Produced by Abrasive

Recorded by Alex and Abbrasive

Cover Art by Alex Ringwald and Ralf Köhler

Tracks: 1- Domination, 2- Cum With Me, 3- On MY Knees, 4- Desire, 5- Late Night, 6- Taste Me, 7- Everlasting pain

Devastating release!!!! Brutality at it s most extreme level!! Here we have this ultraviolent band with really sexual lyrics and incredibly fast music. The music on this release is extremely fast and heavy with growling vocals that add a lot of brutality to this recording. The musicians are good and they know how to change rhythms within each of the tracks. The sound is crushing, specially on the guitars which sound really fat and are the main reason of the heaviness of Abrasive´s music. The drummer is really a beast playing all this blast beats and doing really killer passages like the ones in "Cum With Me" which are really technical and need a lot of skills to do it. Fans of brutal death metal will surely love Abrasive.

Favorite tracks: "Cum With Me"; "On My Knees" and "Everlasting Pain"

Recorded at David´s Home

Cover Art by Blood Ink Prod.

Tracks: 1- Jadis, 2- Deleterious Winds, 3- Aeclipsis; 4- Beyond Praise; 5- Tragediam, 6- The Fruit of the Dead Tree

This CD is really a masterpiece. It is the perfect balance between aggression and beauty, between heaviness and atmospheres. In fact the only man behind this project is David Sahunet who has done all the composition, arrangements and recordings on this CD and he has a lot of idea and knows how to express them through his music. The thing that fascinates me is the heavy use of keyboards which are all over the tracks of this CD and are used perfectly to contrast with the heavy guitars and the programmed drums that add heaviness and a cold feeling to the recording. David prefers to use spoken or whispering vocals in order to give a better idea of the atmospheres that he wants to create. If you like original music then Aendria will satisfy your needs.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is a masterpiece

Recorded between Nov-01 & Apr 02

Cover Art by John Haughm

Tracks: 1- A Celebration for the Death of Man, 2- In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion, 3- Odal, 4- I am the Wooden Doors, 5- The Lodge; 6- You Were But A ghost In my Arms; 7- The Hawthorne Passage; 8- ...And the Great Cold Death of the Earth, 9- A Desolation Song

It is really amazing how this guys have developed their own style. In fact you can listen to this and say that this is pure Agalloch...they have developed an Agalloch sound (which was present also in their previous "Pale Folklore"). Here you have all the melodic and climatic elements combined in a really dark way. I mean, here you have keyboards, acoustic guitars and really calm passages but everything is designed to create a dark atmosphere in all the tracks. The feelings are of sadness, loneliness. There are heavier tracks like " I Am the Wooden Doors but they are all full of twisted melodies that make Agalloch and this recording a unique experience. A must for any music lover. One of the records of the year.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD ...One of the records of the month and of the year

Tracks: CD1: 1- Real Swagger, 2- Unstable, 3- March of the Saint (2001 version), 4- Day of the Eagle, 5- Never Satisfied; 6- Tainted Past, 7- After Me, the Flood (live); 8- Creepy Feelings (live), 9- Lesson well learned, 10- False Alarm, 11- ON the way, 12 Stricken by Fate, 13- Reign of fire (demo), 14- Betty 79 (demo, 15- People (demo), 16- Get Lost (demo), 17- Nothing between the ears (demo), 18- Pirates (demo)

CD 2: 1- Medieval Nightmares (demo), 2- Video: Long Before I die (live), 3- Video: March of the Saint (live), 4- Video: Reign of Fire; 5- Video: Las Train Home

Here we have a double Armored Saint CD made of all rare tracks. On the first recording we have 18 tracks. Some of them are new (the first six), then there are a couple of live tracks from their 2000 tour and then we have a lot of rare tracks extracted from old demos or from their first EP. In fact this is a great opportunity to listen new and old tracks from this classic. Also as a bonus the second CD has a demo track and four videos: two of them played live. Armored Saint is a band that will never dissapoint you if you are looking for heavy metal. As always we have the great John Bush on vocals that gives a lot of quality to the vocal melodies. A classic.

Favorite tracks: "March of the Saint (2001 Version)", "Never Satisfied" and "Creepy Feelings "

Recorded at A-Plant and the Autumneum

Tracks: 1- Shells, 2- Windows, 3- Serenade, 4- Glaube, 5- A Romance of Art, 6- Flaming, 7- Blue Fortress, 8- Epilogue Dawn

Here we have a MCD from this excellent band that makes a great use of melodies combining acoustic guitars with keyboards and many female vocals. The tracks here are really calm and they take the listener into a trip of a beautiful dark world where Autumn is king. In fact the thing that is most amazing of this CD is the great combination of dark and beautiful melodies with interesting percussion. The male vocals are clean ones and they add a lot of feeling to each of the songs. And when the female vocals enter there is a great contrast that makes each of the songs a unique experience for people who listen to this album. A really original and dark release.

Favorite tracks: "Windows", "A Romance of Art" and "Blue Fortress"

Recorded at Temple Studios

Cover Art by Sho

Tracks: 1- Broken thoughts of Righteousness; 2- Horde of the Stolen Sun, 3- Recounts of Disembodiment, 4- Consecrated Absurdities, 5- Compelling Derangement, 6- Inherited Plague, 7- Fed Upon Odium, 8- Disdain, 9- Spreading Contagion, 10- Unbound

Beheaded is a crushing band that plays death metal with a strong emphasis on rhythmic riffs combined with fast parts. Everything here is conceived to spread the brutality of the band to the ears of the listener. I loved specially the slower riffs combined with the hyper preecise double bass drumming that gives a lot of power to the tracks. Here we have a killer drummer who is technical and bryutal playing the fastest parts and changing rhythms with no difficulty. I must remark the guttural vocals which are powerful but at the same time clear enough to distinguish the lyrics of the songs. This is a CD that I will recommend to those who love brutality and intensity in music.

Favorite tracks: "Horde of the Stolen Sun", "Recounts of Disembodiment" and "Inherited Plague"

Recorded at Halls of Oblivion

Cover Art by Thorn

Tracks: 1- Succubus, 2- Duch Moj, 3- Aegri Somnia (O Saceros Christi Tu Scis Me Esse Diabolum Cur Me Derogas)

This is a project born from Thorn´s mind...and I must say that he has a lot of creativy. In fact he plays all synthesizers here which are the main instrument and he has composed all the three tracks contained on this CD. The music contained here is really atmospherical and dark with many ambient moments. Here we have this compositions full of synthesizers and spoken or whispering vocals. With many melodic but slow touches that turn the result even darker. Thorn is trying to experiment a lot on each track but retaining a black atmosphere that surrounds all his compositions. Lovers of this style of music with a lot of creativity will surely like Bisclaveret.

Favorite tracks: The three contained here

Recorded at Morrisound Recording

Cover Art by Vincent Locke

Tracks: 1- Hammer Smashed Face, 2- I Cum Blood, 3- Addicted to Vaginal Skin, 4- Split Wide Open, 5- Necropedophile, 6- The Cryptic Stench, 7- Entrails Ripped from a Virgin´s Cunt, 8- Post Mortal Ejaculation, 9- Beyond the Cemetery, 10- The Exorcist

Here we have this classical third release from one of the main death metal bands of all times. Here we have remastered classics like "I Cum Blood", "Hammer Smashed Face" or "Addicted to Vaginal Skin". This songs that in 1992 were new for the metal audiences now with the years have become death metal classics. Compared to the original edition of this recording we have some sound improvement, specially on the guitars and drums which seem to be clearer in the mix than they were on the original edition. Here we have also Chris Barnes guttural vocals and screamings which were Cannibal Corpse´s trademark before his departure and the arrival of George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher. A classic for all who like death metal.

Favorite tracks: "I cum Blood", "Hammer Smashed Face" and "Necropedophile".

