58 of "Trial by Ordeal" and Mike Bailey´s riffs which are original. Death/Grind like the one made by Brodequin rules!! Favorite tracks: "Judas Cradle", "Torches of Nero" and Flow of Maggots". Contact: www.unmatchedbrutality.com

This is a promo CD from Calibretto 13´s new album that will be out on March. The music here is pop with a lot of rhythms and enough hooks in their music to make a couple of hits on the radio or TV Stations. The thing here is that the melodies that this band makes within their songs can be easily sing along while you listen to the CD and that is important if you want to make a hit song!! They use a lot of clean guitars here and they have a good singer with certain punk influences. Some tracks have a certain rocking feeling too for example on "Why Can´pt I be on MTV?" and a sound that is reminiscent of eighties music. Favorite tracks: "I´ll Show The World", "Cruisin the Strip" and "Proposal". Contact: www.toothandnail.com

 

CHIKMOUNTAIN - PORN ON THE COB (Tachist Records, 2000)

Mastered by Paul Story and Derek Wille

Recorded in June-july 1999 and January 2000

Tracks: 1-Electric Toadjuice Experiment, 2- Where Am I, 3- the Room, 4- Chikmountain Speaks, 5- Turn Up The Music (The Air Conditioner´s Mocking Me), 6- Wronghole, 7- Revelation 101, 8- Drums, 9- Love Won´t Pay the Bills, 10- Use Once and Discard

This is totally insane and experimental music !! Yes, the music contained on this CD is for people looking for something new and original. Chikmountain is a band that has some features that I would like to mention: 1- A guitar that plays a heavy riff and in some parts is doubled by other guitar, sometimes repits an idea through the whole track, sometimes has more variation. There are some samplers and electronics effects that are fundamental to Chikmountain´s sound. There are some vocals thrown here and there but they are used like a sound effect to complete this complex and spontaneous music that Chikmountain makes. I think that most of people in magazines will have a hard time trying to label this band (specially the ones in metal that sometimes are quite close minded). If you want originality, don´t miss this recordingFavorite tracks: "The Room", "Turn Up The Music" and "Revelation 101". Contact: tachist@yahoo.com

 

CHRIS BURN/ JOHN BUTCHER / RHODRI DAVIES / JOHN EDWARDS - THE FIRST TWO GIGS (Emanem Disc, 2001)

Editing Mastering by Martin Davidson

Recorded at on May 25, 2000 and September 17, 2000

Design by Martin Davidson

Tracks: 1- Low Standard, 2- High Standard, 3- The Remove, 4- Scharlachglut, 5- Russelliana, 6- Souvenir De Docteur

Experimental music done with: piano and percussion, soprano and tenor saxophone, harp and double bass. And this guys know how to play in a really manic way their instruments. This are two gigs recoorded in May and September of 2000 in different environments. And here you can listen how eerie this music sounds....sometimes really coordinated, sometimes truly wild. And above all it is a music without a fixed structure and it is constantly evolving and developing into something completely different. The main thing here are Burn´s pianos and percussion that are all over the place and Butcher´s sax that appear in the more intense moments. Check it if you love experimentation. Favorite tracks: "Russelliana", "High Standard" and "the Remove". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

All Songs by Scott Stapp and Mark Tremonti

Better late than never. Here arrives to my hands Creed´s previous labum, yes, the one with their MTV promoted hit "With Arms Wide Open". Well, if you think that the band is only that song you are completely wrong. IN fact I think that "With arms..." is one of their less interesting tracks. Here you have a music that have some shades of Led Zeppelin in places, some grunge touches here and there, a lot of heavy sounding guitar and a really personal singer (Scott Stapp). Opening with "Are You ready?", another track that could have been a hit if it would have been correctly promoted. All the tracks here are powerful and they are composed to have hooks in their choruses. Don´t judge this band from their hit single...check the heavier tracks. Favorite tracks: "What If", "Wrong Way" and "Inside Us All". Contact: www.creednet.com

 

DARK RITUAL - PROMO (Independent, 2002)

Tracks: 1- Frayed, 2- Princess, 3- My Skin Unbroken, 4-Enhanced section

Well, this is the latest promotional CD by the band Dark Ritual. Comparing to their previous effort this one is a step forward in the correct direction. They have added a better sound to the instruments that now sound better and bigger (specially the guitars that sound much harder now ...they are a wall of sound). The music is heavy metal with thrash, progressive and death influences. Starting with "Frayed" a song with a crushing rhythm and an eerie melody done by the guitar (in some parts through a terrible flanger effect) and multiple changes that make this a really intereesting track. The vocals are stronger and have more variations on this release giving the tracks the strength that they are asking for. The second song is "Princess" slower in the beginning with interesting melodic guitar riffs and getting faster soon (again great guitar riffs and a really good bass player who is very original). This Promo CD contains three tracks plus a multimedia track containing pictures, videos, biography, lyrics, etc. Favorite tracks: The three. Contact: www.darkritual.com .

 

DARKFALL - FIREBREED (Independent, 2001)

Tracks: 1-Chapter of denial, 2- Kill the Need, 3- Firebreed, 4- Land of No Return

This is death/thrash at its best. All the killer sound and vocals of death metal are joined here by the riffs of thrash metal creating a modern band with a classic sound that helps to distinguish them from bands of the scene. Also to help the final result there is a keyboard that creates certain melodies and atmospheres which are very dark. The main element here are the guitars and their riffs (some of the riffs in "Chapter of Denial" reminded me of Anthrax´s State of Euphoria album), and also the melodies thata re played by the guitarists which are killer and have a great technique and control over their instruments. I liked a lot the combination of the guitars and keyboards and specially when they join the brutal vocalist creating great moods and passages. Favorite tracks: "Chapter of denial" and "Land of No Return".C ontact: www.8ung.at/darkfall

 

DARKMOON - .308 ANTICHRIST (Tribunal Records, 2001)

Produced by Darkmoon

Engineered by Bob Moore and Art Bordeaux

Design: DS Designs and Promotions ( DSPromos@austin.rr.com ). Art: Travis Smith ( seempieces@mindspring.com )

Extremely brutal and fast death metal with a very particular guitar sound. There is a lot of technique here and good guitar solos (with good note placement and fit perfectly with the songs). There are lot of breaks and changes within the same track and the rhythm variations are a lot too! The band is really well rehearsed and this is evident in how tight they souns in the most complicated parts. The four tracks here are extremely brutal and at the same time extremely clear. I would call this music progressive brutal death metal. There are excelent changes and excelent ideas flowing here. Favorite tracks: The four contained on this CD. Contact: www.darkmoonusa.com or www.ncmusic.com/tribunal

 

 

DARKNESS ETERNAL - SATANCHRIST (Dark Salvation Prods., 2001)

Produced by George Velaetis

Recorded and Engineered by Stew Kirkwood

Graphic Arts Crol Pylypow

Tracks: 1-Satanchrist, 2- Cursed To an Eternal Damnation, 3- Entering the World of the Dead, 4- Cross of Lies, 5- Descending Into Forever, 6- To Save the Lost, 7- Drowning In the Red Sea, 8- For All Eternity, 9- Dark Salvation

George Velaetis sent me some months ago his previous Darkness Eternal album, called "The Dawn of The Suffering"...and this "Satanchrist" is a big improvement, not only in sound but in the composition side too. That mix of death metal, black metal and doom with a lot of atmospheric parts is here too but much better. George is the man behind all this music and he is also performing all the instruments doing a really good job with all of them. The music here makes a big emphasis on atmosphere, melodies and the different moods that are creating (specially on the parts with a lot of clean guitars (that for my ear seem sometimes like keyboards...even if there is no use of keyboards on this CD) or where the guitar is doing really melodic lines). Completely recommended for death/black fans who want music with a lot of ideas. Favorite Tracks: "Entering the World of the Dead", "Descending Into Forever" and "For All Eternity".Contact: www.deternal.darkgod.net

 

DEEPRED - PROPHETIC LUSTER (Forensick Music, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Hi Speed Confussion, 2- Multiple Errors, 3- Dismissed From Life, 4- Luster, 5- In Cold Blood, 6- A Song For The Lovers, 7- A Relentless Path, 8- Homogeneous World, 9- All Will See rebirth

This guys have no mercy!!!!!! Their music is extremely brutal and they go at full speed most of the time!!! The recording has a great sound that makes the music more powerful and brutal. Deppred has a killer drummer who doesn´t miss a beat even in the fastest parts...he is like a hurricane delivering blast beats and hyper fast rhythms in all the tracks. The vocalist is really guttural in the vein of early Morbid Angel or something like Benediction. The guitarist is crushing with his fat sounding guitar with a lot of bottom end in the sound...he is like a bulldozer crushing everything that is in front of him with his six string attack. Lovers of extreme death metal will surely love this release. Favorite Tracks: "Multiple Errors", "In Cold Blood" and "Homogeneous World". Contact: www.forensickmusic.com

 

DESECRATION - PROMO "INHUMAN" (Copro Records, 2001)

Tracks: 1-  Turning Black, 2- Dig up, dig in, 3- Asphyxiate on Blood

This is a three track promotional CD of Desecration latest album called "Inhuman". If you love brutal death metal here is your stuff!! The music here is in the vein of those bands that are in the most extreme side of death metal, those with guttural vocals, a lot of speed and crushing guitar riffs. The music here is extremely brutal and is reminiscent of early Cannibal Corpse, except for the sound that is much better than on that band´s first recordings. There is a lot of speed here and certain riffs are really complex. Others are more rhythmic and have hooks like the one in "Asphyxiate in Blood". Favorite tracks: "Asphyxiate in Blood" and "Dig Up, dig in". Contact: olliedes@aol.com

 

DISASTROUS MURMUR - AND HUNGRY ARE THE LOST (Perverted Taste Recs., 2000)

Produced by Reinhard Trost

Recorded at TST Studios, Klagenfurt

Art by Manfred Perack and Alexander Lausseger

Tracks: 1- Necrotic Ulcerous Genoplast, 2- Are you dead, 3- Pigamism of Remains, 4- Ultimate Masturbation, 5- Land Shark, 6- Little Purple M...Penis, 7- Pedigree Insanity, 8-Headless Autophelatio, 9- the game we play, 10- Fleshmaster´s Birthday, 11- Fotus Controlled Dismemberment

This is good thrash-death metal as I have not listened in a long time. The most evident influence here is Pungent Stench nad there is some old Carcass here too. Primitive riffs played with a really raw sound and with certain classic metal influences and sound too. There are a lot of changes in some tracks going from rhythmic riffs like the one in 1:45 in "Necrotic Ulcerous Genoplast" to others that are much faster. There are a lot of tharash influences specially on some guitar riffs and the drums patterns which are not typically death blast beats. A good release from a musical style that deserves a good come back. Favorite tracks: "Are you dead?", "Land Shark" and "The Game we play". Contact: www.pervertedtaste.de

 

DRACO HYPNALIS - NOBLENESS OF THE STORM GATHERER (Independent, 2000)

Recorded and Mixed at Policna Studio

Produced by Draco Hypnalis

Layout by Cowley

Tracks: 1- My Shields is Black Feathered Circle, 2-Cycle of Being Absurdly reversed, 3- Of Doves, Falcons and Souldust, 4- Oracle of Inner - Bonded Blue Flame, 5- Torn Funeral Shroud of their shapes, 6- Portal for the Nocturnal Weavers of Unrest.

