Produced by Abcess

Tracks: 1- Raping the Multiverse, 2- Mourners Will Burn, 3- Through the Cracks of Death, 4- Escalation of Violence, 5- Serpent of Dementia, 6- An Asylum Below, 7- Tomb of the Unknown Junkie, 8- Monolithic Damnation, 9- Die for Today, 10- 16 Horrors, 11- Vulnavia

Chris Reifert and company are back!! This is the follow up to their "Tormented" album and here we have many of the features that we lkove from this band. In fact, there are some welcome changes like faster riffs and better guitar solos. As most of you know Chris Reifert played drums on Death´s "Screaming Bloody Gore" album and later founded classic band Autopsy. That band was a really influential one in the underground and here we have half if that band because we have also Danny Coralles on guitars. Here we have the guttural vocals that have made Autopsy and Abscess famous and also here there are slow as hell riffs like the ones Autopsy used to play (check the middle part of "Through the Cracks of Death"). The sound of the recording is really much better than in all previous Abscess albums, specially on the guitars where you can listen the great riffs that this guys use and the amazing guitar solos. A classic.

Favorite tracks: "Mourners will Burn", "Serpent of Dementia" and "Monolithic Damnation".

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

Cover Art by Aesma Daeva

Tracks: 1- Lysander, 2- Devotion, 3- In My Holy Time, 4- The Eros of Frigid Beauty, 5- Overature, 6- The Minstrel Song, 7- Lysander II

This is Aesma Daeva´s second full length album and if the first one "Here Lies One Whose Name Was Written in Waterwas excellent this one is better. Here you have all the elments that have made John Prassas a reknowned composer....here you have the ethereal melodies, the cold female vocals, the beautiful atmospheres and the darkness of the feelings that this music provoques on everyone that listens to it. Here John has gone beyond boundaries adding a lot of harmonies and elements that were in the previous album but this time they are multiplied by ten adding new sides an d perspectives to Aesma Daeva´s music. Here John has shown us all his compositional skills and has improved the sound when compared to the previous album making the music sound deeper and more introspective. Just one thing more....you have to got this album!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite tracks: All the CD. As always Aesma Daeva delivers the best.

Recorded at Dungeon Studios

Cover Art by Anubis

Tracks: 1- Watchtowers of Night, 2-Queen Maeh´s Ride, 3- Perseus Treachery, 4- Horrors of the Inquisitium, 5- Window Through Eternity´s Continuum, 6-Desertion of the Churchyard

This is an extremely ethereal and atmospheric release by Kharis, the only compoaser and musician behind Agamemnon. Kharis is also the one that plays all the keyboards (which are the only instrument here) and does all the vocals.The result is a darker than hell album with a lot of moods and feelings (all of them dark and sad). The compositions here are really calm and have many different shades that Kharis has developed really well. All songs are quite long and that allows Kharis to give a lot of variations in the harmonies and melodies that he plays here. One weird thing is that the music here was recorded originally in a rehearsal in 1996 and in 2002 Kharis revidsed the lyrical concept and rewrote some part. Despit what it says in the booklet, the sound is good (even if there is some tape noise in the background). People who liked things like Koan or Esperanza or atmospheric bands like those ones would surely like Agamemnon.

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is extremely dark, atmospheric and sad !!!!

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Recorded at The Sound Chamber

Cover Art by Richard Evans

Tracks: 1- Oblivion, 2- Cafe 1930, 3- Tango Suite Part I, 4- Tango Suite Part 2, 5- Verano Reflections, 6- Night Club 1960, 7- Tango II, 8- Bordel 1900, 9- Milonga del Angel, 10- Last Tango for Astor

This is quite an older release but I had to put it. This is guitar extraordinaire Al Di Meola playing compositions from one of the best Argentinean composers, Astor Piazzolla (and also some pieces of his own in which he pays a tribute to Astor). Here you can see how well jazz can be fused with classical music and tango and in the hands of Di Meola this fusion comes to a climax. Here you have different dynamics, from strong tango to really melancholic pieces like "Last Tango for Astor". If you like well composed music and a guy that can make his guitar speak, talk, cry and many things more you should check this release.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is incredibly beautiful. Check it.

Recorded at Alpha Omega Studios

Layout by Fabio Verga and Andark

Tracks: 1- Beyond Destiny´s Path (intro); 2- Astral Fire Glitters; 3- the Last Embrace

Here we have this MCD from this italian band that makes epic black/death metal with many different moods within each of the songs. Here we have an introduction that is really calm and orchestrated with some violins. The comes the first track called "Astral Fire Glitters" that starts very raw in a certain black/death fashion and then gets in an amazing calm passage at 2:37. I think this guys have really good musicianship and they explore a lot of different things specially in this calm parts where they have the opportunity to show a different side of their music. Here we have a lot of keyboards arrangements with a lot of chord progressions and some melodies that contrast deeply with the two types of vocals (there is one that is closer to death metal more guttural and one that is more screaming...and also we have a high pitched voice courtesy of Roberto Beccalli and a female voice on "The Last Embrace" done by Cristina Meroni). Now I am waiting the new release from this amazing band. A great release.

Favorite tracks: The three tracks are raw, dark and epic at the same time

Recorded at Archæus place

Tracks: 1- Epitome 1 (The Source), 2- On the Wings of Pain, 3- The Whole Suffering, 4- Epitome 2 (the Nihil Procession), 5- Apoca...lips. 6- The Realm of Chasm, 7- Gate of Deliverance

This is absolutely mayhemic black metal , this is absolutely unholy and blasphemic black metal for dark souls and minds!!! Here we have this band that play the rawest kind of black metal, but at the same time they have some different features: first of all there are some slower parts that are really climatic and almost atmospheric (as in the middle of "Apoca...lips" where they change completely the rhythm of the song creating a whole song structure within the main structure). Another main feature is that despite being fast and furious and having an extrmely raw sound they make some melodies in the main riffs that shows a completely differnt side of Archæus. There is also some use of keyboards in the instrumntal intros called "Epitome1 and 2" and also in the beginning of "The Realm of Chasm" that is sort of an intro to "Gate of Deliverance". The drummer is extremely fast and makes incredible blast beats in many places and also creates some interesting patterns in other parts. I think that a better mix will make the music of this guys even more wild and powerful. Black metallers rejoice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite tracks: "ON the Wings of Pain", "Apoca...lips" and "The Realm of Chasm/Gate of Deliverance"

Recorded by James Malone and Michael Van Dyne

Tracks: 1- Ellegant and Perverse, 2- Wholly Night, 3- Worship Depraved, 4- Seven Whispers Fell Silent, 5- Veil of Mourning Black, 6- Fortune´s Envy, 7- Close, 8- Painted Eyes

Here we have Arsis, which is a duo of talented musicians: James Malone and Mike VanDyne decided to play together while attending Berklee College of Music. And on this recording you can feel how tallented this two guys are. I really liked the way Malone and VanDyne mix the most extreme metal genres, such as death metal or black metal with a lot of virtuosism (you have to check Malone´s guitar solos which are really complex to play...and a footnote: It has been a long time since I last listened to a guitar solo that uses a harmonizer!!). One thing that gains extra points for arsis is the complexity of their riffs and drumbeats which are not straightforward as in many extreme bands prefering to use riffs in the vein of Death, Carcass, Cynic or Atheist in many places. The vocals are brutal and add a lot of extreme feeling to Arsis music. Buy it or die!!!

Favorite tracks: One of the most powerful releases of the month. All the tracks are perfect

Recorded at Trax East

Cover Art by Pat thompson

Tracks: 1- Indefiance, 2- Cast In Shadows, 3- Perfect Truth, 4- My Empty Graves, 5- Remnants, 6- Closed Wounds, 7- Motives for Nightmares, 8- Changeling, 9- Limb from Limb, 10- Proceed To Proceed

Here we have this powerful band whose music is somewhere close to death metal but they are not what you would called a classical death metal band or something like that. In fact this guys make a lot of emphasis on the heaviness of their riffs being them fast or slow (check the second track "Cast In Shadows" to see what I am talking about). The similitude with death metal can be raised because of the vocals that are screaming ones but this band is much more being really technical in many breaks and changes. The guitars sound extremely heavy and the drummer uses a lot the cymbals in order to make things even heavier. There are some interesting guitar solos and melodies and the vocals are devastating too. The sound of the recording is really good in the guitars and vocals, maybe it needs a small twitch on the drums cymbals (not the Ride cymbal that sounds really great). This CD is a must for fans of the most extreme and powerful styles in metal.

Favorite tracks: "Indefiance", "Remnants" and " Limb from Limb"

Recorded at The Barn in Palestine

Cover Art by Doey

Tracks: 1- Practice (Intro), 2- Piss Flood, 3- A Niggers Ass is My Lunch, 4-Burnt Priest, 5- The Honkey Donkey, 6- Dirty Baby Born from a Pigs Ass, 7- I hope you rape me, 8- Peel my cock apart, mom, 9- Gingy Billigus Motamuchki, 10- Shit on my Dirty Dick, 11- Piss in My Ass (Reprise)

This guys are porn grind freaks with a scathological sense of humor. Their music is extremely fast and noisy most of the times. There are slower riffs that sound really mechanical as you can hear in some aprts of "Burnt Priest". The drums are programmed and that makes the music more weird and strange. The combination of this programmed drums with the noisy guitars are the main element that makes this machine type sound that Asscavern´s music has. The sound is extremely noisy and in some faster parts is difficult to listen what is going on, maybe a better mix of guitars couls help. If you like extremely fast and grinding music then you would like Asscavern a lot!!

Favorite tracks: "Burnt Priest", "A Niggers Ass is My Lunch" and "Peel My Cock Apart, Mom"

Cover Art byBaalphegor

Tracks: 1- The Pact, 2- Always Here, 3- Eaten Alive

Here we have this MCD from this death metal band coming directly from Spain.This band is extremely powerful and I liked the way they sounded with the drumming which sometimes sounds like programmed specially on the double bass drumming (great one through all the tracks). This guys have really good riffs (I liked a lot the ones for example at 0:30 of "Always Here" and the one that follows it....) and they have a lot of brutality to offer. Each of the tracks have many changes and that gives a lot of dynamics to the band´s music making it really interesting. The band sounds really tight while doing all this shifts and changes never missing a beat. There are some more melodic riffs in some parts of "Always Here" which I would strongly recommend to use more often because they are really good. Now we await a full length release from this brutal guys !!!