Cover Art by Carnivean

Tracks: 1- Post Mortem, 2- Of the Flesh, 3- Dreaming the Dark, 4- Evil Be Thy Name, 5- Shallow Grave, 6- Welcomed By the Mass, 7- Rest In Pieces, 8- Offering of Evil, 9- Satan´s Circle

Carnivean is a death metal band whose main feature are theuir guitar riffs. They are catchy and rhythmic and the band prefers to rely on this rhythms and some odd time signatures and changes like the ones you can hear in "Post Mortem" than playing hyper fast blast beats. IN fatc this is what I like friom this band: that even if they want to be fast and brutal they don´t abuse one note riffs and blast beats and prefer to use more technical riffs, guitar solos and intersting passages. The vocals are guttural but you can understand perfectly the band´s lyrics. The only things I would have changed is the guitar sound which I would have mixed a little bit clearer. This band is a must for lovers of death metal bands who play unusual riffs and time signatures. An original release.

Favorite tracks: "Of the Flesh", "Shallow Grave" and "Offering of Evil"

Recorded at Sanguinary Tyrant Studio

Cover Art by Jerry Sandefur

Tracks: 1- Gaddianton Robers, 2- Tomb of Corporeal Butchery, 3- Scorn the Abomination, 4- Campaign in Hell

Dawndeath Incinerator´s music is difficult to describe. First of all because on each track they have many parts: some of them are death metal , some of them are grind (with blast beats), then because of the vocals that are quite different on each track. Finally they have a guitar sound that is really original and sounds completely distorted and different from the one used by the bands of the styles mentioned above. Also, you have some samples that give a mechanical feeling to songs like "Scorn the Abomination" The four tracks here are bestial with a lot of hyper fast parts but with many changes on each track. The mix is really raw and gives a lot of distortion to the guitars making the result sound somewhat industrial. This recording is a really interesting. A really original band!

Favorite tracks: The four tracks here are devastating

Recorded at Dimensional Sound Studio

Cover Art by Wahid Wahid

Tracks: 1- Phoenix Eye Fist, 2- Tai pan Snake Venom, 3- Komodo Whip, 4- Shambling, 5- Mindgate, 6- Den of the Avalanche Dragon, 7- Interceptor, 8- Climbing Knife Mountain, 9- Nine Head Serpentine Sire, 10- Essence of the Northern Fist, 11- To the Negative Power

A devastating release!!! With a very modern sound with crushing guitars and an excellent drum sound here we have the violent music of Dim Mak.. The eleven tracks on this CD are a burst of energy and full power ....comanded by the fast guitar riffs and the devastating drums ,and with the brutal vocals they achieve this crushing music that you can listen on this CD.The production and mix are great and here we have Morbid Angel / Ripping Corpse guitarist Erik Rutan behind the mixing board. HE gives Dim Mak what they deserve a clear and brutal sound that enhances the results that this guys wnat to achieve. Violence and brutality guaranteed.

Favorite tracks: "Mindgate", "Tai Pan Snake Venom" and "To the Negative Power"

Produced by Barbara Romen and Gunter Schneider

Engineered and mixed by Hanno Stroher

Tracks: 1-4 Salut für Caudwell , 5- Disordered Systems

Here we have Disordered Systems a project by two great musicians and guitarists, Barbara Romen and Gunter Schneider. On this CD they play first a composition by Helmut Lachenmann called "Salut für Caudwell" in which they show a lot of experimentation with guitar sounds and rhythms, adding vocals in some parts but always letting their minds find new ways iof expressing themselves through their instruments. Then comes the second composition called "Disordered Systems" which is prepared for 13 guitar instruments and is played live without playbacks or overdubs. Here they experiment with different sounds and they use metall bars and knitting needles fixed between the string making sounds that are almost electronic but have a lot of new qualities specially for the listener that is not accustomed to listen to them. A must for people who wants something new in the guitar realm and who love musical experimentation.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazing and completely experimental taking guitar to new levels

Recorded at Brygga Studio

Cover Art by Håvard Gjelseth

Tracks: 1- Enter Paradise, 2- Focus, 3- Stigmatize, 4- Locked Away, 5- No Man´s Land, 6- Dreamin´, 7- Falling To Pieces

Here we have this amazing progressive metal band coming from Sweden. Here we have their epic keyboards, their virtuoso guitars and the extremely technical rhythm section. This, combined with Sindre Antonsen´s vocals which are very different than the ones used by the other bands of this style make a powerful recording. To give you an idea Divided Multitude is like a combination of progressive music with some heavier style such as the one played by bands like Vicious Rumours. The keyboards are all over the songs and they interact really good with the heavy guitars. One of the main things here are the melodies which are epic and dark. This is one of those recording that you listen over and over again and you always find something new, some arrangement, some lick, some pattern that you have not heard before. Thumbs up for Divided Multitude!!!!

Favorite tracks: THe whole CD. This is a masterpiece of progressive metal

Recorded at Tatxin Studios

Cover Art by Javi

Tracks: 1- Misery of Many...,2- Real Woman, 3- Restablishing the Equilibrium, 4- Warloot, 5- Bonus CD Rom: includes "Warloot" Video

Here we have Dyspraxia´s first work. Their music is extremely fast and brutal death metal with hyper fast riffs played at full speed. There are various types of voclas. A more guttural one and a screaming one and also a one more shouting. There are some guitar solos which I find interesting, sometimes played over slow rhythms like in "Misery of Many...". There are also some odd passages which I would like the band to use more often because they show us a weird side of Dyspraxia´s music which I like a lot. The bass guitar is suprisingly cleean contrasting a lot with the guitars that are a wall of sound !! The mix is really good specially on the guitars which have a crushing soun. Lovers of brutality have to check Dyspraxia !!

Favorite tracks: "Real Woman", "Misery of Many"

Cover Art by Aaron Benett

Tracks: 1- C; 2- D; 3- E; 4- B

Here we have this completely experimental recording by the Electro-magnetic Transpersonal Orchestra that has in its lineup nine great musicians who love improvisation. Here we have Aaron Benett who plays the woodwinds and drinking straw, Mark Chung and Jeff Hobbs on violins, Marlin Coleman and Adam Lane on cellos, George Cremaschi on bass, Joe Sabella on tuba, Dan Cantrell in acordion and John Finkbeiner on guitar and alto saxophone. This orchestra was designed to experiment with their instrument and the amazing thing here is the coeherence that the music achieves as result of their interaction (I love the way the accordion enters playing some melodies while the rest of the band plays an almost ambient background). This guys are obviously really good musicians and through the four tracks contained here (one of them is over 19 minutes long) they explore all the possibilities that they can with a completely open mind. There is an interesting contrast between the more melodic sections and the more chaotic that makes each of the tracks really dynamic and always changing. This is a CD that I would recommend to openminded people.

Favorite tracks: The four contained here

Recorded by A. Orhan

Cover Art by Eusophobia

Tracks: 1- Death from Above, 2- Excruciation, 3- Revealing the Decay, 4- Under the Bestial War Command

Here we have this MCD from this tight death metal band. The main thing here are the devastating riffs which are killer like the ones at 3:30 of the track "Death from Above", designed for the mosh pit. The band has reached a good equilibrium between the fastest parts and the more rhythmic and heavier ones which I think are the ones that the band has to use more often. There are interesting solos which are played fast and achieve the correct level of melody and they are transformed soon in a riff like it happens on the one at 1:50 in "Excruciation. The sound of the recording is good but I would like them to put the drums a little bit louder (specially the snare drum that is a little bit buried) and I think that in that way they can achieve a better result. Crushing.

Favorite tracks: "Death from Above" and "Revealing the Decay"

Recorded at DarkEnd Records

Cover Art by Mig 91, Nyman and DoD

Tracks: 1- Skogens Ande, 2- Vintermånens Land, 3- Under Mörkrets Tistel, 4- In Till Döden; 5- En Sorg, 6- Demonernas Fjäll; 7- Ensanhetens Skugga; 8- Vintersorg

Here we have this incredibly melancholic band that plays a music that I would describe as nordic folk with some ambient touches. In fact there area lot of interesting features: one is the combination of keyboards and interesting percussion (as in tracks like "Vintermånens Land"), another one is the developing of sad melodies within each of the tracks (I love the way in which this guys express their ideas mainly using a keyboard chords progression and then adding a lot of melodies over it. People who like this type of music will be delighted with Fjelltrone´s originality and their musicianship. All this instrumental tracks are little masterpieces that awake a lot of feelings in the listener.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is a fucking great piece of art.