Can we say that this is black metal? Maybe because of the vocals. Is it death metal? Some riffs may sound like that and some vocals. Is it progressive metal? Yes, there are changes everywhere, great guitar melodies, amazingly technical guitar riffs. What I can say for sure is that it is metal music and very original with excellent musicians and a programmed drum machine. With great interaction between the guitar and the bass the tracks are really well developed and I think that Draco Hypnalis are looking for originality above all. The sound is good but I think that the guitars can be mixed louder to make the result more powerful. A great prelude from a great band !! Favorite tracks: " Cycle of Being Absurdly Reversed", " Oracle of Inner Bonded Blue Flame", " Portal for the Nocturnal Weavers of Unrest". Contact: dracohypnalis@seznam.cz

Are Draco Hypnalis the Dream Theater of black/death metal? I think that this comparison is not wrong because of the great technical skills that this guys have. Since I listened their music I become a big fan of this band. This guys are beyond styles, beyond metal, beyond death...they are composers, amazing musicans, full of ideas. The music in this promo is better than on their demo from 2000 and they have evolved a lot in just one year, making their music more porwerfulñ and diverse yet very complicated to play (that means that the skills of this guys are well above average). Here we have three new tracks with a better sound, specially on guitars and with more keyboards (I love the way the keyboards sound here), and there is also a bonus with some intermezzos that Draco Hypnalis uses in their live shows. An amazing album. Come on metal labels!! You have to offer a deal to this guys!!!!!. Favorite tracks: All the tape !! Contact: dracohypnalis@seznam.cz

 

DREAMING IN RED - SILENCE BEFORE... - DEMO 2001 (Independent, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Devotion, 2- I bid You Welcome, 3- Dalse, 4- Lunatic, 5- Ashes, 6- denied, 7- Braeheart, 8-Resist, 9- Lost Souls

The album opens with a clean guitar and a voice speaking before getting into the heavier side of Dreaming in Red. I like a lot one element and that is the combination of one guitar doing an extremely heavy rhythm combined with other guitar doing some sad melodies over it. And that is the thing that sets Dreaming in Red apart from the other bands...that combination of heaviness and bestiality with melody and subtle moments. There are a lot of passages where the instruments shine. Plus the vocals are real death in some parts and remind me of bands like Illdisposed. The drummer is killer with a lot of double bass drumming and a lot intersting patterns using the toms and the ride cymbal. Fans of bands extremely heavy but at the same time really melodic will have orgasms with this release. Favorite tracks: "I bid you welcome", "Ashes" and "Resist". Contact: www.dreaming-in-red.com

 

DUNCAN WILDER JOHNSON - DESTRUCT-A-THOR (Wonderdrug Recs., 2001)

Mastered by Ken Camaro

Edited and Produced by Tara de Marco and Duncan Wilder Johnson

Graphic Design by Duncan Wilder Johnson

Tracks: 1- God of Car Crashes, 2- Dictionary definition of the Word "Dude", 3- Heavy Metal Mountain Movie, 4- heavy metal Part 3: Ozzfest, 5- Tim Catz, 6- Dude, Fuckin´war, Man?, 7- On Fire, 8- Nipplekabob, 9- Heavy Metal part 5: Motorhead, 10- Screaming penis eats the Corpse, 11- Assholes Part 1: Electric Boogaloo, 12- Assholes Part 2: Chicago, Enhanced CD: Heavy metal part 4: Scissorfight

The music of Duncan Wilder Johnson has elements from metal, from straight rock´n´roll, from stoner rock and from hardcore too. The first name that comes to my mind is Henry Rollins but Duncan is heavier and has influences closer to the more extreme side of the specter. Even if there are certain rock elements here, they are played with a big fat guitar sound that makes the result heavier. Duncan has a great sense of humor as he shows in "Heavy Metal Part Part 3: Ozzfest" a spoken track where Duncan tells the audience about his experiences in the Ozzfest festival. I liked a lot this combination of extremely heavy and fast tracks with spoken tracks with great humour. This CD has twelve rocking tracks plus an enhanced part with a video for "Heavy Metal part 4: Scissorfight" live performance. Don´t miss this CD. Favorite tracks: "Heavy Metal Mountain Movie", "Dude, Fuckin´war, Man?" and "Screaming Penis Eats The Corpse". Contact: www.wonderdrugrecords.com

 

EDENBRIDGE - ARCANA (Nems Enterprises, 2002)

Produced by Lanvall

Recorded at House of Audio Studios by Lochen Weyer

Cover Art by Markus Mayer

Tracks: 1- Ascending, 2- Starlight Reverie, 3- the Palace, 4- A Moment of Time, 5- Fly on a Rainbow Dream, 6- Color My Sky, 7- Velvet Eyes of Dawn, 8- the Whisper of the Ages, 9- Into the Light, 10- Suspiria, 11- Winter Winds, 12- Arcadia

"Ascending" the orchestral introduction takes us to the world of Edenbridge. A world full of heavy metal melodies as you can listen in "Starlight Reverie" the first track. Compared to their previous album this one is a step forward, specially in certain arrangements between the guitars and the keyboards. Obviously, the main thing here are Sabine Edelsbacher vocals who is singing in her own way without trying to sound like a classical soprano (even if that is her vocal range) ansd without abusing the vibrato in her voice. Instrumentally speaking the music is completely dominated by Lanvall´s guitars and keyboards taht construct all the songs contained here. This edition comes with two bonus tracks: "Velvet Eyes of Dawn" and "The Whisper of the Ages". Really progressive heavy metal. Favorite tracks: "The Palace" (a lot of arrangements and orchestration here), "Fly on a Rainbow Dream" and "Velvet Eyes of Dawn". Contact: www.nems.com.ar

 

EMPEROR DEB - BLACK MOSES (Lunasound Recs., 2001)

Produced by Graeme Flynn and Jim Jones

Recorded at Emperor Deb, NY

Art by The Gasworks

Tracks: 1- Second Skin, 2- Slow Mama, 3- Yr Gonna Get it, 4- Blown Away, 5- Hot Grundies, 6- Wont let go, 7- Strange Life, 8- Cut it out, 9- 20/20, 10 Eye on You, 11- Yr Friend, 12- Under The River

This CD starts directly with a guitar playing riffs with fuzz distortion and wah wah making it sound like a mix of stoner rock and some seventies sounding rock and roll. Then it calms down and the vocals enter in the sort of hard rock style mixed with some grunge and modern rock. There are a lot of different moods going on in this CD...from direct rock to songs that are much subtler (using cleaner guitar) and rocking vocals. For rock´n´roll fans. Favorite tracks: "Hot Grundies", " Cut it Out" and "Eye on You". Contact: www.lunasoundrecording.com . In Argentina you can find it on: Orion Music Entertainment: Av. Gaona 1521. http://go.to/orionmusic

 

ESO-CHARIS - ESOCHARIS (Solid State Recs., 2001)

Produced by Bruce Fizhugh and Eso-charis

Recorded at Poynter´s Palace in little Rock, AR

Cover Photo by Bitter

Tracks: 1- Born With a Future, 2- Processed Bodies, 3- Once Upon a Fashionable, 4- The Narrowing List, 5- Spirit of Revival, 6- Dunamis, 7- Skimmers, 8- The Judas Swing

What we have here? Eso-charis is a band that in some places sounds like Nile, in some places like Soulfly, in some like a new metal band and all of this with a lot of breaks and changes within the same song structure. In fact I think that they have created with this album the Eso-charis sound that is an extremely heavy and modern sound (specially on guitars) with multiple technical changes that sets them apart from other bands of the style. It is really great to listen to the calm parts with clean guitars that are very weird using chords and open strings to create this passages that sound very twisted. The bass is distorted and that adds a lot of bottom end to Esocharis music. A really powerful album. Favorite tracks: "Born With a Future","The Narrowing List" and "Dunamis". Contact: www.solidstaterecords.com

 

EVAN PARKER - LINES BURNT IN LIGHT (Psi Records, 2001)

Recorded at 11 October 2001 by Martin Davidson

Cover Art by Roger Ackling

Tracks: 1- Line Im 2- Line 2, 3- Line 3

This is a killer experimental album of solo pieces by soprano saxophone master Evan Parker. There are three pieces here "Line 1", "Line 2 and "Line 3". The first one was played improvising before the audience arrived and the other two were played in front of the audience. Parker plays phrases using a lot of notes on each making the audience gasp because of the technicality that this phrases demand. The notes played are not performed within some scale or some commonly known structure. Instead of that the music here is coming directly from Parker´s brain to his fingers, lungs and mouth making this a masterpiece in spontaneous music. This CD is released on Psi Recs. a division of Emanme Disc, the reknown jazz/experimental music label, Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

A full strength beginning on this CD with "Burn me to the ground" . this is the new Few Left Standing CD that will be released on February by the extreme and modern label Solidstate Recs.. Few Left Standing is a modern death metal band with guitar riffs that are not typical of the style ...in fact they are more dissonant (as an example check the opening of "The latest fad"). There are also some melodic lines done by the bass guitar that make the tracks more interesting and diverse. But the fundamental thing here are the crushing guitars with their dissonance and the rotten and powerful vocals in the vein of Death. The CD is 50 minutes long and there are 13 brutal tracks with no mercy for the listener. Favorite tracks: What´s th use", " The pursuit of happiness" and "10000 angry hardcore kids". Contact: www.solidstaterecords.com

 

FLOODLAND - OCEAN OF THE LOST (Wait and Bleed, 2001)