Favorite tracks: The three contained here are a great showcase of what this band is capeble of doing

Cover Art by Biomechanical

Tracks: 1- The Awakening, 2- Do You Know Me, 3- In the Core of Darkness, 4- Distorted

This band is great, fantastic!!!! Mix the power of a deth metal band in the riffs, add a vocalist in a heavy/power metal fashion but with more quality and vocal range than most you know. Then add a lot of eighties speed metal touches as bands like Hexenhaus or Toxik used to do (I mean, complex riffs and many changes taking the voice to its limits) and then you have an idea of what Biomechanical sounds like. Add to this a really modern sound with devastating guitars and here we have one of the best bands I have listened. Also, you have to know that this band has a lot of melodies and interesting choruses combined with amazing keyboards, great guitar solos and some clean guitars in some parts that make things even more interesting getting easily the listener attention. Check this band or die!!!!!

Favorite tracks: The four contained here

Cover Art by Blunt Force Trauma

Tracks: 1- String them Up, 2- Snapped, 3- Antichrist, 4- Heretic, 5- Consumed, 6- Blunt Force Trauma

Here we have an extremely brutal band!!! And when they recorded this six song EP they were a trio. Since then, they have added a new member to the lineup so I think they will sound even heavier in the future. The music here is brutal death metal with incredible drumming (this guy is killer with the double bass) and a huge guitar sound that some famous band would envy. I feel some Morbid Angel and Sinister influences here and there that feel really good mixed with Blunt Force Trauma´s trademark sound. The vocals are extremely guttural and they add a lot of brutality to the band´s music. All the riffs here are designed to crush the listener (and I think that is why the bass follows a lot the guitars adding a lot of bottom end to the sound) and they achieve easily the wanted effect. This is waht I call a devastating release !

Favorite tracks: "String Them Up", "Antichrist" and "Blunt Force Trauma"

Recorded at Mindz Eye

Cover Art by Born of Fire

Tracks: 1- Centrifuge, 2- Lifemares, 3- In the End

This is a MCD containing three tracks of pure classical heavy metal. Here you have all the elments that the style must have. You have the heavy guitars, then you have melodies, then you have a bass that accentutaes really well along the drummer and you have a singer with a really big vocal range (in the vein of Geoff Tate - Bruce Dickinson). The drummer is good at making interesting arrangements and adding a lot of power to the music along with the guitarist. There are interesting guitar passages (also here there is some use of clean guitars to make some parts more climatic like it happens on "Lifemares"). I would like the mix to be a little bit less raw, specially on the guitar and I think that can make the music even more powerful. I liked a lot the way in which "In the End" starts with the clean guitars and the bass playing interesting notes while the singer makes interesting vocal inflexions. Lovers of heavy metal will surely love Born of Fire. I hope to listen more from them soon.

Favorite tracks: The three here are really good metal songs

Cover Art by Jan Meininghaus

Tracks: 1- Metus Mortis, 2- Blind Suffering, 3- Shadowland, 4- Checkmate in Red, 5- Hollow Hideaway, 6- Weakness sows its Seed, 7- Into the Never, 8- Under Lights, 9- Cycles, 10- Behind, 11- Meet Me in the Dark, 12- Strength of Will

It is always good to listen to bands like Brainstorm because their music is what you can call heavy/power metal but they never fall in the cliches of that style. Brainstorm prefers to play heavier and more rhythmic riffs instead of the usual galloping and running riffs that most of the bands do (specially those tha are from Germany). Here we have a really heavy band with fat sounding guitars and a great mix that helps a lot to the final result. Here we have also a powerful singer like Andy Franck who is melodic but powerful and he never abuses the high pitched vocals. There are really good guitar solos and many parts on each tracks really well conected: the musicl ideas are really well developed on this CD. Lovers of heavy and power metal who don´t like copycat bands will like Brainstorm.

Favorite tracks: "Blind Suffering", "Hollow Hideaway" and "Into The Never"

Recorded at Quivvy

Cover Art by Chris Bigg

Tracks: 1- Saturday´s Child, 2- Voyage of Bran, 3- Medusa, 4- Sloth, 5- I Must Have been Blind, 6- The Captive Heart, 7- Death Will be My Bride, 8- Archangel

Here we have this solo album from one half of the great band called Dead Can Dance. Here Brendan show us really dark and calm compositions that he could have used for Dead Can Dance´s albums but he prefered to use them in a different context here. The songs are mainly acoustic, slow and really climatic with Brendan´s voice singing the sad and almost arcane lyrics over the music. As always, Brendan shows us that he is a great composer who has many ideas going on in his mind and he can translate them to music easily. The songs here are really fluent and have some spontaneity....they sound fresh. This is a good solo album. Now we want a new Dead Can Dance album!!

Favorite tracks: "Saturday´s Child", "Sloth" and "Death Will be My Bride"

Recorded at Brick Bath Studios

Cover Art by Eric Meyer and Ken Seaney

Tracks: 1- Inner Peace, 2- Bone Dry, 3- Pain my friend, 4- Sick of you, 5- Undone, 6- I won´t live the lie, 7- Crucified, 8- Simple Life, 9- So Wrong, 10- Oppression Kills, 11- Need, 12- Legacy, 13- Erased, 14- Die Alone

Here we have this extremely powerful band who is a top number in the underground. This is a self produced CD where they have achieved an extremely HUGE sound, specially on the guitars and drums that smash your brain into pieces. I listened this release at top volume and it surely makes you bang your head along with the drumming and the rhythms. Eric Meyer´s guitars are crushing and they have nothing to envy to the ones of famous bands like Testament, Slayer or Pantera. The same with drumming. Here we have four top quality musicians who deliver a full energetica lbum with no mercy !!!! I like a lot the way in which the drummer supports the changes and the different breaks and shythms. I would recommend you to check tracks like "Pain My friend" to know what I am talking about. The vocals have a lot of power too and Joseph Mc Caw knows where to be more energetic and where to be calmer. A must for those who enjoy powerful music.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is really powerful and energetic. Killer!!!

Recorded at No Brain Studios

Tracks: 1- Introspectrum, 2- A Bloody journey to the Land of tragedy, 3- Ancient Gods, 4- Presences

Here we have this band that starts the tape with a great orchestral and extremely dark intro before getting into an original style of black metal full of orchestrations and clkimatic melodies and adding a great female vocalist (with operistic type of vocals). The main thing here is the complexity of the compositions that have many different atmospheres within each of them changing a lot the rhythms and doing many melodic arrangements with the guitars and with the keyboards and female vocals. One thing that I have to praise here is the really good sound that this guys and girl have achieved on this recording that make all the interesting arrangements shine (and don´t become buried in the mix like in some bands happen). I hope this band can really soon release a longer recording for delight of all the metal ears out there.

Favorite tracks: All the ones that are here

Recorded at Dub Studio

Cover Art by Jon Tornnesen

Tracks: 1- Chainsaw Michelangelo, 2- The Explorer, 3- Night Stalker, 4- Daddy Dearest, 5- One To Go, 6- Salvation Principle Result, 7- Meat Hook Ballet, 8- Incineration (The Apical of Fire)

Guitar riffs! Here you have plenty of them ! And I really like bands that can do this and put many guitar riffs in a really coherent way. And Cobolt 60 can do this perfectly! Going from brutal riffs to more climatic ones within the same track and giving their music a lot of changes. Despite what you could think by watching the album cover, this is not a grind band. In fact Cobolt 60 is closer to death metal but the guitar riffs are differnt from this style and the vocals too. There is a certain eighties thrash feeling that allows this guy to give more hooks to the song and gain a lot of interest from the listener. The interesting thing here is also that Cobolt 60 is a duo consisting of Mr. Hustler on drums and vocals and Dod on guitars, bass and backing voclas. And they make this great music with a lot of passion and fury. I recommend this CD to people who want new emotions...this guys surely will provide them to you.

Favorite tracks: "Chainsaw Michelangelo", "One To Go" and "Daddy Dearest"

Recorded at Turtle Recordings

Cover Art by Giselle Blanck and Bryan Rode

Tracks: 1- Quarentine, 2- Under Heaven, 3- Fall from Grace, 4- After Love, 5- Ride On, 6- Easy Kill, 7- Hurt, 8- Butterfly High, 9- Suffering, 10- Fate of Our World, 11- Merchant of Fear, 12- Never Again My Friend

A beautiful acoustic passage starts the first song called "Quarentine" before getting into a mid tempo heavy rock track. This band is a great mix of rock, metal with a lot of climatic passages and changes. To see this you just have to put the CD an listen to "Quarentine" and see how this guys go from heavy to atmospheric and climatic passages (the keyboards are fundamental and I like the way this guys use them adding a lot of harmonies and melodic passages to their music). The tracks on this CD are very differnt one from each other letting us listejn to alot of differnt sides of Crawling Sun´s music personality. The heavy guitars add a lot of power to the songs and they are really well combined with the keys making a perfect blend of delicated phrases and heavy riffs. The sound of the recording is extremely good with a great guitar mix that makes Crawling Sun even more powerful. I have no doubt that this guys are creating a style of their own.

Favorite tracks: "Quarentine", "Easy Kill" and " Fate of Our World"

Recorded at Slaymaker Studios

Cover Art by Sean Alley

Tracks: 1- Big Man, 2- Eclipsed, 3- Falling, 4- Education, 5- No Going Home, 6- The Last of Me, 7- Anthem For the Weak, 8- Powertrip, 9- My White trash Neighbors

Crush Efekt is really brutal, but not in the same sense that a brutal death metal band could be. Even if they share a lot of the brutality that this kind of bands have, Crush Efekt has a sort of hardcore feeling to their music. I think that is because of two factors: first of all the vocals that are more of the screaming type, and then there are certain drum patterns that brutal death metal bands don´t use and Crush Efekt uses a lot. Don´t get me wrong...Crush Efekt is not hardcore, but they have some elements of the style that fit perfectly their more brutal music.There are powerful guitar riffs here with a raw guitar sounds that makes things even heavier! And there are a lot of blast beat parts which are fast as hell (it seems that this guys has eight arms in many places). As I said before the vocals are of the type that add a lot brutality to the music because of their screaming tyoe (not guttural). The sound of the recording is really good, specially on the guitars that are the main element here and on the devastating drums. Brutality guaranteed.

Favorite tracks: "Eclipsed", "No Going Home" and "Powertrip"

Recorded at "EL Refor"

Tracks: 1- Dark Faith, 2- Blinding Darkness, 3- Reflection, 4- Human Sacrifice, 5- Judas, 6- Religion, 7- Impure Son, 8- Necrophagus, 9- The Sentence of Satan

Here we have this black metal band coming directly from Spain!! Their music is raw in many places with fast guitars and drums and they have a lot of changes in their songs that make things really interesting! Ruth´s vocals are really devilish and fit the music perfectly. I liked a lot some acoustic passages in tracks like "Religion" who starts in a very calm way before getting into mayhemic black metal. The drummer is killer and makes a lot of fast passages, double bass drumming and breaks giving the band the dynamics they deserve. I like a lot when Ruth follows the guitar riffs with the vocals like in "The Sentence of Satan" (this track has also many killer guitar riffs). The sound of this recording is really good specially the drums that sound extremely well. Lovers of black metal will surely love this band!!