Recorded at Flying Studio

Cover Art by Greyswan

Tracks: 1- Sleepless Nights, 2- Alone Among Thousands of People, 3- Tragic End

Here is this MCD from this gothic dark metal masters. With some shades of Paradise Lost and Anathema, Greyswan has managed to develope their own style, with heavy riffs combined with keyboards and an excellent vocalist full of anguish and sad melodies at the same time. I like the way this band can play heavier than hell parts retaining the melodic side of the music at the same time. I liked a lot the keyboardist (please, mix him louder because he is great in all the chord progressions) and also the main guitarist who plays those sad melodies over the crushing rhythm guitars. This guys deserve soon a recording contract and a full length release. We want more from Greyswan!

Favorite tracks: The three on this CD are amazingly catchy and dark at the same time

Recorded at Sound of the Winner Studio

Cover Art by Herve Monjeaud

Tracks: 1- Break the Silence, 2- Destiny, 3- Sign of the Winner, 4- The World Will Be Better, 5- Condemned to Die, 6- The Angel, 7- Still Believe, 8- The Sandman, 9- Words of Change; 10- Until the End

An orchestral introduction opens this CD on the tracks "Break the Silence" before getting in the heavy metal universe of Heavenly (this first tracks is a really good instrumental piece). The music of the band goes along the path of bands like Stratovarius or Yngwie Malmsteen but with more predominance of the keyboards. In fact I like a lot the work of the keyboards that give a lot of epic touches to the music on this CD. I think the band has to rely on this more in order to achieve their identity (and maybe a little bit less on the vocals that are really similar to Kotipelto or Michael Kiske depending on the song...for example he reaches more originality in tracks like "The World Will Be Better"). This is a CD for heavy power metal lovers that like fast guitar runs along with a lot of epic melodies and fast drumming with a lot of double bass.

Favorite tracks: "Sign of the Winner", "Condemned to Die" and "The Sandman"

Recorded at Selani Studio

Cover Art by Höss

Tracks: 1- In The Name of the Father, 2- Future is the Past, 3- Around the World in 80 Sec., 4- Father !, 5- I am who I am not, 6- I want to....

The first thing that got my attention from the beginning of this CD were the strange rhythmic patterns that this band uses: they are not common...in fact they are twisted and everchanging as hell!! The band has a lot of technical skills and they use then through all this recording of what I would like to call unorthodox death metal. There are a lot of strange melodies combined with killer drumming (this guy is a master of the double bass and of odd time signatures). The guitarists are really technical too playing a lot of crushing riffs perfectly tight with the drums and the adding some interesting solos or melodies in all the tracks. For fans of original and twisted death metal.

Favorite tracks: "IN the Name of the Father", "Father!" and "I am who I am Not"

Contact:

Pawel Michalkiewicz

11-130 Orneta

Dworcowa 7A/2

POLAND

Recorded at Aexxys Art Studios

Cover Art by Hans Himmelhuber

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- I´m Alive, 3- Me in You, 4- Addicted To Flesh, 5- Follow the Floodline, 6- Orgasm Through Mutilation, 7- Twisted Desires, 8- Damend To Rot, 9- In My Head, 10- The Beast Inside, 11- Flesh Eating Mother

Human Bloodfeast is a really brutal band whose main characteristic are the guitar riffs which are extremely intelligent and well designed to make people bang their heads. Here we have guitars that are really crushing with a big fat sound and that have a lot of coordination with the killer rhythm section (they play also excellent solos which are ultra heavy and yet with a clear sound and some melody on them). There are different types of vocals here but the main one is the most guttural that accentuates in a really good manner the riffs and rhythms tat the rest of the band does. One of the most brutal bands of 2002 !!

Favorite tracks: "I´m Alive", "Follow the Floodline" and "The Beast Inside"

Cover Art by Gabor Zselencz

Tracks: 1- Dead of God´s Whip, 2- Lord Almos, 3- Oath of the 7 Lords, 4- Arpad our Ancient Father, 5- 897- End of the Great Migration

Here we have this unipersonal project by Gabor Zselencz who is the main man behind Hunok and he also plays the keyboards and drums on this release. The music on this demo is extremely ambiental consisting mainly on keyboards passages and atmospheres created by Gabor in order to show his extremely dark musical taste. Here everything is done in order to create an extremely obscure atmosphere and this is achieved by the use of minor chord progressions and slow percussion in some places. IN tracks like "Arpad our Ancient Father", which is more than 10 minutes long you can listen more shades and sort of a type of guitar sound that contrasts with the keyboards. This is for people who like this type of experimentation in darkness.

Favorite tracks: The five tracks are awesome !

Contact:

Hunok c/o Gabor Zselencz

Walter-Kolb-Str. 2

60594 Frankfurt Am Main
GERMANY

Recorded at MM Studios

Cover Art by Joana Oliveira

Tracks: 1- Septem Aquae, 2- Everlasting Delicacy, 3- Watery Portrait, 4- Till Daylight Comes, 5- Sustained in the Nebula

"Septem Aquae", a string quartet intro opens this five song MCD before In Peccatum enters in all their magnitude to show their powerful and climatic music. The music here is dark metal with a lot of keyboards, really great guitars which play interesting and melancholic melodies (also they have killer solos). Also here are Neves vocals that fit the melancholic and dark music of the band perfectly. This is a perfect showcase of how a band can be heavy and dark and at the same time melodic and melancholic. The keyboards passages are extremely obscure and atmospheric (check 1:20 of "Watery Portrait" to see what I am talking about). So, here is what I would say to anyone that reads this review: Let darkness embrace you with In Peccatum´s music.

Favorite tracks: The five tracks are real masterpieces. One of the CDs of the month

Recorded at Dimensional Sound Studio

Cover Art by Marco Jeurissen

Tracks: 1- The Elder Gods, 2- Ceremonies of Deceit, 3- ....For Thee I Bleed, 4- Hallowed Guidance, 5- Inverted, 6- Encrypting the Vehemence, 7- Divinity, 8- The Calling of the Hordes

This is a devastating release . Internecine is the project of Jared Anderson who plays guitars, bass and vocals here. He is helped by Tony Laureno and Derek Roddy (Aurora Borealis and many other bands) on drums and also he has some guest guitar solos by Erik Rutan. Also the production is done by Erik Rutan who as always delivers a great quality sound that helps Internecine to achieve the results that they want to reach. Here the guitars are extremely well mixed showing all the brutality that this death metal one man band is capable of doing in all the tracks. The guttural vocals are clearly mixed and well combined with the guitar riffs and hyper fast drumming. Lovers of brutality enjoy this CD and crank up your music equipment!

Favorite tracks: "Ceremonies of Deceit", "Hallowed Guidance" and "Divinity"

Engineered at Numerock Studios

Cover Art by Franck Ackermann for Ackermann Studio Design

Tracks: 1- End Connection, 2- N.W.O., 3- White Lines 23, 4- Go Insane, 5- Delirium Tremens, 6- Majestic Sacrifice, 7- Last Pray, 8- Red Sky, 9- Mach. Syst. Ctrl, 10- Red Light Visions, 11- Heaven Distortion

Some issues back I had the opportunity of doing an interview with Jailbird and here is the review of their latest album. The music that this band makes can be labeled as industrial metal, mainly because of the sound of drums and guitars (you can not compare this band to Ministry or Nine Inch Nails because their music is completely different). Here we have electronic drums and heavy crushing guitars all in a sort of mechanical environment which I like because it gives a lot of originality to Jailbird´s music. The vocals are sometimes sung, sometimes spoken and sometimes screamed or whispered, depending on the mood that this guys want to give to their music. There are a lot of keyboards that emphasize the sound creating the Jailbird´s sound. One thing that I have to remark is the excellent sound that this recording has. If you want something with industrial sound but with true identity here you have Jailbird.

Favorite tracks: "Go Insane", "Red Sky" and "Red Light Visions"

Recorded at Conway Studio

Cover Art by Eric White

Tracks: 1- Here To Stay, 2- Make Believe, 3- Blame, 4- Hollow Life, 5- Bottled Up Inside, 6-Thoughtless, 7- Hating, 8- One More Time, 9- Alone I Break, 10- Embrace, 11- Beat it Upright, 12- Wake Up Hate, 13- I´m Hiding, 14- No One´s There

When Korn first appeared in the scene they were welcomed as the new blood in metal....then came success with their second and third album and then people started to hate them and the whole new metal scene (this is a bag where they have put bands like Korn, Papa Roach and a million more, I don´t know why because they are very different). Fuck em!! I think that Korn brought a new style that is their own to a scene that was becoming stagnant . And they show that they have not lost their energy on this album "Untouchables" which is much heavier than "Follow the Leader" or "Issues" . Here we have all the elmente sthat have made Korn famous but with less catchy choruses and some more interesting riffs. The recording has fourteen tracks and also a multimedia track.