Produced by Milos Dolezal

Recorded at Hacienda Studios, Zirovnice

Cover Art: David Maninger

Tracks: 1- White Skin, Black Soul, 2- Ocean of the Lost, 3- Crepusculum, 4- Never, 5- I standing Fall, 6- Always on the Wrong Side, 7- The Dawn (version), 8- remembering Tomorrow, 9- Coming Home Tonight, 10- Mist of Time, 11- Sea of Light, 12- Prague, 13- 1648, 14- The Camp, 15- Coming Home Tonight (reprise)

This is a release with a really good mix and sound! The band Floodland goes along the style that I call gothic metal, that is a style heavier than gothic rock but retainingv the climatic elements of that style along with some of the arrangements. And this is one of the fundamental things in Floodland´s music: the arrangements...they have plenty of them here, from certain guitar arpeggios along with keyboards that enhance the music to certain vocal passages that make the music really climatic or the female / male vocals duets that are used in songs like "Never". This CD has fifteen tracks in this vein and it is interesting to see how well developed the songs are, being exactly that: SONGS. The main influences thta I can listen here are: Moonspell, Sisters of Mercy, some Paradise Lost ("One Second" era), that is very dark music but constructing songs that have a lot of hooks on them. Favorite tracks: "Crepusculum", " Remembering Tomorrow" and "Always on the wrong side". Contact: www.floodland.org

 

FLOODLAND - THE NOW AND HERE IS NEVER (Serpent Qui Danse, 1998)

Produced by michael Strasser and Axel Rob

Recorded at Future Sound Studios, Vienna

Photos by Gerald Zugmann

Tracks: 1- The Now and Here is never, 2- War In My Head, 3- Digital Heaven, 4- Sister of Mercy, 5- Talking To My Radio, 6- Trust, believe and Die, 7-Shepherd Death, 8- marionette, 9- The Plague, 10- Black Rain, 11- Neon Dreams, 12- Too Late, 13- Behind the Unicorn

This is the prelude of what Floodland was going to achieve in their new release, "Ocean of the Lost". There are three years between that album and this one and the band got better in that time sounding tighter and doing more intrincate arrangements. The music here is again very dark with an emphasis on vocal arrangements, guitar melodies and keyboards that help the music to be as climatic as the band wants. It is interesting the way in which the vocals are harmonized in some tracks like "Shepherd Death" where you can listen to a deeper vocal in the background while the main vocal is completely in the middle range. The palms here go to the guitarist, Burnhard Wieser, who is the risponsible of many of the moods contained in this recording through his constant change between clean and distorted guitar. A classic. Favorite tracks: "Trust, Believe and Die", "The Plague" and "Neon Dreams". Contact: www.floodland.org

 

FRODE GJERSTAD / JOHN STEVENS / DEREK BAILEY - HELLO GOODBYE (Emanem Disc, 2001)

Editing and Mastering by Frode Gjerstad

Recorded at Stavanger (Folken) - October 1992

Drawing: Camilla Sørvik

Tracks: 1- Hello, 2- Three Two Three Two One, 3- Three by three, 4- Two three Two Three, 5- Penultimatum, 6- Goodbye

This is the result of a concert done in October 1992 by this spontaneous music masters relying in some jazz structures while breaking its boundaries. I had the opportunity to review a lot of albums where Derek Bailey participated and he is always a surprise, making his guitar talk, scream and sing depending on the mood of the song. The structure of the tracks here is clearly improvisational and you can listen almost 25 minutes of improvisations on "Three by three" geting surprised on each new part that this trio developes. John Stevens is killer on the percussion and Frode Gjerstad with his alto saxophone is the alma mater of this recording playing skillful runs while Bailey plays some chords and sustaining a note while the guitar does some weird sounds. A must for improvisation fans. Favorite tracks: Three Two Three Two One", "Two three Two Three" and "Goodbye". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

 

GRABNEBEL FÜRSTEN - VON SCHEMEN UND TRUGBILDERS (Ketzer Distro, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Von Schemen und Trugbildern , 2- Was Bleibt, 3- Sturmpropheten, 4- Sehnsucht, 5- Sakralästhetik, 6- An Den Kalten Ufern, 7- Leben Mit Der Angst, 8- Fluchtgeburt, 9- Schwäne

A really good death/black metal band. The first thing that struck me was the really good mix that this release has (specially on the guitars) despite being a trully underground band...it seems that they have worked very hard on this. Another thing that I liked is that they have a lot of emphasis on melodies and moods, creating them with the guitars and the keyboards. Also they have a very technical drummer that knows how to accentuate certain phrases much better than most of the drummers out there. And he also knows how to do blast beats when he wants to. There are a lot of types of vocals: a more growling one, a screaming one and a spoken / singing one. I would like to listen more music from this band that really surprised me. Favorite tracks: " Was Bleibt", "Sturmpropheten" and "Leben Mit Der Angst". Contact: www.welcome.to/ketzer

 

GREEN CARNATION - LIGHT OF DAY, DAY OF DARKNESS (The End Recs., 2002)

Produced by Endre Kirkesola

Recorded and Engineered at Dub Studios

Cover Arts by Niklas Sundin

Tracks: 1- Light of day, day of darkness

As the booklet says here, this is Tchort´s music legacy. For those who don´t know Tchort, he is the man behind Blood Red Throne and he has played in bands like Emperor and Satyricon to mention just a few. Green Carnation is his project (that takes the name of the band he had before) where we can see a deeper side of his musical personality, more complex, more flowing. There is only one track here and is more than 60 minutes long, full of changes, different parts, rhythms, melodies, riffs, sound experimentation, heaviness, subtle parts etc, etc. Tchort is a source of musical resources of all type here, showing all he knows in compositional matter in all its magnitude. And he shows a lot of diversity too. This is one of the CDs of the month. Contgatc: www.theendrecords.com

 

GRIND MINDED - YOUR SUFFERING WILL BE LEGENDARY (Filthy Records, 2001)

Produced by Hilan Ciric and Grind Minded

Recorded at the Sing Sing Studios

Artwork by KG designs

Tracks: 1- Tomorrows Ashes, 2- Hatecore, 3- Six Feet Under, 4- World Domination, 5- Goddestructeve, 6- Inconsummatus

This is a one intro- five song CD from this death band with an extremely fat sound with an emphasis in the bottom end riffs done by the guitars and bass. The CD opens with a sort of tribal intro before getting into the first burst of powerful death!!!! What amazes most here is the sound that is really fat with a lot of bottom end...I think that the guys have tuned their guitars really low. And the band has hooks in their rhythms....just check the first track called "Hatecore" where the vocals go along with the guitar to create this deadly music. There are some blast beats like in the beginning of "Six Feet Under" which is a more death grind track (but the drummer prefers other rhythms instead of the faster ones. The overall sound here is good...I would have mixed the drums a little bit louder and I really liked the combination between the guitars and the bass that make the sound here really crushing. Favorite tracks: "World Domination" and "Hatecore". Contact: www.filthyrecords.xs3.com

 

HEARSE - HEARSE (Independent, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Torch, 2- Well of Youth, 3-Raptured in Twilight

This is a band from Sweden that features ex Arch Enemy vocalist Johan and they make something that I would called heavy death metal, because the vocals are clearly deathly and the guitars and melodies have the essence of heavy metal on them (there are also some galloping riffs too!!). Hearse has a killer guitarist risponsible of many of the melodies contained here and he is the center of the band creating the song structures with his riffs and then letting certain melodies flow while Johan screams at the top of his lungs.There are great ideas here and I would like some label to contact this guys to give them the production that they deserve. Favorite tracks: "Torch", "Well of Youth". Contact: hearse@polisen.nu

Hellfucked is a german band from what i can deduce from the dialogues that are between their songs on this CD. Thir music is a black/thrash metal band. What do I mean? Their music has a ll the carachteristics of black metal with the rotten vocals, the fast and furious riffs, the thundering blast beat drums, but they also have guitar riffs that sound definitely like an eighties thrash metal band with those drums patterns and those guitar riffs with a lot of space and a raw sound. This type of riffs combined with blast beats in some places and screaming vocals gives the identity of Hellfucked. Favorite tracks: "Strychnin", "Bitchkill" and "Death-throat of Satan". Contact: http://www.welcome.to/ketzer

 

ILLEGAL OPERATION - DIGITAL HERO (Tribal Productions, 2001)

Produced by Tribal produsctions

Recorded at Private Home Studios, january-march 2001

Artwork: Valeriu Dudau

Tracks: 1- Trails To Nowhere, 2- Antourage, 3- Digital hero, 4- Unfair, 5- When All The Children, 6- Digital hero - remix. 7- Encounters, 8- Unexpected Error, 9- Life as Lie, 10- C.P.U. the Hero, 11- Mystical, 12- Welcome, 13- Under the Underground, 14- Again and Again

This band is amazingly diverse in what. There are two words to describe their music: originality and diversity. In fact all the songs here are completely different one from the other. At the same time Illegal operation´s music is really heavy and powerful...sometimes it has an industrial touch, sometimes they use electronics, sometimes they sound closer to Fear Factory. Then a slapping bass enters and changes completely the mood. The interesting thing here also is that there are multiple changes within the same track and this guys are not afraid of experimenting with their music. There is a lot of diversity too in the vocals...they go from death like to some really melodic voice, to an industrially processed vocal. All in one CD !! Favorite track: "Digital Hero", "Encounters", " Welcome". Contact: www.tribal-productions.com

Produced by Ragne Wahlqvist and Isengard

This band plays power metal...and not a very original one. This band has all the elements that a band like Stratovarius or Hammerfall could have and not much more. They have the high pitched vocals, the thundering drums and the galloping guitars and the classical solos. I think this band should set tyhemselves apart from the whole heavy/power metal scene that is in complete decadence by adding some new elements to their music. This is a good effort with good sound but they need to be more original. Favorite tracks: "The Winds of War", "Shadows of Light" and "Eye of the Storm". Contact: http://i.am/isengard You can find this in Argentina on Orion Music Entertainment - Av. Gaona 1521. http://go.to/orionmusic

 

JOHN LITTLE BAROI AND PIERRE VERVLOESEM - ZALA ZALA (Carbon 7 Recs., 2001)

Produced by Pierre Vervloesem

Mixed and Engineered by Pierre Vervloesem

Graphic Arts by Els Van Hemelryck

Tracks: 1- Teer Nai Tore, 2- Tor Hashite, 3- Kai Gelo, 4- Pothiker Vhari Bozha, 5- Talee Talee, 6- Tor Kotha, 7- Zala Zala, 8- Prethibee Prethibee, 9- Aei Kotha