Favorite tracks: "Reflection", "Religion" and "The Sentence of Satan"

Recorded at Ghost Studio

Cover Art byThanit

Tracks: 1- Ballad of Sunset (intro), 2- Zero Frontier, 3- Lust Murder, 4- Lake of Tears, 5- Savage Seraphim, 6- Black Swan, 7- The Promised Land, 8- Beheader, 9- The Beast, 10- Marn, 11- Den Sungkhom

This CD starts with a melodic intro before getting into the really amazing world of this death/black metallers. Yes! Here we have this band whose music is a really great mix of elements of both death metal, black metal with a lot of original and interesting elements, such as the use of keybaords that give a lot of epic feeling to the songs or the guitar melodies that are fundamental for Deathguy´s style. The death metal appears in some of the riffs and some guttural vocals. The black metal can be listened in the fast riffs and some of the more screaming vocals (check for example the beginning of "Lust Murder"). This guys have a lot of technique that allows them to perform this song which have a lot of complexity in the many changes and moods (check for example "Zero Frontier" to see how many changes this guys make within the same song). The mix is good but I would have mixed a little bit different the guitars, maybe a little bit more fat or something like that. This is an absolute must for any metal fan!

Favorite tracks: All the CD is really great!

Recorded at Xaphans Palace of Debauchery

Cover Art by Demure

Tracks: 1- Cosmic Gold, 2- New One, 3- Earthly Creatures, 4- Father Hubbard, 5- Wholly Shit, 6- Thoth

Here we have this band whose style can be described as sort of black metal with some viking metal influences and some shades of death metal (specially on the more guttural vocals that are used in some parts and in some of the guitar riffs). All the recording has sort of a dark feeling, specially in the parts that the band uses keyboards such as in the beginning of "Earthly Creatures". There are many guitar riffs within the same song (and that is one of the main features of Demure) that go from fast one note riffs to more rhythmic ones or some breaks along with the drums. The voclas here are of two types: there is the screaming one and the more guttural death metal type of voclas. Also in Demure´s music is very important the heavy use of bass guitar phrases such as the one starting at 2:40 in "Earthly Creatures". I would like the band to mix a little bit louder the guitars adding some more low bottom to them (even if they have the great bass adding a lot of bottom end to the sound). A really good option for lovers of black and death metal.

Favorite tracks: "Cosmic Gold", "Earthly Creatures", "Father Hubbard"

Recorded at Estudio Da Tribo

Tracks: 1- Torn, 2- Greed, 3- Melting

This is Dipnoi´s new material. This time we have a MCD called "Torn with three tracks. And this three compositions show us a lot of evolution from this brazilian band compared to their previous release "FKDDD" which we reviewed some issues back. The guitars sound more powerful, and specially vocalist Ricardo Matsumoto has gotten really better adding more strength to his voice. The drums are also really well mixed and here they can be listened in all its magnitude. One thing that I found interesting is that they have found a new sound here, like more weird with use of wah wah in the guitars and many guitar phrases (check the middle part of "Greed" to know what I am talking about). And here there are also the thrash feelings that are essential on Dipnoi´s music. You can listen them in the three tracks but this time mixed with new elements. A real great evolution. Now we await the new full length album.

Favorite tracks: The three tracks are really good. Dipnoi has evolved a lot !!

Recorded at Vagrant Studios

Cover Art by Gabriel Byrne

Tracks: 1- Ministry of Torture, 2- Machete Bloodbath, 3- The Hills Run Red, 4- Open Mind, 5- Carnal Copulation, 6- To kill is Human, 7- Implements of Hell, 8- Christian Extinction, 9- Broken on the Wheel, 10- Punishment of Burning Torment, 11- Mangled Beyond Recognition

The brutal release of the month!! Yes, this CD is brutal as hell....with many blast beats and a lot of double bass drumming. The guttural vocals are extremely powerful and bring to mind Chris Barnes era Cannibal Corpse. The guitars are extremely huge and distorted giving Drawn and Quartered´s music a huge wall of sound to rely on. The bass player is really good at accentuating the riffs following sometimes the guitars and sometimes the drums adding a lot of bottom end to the music. The drummer is an octopus, specially in the fastest parts where he does blast beats without missing the timing of the track. The sound of the release is really good (even if the snare drum sounds a little bit hollow in some parts). A must for death metal fans and lovers of anything brutal.

Favorite tracks: "The Hills Run Red", "Carnal Copulation" and "Broken on the Wheel"

Recorded at Madigan Studios

Cover Art by Luis Royo

Tracks: 1- Anno Domini 1232, 2- Orroborros and the Pilgrim, 3- Lilliannah - Demonologi Für Dömda, 4- Nocturne, 5- Crestfallen, 6- Kvinnorovet, 7- Häxor, maror och vitror, 8- Djävulens Novis, 9- Ecclesia Non Novit Sanguinem, 10- Interludium 1, 11- The Kindred (1692) , 12- Ritual (varsel del I), 13- Gregory IX, 14- Dark is the Seraphim, 15- Honeythorne

This is with no doubt one of the best CDs that I have ever listened. The perfect mix between heaviness, melody, atmospheres and feelings. The perfect mix from what is powerful and what is subtle. Here we have Elvira Madigan who is a one man band whose brain and heart is Marcus H. Marcus is behind every note that is played on this CD and he has achieved a masterpiece ! I have not listened to the previous Elvira Madigan´s album "Black Arts" but if it is half as good as this one then that would be a great album to listen!! The main thing here is the contrast between the heavy guitars (really well mixed) and vocals and the keyboards and melodies: yes, this things interact in some parts, in others clash one against each other, and in others they mix in a really subtle form. One thing that is essential to Elvira Madigan´s sound are the keyboards which give a lot of the feeling and atmosphere here (along with the guitars that make a lot of climatic passages that are fundamental here. This is a conceptual album with lyrics about witchery and inquisition whose complete story you can read on Elvira Madigan´s website. I have to say it again: One of the best CDs I have ever listened.

Favorite tracks: This is one of the CDs of the year!!!

Recorded at Studio Midas

Cover Art by Cindy Baert

Tracks: 1- Into the Unknown, 2- Labyrinth, 3- Lost in the Woods, 4- Like a Shadow, 5- A New Life, 6- Golden Lion

This CD starts calmly with the introduction called "Into the Unknown" before getting into a powerful heavy metal with extremely well sounding guitars in "Labyrinth". And how powerful are the guitars !! This guys and girl have a lot of power in their riffs (which are different than in most of the bands of the style). There are many things that give a lot of power to Everglow´s music: first, as I mentioned above, the guitar riffs that are crushing, then the great work of the drummer (he makes a great use of the double bass drumming accentuating really well the guitar riffs along with the bassist), then Cindy Baert´s vocals which are melodics but are used in a way that follow the rkiffs and add a lot of atmosphere to the songs. Then come the keyboards and here I have to remark the really great work of this guy: he plays passages and chord progressions through all the recording, adding a lot of personality to Everglow´s songs. The mix is really well, specially on the guitars (I love the way they sound, really crushing). If you like heavy metal, power metal or styles with a lot of power and melody then ,check Everglow.

Favorite tracks: "Labyrinth", "Like a Shadow" and "Lost in the Woods"

Recorded at Studio Livsfara

Cover Art by Breath of Pestilence Prods

Tracks: 1- Orgies of Hell, 2- Second Coming of Satan´s Bitch, 3- Huoravasara

Directly from Finland comes this Raw black metal band with some thrash feeling in some of the rhythms. The songs are fast and furious and through all of them we can listen the fast guitars playing hyper speed riffs (I liked a lot the riff in the break at 1:44 in "Second Coming of Satan´s Bitch"). Here are the blasphemic lyrics that are screamed by V.W.Hellboozer and there are also some screamed choruses which give a certain classical feeling to the music of this band. I like the way this guys change riffs within the same song because that gives a lot of variations to each of the tracks here. The sound of the recording is good but I would like them to mix a little bit louder the guitars that give a lot of identity to Gaurithoth. Beware everybody, here comes the blackest band from Finland!!!!

Favorite tracks: The three contained here

Cover Art by Hammerwhore

Tracks: 1- Curse of the Living Dead, 2- Devotion to Violence, 3- Merciless Brutality

This is an extremely brutal release.and the first thing that got my attention was the extremely distorted (full overdrive distortion) sound that the guitars sound. The guitar riffs are bestial and fast with some thrash influences that give an interesting twist to this guys music (sort of a Venom - Black Metal / Welcome to Hell era). Hammerwhore have also a lot of hyper fast guitar solos played with some bendings and a lot of cool licks that make some manic impression to the music. The sound of this three song recording is really raw and I would mix a little bit lower the vocals and a little bit louder the bass to give some more bottom end to the riffs of this guys that are extremely heavy and this could add some more heaviness (that I think this guys would love). For lovers of extremely brutal music.

Favorite tracks: The three contained here

Recorded at Old Smitty Studios

Cover Art by Destroyer

Tracks: 1- Deeper, 2- Sunshine, 3- She´s Gone, 4- Always, 5- Breathe, 6- Ghost of My Love, 7- Devotion, 8- Hands off the Gun, 9- Shallow Love, 10- Holy Mother

Pure rock´n´roll is what we have here. Yes, we have the rocking guitar riffs (with a lot of bluesy influences, specially in the solos). The vocals reminded me in some places to the great Glenn Hughes with that blues and soul tonality. The songs are well constructed and they are designed to rock and be singed by the audience. Most of the songs here have an easy chorus to sing along. It is weird that I did not know this band before listening to this CD. Maybe they are not so popular as they could have been if they had released this album in the late eighties or early nighties. This is pure rock ´n´roll, nothing more and nothing less than that.

Favorite tracks: "Deeper", "Always" and "Shallow Love"

Produced by Human Abstrakt

Cover Art by Human Abstrakt

Tracks: 1- Dissention, 2- Blind Disciples, 3- Disillusionment, 4- Form My Need, 5- Grit, 6- Numb, 7- Prosperous Fool, 8- Inspiration, 9- Psychological Blindness

Here we have nine powerful tracks from this brutal trio. The music has elements of bands from death metal style as well as from modern bands like Machine Head. The main thing here are the bestial guitar riffs around which the songs are constructed. There are many dissonant melodies and licks that give an eerie feeling to some of the tracks (check for example the solo in "Inspiration" to see what I am talking about). The drums are crushing and at the same time give a lot of room to the other instruments prefering to do a good rhythm instead of a fast part that maybe could ruin the song. The sound of this release is specially good on the guitars (I would mix a little bit louder the bass drums which are a little bit low here). There are many mid tempos here that are extremely hevy (I think that the heaviest parts of this albums are some of this mid paced parts). Heaviness guaranteed.