Favorite tracks: "Blame", "Thoughtless" and "Wake Up Hate".

Mastered at Zappin Studios

Cover Art by Landguard

Tracks: 1- A Game Begins..., 2- A Perpetual Game, 3- Wizard of Time, 4- Mindscape, 5- Ivory Mask, 6- A Perpetual Joke

Landguard is an excellent progressive metal band. Their music is heavy and at the same time has many complex arrangements done by all the musicians that are of superb quality. Here we have many changes in the vein of Imags and Words-era Dream Theater with multiple guitar and keyboard solos and an excellent vocalist that does not abuse the high pitched notes preferring to give a warm touch to Landguard´s music with his use of the middle range. This band is amazingly clean in their sound and they have an excellent guitarist who knows how to play different riffs and incredibly melodic solos while retaining the heaviness with his guitars. The rhythm section is extremely tight and plays in a great way the many changes in Landguard´s music. This is a band that I think will be a really famous name in the progressive metal world. A must.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is a jewel

Recorded at Mercenary Digital Studio

Cover Art by

Tracks: 1- T.L.C. (Tigh Lil Cunt), 2- Coated With My Semen, 3- Unrelenting Homicidal Obsession, 4- A Woman´s Place is On my Face, 5- Second Cumming (Pussy Lover Part II), 6- Snack Size Tits, 7- Anal Autopsy, 8- Fetal Scabs, 9- Conception Through Ingestion

Here we have the new album of this porn death psychos called Lividity. Their music is devastating...they crush the listener´s brain and ears with their deathly guitar riffs and fast and furious drum beats (full of blast beats). Here we have the maniac guttural as hell vocals that make the music even heavier and more deathly. The sound of the recording is really good and makes the instrument shine (in fact what I find great is that each of the instruments can be heard really good, even the bass guitars). There are nine tracks here that from beginning to end will not have mercy for you. This band knows how to be really heavy even in the slower parts as the ones that are on "Coated with my semen". Music for crushiung your brain into pieces !!

Favorite tracks: "Snack Size Tits", "T.L.C." and "Fetal Scabs"

Here we have a sample of what the new Living Sacrifice album is going to be. After the powerful "The Hammering Process" we have this powerful new offering (not yet, it will be on the streets in September 24). We have here all the elements that have made Living Sacrifice a top metal band but with a better, bigger sound. The two songs here are heavy as hell and have many modern elements that Living Sacrifice know how to play in a really great way without loosing their power. I await the new album to see the complete result. I think this will be a killer one!!!!

Cover Art by Björn Rubingh

Tracks: Lugubre: 1- The Devastating Hammer of Evil, 2- Pure Annihilation of Unworthy Existences, 3- Black War Destruction, 4- Drenched by Ancient Blood, 5- Nuclear Counterstrike. Misanthropy: 6- Brutally Raped and Maimed, 7- Only Hatred Remains, 8- Hate With No Compromise, 9- All Humanity Must End, 10- Virus Spreader - Outro

Here we have this split CD from this two ultra raw black metal bands. First we have the five Lugubre tracks which are ultra raw and hyper fast with a lot of black metal screams and raw guitars. This band plays really fast tracks with certain similarities to the first Mayhem. Hermit vocals are extremely painful and fit the music. The mix is not really good and I think that this guys with a better mix can make their music more effective (specially the drums). Then comes Misanthropy which is a one man band (Ed is the only composer and player here). Misanthropy has the characteristic of using a drum machine in their tracks along with an ultraraw guitar. Ed´s screams and vocals are really black and send chills down your spine. Again the mix can be better, specially here on the guitars (when he does some melody you barely can notice it) This is a really underground release and here we have two bands to don´t miss a step in their evolution.

Favorite tracks: "Pure Annihilation of Unworthy Existences", "All Humanity Must End" and "Only Hatred Remains"

Cover Art by Per Wik

Tracks: 1- The Key To Your Soul, 2- Land of Spirits, 3- Imagine a Place, 4- Anchanted Wood, 5- Gate To Heaven, 6- First Steps, 7- Romance, 8- A Temple In China, 9- Blues Man, 10- Open Heart, 11- A Memory, 12- Past Future, 13-Newborn Waterfall, 14- A Church Without walls, 15- A Relationship in Tokyo, 16- Infinity, 17- Castle Garden, 18- No Name

Here we have the solo album from Hammerfall´s bassist and after listening this CD I can not find a reason why he does not play this type of bass lines in his main band. This could help a lot to set the band apart from the one million power metal bands that are everywhere that do the same galloping over and over again. Rosen here plays a lot of different styles but the main one is jazz. He is joined here by Biggi Vinkeloe on sax and flute (she is a really great player) and by his partner Ander Johanson on drums on three tracks. Here Rosen has found an appropriate vehicle for his musical personality which he can not reflect in Hammerfall. Check all the bass lines and melodies that he makes here to see what this guy is capable of doing. Come on Magnus!! Show the guys in Hammerfall how to do it in a more original way

Favorite tracks: "Land of Spirits", "Castle Garden" and "A Memory"

Recorded at Bottom Dollar Studio

Cover Art by Matt Mills

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Discovery, 3- Drive, 4- Twilight Part 1 , 5- Dark Travel, 6- Castles, 7- Twilight Part 2 , 8- E Minor 9^th, 9- Solo, 10- Introspection, 11- Opus, 12- Outro

Matt Mills is a killer neoclassical guitarist. His music can be compared to musicians as Joey Tafolla or Tony Macalpine. He has made this instrumental album comprised of 10 songs an intro and an outro. The songs are sometimes more neoclassical style, sometimes more in a fusion style (like for example on "Drive". He plays here with two excellen musicians that help him with the rhythm section: those are Brian Sanders on bass and Drew Franklin on drums. The three together make this really tight trio for Mills compositions. Here Mills shows us his great taste in guitar lines and solos (check for example "E Minor 9^th to see how tastefully composed are the guitar melodies). And he also plays a solo piece in "Solo" showing his classical influences. A must for guitar players and musicians and for everybody who likes neoclassical musics and superb musicianship.

Favorite tracks: "Discovery", "Castles" and "E Minor 9^th"

Cover Art by Storm Thorgerson and Peter Curzon

Tracks: CD1: 1- Dread and the fugitive Mind, 2- Kill the King, 3- Wake Up Dead, 4- In My Darkest Hour, 5- Angry Again, 6- She Wolf, 7- Reckoning Day, 8- Devil´s Island, 9- Train of Consequences, 10- A Tout le Monde, 11- Burning Bridges, 12- Hangar 18, 13- Return to Hangar, 14- Hook in Mouth

CD2: 1- Almost Honest, 2- 1000 Times Goodbye, 3- Mechanix, 4- Tornado of Souls, 5- Ashes In Your Mouth, 6- Sweating Bullets, 7- Trust, 8- Symphony of Destruction, 9- Peace Sells, 10- Holy Wars

Here is the live Megadeth album! And there is two sides of it: one is the good side: a lot of songs played live with an acceptable sound (even if the guitars can be better ) and all the strength that Megadeth has, and also they have all original material with no covers, then the bad thing : I would have liked them to mix better the album and also I would have changed some of the tracks from "The World Needs a Hero" for some of the ones that they used to play in other tours like for example "502" or "Skin of My Teeth". But with as many good songs as Megadeth has it is almost impossible to satisfy everybody. I hope this guys reunite and make albums like "Rust In Peace", "Peace Sells" or "Countdown to Extinction" soon.