Some charming acoustic guitar arpeggios open this beautiful CD. This is what I consider a complete masterpiece. I liked a lot the influence of eastern sounding music on this recording. It makes really interesting and snakecharming the music here (in fact here the listener is the snake, Baroi and Vervloesem are the snakecharmers). There are a lot of interesting guitar sounds made by Vervloesem who has a lot of knowledge on note placement and how to make each sound really beautiful. The main thing here are the melodies and the vocals that fit the music perfectly. Favorite tracks; "Tor Hashite", "Talee Talee" and "Aei Kotha". Contact; www.carbon7.com

 

KATALEPSY - PROMO TAPE (Independent, 2000)

 

Tracks: 1- Statement of Shit, 2- Larvae, 3- Reallity, 4- Morticia´s Frumpt / Bad Dreams (Impetigo), 5- Regurgitate the Dead (Embrionic Death), 6- Turn Face (Brutal Truth), 7- Sensless Strip (Agathocles), 8- Splattered Cadaver (Repulsion), Spiralin Alcoholic Demise (Drogheda)

This is a promo from this grinding band from Bolivia !! yes !! here in Sudamerica there is a great underground scene that maybe some day will develope into a great extreme music invasion!!! This band ´s music is brutal grind death with short tracks and a really rotten sound in their guitars and guttural vocals. The sound here is not very good and I think this band deserves to record in a better place so tey guitars will shine and the drums which are hyper fast with a lot of double bass will be listened in all its magnitude. There are some covers from bands like Impetigo, Brutal Truth, Repulsion, etc. really well done transmitting the brutality of the original versions. Favorite tracks: "Larvae", "Reality" and "Splattered Cadaver". Contact: bloodshed@eudoramail.com

 

KEVIN MULLIGAN - INTERNATIONAL (Carbon 7 Recs., 2001)

Mixed by Kevin Mulligan at High Plains Studios

Recorded live at Au Petit Coq, Brussels

Layout: Gunther Fobe

Tracks: 1- Roll Away, 2- To love Somebody, 3- Rivertown, 4- KN3, 5- Havana, 6- King Court, 7- Memphis, 8- Soft and Slow, 9- Home in that Rock, 10- Sixteen Tons, 11- Great North Plains

What a deep voice has Kevin Mulligan!! He has a really subtle way of singing and he is really expressive. Also Kevin is a great songwriter and he creates songs where he can be accompanied by his band or where he can sing along his guitar. The songs are really acoustic here going from really folk like music, to blues (on "Rivertown"), to rock´n´roll (on "To Love Somebody"). The main feature here is that he makes great songs, and that he sings them in a great way. This is a CD to play loud to listen his slithering guitar arpeggios and his voice going everywhere and letting him charm your ears. Most of the tracks here are played live and you can listen Mulligan´s interaction with the audience. He has great musicians in his band like Barry McNeese on fretless bass or Steve Willaert on piano and keyboards. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.carbon7.com

 

KILLER KHAN - ROCK´N´ROLL FOREVER (Independent, 2001)

Produced by Richard Downs

Recorded at DBS Studios, Nashville

Artwork by Charlie Mabe

Tracks: 1-Kamikaze, 2- British barbie, 3- Neither King nor Kaiser, 4- Leather and Lace, 5- The Hated and the Damned, 6- Vanishing Point, 7- Dark Shadows, 8- Hammer of the Gods, 9- Sanctuary, 10- Rock´N´Roll Forever

It´s been a lot since I listened heavy metal like this one. It is really classic metal in the vein of Ozzy Osbourne with some slow touches in the vein of Black Sabbath (in fact is closer to a band like Trouble). The guitars have a really good sound....really fat and enhance the songs playing interesting riffs that change after some repetitions generating a good song structure. And that is what Killian Khan, the singer and main man here is looking for: great heavy metal songs. Richard Downs the lead guitarist is a really good one and I think that we will hear a lot from him in the future. It is good to see that this style of music is far from dead and there are good bands like Killer Khan defending what they like doing and creating a lot of hard music. Favorite tracks: "Neither King Nor Kaiser", "Vanishing Point" and "Hammer of the Gods" (in the vein of Ozzy´s "Perry Mason"). Contact: www.killerkhan.com

 

KOMA - MOLESTANDO A LOS VECINOS (Locomotive Music, 2001)

Produced by Miguel Aizpún

Recorded live at Kafe Antzokia, Bilbao 5^th july, 2001

Tracks: 1- Mi Jefe, 2- K}Jack Queen Jack, 3- Marea Gora, 4- Aqui Huele como que han fumao, 5- Bienvenidos a degüelto (there are 18 songs in the full CD)

A really energetic live recording from this spanish band. After their previous album called "Criminal", this time the band delivers a live gig recorded on July 5^th, 2001. As most of you may know Koma is a band of aggressive metal in the vein of bands like Sepultura, Machine Head or Pantera, using the crushing rhythms that are signature of those bands and singing in Spanish. This recording has a great sound and production and that allows us to feel the energy that this guys transmit in their live shows. This promo contains five tracks but the edition is of eighteen tracks in a double CD. Recommended to lovers of modern metal. Favorite tracks: "Mi Jefe" and "Marea Gora". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com

 

KRONOS - TITAN´S AWAKENING (Warpath Recs, 2001)

Produced by Kronos and Jean Lou

Recorded at Second Side Studios

Front Cover by Deather ( indeedhell@ceznam.cz )

One of the most brutal releases of 2001 comes from this growing label called Warpath Records The main feature of Warpath´s bands (and obviously of Kronos) is their good sound and good mix in their releases. Kronos is no exception and they make an extremely brutal kind of death emtal where my favorite element is listening the drums (cristal clear double bass, hihat and cymbals). There are two type of vocals: one is a screaming one and the other one is more guttural. Another thing to point out are some riffs with pinch harmonics that the guitarists do in tracks like "Enslaved By the Madness". Is great to listen brutality so clearly like on this release. Favorite tracks: "Eternal Mindtrap", "Dismember" and "Outrance". Contact: warpath@wanadoo.fr

 

LATE ARRIVAL - KICK THINGS OVER (Dunham Recs. 1997)

Produced by Jeff and Tom Dunham and Mark Nalore

Recorded at Front Page Studios

Graphic Design by Marc Don Vito

Tracks: 1- Kick Things Over, 2- Safe Passage, 3- Torments, 4- Long Run, 5-Sunny Day, 6- Monkey See, 7- Waiting, 8- On the Highway, 9- Santa Fe, 10- Sticky, 11- Rolling Stone, 12- You are Sorry

This is pure rock´n ´roll in its purest form. Full of hooks in the vein of maybe AC/DC (in fact the second track called "Safe Passage" can bring to your mind pieces of "For those About To rock (We Salute You))". But for me there is one problem...this guys need more strength in their sound. And that is fundamental. If they mix the guitars louder maybe they can achieve that. This kind of music is meant to be played louder. Maybe an example of this would be the song "Long Run" that is one of the more powerful of the CD but can be enhanced a lot. I would like to listen something new from this guys to see how they have evolved. Favorite tracks: "Torments", "Monkey See" and "On the Highway".

 

MACBETH - VANITAS (Scarecrow Recs, 2001)

Recorded at Bips Studios, Milano

Cover Artwork by Fabrizio

Tracks: 1-13 November, 2- Crepuscularia (Agony in Red Minor), 3- Lady Lily White, 4- Fables, 5- Moisa, 6- El Diablo y la Luna, 7- Pure treasure, 8- Green Orchestra (Sonata for leaves and trees), 9- Romanzo nero, 10- Haeresis Dea, 11- Hall of the Scarlets

A superb album!! With music that is a combination of the best things of gothic, of heavy metal, of power metal. A perfect CD with all excellent tracks. The combination of keyboards/piano with extremely heavy guitars reachs perfection on this CD. The perfect combination of melodies with heavy as hell riffs. Melancholy, sadness, majesty...everyone of this feelings can be felt here. And Macbeth has the angelical voice of Morena who is one of the main ingredients here and contrasts with the male ones that can be very deep or screaming. If you like heaviness and more subtle feelings then you will definetly love this CD. Check the guitars solos...there is really good note placement...this guys know exactly what they are playing. An excellent album. Favorite tracks: The whole CD. Contact: crepuscularia@yahoo.it . In Argentina you can find it on this record shop: Orion Music Entertainment. Av. Gaona 1521. http://go.to/orionmusic

 

MAJESTY - DOOMSDAY MACHINE (Actcom Recs., 2001)

Produced by Gravehill

Recorded at Pop-Artikkeli Studio

Art by Timo Väänänen

Tracks: 1- Embraced by Dawn, 2- Reptilian Temptation, 3- Realm of Confusion, 4- Deadwood, 5- I walk without a sound, 6- Doomsday Machine

A beautiful keyboards introduction opens this powerful gothic/doom metal album. Marko Hautamäki is the composer and author of all the music and lyrics. And he also plays all the instruments. There are many good ideas in all the songs. Spectacular in the case "Embraced by Dawn". Marko uses heavy guitars all over the place and that gives and extra push and power to all the tracks contained on this dark album also there are good orchestrations through all the tracks. There are good vocals here which are sometimes more guttural and sometimes melodic using middle and low range. There is a certain feeling like it had the first Godsend album...and I relly like that ! Favorite tracks: "Embraced by Dawn", "Deadwood" and "Doomsday Machine". Contact: www.actcom.fi

 

 

MARTYRIUM - IDEOLOGY OF DEATH (Independent, 2001)

Recorded and Mixed by Erwin Hermsen

Recorded at Walhalla´s Basement on three days of May 2001

Tracks: 1- Failure Existence, 2- Enter Imaginations, 3- Stratus, 4- Abysmal, 5- Ave Solitude, 6- Mystical Journeys, 7- Ominous, 8- Eternalize Death, 9- Anguish and Despond, 10- Unleash War

This is death metal with a really mechanical sound!!! That is the first impression that you have while listening to the music on this CD. And a lot of this carachteristical sound and brutality is due to the particular sound that the drums have with an open hihat and a heavy use of cymbals. This is extremely fast and brutal death with screaming vocals and powerful guitars that play the riffs at maximum speeds without missing a beat. Some parts reminded me of Kreator (Endless Pain and Pleasure To Kill era). The sound is really good because you can listen clearly the riffs and changes and breaks despite of the speed at which this guys play their tracks. The ten tracks of this CD span the bands career from 1997 to 2001. A must for death freaks. Favorite tracks: "Enter Imaginations", "We Solitude" /this has to be their first single!!!) and "Unleash War". Contact: www.martyrium.cjb.net

 