Favorite tracks: "Dissention", "Form My Need" and "Inspiration"

Recorded at Polar Bear Lair

Cover Art by Humbucker

Tracks: 1- Melancholy Kaleidoscope, 2- Saintly Addiction, 3- Fallen Away, 4- Nowhere Dreams, 5- Cold World Scene, 6- Searchin, 7- Pushin´Too Hard, 8- Life Echoes, 9- New Year´s Song, 10- Bottle of Sin, 11- My World´s Insane, 12- Sound Around Me, 13- Earthtone Blues

Here we have this rocking band with a lot of power in their riffs. Here we have great songs in a stoner rock fashion but with a lot of mid tempos which I think are great because add a lot of heaviness to the band´s music. This guys have a great feeling and attitude through all the CD playing their songs with a lot of conviction and having a lot of power on them. The songs are really well constructed and they have a lot of hooks that are great for the listener (I found myself singing the songs while listening to them). Humbucker´s music has a lot of energy and I really like the singer who has a lot of identity on his voice and sings really well the songs contained on this CD. The guitarist is really well adding acoustic touches when the song needs it (like on "Saintly Addiction"). This is a really rocking release!!!!!!

Favorite tracks: "Melancholy Kaleidoscope", Searchin" and "My World´s Insane"

Recorded at Estudios G&S de San Fernando

Cover Art by Pedro Quevedo

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Pesadilla, 3- Se Impondrá la Razón, 4- Miradas, 5- Ahuar Maiek, 6- Promesas/Mentiras, 7- Nunca Más, 8- Silencio

Here we have this band that comes directly from Spain. They are really powerful and they have devastating guitar riffs. They have some elements of thrash metal in their music but they have a really modern sound. I love two special things from this guys: the first one is the percussion that adds a different feeling to this band´s music, and the second one the use of the flute. I think this guys have to use more this two elements (they use it heavily in the intro and in some of the tracks but we want more !!!!). The vocals are really thrashy and add a lot of strength to the songs along with the heavier than hell guitars. The sound is really good and let us aprreciate all the music and makes Infektor even a more powerful band. If you like this style of music with original elements you will surely like Infektor (alsoi the songs are in Spanish).

Favorite tracks: "Se impondrá la Razón", "Ahuar Maiek" and "Silencio"

Recorded at Out of Records Studios

Engineered by Eugene Tsilikov

Tracks: 1- Secha (Slasing), 2- Wolfish Nocturne, 3- Victim of Hate, 4- Instrumental, 5- Night is Waiting for the Heroes

Infestum are a band from Belarus whose music can be described as something similar as vikin or pagan metal. But they have some old school death and black metal influences too. The music here is very raw with a lot of interesting melodies that give a lot of identity to the songs. The guitar sound is loud and distorted as hell (maybe they should mix it a little bit lower, not too much, to let more space for the keyboards). There are a lot of extremely fast parts, but the more interesting moments are when this guys slow down a little bit as in "Wolfish Nocturna" where the guitars arrangements and keyboards shine more. The drums have a weird sound in some places , sounding as a war drum !!! (also in "Wolfish...", and that fits really well the music). The vocals are typical from black metal bands (and are the ones that are more appropriated for the band music. If you like black metal, pagan metal or viking metal then you will surely like Infestum.

Favorite tracks: The five tracks are powerful and fast!!

Recorded at A&M Studios

Cover Art by Team Switzerland

Tracks: 1- Psychotic Break, 2- Bargain Basement Howard Hughes, 3- Anger Rising, 4- Angel Eyes, 5- Solitude, 6- Mother´s Spinning in Her Grave (Glass Dick Jones), 7- Hellbound, 8- Give it a Name, 9- Castaway, 10- She Was My Girl, 11- Chemical tribe, 12- Spiderbite, 13- Loced On, 14- Gone

Here we have Jerry´s first post Alice In Chains solo recording. And this is the first one after Layne Staley´s death. And here you can see that the spirit of Alice In Chains is alive and living in Jerry´s music. Here we have the twisted melodies and vocal harmonies of records like "Facelift" or "Dirt", here we have the vocal harmonies that made Alice In Chains music so original. But here we have also some new explorations of Jerry´s music personality. Here he has teamed with Mike Bordin on drums and Robert Trujillo on bass to create this good heavy recording. Here Jerry shows us that he can sing really well fitting the heavy riffs that he has accustomed us to. This is a good follow up to Alice In Chains music.

Favorite tracks: "Anger Rising", "Solitude" and "Castaway"

Cover Art by Varyan Weston and Martin Davidson

Tracks: CD 1: 1- Just tunning, 2- The tuning wheel, 3- Forks 1, 4- The tuning wheel 2, 5- Forks 2, 6- The tuning wheel 3, 7- 3 part Invention 1, 8- Forks 3, 9- Mendel´s Library, 10- The New Guinean Dentist, 11- The Harmonious Anvil 1, 12- The Harmonious Anvil 2, 13- The Harmonious Anvil 3.

CD 2: 1- IN Search of the Pythagoran Comma 1, 2- the Tone ladder 1, 3- In Search of the Boethian Schisma, 4- The tone Ladder 2, 5- The Harmonious Anvil 4, 6- The Tone Ladder 3, 7- Melodic Fragment, Variations 1 to 3, 8- 3 part Invention 2, 9- The Tone Ladder 4, 10- In Search of the Pythagorian Comma 2

Here we have a strange and great double CD set of music done by two great musicians whose goal is to reach new frontiers in experimentation. Here we have Jon Rose (who plays different types of violins including the Double Violin) and Veryan Weston (who plays pianos and keybaords, including the Double Piano ...to see this you have to check the pictures inside the booklet). Here this two masters explore all the sonic possibilities of their instrument using a lot of differrent tunings and temperaments. Here we have such weird thing as Pythagoran temperaments, Meantone 1/4 comma temperament, Rosenberg Aumented temperament, etc. It is amazing how well this two superb musicians use this tunings and temperaments achieving new sounds and making interesting and strange sounding melodies. I will strongly recommend this two CD set to people who want to open their minds and let their imagination flow. I would specially recommend it to musicians who can learn a lot how to experiment with this elements that are used on this amazing recording.

Favorite tracks: Both CDs are wonderful pieces of artsitic experimantation

Recorded at Alien Beans Studio

Cover Art by Ty Tabor

Tracks: 1- Believe, 2- Manic Moonlight, 3- Yeah, 4- False Alarm, 5- Static, 6- Skeptical Winds, 7- the Other Side, 8- Vegetable, 9- Jenna, 10- Water Ceremony

Here we have King´s X latest album. This time Ty Tabor and company have made an album that is a little bit weirder than their previos ones. We can call this band progressive (if you have listened their "Gretchen Goes to Nebraska", "Out of the Silent Planet" or Faith, Hope Love" albums you already know why I am saying this) and on this recording they show us whya they are an extremely original band. You just have to check the title track to see the way in which this guys use melodies and the uniquyes guitar playing of Mr. Ty Tabor who uses a lot of distorted open notes that add a lot of originality to the tracks. One of the adjectives that come to my mind while listening to this CD is "ethereal". King´s X osngs have this almost spectral melodies, specially in the choruses that have gained them their own identityn as a band. I think is the combination of Dog, Jerry and Ty vocals together with the guitars and the syncopated drums. Lovers of King´s X music will love this one. If you don´t know the band you cnan give "Manic Moonlight" a listen to know what they can do.

Favorite tracks: "Manic moonlight", "Skeptical Winds" and "Jenna"

Recorded at Dabenhill and Leviathan Studios

Cover Art by Rainer Kalwitz

Tracks: 1- Future Signs, 2- Into the Light, 3- Images of the Past, 4- Dreamer, 5- Thru the End, 6- Timescape, 7- Walking in the Rain, 8- Seasons, 9- IN the Silence, 10- Land of Shadows, 11- Inspiration in a moment

As I always say ....better late than never. And here is the review of Kenziner debut album. Here we have a powerful heavy metal band whose main feature are the guitars played by virtuoso Jarno Keskinen who plays a lot of neoclassical guitar runs in minor tonalities. And also, here we have the keyboards, played by Jarno himself, that are used in two different forms: one is to support the song through chord progressions and some melodies and then the second one are the virtuoso solos, similar to the ones played by Jens Johanssen in his different bands. There is a lot of David T. Chastain influences here (since David wrote all melodies and lyrics) but the difference is that Chastain´s music has a little bit more of identity because of the use of melodies that are closer to jazz and fusion than to Yngwie Malmsteen. This is a must for fans of virtuosos and heavy/power metal. Points extra to this release are given by the singer who has power and does not abuse the high pitched sounds.

Favorite tracks: "Into the Light", "Thru the End" and "IN the Silence"

Recorded at Babe Music Recording and Leviathan Studios

Cover Art by Rainer Kalwitz

Tracks: 1- Live Forever; 2- The Razor´s Edge, 3- Carry On Tomorrow, 4- Race With Time, 5- Trail of Tears, 6- Eternity, 7- Dimensions, 8- Like a Paradise, 9- Through the Fire, 10- The Prophecies

This is Kenziner´s second albuma and here we have some progressions comparing to the debut album. Here the sound is better, with the guitars sounding better, specially on the faster riffs. Here Jarno Keskinen shows us again what he is capable of doing with his guitars. The beginning with "live Forever" is great at top speed (thekeyboard intro of this song is pure David T. Chastain!!). here we have again the virtuoso guitar/keyboards solos and the harmonization with keyboards. Here we have again Stephen Fredrick strong vocals (one thing that I find always interesting in Leviathan Records recordings is the use of singers with a lot of power like this one, Kate French, Leather Leone, etc.). All the members of the band have their shining moments on this recording, for example the drums are great in "The Razor´s Edge" with interesting passages and good fast rhthms. Again, lovers of virtuosism check this one.

Favorite tracks: "Live Forever", "Race With Time" and "Through the Fire"

Tracks: 1- Piss on My Grave, 2- Inside Out, 3- Moribund (Penetrate)

Here we have this powerful metal band with really modern sound. I find in their music influences from bands from Machine Head, Crowbar, Pro-Pain, Pantera. And the good thing is that this guys mix this influences and get their own sound. But what is the main thing here? Power!! Yes, total power in their music! From the guitar riffs with a huge sound to the double bass drummin and the breaks (really tight rhythm section with powerful bassist and drummer), to the screaming vocals and choruses. Everything here is designed to devastate the listener with pure energy and power! This is a demo designed for pure headbanging. I think this guys must be killer in a live show. The second track here is slow in many parts and at the same time extremely heavy. One more thing: on the CD says that the full length album will be released on 2002. I hope they release it really soon because this is a killer band!

Favorite tracks: The three tracks are a good showcase of brutality!!!

Recorded at Centurion Studios, March 1997.

Metal Grip Photo by Tracy Smart.