Favorite tracks: "In My Darkest Hour", "Hangar 18", "Tornado of Souls" and "Peace Sells"

Cover Art by Memnoch

Tracks: 1- Running Man, 2- Words Unheard, 3- Consummate Wrath (Part 1), 4- Killing Fields

Memnoch is a death metal band with a lot of interest features: first of all, they have original riffs (specially on the slowest parts that allows the band to develop their ideas in a great way). Then, they not abuse the fastest parts to reach a more brutal result, preferring to concentrate on the original riffs, on some rhythm changes and some melodies. This is a MCD that contains four tracks of pure death metal with some thrash touches in a couple of riffs which my ear liked a lot (like the one at 3:30 in "Consummate Wrath"). Then band achieves a lot of brutality in many parts and they mix this with some changes that make each of the tracks an interesting experience for the listeners.

Favorite tracks: The four tracks are really powerful and lovers of death metal with like them a lot

Recorded at Akustika Studio and Jumping Spider Studio

Tracks: 1- Wakinyan Tanka, 2- Come un oasi, 3- Il risveglio delle idee, 4- Bestia dentro, 5- Il Buio della Tempestá, 6- Sudo Sangue, 7- Di Notte

Favorite tracks: "Wakinyan Tanka", "Il Risveglio delle idee" and "Sudo Sangue"

Metharia is an italian band who plays metal in its purest form with many progressive and some death touches. The first thing that struck me are their great melodies and their changing sound between clean and distorted guitars (this is fundamental for the Metharia sound along with the combination with the keyboards). I find this CD very interesting because of the multiple ideas that you can find within each of the songs (melodies, rhythm changes, vocal changes, etc.) and the band never looses their power while mixing them . Another thing that is surprising is the voice of Luca Volani...he sings in many places like a heavy metal singer, then he can growl like a death metal one and he has a lot of different shades that are great for the mood that he wants to create on each of the tracks. Thumbs up for Metharia!!

Mastering by Marisa Dery at The Tape Complex

Cover Art by Franck Ackermann

Tracks: 1- Delirium Tremens (Jailbird), 2- Militia Love (S.M.P.), 3- Dagon (Progeria), 4- Twilight World (Aiboforcen), 5- Name of God (Six Past Seven), 6- Tense and Taut (Mouth of Indifference), 7- Jesus Christ V 2.0 (Chaos Engine), 8- Mysterious (System 81), 9- Crucifixion (Arkam Asylum), 10 Human Fragments (Mnemonic), 11- AnimalFarm (Tin.RP), 12- Soul and Substance (Mind Flux Funeral), 13- She Said (St. John´s Eve), 14- Kein Traum (Monoid), 15- Dock to Dock 2001 (Autocad), 16- Fullbandwidth (Silencer), 17- Last Pray (Jailbird)

Here we have this compilation that features sixteen bands from different sides of the electronic specter: from the industrial side represented by bands like Jailbird, to the almost dance in bands like Aïboforcen or Mnemonic or to the almost ambient machine sound of Progeria. Every band here features a lot of electronic sounds and passages and I think is great that we have such different personalities on one CD. There are results which I liked most like the ones of Jailbird, Aïboforcen or Arkam Asylum because they show a lot of the different moods that this bands can achieve while experimenting with their sound and they develop many good ideas on their tracks. This compilation is great for those who like electronic music or for the people who have not listened to it before and want to have a good idea of the different styles that they can find.

Favorite tracks: "Last Pray", "Twilight World" and "Crucifixion"

Recorded at Sonum Studio

Cover Art by Martin Lafleur

This CD really fooled me in the beginning because due to the melodies that are on the beginning (which are close to an european heavy metal style) of "Fantasy" I thought "Oh, they sent me a wrong record", but I was wrong, after a brief acoustic interlude enters a more deathly part with rawer vocals, and then enters some female vocals and everything has a lot of melodies and keyboards !! Moonlyght is an amazing band!!! They have one million of ideas and they construct songs with thousands of them going on putting melodies and heavy riffs and breaks here and there. Plus they have some guest musicians in female vocals (combined with the male vocals which are clean and screaming in many places), violin and accordion !! Some parts reminded me of In the Woods but Moonlyght have more variations within each of the tracks. The problem is that I want more Moonlyght....and this CD was recorded 2002...I don´t want to wait too long for more of their music...please guys write more songs in this style!!!! This is with no doubt one of the CDs of the year.

Tracks: 1- Fantasy, 2- The Sceptic Traveller, 3- Ride on Ice Storms, 4- A Tale from a Fantastic Kingdom, 5- The Autumn´s Freezing Harmony, 6- From Honour to Nothingness, 7- Progresive Darkness

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazing and really original. One of the CDs of 2002.

Recorded by Paul

Cover Art by Paul

Tracks: 1- Convulsive Reocurrence, 2- Jugular Appetizer, 3- Morgue Supplier, 4- Not Dead Enough

Morgue Supplier is an extremely brutal death-grind band that plays most of their music at full speed with a strong emphasis on brutality and the strength of their riffs. This CD is full of hyper fast parts and blast beats (the drummer is a beast behind the drum kit). The vocals are guttural and fit the music perfectly...I liked a lot the riffs that are on "Jugular Appetizer" because I think this is the side that the band needs to explore using this crushing rhythms and the interesting drums patterns (really twisted in many places). The mix is good but I think that the guitars and drums can be mixed a little bit louder and the result will be even more brutal. This is a band that guarantees the listener full brutality and will let you collecting pieces of your brain from the floor !!!

Favorite tracks: "Convulsive Reocurrence" and "Jugular Appetizer"

Recorded at Henson Studios and Chuck´s House

Cover Art by Joe Petagno

Tracks: 1- Walk a Crooked Mile, 2- Down the Line, 3- Brave New World, 4- Voices from the War, 5- Mine all Mine, 6- Shut Your Mouth, 7- Kill the World, 8- Dr. Love, 9- No Remorse, 10- Red Raw, 11- Serial Killer

Here we have Motörhead´s new album and we have no surprises. Fans of the band will love this recording and detractors of the band will hate it as they always do. Here are all the elements that have made the band famous....their simple but effective riffs...their rock and roll attitude...Lemmy´s vocals and the raw guitar sound (all of this are trademarks of the band). Comparing to their previous albums "(We are) Motorhead" and many more this one has a little bit more polished production and they have put more emphasis on the choruses (as you can check since the beginning with "Walk a Crooked Mile"). Another step in Motörhead´s career.

Favorite tracks: "Brave New World", "Shut Your Mouth" and "No Remorse"

Recorded at Jailhouse Studios

Cover Art by Terje Sagen, Geir Solli and Companions in Art

Tracks: 1- To plan, 2- Døse Dager, 3- Vi Såkkeland, 4- 92-Tid-99, 5- Nummen, 6- Bob Dylan is the Fucking King, 7- Sug 99, 8- To Oyer..., 9- ...To Hav, 10- En Lonesome, 11-15 = Bonus tracks

Here we have an extremely atmospheric release with a lot of different textures on each of the tracks that are on this CD. Going from the almost ambient with lots of keyboards in "To Plan" to the weirder track "Døse Dager" with some drums and slide guitar on it. Here we have a great thing that is that each track is a world on its own and then you have lots of different moods here. Main composer here is Terje Sagen who is the only musician that appears on all tracks here and whose mind has created this wonderful album. He also plays guitar and many instruments here which allows him to express all his ideas on this eclectic CD.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is amazingly weird. I like musicians who put originality as a top priority.

Recorded at Sunlight Studios

Cover Art by Sebastian Ramstedt

Tracks: 1- Taste of Black, 2- Dreams Shall Flesh, 3- Art of Rebellion, 4- Shadowseeds, 5- Mourningsoul, 6- Helfire, 7- Cult of Blood, 8-Roots of Heldrasil, 9- Blood Anthem, 10- Among the Storms

Necrophobic is a powerful death/black metal band with interesting thrash touches. Here we have their powerful new album which was recorded on the mythic Sunlight Studios where the nineties scandinavian death metal scene developed. This time they have ten powerful tracks that are extremely fast and really powerful. Tobias Sidegård´s vocals are powerful as hell going from screaming to guttural but always adding power to the tracks. Also thumbs up for the killer drummer Joakim Sterner who can be clearly listened on this album (this CD has a great mix....Tomas Skogsberg is a genius doing this). The tracks here have subtle melodies as the ones you can hear in "Shadowseeds" which create a darker mood that is great in Necrophobic hands.