MEGADETH - THE WORLD NEEDS A HERO (Metal-Is Recs, 2001)

Produced by Dave Mustaine

Recorded and Mixed by Bill Kennedy

Front Cover Photograph by Dave Cronin

Tracks: 1- Disconnect, 2- The World Needs a Hero, 3- Moto Psycho, 4- 1000 Times Goodbye, 5- Burning Bridges, 6- Promises, 7- Recipe for Hate...warhorse, 8- Losing My Senses, 9- Dread and The Fugitivr Mind, 10- Silent Scorn, 11- Return To Hangar, 12- When

Megadeth´s latest album is a step in the correct direction, that is that of albums like "Countdown to Extinction", "Rust In Peace" or "Youthanasia". That is departing from the structures used in albums like "Cryptic Writings" and "Risk". Why? Well, this sound much better...there are more guitars, more solos and the songs don´t have a structure so commonly used in metal (I think this was the problem in "Cryptic..." and "Risk"...it was simple music written by a complicated and technical band that could do more than that). New guitarist Al Pitrelli is really good in his job doing good solos in songs like "Return to Hangar" or "Disconnect". Even the first single "Moto Psycho" is closer to "Angry Again" than to "Almost Honest". I hope they continue like this and I would love to listen in the future extremely technical and heavy tracks like the ones in the classic "Rust in Peace", but with the more modern sound that Dave Mustaine and co. Are using in their new albums. Favorite tracks: "Disconnect", "Return To Hangar" and "Recipe for hate...Warhorse". Contact: www.megadeth.com

 

MIGUEL SANCHEZ - THALISMA (Carbon 7 Records, 2001)

Produced by Guy Segers and Alan Ward

Recorded at Studio Bonzai and Studio De Studio

Layout by Els Van Hemelryck

Tracks: 1- Esperanza, 2- Contigo Soñar, 3- Mi Rollo, 4- Lere, 5- Fuente de Colores, 6- Punta Paloma, 7- jam De Studio, 8- Siete Cuatro, 9- this, 10- the Heritage (Buleria)

A beautiful release. Miguel Sanchez, "el Canijo" has the gift of knowing how to mix perfectly flamenco, jazz and even some new age music. And that is perfectly demonstrated on this release where he makes a great combination of his influences. There are also some eastern sounding melodies (this feeling is enhanced because of the use of exotic instruments in this context). I like the way Sanchez plays his guitar letting it breath with arpéggios and making some interesting melodies. Also there is a great work on vocals that are closer to flamenco than to the other styles mentioned above. There are plenty of phrases done by the instruments here doing some scales (a lot of phrygian modes and harmonic minor sounds). Also there are a lot of guest musicians who help to make this album a great one. Favorite Tracks: "Fuente de Colores", "Punta Paloma" and "Siete Cuatro". Contact: www.carbon7.com

 

MIND ECLIPSE - IN THE LIGHT OF ECLIPSE COMING (Independent, 2000)

Produced by Mind Eclipse

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- live in Sodom, 3- Too Dead TO live, 4- Mind Eclipse, 5- For those who born under the chaos devise, 6- Of queen that enthroned in haunted citadel of Syberia, 7- the incarnation of my sorrow, 8- Immortal images and voices of satan´s sorrow, 9- Farewell, 10- Outro, 11- Promo 2001: We Are Not Messiahs

Really raw black metal with some strange sounds!! The album opens with a keyboard intro before getting into full speed and deadly black metal. The guitars are really raw and play one note melodies in their hyper speed riffs. The band has a trollish vocalist in the vein of some norwegian bands. There are also some riffs that are more rhythmic and add variation to the CD like the ones in "Too Dead To Live"The problem here is the sound...this guys deserve a much better sound, specially on the guitars and drums (the guitars are difficult to hear in some part). I hope that with more money or some deal with a label they get the sound they deserve. The track from Promo 2001 shows a great improvement for this band. Favorite tracks: "Too Dead To Live", "The Incarnation of My Sorrow" and "Farewell". Contact: www.mindeclipse.ca or http://mindeclipse.musica.mustdie.ru

 

Must Missa is a really raw band who plays sort of death/black metal style with an incredibly saturated guitar. Riffs full of speed and hate in all the songs here. The vocals are somewhat spexial being not the trollish or screaming vocal that we are accustomed to listen to in black metal bands...instead they are more screaming in places and somewhat lower pitched in other parts. The drums are really thin sounding and they should mix a little bit different the hihat and cymbals to make their sound not opaque the guitars and vocals. A really raw release!!!! Favorite tracks: "Varjuta", "Karda Mu Palet" and "Mööda Tumedaid Radu". Contact: http://www.welcome.to/ketzer

ultra fast and raw black metal. Even if Necroplasma is a band from Sweden, the music here is pure black metal in the Norwegian way. One thing that surprised me here is that the bass is clearly mixed...you can hear it in the fastest parts without having to listen very carefully and in some of the tracks it plays some interesting arrangements while still following the guitars. Bands like Mayhem or Dark Throne or even old Bathory came into my mind while listening to this recording....The vocals in this recording are in the vein of the darkest bands in the black metal scene. This CD includes a cover of Venom´s classic "Witching Hour" in a really good version. Favorite tracks: "Black Funeral Horns" and "In Bitterness and Depression" and "Witching Hour". Contact: http://www.welcome.to/ketzer

 

OBLITERATE - THE FEELINGS (Erebos Productions, 2000)

Produced by P.Kusy and V.Bujnak and Obliterate

Recorded at Esprt Studio, April 1999

Cover by Ladislav Jusko, Obliterate

Tracks: 1-Abnormal indolence, 2- Life´s Attitude, 3- naive Mind, 4- Longing To Die, 5- Indian Holocaust, 6- Waiting for Nothing, 7- World of Unlimited Facilities, 8- Boundless Violence, 9 - Let´s Stop Violence, 10- The Anger, 11- Inane

Brutal death metal from Slovakia! The music here can be classified like that but the band has some hardcore edge and some modern metal influences in the way they make their riffs (not hyper fast...they are really elaborated riffs). Plus they have a killer drummer behind giving their music a good kick forward! The lyrics are very interesting covering different social topics like violence, racial problems, etc. The vocals are guttural but all the lyrics can be understand perfectly and the vocalist uses his voice along some riffs to make some rhythms more interesting and adding power to the part where he is singing, not merely shouting. The overall sound is good, I would have mixed a little bit louder the guitars but this is a great release for fans of brutality. Favorite tracks: "Life´s Attitude", "Indian Holocaust" and "Boundless Violence". Contact: www.erebosproductions.com

 

ON THORNS I LAY - FUTURE NARCOTIC (Holy Records, 2001)

Produced by On Thorns I Lay

Recorded at Magic Sound Studios - Bucharest

Artwork by Spiros Antoniou (Set)

Tracks: 1- Infinity, 2- Future Narcotic, 3- The Threat of Seduction, 4- Feed her Lust, 5- Love can be a wave, 6- Ethereal Blue, 7- Heaven´s Passager, 8- Desire, 9- Back to that Enigma, 10- the K Song

One of the best bands that I have listened from Greece. This band has evolved and changed a lot since their latest album. This time their music is more ethereal, more melodic and has a lot of orchestrations. Don´t worry they are still heavy, they have not become a techno band. In fact they have added a gothic flavor to their music and a lot of keyboards. Also the vocals by Claudia J that contrasts with Stefanos ones are depressive and melancholic...but the band also uses some interesting choruses that complement their music perfectly. A really good CD. Favorite tracks: Future narcotic", "Feed her Lust" and "Back To that Enigma". Contact: holyrecords@wanadoo.fr

 

OPAQUE - RESOLVE (Root of All Evil, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Caged, 2- Level, 3- Cut Throat, 4- Crossing, 5- Stripped of My Guilt, 6- Surface Pain, 7- Awaken, 8- Delt Fraud, 9- Stolen, 10-Strain, 11- Transformation

This album starts powerfully with "Caged" a great deth core piece. And this is the style that Opaque plays with influences of death metal, hardcore and modern metal. The fundamental thing here are the ultra crushing riffs. The vocals are powerful in the vein of bands like Pro-Pain or Crowbar. The choruses are screaming ones. There is a really good drummer here and a lot of hardcore influences and of modern metal bands like Machine Head. There are some industrial riffs in "Cut throat" and the guitars have a strong sound here. I would define Opaque´s music as a powerful and loud experienceMy favorite tracks: "Crossing", "Surface Pain" and " Delt Fraud". Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

 

PAPA ROACH - INFEST (Dream Works, 2000)

Produced by Jay Baumgardner

Recorded at NRG Recording Services

Artwork by P.R.Brown

Tracks: 1- Infest, 2- Last Resort, 3- Broken Home, 4- Dead Cell, 5-Bnetween Angels and Insects, 6- Legacy, 7- Revenge, 8- Snakes, 9- Never Enough, 10- Binge, 11- Thrown Away

Everybody must have listened some Papa Roach track because of the heavy rotation that the radios and TV have been giving to some of their tracks. Well, for those who don´t know the band, Papa Roach is a band that can be classified as a new metal band (in a completely different sense than a band like Korn). This band has two charachteristics: 1- Heavy guitars and very rhythmic riffs, 2- A singer that goes from melodic style singing to hip hop within the same song structure. All the tracks are quite similar but the ones that were chosen as singles like "Last Resort" or "Between Angels and Insects" have more memorable choruses that makes them instant hits for the radios. One thing that I have to remark here is the great sound that this recording has...this was produced by Jay Baumgardner who is risponsible for the band´s sound. Fvaorite tracks: "Thrown Away", Revenge" and "Between angels and Insects". Contact: www.paparoach.com

 

PIRLY ZURSTRASSEN AND JEAN PIERRE CATOUL - SEPTIMANA (Carbon 7 Recs., 2001)

Recorded by Philippe Ledent

Recorded at Talkie O Studio

Art by Michel Woodbury

Tracks: 1- Dies Jovis, 2- Dies Veneris, 3- Dies Saturnis, 4- Dies Solis, 5- Dies Luna, 6- Dies Martis, 7- Dies Mercuri, 8- Siamoise, 9- La Troisieme Porte, 10- Crocus, 11- Jaune, 12- Vert-tige, 13- Rouge, 14- Coquelicot, 15- Pour Wend La Viim