Track list:  1- Centuries, 2- Predominant Will, 3- Trust in Fate (One´s Own Undoing), 4- Discern, 5- Evergrey, 6- Plague of Indifference, 7- Infested Earth, 8- Curtains

This is a Legion recording from 1997 and it has two bonus tracks: "Infested Earth" from"Blissful Misery" demo (1994) and "Curtains" from "Legion" demo (1992). The music here is bestial death metal of the most brutal type (say in the way of bands like Sinister, Grave or Altars of Madness-era Morbid Angel) with some great riffs like the one at the end (6:36) of "Centuries" over which a good solo is played. The speed here is really fast in some parts (with lots of double bass in some places) and in other parts they prefer to use the riffs in a different way to make the heaviness prevail instead of the mere speed (for example on the beginning of "Predominant Will" with double bass drumming, melodies and riffs). The two bonus tracks don´t have the good sound that the rest of recording has (eventhough it is quite good for being demos from 1992 and 1994) and I prefer the tracks from 1997 instead.

Favorite tracks: "Predominant Will", "Discern" and "Trust in Fate".

Tracks: 1- I see, 2- The Change, 3- Blindgods, 4- Rage of Ages, 5- Forever Bleed, 6- Fuse, 7- By the Furies, 8- Of One

Here we have this extremely brutal band with hyper speed in many of the tracks. In fact, Legion are a cult band in the death metal underground. Their album from 2000 "Conqueror" is killer and this promo shows us a little bit of what they are doing now. They have evolved a lot in the construction of the songs that sound much tighter now with a lot of fast aprts and incredible double bass drumming. There are two types of vocals , the guttural one and the screaming one that interact really well thorugh the eight tracks contained on this promo CD. The riffs are crushing (I would mix a little bit louder the drums and the guitars and I think the CD would be perfect) and are followed by the bass in a great way because that adds a lot of bottom end that this riffs need. It is good to see that this band is getting better each time. Now I hope to listen their new full length release.

Favorite tracks: "The Change", "Blindgods" and "By the Furies"

Recorded at Ultimo ABC Studio 227, Sydney

Cover Art by Jim Denley and Martin Davidson

Tracks: 1- Lines in Australia, 2- Marks on the Sand, 3- Bush Onion Story, 4- Smokey Country, 5- Wurrkadi, 6- Seen from Above, 7- Bell Flower, 8- Ghost Gum

This is great spontaneous music!! Lines is a five piece band consisting on some interesting musicans: Axel Dörner on trumpet, Jim Denley on flutes and alto sax, Philipp Wachsmann on violin and electronics, Marcio Mattos on cello and electronics and Martin Blume on percussion. And this guys let the improvisation flow through all this recording session that they did on February 12^th ,2000. It is great to see the interaction between this musicnas, specially I liked the way Mattos creates sounds with his cello while Blume makes some noises and sounds with his percussion. The good thing here is that this musicians play a lot with sounds and silences, so there are parts where al instruments rmain in silence whil one plays a phrase and then let the other instruments play and breathe. People who like experimentation and spontaneity will sure love this. People who has not listeend this type of music before will find this interesting (even if they will have to pay attention to don´t miss a sound played here)

Favorite tracks: "Marks on the Sand", "Wurrkadi" and "Seen from Above"

Cover Art by Mike Shinoda and Joseph Hahn

Tracks: There are 20 tracks here that are basically remixes

Here we have the new Linkin Park album an this is disapointing because this are almost all remixes from the songs contained on their debut album "Hybrid theory". And this remixes sound worst than the original versions. There are a lot of samples and drum machines but they have lost the distorted guitars which was one of the things that I liked. It is really difficult to distinguish this release from the one that could have made a rap band or someone in that style. I don´t recommend this one.

Favorite tracks: I prefer the original versions

Tracks: 1- Imminent War, 2- Symbiotic, 3- 3x3 We Carried your Body, 4- The Poisoning, 5- Send Your Regrets, 6- Subtle Alliance, 7- Into Again, 8- Separation, 9- Black Seeds, 10- Ignite, 11- Distrust, 12- The Martyr, 13- Reach for the Sky

Here is Living Sacrifice new album. And here we have thirteen tracks of pure energy and power!! Comparing to their previous album that was also devastating, this one has more killer riffs and amazing rhythm passages. For those who don´t know the band, Living Sacrifice is the perfect mix of death metal, modern metal and thrash metal. They use a lot of different feelings, speeds and rhythms in order to be original on each atrck and deliver their ultraheavy music. And here is no exception: the thirteen tracks are mindblowing....from the killer drum passages to the huge guitars that deliver riff after riff making a lot of changes that make songs extremely interesting. The sound of the recording is really good and allows us to listen every instrument on this recording!! A great new release from this classical band!!!

Favorite tracks: "Imminent War", "The Poisoning" and "Subtle Alliance"

Cover Art by James Ensor

Tracks: 1- The first duet of Worms, 2- The Second Duet of Worms, 3- Organ interlude, 4- The first Archduke Duo, 2- The second Archduke Duo

It is always amazing to listen a recording where Lol Coxhill takes part. And on this one he plays with another great musician as Veryan Weston is. This incredible duets of piano and soprano saxophone are an amazing experience. The good thing about Coxhill and Weston playing is that despite experimenting a lot they always achieve a certain melodic quality to all their tracks. It is like a stop and go process ...you have experimentation, then melodies, then experimentation again. And this type of experimentation brings a lot of different sensations to the listener and paint different pictures of this duets music. It amazed me how Coxhill achieves all the dynamics that he does on this CD: in fact he goes from extremely soft phrasaes to stronger ones, to almost thrashing his instrument (listen for example to "The Second Duet of Worms" to see what I am talking about). The good thing about listening great musicians like Coxhiull and Weston is that you always find something new in their music to learn from.

Favorite tracks: "The first Duet of Worms", "The Second Duet of Worms" and "The First Archduke Duo"

Recorded at Panorama Studios

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Nocturnal, 3- Those Chaos from the Giants; 4- The Dark Eyes of Satan, 5- Ethereozul, 6- Where the Ancient Thoughts Pass the Dead Sky, 7- Moongrinder, 8- Holocaiust from the Blazed Lands, 9- In Satan we trust, 10- Vers La Nit

Lucifugum is a pure black metal from Spain (even if in some aprts they have some death and thrash touches). After the orchestral and atmospheric intro the tracks on this CD are raw and fast with amny changes within the same song. Another of the main features on this CD is the use of many differnt types of vocals: some screaming, some more guttural, some distorted, some spoken, some shouted, some melodic ones....and this gives a lot of diversity to the music. There are many melodic parts done with the guitars (I would like them to mix louder the guitars so this melodies will be on top of the mix and be the main ingredient of the band´s sound) . The drummer is extremely fast and does a lot of great double bass drumming while the bassist follows him and at the same time does interesting arrangements (as in"Those Chaos from the Giants"). Here we have a good option for thoise who like black metal and want something different.

Favorite tracks: "Nocturnal", "The Dark Eyes of Satan" and "Moongrinder"

Produced by Alexandre Cegalla

Recorded at Edengard Studios

Cover Art by Leviathan

Tracks: 1- Sea of Darkness, 2- Maelström, 3- Obscure, 4- Lilith, 5- Eternal Curse, 6- Every, 7- Despair, 8- The Visionary Hope; 9- Faust, 10- Bleak, 11- Insane, 12- Shadows, 13- Legions of Hades, 14- Forever in my Mind, 15- The reverse of life

This is one of the albums of the month!!! A beautiful acoustic guitar plus keyboards open this Maelsrtöm CD sending us directly into the world of this band. In fact this is a one man band (Alexandre Cegalla does all the composition and he plays guitars, keyboards and does all the vocals here ) with two guest musicians on bass and drums. I would call the music here "progressive climatic melodic heavy death metal" just to give an idea of what you can find here: heavy riffs in sort of a heavy metal fashion but with a bigger sound, a lot of climatic pa´rts with a lot of keyboards and acoustic guitars (check "Obscure" and see the beauty of Maelström´s music), then you have a voice that is guttural in some places but in most of the recording is in a sort of Therion (Theli-era) type of voice. The mix of the album is really good, maybe the drums can be mixed clearer but that doesn´t affect the final result. A must for all metalheads

Favorite tracks: All the CD is great!

Produced by Melechesh

Recorded at Y.S.Studios - Jerusalem

Cover Art by David Roberts

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Sultan of Mischief, 3- Assyrian Spirit, 4- Planetary Rites, 5- Hymn to Gibil, 6- The Sorcerers of Melechesh, 7- Dance of the Black Genii, 8- Baphomet´s lust, 9- Devil´s Night, 10- As Jerusalem Burns...Al´Intisar, 11- Desert Pentagram (bonus), 12- Malek Al´Nar (live in jerusalem 1996) (bonus)

Directly from Israel comes Melechesh. This is a recording from 1996 from this raw black metal band with some eastern influences (specially in the lyrics). The sound of this recording is extremely raw, specially on the hyper fast guitars and the blast beat drums (maybe the ride cymbal is a little bit loud in some places covering other frecuencies). There are interesting mid paced parts which I think the band should use more in order to give more variation to the tracks contained here. I find interesting when the band slows down a little bit and plays some sort of interesting eastern sounding melody as it happens in "Assyrian Spirit" after the balst beats. This CD comes also with a video CDR track with the song "Hymn to Gibil". The vocals on this recoprding are of the screaming type used by black metal bands adding a lot of hatred and dark feelings to the tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Assyrian Spirit", "Dance of the Black Genii" and "Baphomet´s lust"

Produced by Midnight Syndicate

Mixed at Mandala Studios

Cover Art by Keith Parkinson

Tracks: 1- Awakening, 2- Graveyard, 3- Unhallowed Ground, 4- Crypt of the Forsaken, 5- Winged Fury, 6- Blackest Rose, 7- Ravages of Time, 8- Catacombs, 9- Unseen Eyes, 10- Undead Hunters, 11- Ancient Comes, 12- Dusk, 13- Spectral Masquerade, 14- Vampyre

Here is the new Midnight Syndicate album....and I have to say that I have been awaiting this release anxiously. After listening to their previous recording "Gates of Delirium" which was a masterpiece I didn´t know what this guys could do to do a better album...and they ahve surprised me with this "Vampyre....". This is a darker release than the previous one and all the elements that make Midnight Syndicate a unique and original band are here. For those who don´t know the band, listening to this guys music is like listening to a movie soundtrack (if you close your eyes you can imagine the whole situation), there are plenty of changes and feelings on this recording. The orchestration here is superb as are also the compositions, really complex and full of different moods and atmospheres. Midnight Syndicate have become one of my favorites and they are a classic band!! A must.

Favorite tracks: All the CD is a masterpiece as it was the previous one !!!