Favorite tracks: "Dreams Shall Flesh", "Mourningsoul" and "Shadowseeds"

Recorded at Morrisound Recordings

Cover Art by Michael Whelan

Tracks: 1- Infected, 2- Body Bag, 3- Chopped in Half, 4- Circle of the Tyrants, 5- Dying, 6- Find the Arise, 7- Cause of Death, 8- Memories Remain, 9- Turned Inside Out, 10- Infected (demo), 11- Memories (demo), 12- Chopped in Half (demo)

Here we have the remastered edition of Obituary´s second album. Here is more evident the remastering than in the "Slowly We Rot" remaster. Here the guitars and drums are clearer than in the original version. Musically we have a great evolution in Obituary´s music with the addition of James Murphy on guitars (he plays killer solos through all the recording instead of Allen West´s fast runs of the first album). Here you can listen the change that this man brought to Obituary´s music by listening the original demos of some of the tracks contained here and comparing them to the final versions that finally made to the album. This is the album that catapulted Obituary´s career to the top of the death metal scene and you can find the reasons just listening to it.

Favorite tracks: "Infected", "Find the Arise" and "Memories Remain"

Cover Art by Paysage D´Hiver

Tracks: 1- Die Baumfrau, 2- Der Baummann, 3- Der Baum, 4- Deja Vu

This is a CD of climatic black metal. First of all I have to say that most of the music here is ruined by the lack of a good sound that would help to listen better the different atmospheres that the band wants to create. The music is good, specially on the mid tempos but is barely audible iun many places (for example on the fastest parts). The guitars make interesting melodic passages that create a dark atmosphere on each of the tracks contained on this cd. This guys must rerecord this one and add a better mix in order to have better results becuase the music is really good and it deserves a better mix..

Favorite tracks: "Die Baummann" and "Der Baum"

Contact:

Tobias Moeckl

Muristrasse 74

3006 Bern

Helvetia

Recorded at Eastcoast Studio

Cover Art by T. Öhman

Tracks: 1- Eclipse, 2- Towards 1000 Seas, 3- Departure - A Dream of Death

This is an excellent band with many ideas. Their music is extremely dark black metal with amny melodies and changes. And they also have some thrash metal elements that combined create great tracks. The main thing here is developing a dark atmosphere with the guitars (they play a lot of melodies and riffs in some sort of mid pace tempo). The vocals are trollish as in many black metal bands but this are more expresive (sort of a mix between a black metal band and Carcass to give you an example). The mix of the album is really good making all the melodies darker and pointing out all the atmospheres that the band wants to create. It is a pity that the recording has only three tracks because it leaves you wanting more

Favorite tracks: The threee contained here are amazing !!!

Contact:

RAVINE

Kirkkojärvi 431

49400 Hamina

Finland

Recorded at Prolog Studios

Cover Art by David Bollt

Tracks: 1- The Beginning of Terror, 2- Dripping With Blood, 3- Deadly Lessons, 4- Wait To Suffer, 5- Macabre Fuckfest, 6- Infecting the Crypt, 7-Ophidicism, 8- Entangled in Madness, 9- Butchered in Excrement, Conquered Suffering

An eerie introduction starts this CD and then gives place to the devastating music of Resurrected. This band is brutal as fuck !!! And that does not mean that they are playing fast all the time....check as an example the killer beginning in "Wait to Suffer " to listen the ten ton heavy riff with an interesting double bass drum part that the drummer repeat in other parts of that track. Yes, they can play fast too but they prefer to rely on more effective riffs and then doing a blast beat here and there. The vocalist is guttural and he is risponsible of a lot of the brutality that this band has. The guitars are really well combined with the bass and drums creating the demolishing sound of Resurrected.

Favorite tracks: This release is brutal as hell. One of the most devastating releases in 2002

Recorded at Low Pain Recording

Cover Art by Mortifer / B. Pedersen

Tracks: 1- Drømmende Længsel; 2- Under en Crimson Måne, 3- Om Nat I Stilhed, 4- Dødslængslen & Kaldet

Here we have four tracks from this Danish duo consisting of Mortifer on keyboards, percussion and vocals (and she composed all the music here) and Harnas who does vocals here. The four tracks are really calm and dark. There are keyboards all over the place which play dark chord progression giving the basement for the melancholic and spoken vocals. There are some changes in the music but most of the time is really relaxing and enchanting for all your senses. There are some flute (I think is some sort of typical flute) that Mortifer plays in some pasages that add a lot of sadness and sorrow to the songs. This music is a reflection of a beautiful and sad soul.

Favorite tracks: The four contained here are pieces of dark beauty. I liked them a lot.

Cover Art by Copo 2000

Tracks: 1- This Love is Dead, 2- Bishop of Blood, 3- Scream, 4- Price of liberty, 5- Rabenmensch, 6- Ouellen, 7- Follower, 8- Finalergeist, 9- Die Rache Ist Mein, 10- Hear the Blade Rings

Here is this powerful release that I would define as a mix of metal, rock and gothic music. Here we have the crushing riffs that this band makes in the songs, then we have some rocking riffs too that give a lot of hooks to each song. And then there is the combination of male and female vocals that add a lot of melodies and atmosphere to the music. The guitars sound really raw (and maybe that is a little bit weird for a band of this style) but they sound great and very clear also in the clean parts and in the melodies. The production is really clear and you can listen every note, every drumbeat and every vocal line. A heavy and melancholic release.

Favorite tracks: "This Love is Dead", "Rabenmensch" and "Die Rache ist Mein"

Cover Art by Serpent

Tracks: 1- March To Death, 2- Art of War, 3- Panzar, 4- Spanish Inquisition, 3- Behind the Cross

Here we have this killer swedish band whose music can be described as some sort of death/thrash metal. Here we have interesting and fast riffs but what I liked most are the shouted choruses like the one in "Art of War" that are the guys, Sin and Tyr, shouting "Art of War" very violently. There are some intereting melodic riffs in sort of a black metal style with some keyboards that I think are played by Raven (I would like the keyboards a little bit louder here). And one think I think this guys must use on every song are the killer solos. I think this is a distinct characteristic of Serpent´s music along with the keyboards in tracks like "Spanish Inquisition". A very violent release with some beautiful elments. Really contrasting.

Favorite tracks: "Art of War" and "Behind the Cross"

Cover Art by Shadegrown

Tracks: 1- I am the Shadow-Walker, 2- A Dream of How All Dies, 3- I Drown in Shadows, 4- IN a Cold Winternight

Andreas "Shade" Pross is the composer and executor of all the music contained on this CD. The music can be classified in a sort of epic death/ black dark metal with a lot of atmospheres and keyboards. Great keyboard lines are what give a lot of originality to the music on this CD, along with the many different vocal moods that Shadegrown achieves on each of the tracks. Here we have spoken vocals, growling vocals, a screaming one too, and below them the heavy guitars mixed in a really original way with the keyboards. A really interesting project. I hope to listen more from Shadegrown soon.

Favorite tracks: The four tracks are magnificent, specially the combination of heavy guitars and keyboards

Produced by Luiz Silva and Ricardo Mattos

Recorded at M&C Studios

Cover Art by Henrique Oliveri

Tracks: 1- They Dig my Grave, 2- Blood Street, 3- Tomorrow´s Desolation, 4- Finis Glori Mundi, 5- Death Penalty, 6- Death Lament, 7- War Feelings

This is a brazilian death thrash metal band whose music has a lot of aggression and melodies in the vein of some Scandinavian bands. But Shadows FX has achieved their own identity by adding a raw sound to their music. The tracks on this CD are dripping energy and brutality but interesting mixed with guitar melodies that make A lot of atmospheres and moods in the tracks. Another thing which I liked are the guitar solos that are technical and prefer adding melodic phrases than being hyper fast and demential. This brazilian band has also made a really beautiful instrumental in the vein of bands like Testament that is called "Finis Glori Mundi" and shows us a more subtle side of the band´s music. Lovers of the style will surely like this one.