Amazing duets between Zurstrassen on piano and Catoul on violin. This two great musicians are making great melodies through all the recording using their good taste in every note they play. Zurstrassen combines really good his chord progressions and arpegios basements with melodies that embellish all the tracks. As an example you can check "Dies Saturnis". Catoul plays melodic lines and melancolic phrases with his violins over this progressions that are the skeleton of the songs here. So, if Zurstrassen chords and arpeggios are the skeleton, then Catoul´s violin is the flesh of this musical compositions. A really beautiful album. Favorite tracks: "La Troisieme Port", "Vert-tige", and "Dies Martis". Contact: www.carbon7.com

 

PRESENT - HIGH INFIDELITY (Carbon 7 Recs., 2001)

Produced by Guy Segers and Alan Ward for Carbon 7

Recorded at Noise Studio, tel Aviv

Art by Uri Dushy

Track: 1- Souls for Sale, 2- Strychnine for Christmas, 3- Reve De Fer

Highly Experimental music, disonant, with a really amazing work done by the winds section. But, above all, here we have excelent compositions. It is really interesting to see how this songs have a structure but at the same time leave enough room for great improvisations and experimentations. Spectacular track "Strychnine for Christmas" great musicians. The CD is done in three parts ...threee long tracks, one of them of more than 27 minutes of duration. There is an excelent guitar work in all the labum that reminded me some of the best things by King Crimson (Adrian Belew era). It is really surprising the fact that Present includes a lot of keyboards and mellotron that makes the sound os the band really progressive. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.carbon7.com

 

RA - SINNOCENCE (Tribal Prods., 2001)

Produced by Tribal Productions

Recorded at Studio Box, Romania

Artwork by Valeriu Dudau

Tracks: 1- Medusa Child, 2- Sinnocence, 3- Nothing, 4- Hate, 5- My Goddamn Soul, 6- The Great Wide Shut, 7- Seductie, 8- Everything, 9- Just Wonders

Ra´s music is climatic and strange. Sort of a mid paced gothis music with distorted guitars. I hear some influences of Type o Negative in the vocals but Ra´s music has a bigger emphasis in atmospheres and extremely climatic tracks. I really liked this stuff, specially in the parts that where a crescendo is made going from a very climatic keyboard part to maybe a chorus like in the song "Sinnocence". The guitars give that metallic edge that Ra´s music deserve to have a good balance of power and magnificence. One thing to remark is that despite being very dark and heavy the tracks here have a lot of hooks designed to make things more interesting to the listener. I have not listened other releases from Tribal Prods. Before but judging by this recording and the one by Illegal Operation, I think that they release great music! Favorite tracks: "Medusa Child", "My goddamn Soul" and "Everything". Contact: www.tribal-productions.com

Realm of Carnivora´s CD opens with a very beautiful and melodic intro with a lot of melodic lines and keyboards atmosphere before getting in the purest of mayhemics black metals. Despite being full speed hatred black metal the music here has certain interesting arrangements. Interesting riffs that sound far from black metal when they slow down a little bit (and I think here is their best material and this is the path they have to follow in the future). There are some interesting melodies here and there played behind the death like vocals and some interesting guitar solos (the sound here can be better). An album for fans of original black metal. Plus there is a cover of Judas Priest´s "Hell Patrol" done the Realm of Carnivora´s way. Favorite tracks: "Emission from the House of Lords", "Caverns of No Return", " Let the Winter Last Forever". Contact: http://www.welcome.to/ketzer

 

REFLECTING SKIN - AGONY STAR (Luminous Motion Recs, 2001)

Mixed by Bruce McFarlane

Recorded at Supersonic Studios and

Cover Photo by Michelle Sola - Layout by leah Chandra

Tracks: 1- Shadow of Your World, 2- Agony Star, 3- Snakes, 4- Remember Me, 5- Last in Heaven, 6- Soul Desert, 7- One, 8- Blue Night, 9- I dream You Sleep

There are a lot of aspects on this recording to consider it one of the bests of this month!! The first and most important is the excellence of Leah Chandra, whose vocals are so well placed through the whole recording giving an ethereal feeling and a lot of originality to the tracks. The second reason are the great arrangements that the band makes on this album. They are original and sometimes they are eastern sounding, sometimes more pop, sometimes jazzy. There is a lot of variety on the music here and that is, in my point of view, another reason to say that this is an excellent album. The percussion and the guitars are not what one is accustomed to listen...the drummer is really tribal in some parts and the guitarist knows how to be heavy and how to be subtle when the track needs it. Favorite tracks: "Snakes", "Soul Desert" and "Blue Night". Contact: www.reflectingskin.net

 

RESISTANT - ANCIENT FUTURE (Seventh Generation Recs, 2001)

Produced by Resistant and Schneebi

Recorded at Donner and Blitzen Studios

Art Direction and Design by Anthony E.

Tracks: 1- Strike, 2- refuse/Resist, 3- They Want to Keep You out, 4- Ball and Chain, 5- Four Wheel Drive, 6- Boss, 7- Man Against the Machine, 8- feathered Serpent, 9- Knowledge is the Key, 10- Ancient Future, 11- Mutated Future, 12- Medicine

This is band from California that makes a crossover between thrash, hardcore and death metal with a lot of other elements that makes them really original. There are a lot of breaks in the music here (in some of them you can appreciate a killer bass player). The vocals have a lot of moods from screaming to calm, from guttural to sort of industrial. The guitarists are really good musicians too and they have some funky flavour (the beginning of "Refuse/Resist" is really funky (starting as an extremely heavy and death metal version of Infectious Grooves and twisting into a Fear Factory/Sepultura style...cool!). One thing that got my attention is that all the tracks here are completely different one fom the other and that makes the CD more interesting to listen to. The palms here go to the great musicians which are original, heavy as hell and thay don´t miss a beat even in the more complicated parts. Favorite tracks: "They Want to Keep You Out", "Four Wheel Drive" and "Mutated Future". Contact: www.resistantculture.com

 

ROOTS V - THE PENTANGLE (Root of All Evil Recs., 2001)

 

Tracks: 1- The Alchemist (Somnus), 2- Enraptured by Temptation (Theatre of the Macabre), 3- Valkyrie (Walhalla), 4- Scream Machine (Impaler), 5- Condemned Creation (Demonicon), 6- Choir ofImmortal Queens (Ancient Ceremony), 7-Caged (Opaque), 8- Don´t Ex´pect any Miracles (Disturbed), 9- Your Carcass (Crimson Thorn), 10- Black Metal (Sigh), 11- Downvain (Aesma Daeva), 12- The True Will Deisired (La Rue Delashay), 13- Smoke em if you got em (Maphead, 14- Blood from Zion (High on Fire), 15- Pianoskin (Ekstrand and Green), 16- Shrine (The Unholy), 17- Mulch (Pentagoria), 18- Death is Eminent (Ripsnorter), 19- L.N. (edit) (Rev. Poky Bunge, 20- Introduction to Evil (Brainmix)

This is a compilation from American label Root of All Evil Recs. featuring the bands that they have released in their catalog and some cooperations with other labels. So, here there are bands like Theatre of the Macabre, Walhalla, Somnus, Impaler, Demonicon, etc. Opening with Somnus was a good idea for this compilation because of the mix of elegance and brutality that their sort of death/black metal music with keyboards and spoken parts has. Following that track is Theatre of the Macabre´s "Enraptured by Temptation" with its killer keyboard and guitar based black/death metal. The interesting thing about this compilation is that covers very different sides of the spectre from Demonicon to Aesma Daeva...from Sigh to la Rue Delashay and much more. Plus it includes some rare tracks from bands like Maphead, the Unholy, High on Fire and more. Favorite tracks: "The Alchemist" (Somnus), "Downvain" (Aesma Daeva), Shrine (King Diamond Cover) (The Unholy). Contact: www.rootofallevil.com

 

RUBENS - GONE MISSING (Global Warming Recs., 2001)

Produced by Miroslav Opi

Recorded at Global Warming in July 2001

Tracks: 1- Shame, 2- Beauty Day, 3- Bet.com, 4- Destination, 5- heroine, 6- what´s Up, 7- Witches, 8- Beach, 9- Regina, 10- Hurray, 11- Gone Missing

I loved Rubens music from the beginning of this CD with its combination of electronics with certain elements of funk and certainly a Frank Zappa flavor. The keyboards are the main instrument here playing electronic sounds that gives some techno feeling to the music. The vocals that are sung in kind of choruses (they are harmonizing most of the time) are really interesting and gives the tracks an aura of happiness in tracks like "Shame" and of ethereal music on tracks like "Beauty Day". There are some guitars playing solos on many parts and also doing some rhythmic chord progressions along with the drum beats. Some of the tracks can be used for dancing too!!! This is amazing!! (check "Bet.com") (this guys have a great sense of humour too. Totally recommended. Favorite tracks: "Bet.com", "Heroine" and "Regina". Contact: www.globalwarming.co.uk

 

SANATORIUM - INTERNAL WOMB CANNIBALISM (Forensick Music, 2001)

Cover Artwork by Zig

Tracks: 1- Symtoms/Intro, 2- Postmortal Gorephobia, 3- Killing, 4- That Cunt name is Heather, 5- Intravenous Ejaculation, 6- Penis Epidermis Inflammation, 7- the False Prophet, 8- Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, 9- Dunwich Morgue, 10- dead Virgin Whore, 11- Internal Womb Cannibalism, 12- Final Goremageddon - Outro

This is pure brutal death/gore metal that reminded me of early Cannibal Corpse recordings like "Butchered at Birth" or "Tomb of The Mutilated". There are two type of riffs one that are more original like the ones at 1:15 in "Postmortal Gorephobia" and are better cosntructed and others that are full speed runs played over blast beats. Don´t expect subtle things here, this guys have come to crush you with their brutality. The vocals are extremely guttural and there is also a strange vocal effect like some gurgling or something like that which follows some of the rhythms. Tracks like "That Cunts Name is Heather" show all this elements within the same song structure. For death fans. Favorite tracks: "Killing", "Penis Epidermis Inflammation" and "Dead Virgin Whore". Contact: www.forensickmusic.com

 

SCHOLOMANCE - THE IMMORTALITY MURDER (The End Recs., 2002)

Engineered by Greg Roller

Recorded at Caravell Recording Studios

Graphic Design by Scott Crinklaw

Tracks: CD I: 1- Part I. Absence / Contorted Porcelain - faced bitch, 2- Part II: Childless One / the Body as Sulphur Stench, 3- Part III - Matriarch, 4- Part IV: her Iniquity Uncovered / The Eastern Trinity Unexplained, 5- Virus ( the Theft of Knowledge), 6- Companionship and Philosophical Fire (The Third), 7- Bedevilment and Bewilderment (Reality Greets the Moral Whore), 8- The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole)