Produced by Moria

Recorded at Moria´s Homestudio

Cover Art by Moria

Tracks: 1- Ödets Vind, 2- Åtrå Efter Liv, 3- Slavavals

Here is Moria´s new offering. And this is a really good one !! It is just that it lives you wanting more!! The music on this three tarck CD is amazingly climatic, even with extremely heavy and raw guitars. This is because the musicians in Moria know really well how to combine guitar melodies and how to create this dark atmospheres that are the trademarks of the Moria´s sound. Another of the main points here are the vocals, which are essential part of Moria´s music: here we have brutal male vocals that sometimes are harmonized by a clean female voice or by a cleaner male voice, this gives a lot of contrast to the music and add a lot to the dark atmospheres created here. Another thing that I liked is the use of some keyboards that most od the times does somber chord progressions and sometimes add some sad melodies. One thing that I have to remark is the good sound that this recording has despite being home recorded. A must for lovers of darkness.

Favorite tracks: The three are great tracks!

Produced by Mystery Blue

Recorded at JAM MUsic

Cover Art by Mystery Blue

Tracks: 1- Dark Visions, 2- Roller Coaster Ride, 3- Angel

A climatic acoustic beginning on "Dark Visions" with the powerful voice of Nathalie singing at the top of her voice. Mystery Blue is not a new band, they have been recording since the eighties with a lot of effort and really good taste. Their music is pure heavy metal and Nathalie gives agreat feeling to the songs (sort of a Doro Pesch but he sings a little bit higher in some places). IN the second track called "Roller Coaster Ride" they are closer to thrash with a lot of speed and extremely heavy riffs. One thing that I liked a lot are the killer guitar solos which are a trademark of Mystery Blue´s musicbecause they are played with really good taste and add an interesting feeling to the songs. Now I await their new full length which I think will be loved by heavy metal maniacs. And check Nathalie´s vocals which are killer!!

Favorite tracks: The three contained on this demo

Produced by Nargathrond

Recorded at CDM Records Studio

Cover Art by Abián

Tracks: 1- Nocturnal Everlusting, 2- For We Blessed this World With Plagues, 3- Farewell to the Flesh, 4- The Season Shaped in Black, 5- As I Gave You Birth, 6- Death is Tender, 7- The Serpent and the Snake, 8- Deep Beneath, 9- Cast Away Your Dreams, 10- Silver Ghost, 11- Winter Comes This Autumn, 12- Let My Dreams Become Your Nightmares

This is a weird band. And this is not an extremely complex band or experimental one. In fact, the difficult thing here is to label their music...I can say that is heavy....but this guys use a lot of rocking riffs and the vocals are more brutal and there are plenty of keyboards and melodies. Yes, they don´t fit in death metal, not in black metal, not in heavy or power metal...maybe they are closer in some parts to gothic metal but they are much much heavier. Well, lets say that Nargathrond has heavy guitars (which I would like them to mix louder...and maybe add another guitar to give more bottom end to the music) and a powerful vocalist that brings to my mind in some parts to Moonspell´s Fernando Ribeiro (Wolfheart era) even if he sings in a completely different way. They also have clean parts like in "The Season Shaped in Black" which are climatic and interact well with the keyboards.The band is a trio and I think they will find a lot of interesting things to do adding a second guitarist who can add a lot of heaviness to the band.

Favorite tracks: "Farewell to the Flesh", "...As I Gave you Birth" and "Winter Comes this Autumn

Produced by Rezal Death

Cover Art by Yus Arai

Tracks: Necrotic Chaos: 1- Cataclysmical Enlightenment, 2- Forth Abbatoir, 3- Infernal Sorcery, 4- The Black Flames of Hatred, Cardiac Necropsy: 5- Choking on Cum, 6- Beastial Fistfuck, 7- Blood Sex and Saliva, 8- Whorridify Whore Kill, 9- Desecrating the Vulva

This is a split CD between two extremely brutal bands. First comes Necrotic Chaos whose music can be described as extremely brutal death metal. Thir riffs are powerful and they use a lot of brutal drum patterns in order to achieve their bestial as hell death metal. The sound of Necrotic Chaos is extramely raw, specially the drums which sound really different than most of the bands of the style, specially the snare drum. There are some interesting guitar melodies which I think the band should use more often (an example of this are some of the riffs in "The Black Flames of Hatred") Then comes Cardiac Necropsy which is in fact more of a grindcore gore band with extremely distorted vocals and ultra fast parts full of blast beats and chainsaw like guitars. Cardiac Necropsy has not as much variations as Necrotic Chaos but their music is extremely brutal too and will smash your brain to pieces.

Favorite tracks: "Cataclysmical Enlightenment", "Infernal Sorcery" and "Bestial Fistfuck"

Produced by Nightshade

Recorded at CEM Studio

Cover Art by Chris Kallias

Tracks: 1- Prisoners of Time, 2- Sons of Khaos, 3- Stellar Circle, 4- In the Heart of A., 5- Cain´s Curse, 6- Fall of Light, 7- Spear of Destiny, 8- Polaris, 9- Two Worlds, 10- One Day, one Life, 11- Hyperion XVI, 12- Ozymandias

Here we have Nightshade´s new album. Their music is really weird and at the same time really heavy and powerful. In fact, the way in which this band´s music has been labeled is Electro Dark Metal. And this is because the way their guitar sounds, because of the way in which their drums sound (this guys don´t disguise the fact that they use programmed drums as many others band do) and because of the heavy use of keyboards and electronic sounds. In fact, the first thing that I want to say is that Nightshade´s music is really atmospheric, while being really heavy. The distorted guitar riffs contrast a lot with the keyboards and electronics (a great example of this is "In the Heart of A." that starts really electronic and then becomes heavy as hell. The vocals are most of the time spoken or whispered which add some mechanical feeling to Nightshade´s music (which is essential to achieve the result that this guys want). If you like originality then you will surely like Nightshade.

Favorite tracks: "Prisoners of Time", "Cain´s Curse" and "Polaris"

Produced by Tom Stevens

Recorded at Isotopia Studios

Cover Art by Typhus

Tracks: 1- Legend of the Wolven, 2- Taking Hate to the Grave, 3- Food Chain, 4- I Remain Faithless, 5- Visions of the Haunted, 6- Realm of possession, 7- Forcefed Fear, 8- Immortal Destroyer, 9- A Collision of Dimensions

Here we have this brutal and bestial band whose style is pure death metal but with some shades of black metal that fit the music of the band perfectly. The band plays at full speed most of the time making hyper fast guitar riffs which sound really complex because they are not the usual one note riff that are played in the fastest parts...in fact there are some riffs that are more heavy that are used in breaks and slower parts, and then they use some kind of riff with open strings and runs in the more brutal parts. Tom Stevens is the brain behind Nokturnel and the only member that is left from the original Nokturnel lineup. This time he has been helped by Lee Ribera on bass and session drummer Tophetarath which are a good team to bring Nokturnel´s music to the bestial level that Stebvens want. I strongly recommend this release to death/black metal fans who love brutality and musicianship.

Favorite tracks: "Food Chain", "I remain faithless" and "Immortal Destroyer

Recorded at Selani Studio

Cover Art by Alex Hdez

Tracks: 1- Thee I Invoke, 2- Non Opus Dei, 3- Verbum Diaboli, 4- V Bram, 5- Teufelssteine, 6- Hail Lokh, 7- ...Ognia Burzy I Buntu, 8- The Warrior´s Speak, 9- Time to Meet your doom, 10- The Transformation Into the Avathar of Seth, 11- De Nycht Dom Iliaest

An instrumental introduction leads us directly into the world of Non Opus Dei. After the peaceful intro here comes the powerful music of this band with a lot of experimentation. And that is what is essential to their music: Experimentation. Here you have a lot of guitar riffs and twisted rhythms going on each of the songs (this guys are really what I could call progressive death metal). There is heavy use of clean guitars in a lot of parts which are like a breath of air before getting into another distorted and heavy as hell part. Palms go to the drummer too because of the interesting use of different patterns and the use of odd time signatures . I think that if you listen to the song called "Non Opus Dei" you will have a good idea of what this guys are capable of doing. There are interesting melodic solos which add some colours to the songs. If you like bands like Pestilence, Atheist, Believer or Death you have to check Non Opus Dei.

Favorite tracks: "Verbum Diaboli", "Hail Lokh" and "the Warrior´s Speak"

Produced by Adam D. And Norma Jean

Recorded at Zing Studio

Cover Art by Asterisk Studio

Tracks: 1- The Entire World is Counting on Me and They Don´t Even Know it, 2- Face: Face, 3- Memphis will be Laid to Waste, 4- Creating Something Out of Nothing only to destroy it, 5- Pretty soon, I don´t know what, but something is going to happen, 6- The Shotgun Message, 7- Sometimes it´s our mistakes that make for the greatest ideas, 8- I used to hate cell phones but now I hate car accidents, 9- It was as if the dead man stood upon the air, 10- the Human Face, divine, 11- Organized Beyond Recognition

The cover art of this release fools you a bit...I had not listened Norma Jean´s music before I thought that it was some kind of gothic metal band or something like that, but I was completely wrong. Here we have this band that plays modern metal with a lot of emphasis on the rhythms and a sound that is like a mix of bands like Machine Head, Sepultura, Extol, Pantera and more but with screaming vocals that are sometimes processed giving an industrial feeling to the songs! Crazy? Well, then check for example the riffs in "The Entire World is..." to see the eerie sounds and rhythms that this guys create. But the main thing here is the pure power that the band´s songs have. The guitars are really distorted and have a huge sound that create all the heaviness that the band need to destroy the listener´s brain. One of the best things here is that despite using a lot of distortion and some effects you can listen everytyhing perfectly due to the clear mix.

Favorite tracks: "Memphis will be laid to waste", "Sometimes ...." and "I used to hate..."

Produced by Occult

Recorded at Harrow Studio

Tracks: 1- Mind Domination, 2- Violence and hatred, 3- The Madness Within, 4-Killing for recreation, 5- Thy Creation, 6-Revenge is mine, 7-mark of a Legend, 8- Fatal Disorder, 9-The Desolate One

Occult is for me a classic!! Having listened to their CD "Of Flesh and Blood" and to the single "Violence and Hatred" I really loved the power and deathly riffs that this guys have. Sometimes people refer to certain style of metal as german metal or swedish death metal or finnish metal. Well, Occult sound is pure Dutch death metal. Bands like Occult and Sinister have contributed to create their own brand of death metal. The vocals here are guttural and also we have some of the screaming type which make a contrast with the other one. The guitars make fast riffs but in many places they use heavier and more rhythmic riffs like for example in the end (3:03) of "Mind Domination" where they play a riff completely created for the mosh pit. I think that Occult is one of the bands with a bigger guitar sound combined with powerful bass lines that create this wall of death metal that we all love! This is with no doubt their best album up to date with their heaviest songs.