Favorite tracks: "Blood Street", "Death Lament" and "Tomorrow´s Desolation"

Recorded at Studio Watercastle

Cover Art by Janne Matti Nurminen

Tracks: 1- Solicitude, 2- Forever Sleep, 3- Redemption, 4- Autumn Heart, 5- Whatever The Pain, 6- Maiden of the Forest, 7-Requiem, 8- With Blood Adorned, 9- At the Dawn of Wept, 10- Solicitude

Silentium is a band from Finland and they play extremely melancholic music with heavy guitars and a lot of melodic arrangements. This guys have reached a perfect balance between power and melody. The arrangements here are complex and they use heavily thekeyboards in order to achieve the harmonies that they want. The music on this CD has been mixed in the Finnvox Studios and you can feel that in the quality that the sound has letting us hear every arrangement that this band makes, letting as listen the beauty of Tiina´s vocals in all its splendour and letting us listen all the melodies perfectly. This is a must for people who love this kind of metal.

Favorite tracks: "Autumn Heart", "Redemption" and "With Blood Adorned"

Produced by Kristian Gislason, Morten Uldbæk, Brian Søgaard Jespersen and Sinphonia

Recorded at Birdland Sound Facilities

Cover Art by Martin The Madman

Tracks: 1- Medusa, 2- Lost, 3- Moonstruck, 4- Blear The Hideous, 5- Beyond the Clouds, 6- Path of Life, 7- Adyssey, 8- Now and Forever

The music here is powerful and combined with certain melodies reminds me a little bit of certain The Gathering but Sinphonia is completely different prefering to add a lot of heaviness and more darkness to their music: Monika´s vocals are extremely melodic and add a lot of personality to the band because she has a special type of voice and she knows how to combine it perfectly with the music that the rest of the band does. Also I have to remark the great contrast between the technical heavy guitar riffs and the keybopards which are fundmanetal to create Sinphonia´s music. This guys have a lot of technical skills that they use to create the songs and they achieve great results. This is a must for any metal fan.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is magnificent.

Produced by Smirnoff

Cover Art by Smirnoff

Tracks: 1- Inhuman Torture, 2- Lionels Passion (Braindead Part II), 3- Airplane Accidents, 4- If you Survive, 5- The Agony of Dying, 6- Warriors of Metal

The guys in Smirnoff have achieved a lot of brutality on this recording. Full speed and brutal riffs are all over this recording. This guys have made one of the top underground brutal releases of the year. Labels who release brutal bands music check this guys !! Thir music is simply devastating and I lie a lot the riffs in the style of "Airplane Accident" (0:58) really rhythmic and brutal at the same time followed by a frantic guitar solo. The vocals are really guttural as this style demands and they make a lot of screaming and brutal shouts in certain parts like on rhythm changes adding a lot of heaviness to the tracks here. This is brutality at a top level!!

Favorite tracks: "Inhuman Torture", "Lionel´s Passion" and "If you Survive"

Produced by Tommy Tägtgren

Recorded at Abyss Studios

Tracks: 1- Deicidal Beliefs, 2- Punished By Silence, 3- Spellbinder, 4- Deep in Mourning, 5- Artistic Blasphemy, 6- Vulturous Need, 7- Broken-winged, 8- Autumns.

This is one of the best CDs I have listened in a while. The perfect mix of melody and brutality (all of this multiplied by the great production by the amazing Tommy Tägtgren). I read that Solar Dawn make a well balanced mixture of death, thrash and heavy metal and I think this is the best way to describe their music. The vocals of death metal, along with some of the furious and fast riffs of the style, then some guitar riffs and breaks in the thrash metal style and then they add a lot fo guitar melodies and clean vocals in a more heavy metal vein ( a great combination of brutal and clean vocals are essential in Solar Dawn´s music). The guitar sound is extremely brutal and along with the excellent drummer they achieve this great recording that every metal fan should listen.

Favorite tracks: All the CD....perfect combination of aggressive and melodic side

Produced by Spirit Corpse

Recorded at DocMaKlang Studios

Cover Art by Sorsha Fauré

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- The Prophet, 3- Black Angel, 4- Funke der Lüge, 5- Inferno, 6- Alice, 7- Love is a grave, 8- Herrscher der Lüfte, 9- Spirit Corpse, 10- Outro

This guys are really weird....after a long introduction with keyboards and orchestration comes the first track "The Prophet". I expected a straightforwar death metal band and I was wrong because they start with sort of a heavy rock riff and start a rocking song. Then comes the next song which is a great mix of death metal vocals and heavy metal (check the epic chorus !!!) with keybaords parts !!. They call their style Zombie metal!!! The great thing about Spirit Corpse is that you never know what to expect from them. They change easily from song to song....going from melancholic tracks like "Funke der Lüge" (in this track they play a clean guitar solo over a heavy guitar riff that sounds amazing) to more brutal ones like "Inferno". If you like bands that mix a lot of styles with originality always witha lot of power then you should check Spirit Corpse.

Favorite tracks: "Black Angel", "Alice" and "Spirit Corpse"

Produced by Spiritual

Cover Art by Spiritual

Tracks: 1- When The Moon Shines, 2- Mistica Atmosfera, 3- Within Eons of Darkness, 4- From My Soul..., 5- Travel of the Dreamkeeper, 6- Lost Kingdom of Mag Rein, 7- Nocturnal Sea

Here we have this black metal band with interesting instrumental passages. The CD starts in a typicl black metal style with fast and furious riffs and screaming vocals, and then it surprises you with an instrumental track full of keyboards, then you have a lot of black metal again and then comes "Travel of the Dreemkeeper" which is an instrumental with acoustic guitars. I like a lot how this guys use really raw guitars and dark and melancholic keyboards progressions in tracks like "Lost Kingdom of Mag Rein" with a short keyboard interludes that continues in a fast part with interesting drumbeats. This guys have a lot of ideas and put them on each of the tracks that are here. And I like this because it gives a lot of originality to the band. Original black metal for lovers of the dark side !!

Favorite tracks: "When The Moon Shines", "Within Eons of Darkness" and "Travel of the Dreemkeeper"

Contact:

SS Productions c/o Berto Mattia

Via Fossalta, 86

35026 Conselve

ITALY

Produced by Rick Rubin and Daron Malakian

Recorded at Cello Studios

Cover Art by Mark Wakefield

Tracks: 1- Prison Song, 2- Needles, 3- Deer Dance, 4- Jet Pilot, 5- X, 6- Chop Suey!, 7- Bounce, 8- Forest, 9- Atwa, 10- Science, 11- Shimmy, 12- Toxicity, 13- Psycho, 14- Aerials

Here we have this band that is a sensation in the metal world and here you understand why. In a world full of Korn´s clones and bad copies and power metal repetitive bands here we have a band that is original and really powerful at the same time. Here we have Daron´s guitars that are crushing and at the same time melodic in many places, then you have the amazing Serj Tankian´s vocals which are the heart and soul of System of a Down´s music adding a lot of interesting melodies to the powerful music. Surely you have seen the "Chop Suey!" or "Aerials" video on MTV and many places. Well, here you have fourteen tracks in a similar vein.

Favorite tracks: "Aerials", "Needles" and "Bounce"

Produced by The Knuts

Cover Art by Alexander Görisch

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Die Mutter aus Kalkutta, 3- Popo-Club, 4- Geschwitzt, geschlitzt, gespritzt, 5- Palast Der Winde, 6- Summer of (66) 69, 7- Da ist was faul...Johannes Paul, 8- Hacken Bis Zum Abkacken, 9- Bodo Tanzt Den Pickelnascher, 10-Daddy Cool, 11- Die Teppichmilbe, 12- Der Bauer und das Liebe Vieh, 13- Du stinkst, aber Ich Liebe Dich, 14- Der Einsame Angler am Sumpfe Der Menschwerdung, 15- Land Der Liebe 2000, 16- Ballade of Rosi S., 17- Eine Neue Leber ist Wie Ein Neues Leben

Looking at the cover you don´t give much for this guys music. But listening to the CD is completely different. That is death metal with a lot of hardcore touches and interesting guitar riffs with many great melodies like in the song "Popo-Club" (so, don´t get fooled by the cover of this CD). The music here is powerful and raw with great work by the guitarists who work really well and develope the songs along with the drummer who does a lot of double bass drumming and also hits a lot his cymbals in order to add more heaviness to the tracks. The singer is in the vein of Sodom´s Tom Angel Ripper but a little bit more deathly. Tracks like "Geschwitzt..." are pure energy and almost grind in some parts (there are some really short tracks with grind bits). A really multiphacetic band full of power.