CD II: 1- Replacement..., 2- The Next Step (For the Sake of the Greater Whole), 3- Nothins is For, or About you, 4- Part I. Absence / Contorted Porcelain - faced bitch, 5- As if I were Beautiful, 6- Part II: Childless One/ the Body as Sulphur Stench, 7- And Yet we were dead, 8- Part III - Matriarch, 9-How Familiar I am, 10- A Riddle, 11- Part IV: her Iniquity Uncovered / The Eastern Trinity Unexplained, 12- Additons

This is a masterpiece !! This work consist in two CDs with a lot of incredible music. The music here is extremely elaborated and it is incredible how open minded seem to be the guys in Scholomance adding a lot of influences to their music but mantining always the dark aura that surrounds them. It is also amazing how technical and well rehearsed they are...they go from catchy rhythms to complex solos and melodies, then back to another rhythm and maybe adding a keyboard solo to spice things up. The main thing is the quality that this music has!!!There are like a hundred minutes of pure music in the highest level. The second CD is an instrumental one and really rich in harmonies. The CDs come with a great booklet with all the lyrics and a beautiful presentation that matches perfectly the concept of the music here. One of the albums of the month. Favorite tracks: The whole album!!!!!!!!!. Contact: www.theendrecords.com

 

SINMASTERS - CRASHING DOWN (Actcom Recs, 2001)

Pre-Mastered by Oldhouse

Cover Photo by Qumma

Tracks: 1- Crashing Down, 2- Peeping Tom (Manic Mort Mix), 3- Crashing Down (i mix)

This is a mini CD from this eclectic band called Sinmasters. The music on this CD can not be labeled in a simple way. Imagine certain riffs that wouldn´t be out of place in a band like Rammstein, then add some vocals closer to Marilyn Manson combined with others closer to Type O Negative or Moonspell. Then add a drum machine playing rhythmic beats and put a lot of electronic elements. Then you will have some idea of what Sinmasters music is about. This CD has three tracks: two of them are different mixes from the track called "Crashing Down" and the third one is a mix of a track called "Peeping Tom". Great one for lovers of electronic, mixed with gothis metal and industrial. Favorite track: "Crashing Down (Single Mix)". Contact: www.actcom.fi

 

SOUL EMBRACED - THIS IS MY BLOOD (Solidstate Recs., 2002)

Produced by Brandon Ebel

Recorded by Ray Brooks and Jonathan parker

Layout and Design by D. Clark

Tracks: 1-I fade Away, 2- The Scorn of Death´s Kiss, 3- Helpless in Wither, 4- Angels with Raven Hearts, 5- Evolver, 6- End what has begun, 7- Buried In, 8- The Cold Stares of Dead Eyes, 9- My Name is Legion, 10- Scars Remain, 11- Still as You, 12- Kingdom of Shadows, 13- Leech

As always, Solidstate Records delivers crushing bands. This time is the turn of Soul Embraced a band that plays an extremely heavy kind of music, sometimes death, sometimes modern metal, always estremely heavy. The guitars have an amazing sound that I liked a lot going from being a wall of sound to extremely clean when the vocals are whispering. But what makes Soul Embraced unique is the combination of this sound with killer solos and complicate riffs. Another thing that I have to remark is the drummer with its machine like sound that is fundamental to Soul Embraced´s compositions. The vocals are really deathly going from screams to growl and making the overall sound a really anguished one. This is one band that can be fundamental to the metal scene in the future. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: www.solidstaterecords.com

 

SPIRITUS MORTIS - FORWARD TO THE BATTLE (Independent, 2001)

Mixed by Spiritus Mortis

Recorded at Treenikämppä Studios

Tracks: 1- Forever, 2- Beware of the Quiet One, 3- In Pouring Rain, 4- Sweet Oblivion, 5- Sleeping beneath the Lawn, 6- In Between

An excelent opportunity to know something about the music of Finland´s Spiritus Mortis. This is HEAVY METAL! I am putting this with capital letters because this is heavy metal done with a lot of conviction and without falling in the cliches that a lot of the bands in the scene have. IN fact this band has a wider range of influences appart from classical metal bands. I can listen something that is similar to Danzig, and something close to Slayer on "Sleeping Beneath the Lawn" or Black Sabbath on "Sweet Oblivion". The singer has a lot of identity and puts a lot of strength through all the tracks. I like this band a lot and I think they deserve a much better sound and hopefully they will get it on their next release, Totally recommended. Favorite tracks: "Beware of the Quiet One", " In Pouring Rain" and "In Between". Contact: www.metalprovider.com/spiritusmortis

 

STATE OF THE UNION - 2001 (Electronic Music Foundation, 2001)

Produced by Elliot Sharp

All Profits Go to the National Coalition Against Censorship

What are you going to say when I tell you that this are three CDs? And what are you going to say when I tell you that this three CDs have a total duration of 171 minutes? And what are you going to say if I tell you that there are 171 tracks here? And then...what are you going to say if I tell you that each of the tracks here are performed each by a different artist? I am sure that you would be at least surprised. Well, then listen to this collection of CDs...the music is extremely experimental, full of electronic sounds combined in millions of different ways, and the good thing is that each track sounds completely different one from another...from almost noise to melodic there is everything here. There are sounds that come directly from great musician´s mind like the ones of Joey Baron, Benjamin Chadabe, Bruce Bennett and many more. If you like spontaneous music, intuitive music, improvisation and experimentation, this is for you!!!!!. Contact: www.cdemusic.org/emfmedia

Editing and Mastering by Martin Davidson

Amazing trio of pianists and excellent improvisers. The music here is really melodic at times and really dissonant in certain passages (I can listen a lot of diminished chords played here and there and a lot of altered chords too). It is incredible how well this three piano masters interact, doing sounds and progressions that are not common and doing certain harmonization in certain notes here and there. New boundaries are broken by this three musicians who play their instruments with a lot of love and squeeze them in order to get all the sound possibilities from them (even doing percussion on the instrument). There are alot of exotic scales played in the trio improvisations, and the duets are fantastically constructed. I specially love the moments in which the threee play all together!!. Favorite tracks: "Atlas", "Thornton Heath" and "SPEedwell". Contact: www.emanemdisc.com

 

SWAN CHRISTY - TODAY DIED YESTERDAY (Black Lotus Recs., 2001)

Produced by Nikos Nikoloudias

Recorded at Studio 5 and Studio Live

Artwork by Set (Spiros Anton.)

Tracks: 1- Today Died Yesterday, 2- Resurrection if possible, 3- One foot in the grave, 4- here comes...!, 5- My Home (Away from home), 6- No More Everything, 7- Night Flower, 8- the Benefactor

This is a really good recording starting with a song that has a riff similar to theone on Judas Priest "A Touch of Evil" but adding to it a lot of keyboards and arrangements. Then enters an interesting vocal part accompanied only by keyboards before the whole band enters together. There are a lot of duets between male and female vocals and there are also a lot of changes in riffs and rhythms. It is interesting how this band experiments with different sounds and with silences...maybe leaving onlky the bass and drums and then the keyboards play a little phrase like in some parts of "Resurrection if possible". The guitars have a really heavy sound an they are played really proficiently making Swan Christy´s music really heavy and at the same time climatic. There are guest vocals by Ferdy from Rough Silk, Spiros from Septic Flesh and Sakis from Rotting Christ. Favorite tracks: The whole album. Contact: In Argentina: Orion Music Entertainment - Av. Gaona 1521. http://go.to/orionmusic

 

THE DANCING LAWN (Carbon 7 Recs, 2001)

Produced by The Galileo Brothers

Recorded at Panama City, IZMR, Culver City and the Chapel of Our Lady of All Saints, Oxford and At Eastcote Studios.

Art Direction: Austin Horn

Tracks: 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-, 13-

The Dancing Lawn is a really experiment in melodies done by a group of great musicians (thewre are so many in this recording that I can not mention them all) whose main direction is given by The Galileo Brothers. The influences here range from jazz to some blues, to some new age stuff. And there are a lot of instruments that you will not expect here like xylophone, banjo, marimbas, etc, etc. The music is very beautiful and you can fnd from some strange musical phrases that you will have to listen carefully to understand completely to really easy listening parts. There are thirteen tracks here and all are played by different musicians: this means that the music has a lot of diversity among the tracks. Each of the tracks is played by many musicians giving you the idea of little orchestras playing each of the compositions. Favorite tracks: "8", "11" and "13". Contact: www.carbon7.com

 

THE DEADLINES - FASHION OVER FUNCTION (Tooth and Nail Recs., 2001)

Produced by The Glitter Twins

Recorded at Jackpot Recording Studios

Design by Triumph

Tracks: 1-I want a Stalker, 2- Burn In / Burn Out, 3- International Jet-Set, 4- Fashion Over Function, 5- Trouble, 6- Cut it Loose, 7- Why You Running?, 8- Double Take, 9- Napalm Holiday

Tooth and Nail is specializing in issuing this bands that have a lot of probabilities of becoming a success in the future...with a little more attention from the media. They have the hooks in their songs and are not difficult to listen to. The music of The Deadlines is in a middle point of seventies rock, punk and pop. With distorted guitars and very accessible song structures, the Deadlines will be a pleasure to listen to those tired of MTV bands that have less quality and worst songs than this band. This is for people looking for songs with great choruses and an attitude. Favorite tracks: "Fashion Over Function", "I want a Stalker" and "Why You Running?". Contact: www.toothandnail.com

Here is the new release from Tierra Santa and it is not a big change from their previous album "Tierras de Leyenda". In fact they have not changed a little bit. Only the sound here is better but the compositions have one BIG INFLUENCE: Iron Maiden. There are some beautiful keyboards in the tracks and I think they should use them more to make compositions with more identity. The choruses have hooks and are done in the traditional Maiden way...like hymns to sing with your fist in the air. One thing to point out: Arturo´s excellent guitar solos. Favorite tracks: "Juana de Arco", "El Laberinto del Minotauro", "David y el Gigante". Contact: www.locomotivemusic.com

 

TRIBUTE TO AEROSMITH - NOT THE SAME OLD SONG AND DANCE (Roadrunner Recs., 2000)

Produced by Bob Kulick

There is no rest for Bob Kulick!!! He is always organizing this tribute albums with all his friends,a nd now is the turn of Aerosmith to be tributed. The results are sometimes better and sometimes worse. For example on "Rag Doll" the music is great but I don´t like that much the vocals (I think is Ted Nugent singing here). "Sweet Emotion" is really similar to the original version with a lot of strength. And there is an apotheotic version of "Dream On" with Ronnie James Dio on vocals and Yngwie Malmsteen on guitars...I think this is the best trcka here...other people that have a participation on this CD are: Jeff Pilson, Frankie Banali, Stephen Pearcy, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw, Tim Bogert, Steve Lukather and many many more. For lovers of tribute albums. Favorite tracks: "Dream On", "Draw the Line" and "Toys In the Attic". Contact: www.roadrunnerrecords.com