Favorite tracks: "Violence and Hatred", "Thy Creation" and "Revenge is mine"

Produced by Tchello Martins

Recorded at Da Tribo Studios

Tracks: 1- Intro, 2- Psychodemoniac Mentalities, 3- Messiah of Deformity, 4- Entombed, 5- Havoc, 6- Opposite Monarchy, 7- Anti-Evangelistic Process, 8- Asmodeus-The Destroyer, 9- Breaking the bones of Jesus, 10- Chaos Domination, 11- Vexation

Pure brutal death metal!! Yes, this is what we have here.....fast riffs, extremely fast drumming (with killer double bass drumming...this guy is really a machine behind the drumkit). One thing that got my attention on this CD is the complexity of some ofthe guitar riffs which are extremely difficult to play (and even more difficult is to play them correctly along with the rest of the band). And this is what I consider one of the main features of Ophiolatry´s music: their amazing combination of brutality and complexity within the same track. Did I tell you that the drummer is amazing? Well, let me tell you again as he gets better and better on each track. The vocals are really guttural and fit the brutality of the music, spitting the lyrics full of hatred. The sound is really good, specially on the drums (killer bass drum sound) and that adds a lot of strength to Ophiolatry´s music. Brutality at top level.

Favorite tracks: "Messiah of Deformity", "Opposite Monarchy "and "Breaking the Bones of Jesus"

Produced by Organ Harvest

Recorded at Pitch Black Studio

Cover Art by Duncan

Tracks: 1- Dead but raped, 2- Bowels Waltz, 3- Gerontology Zoophilia, 4- Hyarocephalus, 5- My First Fist Fucking, 6- Smoking Sphincter, 7- Intestinal Maggots Enema, 8- Tetraplegic Skull Crushing, 9- Viking, 10- Aftermath, 11- War Consequences, 12- Vaginal Discharge, 13- Testicularburger, 14- Grunge, 15- Brain Eating Indigestion, 16- Scorn

It is incredible how the cover art can fool you. In fact by looking at the cover I thought that this was a gore grind band or something like that. But Organ Harvest does not belong to that style. In fact they have some grinding hyper fast parts (with vocals that fit the style), but they mix them with the most brutal death metal with riffs that are much more effective than simple speed (check the riffs at 0:43 in "Bowel Waltz" which are really thrash metal played with death metal sound or the ones in "Gerontology Zoophilia" to see what I am talking about). There are sixteen bestial tracks here that don´t have space for subtle melodies. Here everything is pure bestiality, power and brutality. Lovers of death metal prepare to check the music of this death/grind band that will rip you apart.

Favorite tracks: "Dead But Raped", "Testicularburger" and "Grunge"

Produced by Orphan Gypsy

Recorded at Wall of Sound Studio

Cover Art by Daniel Backlund

Tracks: 1- Darklan, 2- King of Denial, 3- Under The Sun, 4- The Promise

Here we have the MCD from this pure heavy metal band . the music of this sextet is pure european heavy metal with some touches of power metal and lot of powerful riffs mixed with guitar and keyboards melodies. Some of the harmonies reminded me of bands like Stratovarius but this band has two guitars and sound heavier and more raw than the finnish band. The vocals are really clean and melodic and give the perfect melodies for this heavy metal combo. There are some twin guitars which I like and guive a lot of interesting harmonies to the songs on this MCD and fast solos that add a lot of virtuosism to Orphan Gypsy´s music. A really positive point that many heavy metal bands don´t have is the good sound that Orphan Gypsy has....and they sound raw at the same time (I think this is due to the guitars that are not extremely processed as in some bands out there. Metalheads and lovers of classicel metal will like a lot this one.

Favorite tracks: "King of Denial" and "Darkland"

Produced by Pentagram

Tracks: 1- Petrified, 2- Wartime, 3- All Your Sins, 4- Frustration, 5- Burning Saviour, 6- Sinister, 7- Bride of Evil, 8- When the Screams Come, 9- Relentless, 10- Vampire Love, 11- Evil Seed, 12- The Ghoul, 13- Wolf´s Blood, 14- Madman, 15- 20 Buck Spin, 16- Death Row, 17- Live Free and Burn

This is a compilation of Pentagram´s music that was in the three classics released by Peaceville "Relentless", "Day of Reckoning" and "Be forewarned". I think most of the people who read this reviews will surely know well Pentagram´s music. For those who don´t know them they are a classic band who have been playing this sort of doom Black Sabbath like style since the early seventies (in fact the early single "Be Forewarned" is from 1972). Here we have seventeen heavy tunes with elements that bring to mind bands like Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus, The Obsessed or the almighty Trouble (this one specially on the vocals lines). The sound is better than in the original versions and sounds clearer without loosing Pentagram´s heavy and distorted sound (I think that specially the drums sound much better this time). A classic band !!!

Favorite tracks: "All your sins", "Burning Saviour" and "Wolf´s Blood"

Produced by Guy Segers and Alan Ward

Recorded at Rising Sun Studio

Cover Art by Thierry Mondelaers

Tracks: 1- Hairdressers Go Home, 2- Olympic Troubles, 3- Anti Caking Agency, 4- Amazing Grease, 5- Smacked Down by the Lord Again, 6- Have You Seen Me?, 7- The Terrible Rage of the Sky, 8- Full Metal Carpet, 9- Nobody´s Listening Anyway

Having listened Pierre Vervloesem´s previous album I find this one completely different. This is much more electric and rocking and brings to my mind some shades of King Crimson, Frank Zappa and also some Robert Fripp work (not to mention some early Yes and experimental progressive bands too). He mixes all this influences, adds a lot of his personality and sound and puts it together with a lot of improvisation and spontaneity. Here Vervloesem has been joined by great musicians including Guy Segers on bass, Charles Hayward on drums and Peter Vandenberghe on keyboards. Vervloesem explores new sound through the nine tracks of this CD making experimentation his main goal and achieving great results here.

Favorite tracks: "Hairdressers Go Home", "The Terrible Rage of the Sky" and "Nobody´s listening Anyway"

Produced by Prosapia

Recorded at Sergio Delfino´s Studio

Cover Art by Juvi

Tracks: 1- Jinete Oscuro, 2- Clamad por vos

Here we have this two track CD from this band that come from the province of San Juan in the west of Argentina. The music here is mid paced black metal with some thrash elements and a lot of climatic moments (as in the intro of "Clamad por vos" where a melodic and melancholic line is developed by the band in the keyboards). I have to say that living in Argentina and knowing how difficult is to play the most extreme styles here I have to give my thumbs up to this guys because their music has a lot of quality and they have worked hard here. One thing that they have to work a little bit is the sound of the recording that is a little bit muddy, specially on the guitars and drums (the keyboard can sound clearer but is up on the mix, so one can listen what is doing really well). I hope more bands like Prosapia arise from Argentina so we can make a big step on the extreme metal world.

Favorite tracks: Both tracks are good. This guys deserve a better sound

Produced by Psycroptic

Recorded at Red Planet Studios

Cover Art by Bill Dean

Tracks: 1- Carnival of Vulgarity, 2- The Sword of Uncreation, 3- Condemned by Discontent, 4- Netherworld Reality, 5- The Isle of Disenchantment, 6- Of Dull Eyes Borne, 7- Pycropticpath, 8- Beneath the Ground We Dwell, 9- The Labyrinth

Psycroptic is brutality guaranteed. Here we have this band that spits dethaly riff after deathly riff, drum beat after drumbeat creating a bestial world of death metal in each of their tracks. The riffs are fast and the guitars have a sound that is not similar to the one used by most of the bands of the style. Yes, there sound is more compressed, more compact,, allowing the guitarist to play superfast and technical riffs with razor sharp precission.. Besides the faster more brutal parts, the drummer plays some complex staff, specially some part where he uses a lot the ride cymbal like following some guitar parts. The vocals are extremely heavy and guttural in many places adding a lot of deathly feeling to the music. If you like brutality plus complexity, then check Psycroptic.

Favorite tracks: "The Sword of uncreation", "The Isle of Disenchantment" and "Of Dull Eyes Borne"

Produced by Quietus

Recorded at The Shed

Cover Art by Chris Waters

Tracks: 1- Bow (In the Beginning), 2- Bloodsworn, 3- Destroyer of Worlds

I would call Quietus music a mix of ambient (because of some almost ambiental passages), black metal (because of some screaming and spoken vocals and some fast riffs), death metal (because of some riffs and vocals) and industrial (because of the machinal sound of the drums, the samplers and electronic sounds and some distorted vocals that are on the songs contained on this CD). In fact I find elements of this styles here but all have been processed and twisted into the form of Quietus music. The main thing here is experimentation by Chris Waters the only mind behind the music. The only low point here is the sound which buries some of the guitar riffs making them almost inaudible. I think Chris can remix this three tracks because they are really good and with a better sound they can be more effective.

Favorite tracks: The three contained on this CD

Produced by Mike Griffith

Recorded at In the House Studios

Cover Art by Mike Griffith

Tracks: 1- The Mask, 2- Freeprov, 3- Chaos Theory, 4- A Little Swim Before the Walk, 5- Forest of the Norm, 6- Muse, 7- 3one2, 8- Yachacha

Here we have Qwestion music...and this is one that is difficult or almost impossible to label. It has heavy guitar sound in many parts, it has programmed drums (or drums that sound like electronic percussion), it has some samplers and scratching turntables and stuff like that, it has some bluesy and jazzy melodies (check "Freeprov" to see this and be amazed). The music here is instrumental and really complex to play, specially on some changes of rhythms and on the improvised guitar melodies "check again "Freeprov"). The musicians here have a lot of quality and they are really well rehearsed and know how to play together (some tracks have really difficult tempo changes like for example "Chaos theory" which is extremely difficult to play. The sound is good but I would like them to mix louder the guitars to add some extra power to the songs. A must for people who like originality and experimentation.