Favorite tracks: "Popo-club", "Der Bauer und Das Liebe Vieh" and "Eine Neue Leber ist Wie Ein Neues Leben"

THE SILENT SHINING - THE FIRST ATTACK (Indepedent, 2001)

Tracks: 1- Ophidian - Dreaming The Hereafter, 2- Dweorgesblod - look through the Emerald, 3- Astray - Universal Truth Divine, 4- Ordo Draconis - The Conjuration Complete, 5- Secrets of the Moon - Orion in the Wintersky, 6- Anthropolatri - Ognnenyi Veter, 7- Immemoreal - A nightmare Scenario, 8- Moonsorrow - Ukkosenjumalan Poika, 9- Iscariot - Wrath, 10- Lost Dreams - Burning Eyes, 11- Nebular Mystic - As I Blow My Candles, 12- Temple of Tiphareth - What ahs to be done (666), 13- Meads of Asphodel - Watchers of Catal Huyuk, 14- Pest - Ära

Here is this compilation that includes sixteen dark metal bands doing great songs. Here we have more famous underground bands like Immemorial, Ophidian or Moonsorrow along with other names that are not as known but as musically great as them as Dweorgesblod or Temple of Tipharet. All the bands are in the vein of complex black metal and I like the beginning with Ophidian doing their music in a great way. All of the bands here have in ytheir tracks some orchestration and interesting arrangements (some of the bands have more and some that are more raw have less). I would recommend this CD to people who don´t know the bands on it or to people who have not heard this style of music before and that will have here a good sample.

Favorite tracks: This is a great compilation CD and it is great to introduce people to the music of this bands

Produced by Tapio Pennanen and Throne of Chaos

Recorded at La-La Records

Cover Art by Kyösti

Tracks: 1- From Clarity To Insanity, 2- The Scaffold Scenario, 3- Cold Bits of Fire, 4- Bloodstained Prophecy, 5- Menace and Prayer, 6- Syntethia, 7- Opus Void, 8- Divanity, 9- Never in a Dream, 10- Towards Glory

This was quite an old release but because of its quality I decided to review it. This guys are from Finland and they have developed a style that I would called dark heavy power metal. That is: their music has elements of death metal in the voices (a screaming vocalist) and at the same time the music is really epic with a lot of elements of power metal such as the keyboards solos and the melodic riffs that are composed to sing with the fist in the air. Plus, here there are interesting thrash riffs along with fastest parts. The musicians here are really technical proficient (it is incredible how in Europe you have that many bands with great musicianship). Here you have a good option if you are bored from the same styles. This is different.

Favorite tracks: "The Scaffold Scenario", "Menace and Prayer" and "Towards Glory"

Here we have this powerful band that plays extremely violent metal with heavier than hell riffs and brutal vocals adding a lot of rhythms to their music through the syncopated drumbeats.. This guys have a lot of hardcore feeling too in their music and they know how to deliver it with some brutality in order to make it sound really heavy as hell. The production of the CD is amazingly good, specially on the guitar sound that is really fat and gives a lot of identity and power to Thundercore´s music. This is a six song CD sampler from this powerful band and I read that they are giving the final touches to their new recording which would really like to listen to soon.

Favorite tracks: Tracks number 1, 3 and 4

Produced by Tommy Tägtgren

Recorded at Abyss Studios

Tracks: 1- Subterranean Carnality, 2- Genuine Hatred, 3- Icon Retribution, 4- The Crowning Carnage, 5- Worldecay, 6- Purveyor of Chaos, 7- Changing the Mortal Disguise, 8- Menace of Human Waste, 9- Destroying the Idea of a God.

This is pure fucking holocaust black metal!! Here you have a black metal band that goes at full speed and full of hate all of the time. And they got what they deserve: the production of Tommy Tägtgren and the sound of the Abyss Studios that have multiplied ten times the power of the band. Yes, here the guitars are devastating even in the fastest riffs and you can hear them perfectly (they are not like a buzz in the speakers as in some releases that are not well mixed). Here you listenm perfectly the voices spitting their lyrics with their denial of god. And also here you have a killer drummer that can play great fills and blast beats making the music more agressive. This is raw black metal with great sound.

Favorite tracks: "Genuine Hatred", "Icon Retribution" and "The Crowning Carnage"

Produced by Vargsriket

Recorded in February 2002

Cover Art by Grym

Tracks: 1- Black Orders, 2- Luciferian, 3- My Blood- My Enemy, 4- Vargsriket, 5- Prologue To Honour, 6- Minions of Satan, 7- Oath of Blood, 8- Sanguinem Sacrificim, 9- Antichristian Battle Tune, 10- Hater of the Nailed One, 11- Willing to Compromise; 12- impale the Bastard

Here we have this band that is a legend in the black metal realm. There music is full of hate and extremely fast in some places and more climatic in others (like in "Sanguinem Sacricim"). Here the main thing are the guitar riffs combined with some hyper fast part with blast beats and a lot of crushing rhythms all over the tracks. Also here we have some interesting interludes with dense atmospheres and some spoken vocals. What I liked a lot here is the bass guitar which is mixed really loud and helps the devastating result of this CD (it gives a lot of power to the riffs because they accentuate a lot of them). The vocals are screaming in the black metalstyle and they spit lyrics about hatred of god and war to cristianity. Lovers of black metal will enjoy this one with no doubt!!

Favorite tracks: "My Blood - my Enemy", "Sanguinem Sacrificim" and "Hater of the Nailed One"

Produced by Vinterriket

Cover Art by Vinterriket

Tracks: 1- Fragments Eines Schatten, 2- Tötendes Licht, 3- Am brennenden nördlichen Firmament, 4- Stumme Wintersnacht, 5- Forge of Souls (Graveland Cover)

Here we have Vinterriket´s new promotional CD. This consists in some tracks taken from different releases like splits or 7" and a Graveland cover. Here we can see that Vinterriket has achieved their own style with raw guitars and a lot of keyboards (in fact I think the keys are the main element here adding a lot of atrmosphere to the tracks). Chriostopher ´s voclas have a more dominant role here than in the previous material that I had listened before and he sings melancholic melodies through all the recording and screaming when its necessary. And that is the main thing here: melodies with a lot of darkness. This is definitely a release for lovers of darkness and music with a lot of interesting arrangements.

Favorite tracks: The five contained here are great

Produced by Vinterriket

Cover Art by Vinterriket

Tracks: 1- Der Schrei Der Leere; 2- Züngelnde Winterflammen

Here we have this two track CDs with two strong compositions by Chris. This compositions are from february and march of 2002 so they are the newest material from Vinterriket. On the first track we have some raw parts with screaming and blast beats combined with a lot of keyboards passages and interludes that give a lot of identity to Vinterriket´s music. This way to mix darkness and violence in the same compositions is an art that Vinterriket has developed in a really great way. The second tracks is kind of more introspective and melancholic and shows us a more atmospheric side of Vinterriket´s music (here Chris screams but the screams are mixed lower letting us listen much more the eerie keyboards phrases and interludes). Let there be darkness with Vinterriket´s music!!

Favorite tracks: Both tracks are beautiful works of art.

Produced by Barry Poynter, Jesse Smith and Scott Mellinger

Recorded at Poynter´s Palace

Cover Art by Asterik Studio

Tracks: 1- The Buzzing, 2- Suspend / Suspension, 3- Parade of Chaos, 4- Angel Without Wings, 5- Killing Cupido, 6- Free the Three, 7- Man In the Womb, 8- A Pirates Prayer, 9- The Ballad of Buddy Bigsby, 10- How are the weak Free?

Zao is back!! This time more violent than ever! Here we have the crushing riffs that were in their previous releases but this time the screams are louder the riffs are heavier and the sound is bigger !! Here we have this trio of devastating guys that melt your brain through the ten tracks of this CD. Here we have the drumbeats from hell that lives the listener banging his head. This are songs that were meant to be played live. I imagine a Zao concert with hundreds ofmetalheads moshing and jumping along with the songs. The songs here have a lot of interesting changes and guitar arrangements that make the result really powerful and interesting and also the songs have a lot of catchy choruses that you can scream along !! A must.

Favorite tracks: "The Buzzing", "Angel Without Wings" and "Man in the Womb"