 

TWO WITCHES - AGONY OF THE UNDEAD VAMPIRE: PT II JUBILEE EDITION (Actcom Recs., 2001)

Produced by Jyrki Wytch

Recorded at Harasoo and MSL Studios

Art by Jyrki Wytch

Tracks: 1- Ahony, 2- The Hungry Eyes, 3- the Omen, 4- Dead Dog´s Howl, 5- We All Fall Down, 6- Nightmare, 7- Fetish Dreams, 8- Mircalla, 9- Dreams, 10- Maybe Next Year, 11- Dreamworld, 12- Dead Dog´s Howl

This is a retrospective of songs from a classic gothic band...Two Witches. Many of you will know this band because it had in its lineup Anne Nurmi, singer in Lacrimosa. Here Anne played keyboards and did some vocals. But the main brain here is Jyrki Wytch. The sound of Two Witches is strongly based on the keyboards, in the guitars, sometimes clean and sometimes dirty, and in the vocals contrast between the female ones and the male ones that give sort of a dark feeling here. Musically the band is pure gothic rock nad this is one of the best exponents in the story of the genre. Favorite tracks: "The Omen", "We all Fall Down" and "Winter". Contact: www.actcom.fi

 

VELOCIDAD ABSURDA - FISICO TORTURA EMOCIONAL (Independent, 2001)

Produced by David Diaz

Recorded at Silco Estudios

Art taken from the film "Aftermath"

Track: 1- Dracunculiasis, 2- Fisico Tortura Emocional, 3- Psicotica Asfixia, 4-Revienta y Destruye, 5- Ecos de Tortura, 6- Concilio de Odio, 7- Pensamiento Unico

Extremely brutal death/grind coming directly from Spain. With hyper speed in their riffs and a really guttural vocals, extremely rotten. There are some melodies in the vein of Autopsy´s "Mental Funeral". There are some twisted riffs and all the vocals are in spanish. I can describe this music in many ways but one word is better: brutal. The sound is fairly good and it helps to make the results better than in bands of the style that have a much worse sound. The plams here go to the guitarist and to the blast beat maniac drummer. Favorite tracks: "Dracunculians", "Revienta y Destruye" and "Pensamiento unico". Contact: velocidad@able.es

 

VIRGIN BLACK - SOMBRE ROMANTIC (The End Recs, 2002)

Produced by Rowan London

Recorded at JR Recording

Photography by Samantha Escarbe. Layout by Camren Harm

Tracks: 1- Opera de Romanci (I:Stare), 2- II: Embrace, 3- Walk Without Limbs, 4- Of Your Beuty, 5- Drink the Midnight HYmn, 6- Museum of Iscariot (I-Stagnation, II-Death, III-Procession), 7- Lamenting Kiss, 8- Weep For Me, 9- I Sleep With the Emperor, 10 A Poet´s Tears of Porcelain

I must congratulate The End Records because of this excellent release!!! Opening with an amazing orchestral part with cello and eastern sounding vocals (in fact this made me remind of the soundtrack of a movie called "Before The Rain" which is a Macedonia/UK coproduction). Then suddenly all explodes and the orchestration is joined by an extremely heavy band on "Embrace"!! This is the perfect combination between ethereal music and extreme heaviness (this is why I think that being heavy doesn´t mean necesarilly to be at full speed all the time). Excellent guitarist...she is Samantha Escarbe and plays very interesting riffs with a very loud sound, she creates melodies and also gives space for the keyboards and the drums to breath. One of the best releases that I reviewed this month. Favorite tracks: "Museum of Iscariot", "Weep for Me" and "Walk Without Limbs". Contact: www.theendrecords.com

 

VOID OF SILENCE - TOWARD THE DUSK (Nocturnal Music, 2001)

Produced by Rich D - Nocturnal Music

Recorded at Massive Arts Studios

Artwork by Temno un art ( gleams@tin.it )

Extreme doom/death metal. The music here is heavy in fact it is heavier than hell!!!!! Heavy and slooooowwww.....in fact this is really doom!! In the vein of the almighty Evoken, I hear also some Saint Vitus here and there. There are a lot of keyboards here that help to make things darker. And also there are some shrieking vocals combined with others that seem to be that of a gregorian chant....and that makes Void of Silence´s music much more sad, more obscure. Everything here is done in order to depress the listener, in order to make their souls cry with those heavy guitars and those deathly vocals coming from the grave. Favorite tracks: "Elemental pain", "My Provate Hell" and "A Mild from Hate". Contact: www.nocturnalmusic.net . In Argentina you can find it in Orion Music Entertainment - Av Gaona 1521. http://go.to/orionmusic.com

 

WATCHMAKER - KILL, CRUSH, DESTROY (Wonderdrug Recs, 2001)

Produced by Cokederler

Recorded at New Alliance Studios

Tracks: 1- Broken by Refraction, 2- Dummy Test, 3- Mournful Visage, 4- Salt fertile Earth, 5- Watchmaker, 6- Flowers of Evil, 7- Invert and Crush, 8- Arise in Might, 9- Like Saturn Devouring his Children, 10- Gunscope Transplant, 11- The Darkness of Mere Being

Wow!!! I did not expect this ...I thought by looking to the cover art of this CD that this was going to be some kind of industrial or modern metal band with politically correct lyrics. But in fact Watchmaker is an extremely fast band of deth/grind metal. Their songs are fast and they have that extremely anguished vocals that make the music more effective. The guitars go at the speed of light with interesting riffs that change now and then giving diversity to the material. The drums use some blasnt beats here and there but I think the durmmer prefers to accentuate the different parts in another way. This is an eleven tracks CD with no mercy for your ear!!! Full speed and hatred in this release!!. Favorite tracks: "Mournful Visage", "Flowers of Evil" and "Raise in Might". Contact: www.wonderdrugrecords.com

 

WINTER - INTO DARKNESS / ETERNAL FROST (Nuclear Blast, 1999)

Tracks: 1- Oppression Freedom / Reprise, 2- Servants of the Warsmen, 3- Goden, 4- Power and Might, 5- Destiny, 6- Eternal Frost, 7- Into Darkness, 8-Servants of the Warsmen, 9- Eternal Frost, 10- Winter, 11- Blackwhole

This is a rerelease of tracks from this classic death/doom band. The music is raw and dark, sometimes slow, sometimes more rhythmic. The guitar sound is huge and that makes the tracks heavier than hell. There are a lot of climatic parts, like in the beginning of "Into Darkness" (with a guitar sound mixed lower than on the last tracks and the drums mixed louder). I would like to mix the drums differently with a more opaque hi-hat and louder bass drums and snare to make it sound tighter with the rest of the band...nevertheless the double bass drum parts are killer and they help a lot to the final result of the songs. The vocals are really guttural and gives that deathly feeling to the whole CD. The slower parts reminded me of Evoken´s music, heavy and really dense. For fans of death and doom!!. Favorite tracks: "Destiny", "Servants of the Warsmen" and "Winter". Contact: www.nuclearblast.de

Produced by Erik Groesch

Witchburner crushes you since their first track that opens this CD with their blend of death and thrash metal. This is really old school death metal with certain touches of thrash metal in certain riffs and breaks. And they have a really modern sound in the guitars and specially on the drums (killer mix here). Another high point is the bass that can be heard pumping through all the songs. The vocals are screaming with hate and anguish through all the recording. I liek specially riffs like the one in 1:05 of "Nuclear Overkill" which is really elaborated with some changes and progresses into another riff that is completely different. Some parts reminded me of bands like Destruction and Kreator, specially in the combination of guitars with drums. Favorite tracks: "Hexenhammer", "Execute Them All" and "View Beyond". Contact: www.undercover-records.de

 

 

ZINES REVIEWS

 

LA BESTIA #1

This is an horror comics magazine done in Argentina and it is of great quality !! Excelent drawings and story lines. This issue has 7 stories of pure horror and mistery: "Rosas Rococo" ("Rococo Roses"), "Santo Remedio" (Holy Medicine), "Amor de Madre" (Mother´s Love), "El Embalsamador" (The Embalmer), "Involucion" (Involution), "Retratos de Beatrice" (Portraits from Beatrice). Totally recommended for fans of horror comics. Contact: labestia@asustate.com.ar

 

LA BESTIA #2

Issue number two of the horror comics masters from Argentina!!! And this is better than number one!! This contains 6 amazing stories: "Mal de Ojos" (Evil Eye), "El Ritual" (The Ritual, with excellent drawings by Sergio Ibañez), "Leyenda Urbana: Una ambulancia" (Urban Legend: An Ambulance), "Milagros Inesperados" (Unexpected Miracles, excelent story!!), "Almas Gemelas" (Twin Souls), "La Mina" (The Mine). Contact: labestia@asustate.com.ar

 

LA BESTIA #3

This is La Bestia´s latest issue and it was released just a few days ago. And they are getting better on each issue. This time there are six complete horror stories. "Alumno Ejemplar" (Model Pupil), "Cacería Nocturna" (Night Hunt), "La Gota" (The Drop), "El Tren de los Muertos" (The train of the Dead), "EL ultimo trofeo" (The Last Trophy), "Reality Show". Contact: labestia@asustate.com.ar

 

This is the number three of this gore comic drawn and written by Jake. The moniker here is Blood, Boobs and Bad Words. And you will find all that here. In this issue a porn model and her photographer arrive to Dr. Sadist castle and they are captured and subjected to terrible sexual experiments. Contact: jake@talesfromuranus.com

 

TALES FROM URANUS #4: The Facerapers

Number four of this gore comic a is really funny one!! This time Jake creates a story where a race of alien invaders arrive to the Earth and starts destroying it while raping the faces of the people here. A really must for funs of gore comics. Contact: jake@talesfromuranus.com

 

 

 

This is a zine focused on metal music. This issue has mainly progressive metal and heavy metal bands and reviews because of the proximity of the Progfest in Michigan. Bands featured are: Balance of Power, Katagory,Paranoise, Symmetry, Silent Exile, Elmer, The Blank Theory. There are Michigan Reviews in here and also a lot of CDs and Demos Reviews. There is also a section conataining Zine Reviews. Contact: zinescene@hotmail.com