Favorite tracks: "Chaos Theory", "Forest of the Norm" and " Yachacha"

Produced by Ravenclaw

Recorded at W.A.R. Studio

Cover Art by Ralf Brandstäter

Tracks: 1- In Battle, 2- Fenriswolf, 3- Shores of Heaven, 4- Valhall (Der Rabenwinter), 5- Ravenclaw, 6- A Vikings Journey, 7- Hermodr a Helferd (Burzum cover), 8- Power and Might, 9- Sword of Honour, 10- Set Sail (A Vikings Journey Part II), 11- Weltenbrand, 12- Atlantida (Fighting for Atlantis)

Starting with the sound of a dialogue of the "Conan the Barbarian" movie here we have this extremely climatical band. In fact this is a duo featuring Alex and Ruslanas. The music is full of dark and melodic passages in the beginning with keyboards that create enchanting melodies while there are background sounds that add some moods to the feelings of the songs. The vocals are mostly spoken and fit perfectly the amazingly dark climates that this guys create. Then what a surprise!! Starting at track number 4 "Valhall" the musci chnages and a programmed drum enter and the keyboards start doing more noisy stuff getting soon into a blast beat with sort of a flute going on....really weird!! There are songs that have many mooods like the long "Set Sail ..." which starts with an ancient melody played with sort of a bagpipe. If you like different moods on one CD then you should check Ravenclaw!!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is really a masterpiece

Produced by Stephan Buriez and Recueil Morbide

Recorded at LB Lab Studio

Cover Art by Deather and David Najbrt

Tracks: 1- Harmonity, 2- In Cage, 3- Divagation Esoterique, 4- Tas de Chiennes, 5- Embrace, 6- Never Core Enough, 7- Petrify (Frozen Expectation), 8- Earthwound, 9- Sublime Pleasure

This guys have no mercy!! They crush your brain from the very first second of the first track that starts at full speed with crushing riffs and rhythms. There are many breaks and changes in Recueil Morbide´s music. But this band is not full speed in all the tracks...in fact the second track "In Cage" starts slowly but heavier before getting at full speed again. The vocals are extremely guttural and make great impact in the listener while shouting along the guitar riffs. What I like most is the many changes that each track has and the drums passages (this drummer is killer and plays a lot of difficult passages in which he demosntrates a lot of technique, specially with the double bass. Also here we have a lot of guitar solos that sound relly well contrasting with the brutality of the band. A must for brutality lovers.

Favorite tracks: "Divagation Esoterique", "Embrace" and "Earthwound"

Tracks: 1- ARSON: Close wounds, 2- SPITVALVES: Last Place, 3- KNUCKLE SANDWICH: American Song, 4- DARK DAY DAWNING: Aphrasia, 5- KICKED IN THE HEAD: Cannonball, 6- THE BAD LUCK 13 RIOT EXTRAVAGANZA: Oh rebekkah how you stalk me; 7- POWERHOUSE: When they come for you, 8- POCKET CHANGE: Bridge too Far

Here we have a sampler from this label that specializes in heavy music but not in any style within the metal realm. So we have eight very different bands here. First starts Arson with their death/ thrash metal with top power, changing fast to Spiritvalves which is more sort of a punky band with winds section or something like that....weird. Then come bands like Dark Day Dawning which I thought was going to be a black metal band but it changes their music soon adding some rocking riffs...another strange band that desereves a good listen! Knuckle Sandwich is pure rock and roll as is also Kicked In the Head (with some sort of punk attitude). Then comes the heaviest band called The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza with some death elements and a lot of samplers (I would reallylike to listen more from this guys) that give sort of a machine like feeling to their track. This is a good sample of what this eclectic label releases.

Favorite tracks: Dark Day Dawning "Aphrasia", The Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza" Oh Rebbekah..." and Arson "Close Wounds"

Produced by 99 Hooker and Ernesto Díaz Infante

Cover Art by Jeanine Zelkas

Tracks: 1- Christian Music, 2- The Price of Bananas, 3- Britney Spears Autopsy, 4- Everything´s been done before (remix), 5- Where´s the 3 Martini War?, 6- Radical Episcopalianism, 7- Etude Brut, 8- Iron Engineer - 99 hooker, 9- Variable Terror, 10- The Child´s Immortal Soul, 11- What happened?, 12- Iron Engineer - Ross Bonadonna, 13- Moloch in Oxygen Text, 14- Man What Are you doing here, 15- Iron Engineer - Akio Mokuno, 16- Howlers, 17- Notes on a Nervous Breakdown

Experimentation at top level and in maximum proportions! Here we have Rev. 99 which is an amazing group of musicians whose main desire is to experiment with their instruments taking their music to new dimensions and breaking boundaries all the time. Here we have musicians like 99 Hooker, Ernesto Díaz Infante, Chris Forsyth (we know what this guys are capable of doing because we have listen some of their recordings before), Ross Bonadonna and many more. Here we have a lot of experimentation with sounds but all done with a lot of coherence ....check for example "Etude Brute" to see what this guys do and how their music is always trying something new without loosing the main scheme of the song. What I like most is the use of electronics that add a new feeling to the band. If you like experimentation then you should check Rev. 99

Favorite tracks: "Britney Spears Autopsy", "Radical Episcopalianism" and "Variable Terror"

Produced by Runes Order

Recorded at Odal Sonica Maze

Cover Art by Jose Iraglia and Argento

Tracks: 1- Twisted Act 1, 2- The Night and his tears, 3- Lies in the Woods, 4- Walls Sweat Images, 5- Night Hunter, 6- A Moment of Agony, 7- Murder is a Faith, 8- Dead Inside, 9- Slaughter, 10- Twisted Act II, 11- Decide, 12- Deceit Forest, 13- Love is a Cold lie, 14- Sacrifice Murder Memories

This CD starts with the ethereal "Twisted Act 1" with keyboards and a lot of climatic parts getting into drums with deathly vocals (which are processed) and adding melodic distorted guitars to create Runes Order own brand of music. Their music is extremely dark and atmospheric with a lot of sadness in the melodies. Here the main point is the obscure nature of each note that is played ....here everything seems to be designed in order to bring anguish and sadness to the listener (even the cries sound in "The night and his tears"). There are a lot of keyboards here that play minor chord progressions while the whispering vocals say the dark lyrics. There are also more electronic tracks like "Lies In the Wood" which are perfect for Runes Order experimentation. I would call this incredible band an experimental one with a focus on the dark spectre of music.

Favorite tracks: The whole album is amazing

Produced by Asmus Thomsen

Recorded at Riamuf Studio

Cover Art by Frederik Risom

Tracks: 1- Angel Eyes, 2- In Front of Turmoil, 3- Out of Touch, 4- Confrontation Zone, 5- Victimized, 6- My Kingdom Arise, 7- Away With the Skies, 8- Unadapted, 9- Soul Sale

Here we have one of the best sounding bands of the month (and maybe of the year). This band proves what I been saying for a long time. A band with a perfect crystal clear mix like the one that Sacrificial has sounds much more brutal than bands that sound much more dirty. Here we have a powerful drum that creates heavier than hell rhythms while the guitars play devastating riffs that combined with the bass guitar creates this world of death/thrash metal that Sacrificial plays. Here we have a vocalist that spits with a lot of hatred the vocals through the nine tracks that make this powerful CD. The tracks are fast wbut speed is not the main thing here because I think the band reaches its heaviest point when they play some sort of breaking or some rhythmic riffs that are maybe slower but have a lot of heaviness. If you want a brutal band with great sound then Sacrificial is a good option for you.

Favorite tracks: "Angel Eyes", "Confrontation Zone" and "Soul Sale"

Produced by Sadistic Blood Massacre

Recorded at Himinborg Studio

Cover Art bySadistic Blood Massacre

Tracks: 1- Intro (Return of Texas Chainsaw Massacre), 2- Schweine massacre, 3- Shameless Exhibition of a Shaved Cunt, 4- Corpse Pulsating plate, 5- Her Masters Evildong, 6- Dildo in the Beautycase, 7- Auf´m´Rechng Gxappt, 8- What an we do with a mutilated corpse?, 9- Corpsefucker, 10- Outro (Who has killed Mr. Burns?)

Here we have this death grind band with gore and porn lyrics and an extremely brutal sound. This band has many elments of grindcore like for example the hyper guttural and distorted vocals and they have some elements of death metal in the slower parts. The songs are potent and well crafted with a lot of emphasis on brutality. I think this guys should mix the guitar a little bit louder and the drums too to sound even more brutal. I liked most when thy slow down a little bit like in some parts of "Shameless Exhibition" which sound much heavier than the fastest parts. If you are into grind and brutal death you will like Sadistic Blood Massacre´s music with no subtle elments. Brutality and intensity in ten tracks.

Favorite tracks: "Schweine Massacre", "Corpse Pulsating Plate" and "Corpsefucker"

Produced by Giovanni Indorato

Cover Art by Sephiroth Graphics

Tracks: 1- Lover of the night, 2- Russian Traditional Song, 3- In the Flame of Sabbath, 4- Russian traditional Ballad, 5- Satarial, 6- Satarial untradition Ballad, 7- Do not Baptize my land, 8- Russian Traditional Ballad, 9- The Cup of Heady Pain, 10- Russian traditional Song, 11- Divine Race

I have listened some music from Satarial before, but this is much better.In fact here we have a great mix of metal music with ancient music and sounds. It is great to listen to "Lover of the Night" with the heavy guitars and the flute and keyboards playing melancholic melodies over them while the deathly vocals clash against the female operistic vocals creating a great feeling. One thing that I liked a lot from this recording is that they have mix Satarial´s music with some traditional Russian songs that have a great ancient feeling on them and helps a lot to create the atmosphere that Satartial wanted to create on this album. The sound is amazingly clean and the guitars are really well mixed as well as the other instruments....you can hear every instrument perfecly in a re ally clean way! I can say with no doubt that this is one of the albums of the month!

Favorite tracks: The whole CD is great!

Produced by Kai Uwe Schneider

Recorded at Polygamstudio

Cover Art by Saxorior / Tibor Pallagi

Tracks: 1- Welcome to Another World, 2- Roots of Time, 3- Misguided Promise, 4- Battle of Wittekind, 5-Vicious Circle, 6- Hic Nulla Pax, 7- Fire of Retaliation, 8-Siegfried (Oberture frei nach R. Wagner), 9- Tubular Bells (frei nach Mike Oldfield)

This is one of the albums of the year!!! This CD starts with an epic intro full of keyboards and orchestration before getting into one of the best combinations of brutality and epic melodies that I have ever heard. Imagine for example a band with the riffs of Carcass (era "Heartwork") with some elements of pure heavy metal and death metal and add to it a lot of keyboards for this epic feeling that I have mentioned before and you will have a little idea of what Saxorior´s music sounds. Add a huge guitar sound and a great drumming with lots of double bass parts and you will be closer. Then you have different types of vocals one that sounds lower than the other and that helps a lot to the feeling. Also you can add to the mix two free versions: one of Richard Wagner´s "Siegfried Oberture" and the other one to Mike Oldfield´s "Tubular Bells" both in epic and heavier than hell versions and then you will know how is the sound of one of the best bands I have listened.

Favorite tracks: A masterpiece. Each tracks is amazing!

Produced by Shellyz Raven

Tracks: 1- Falling, 2- Lady of Shadows, 3- Heavenly Torment, 4- Sweet Sister Torment, 5- Desolation, 6- Frost, 7- Forlorn, 8- Nihilist, 9- Monochroma

Shellyz Raven is aband in the vein of bands like The Gathering ("Nightime Birds" era), full of keyboards, with heavy guitar riffs and a great female vocalist (with this middle pitch voice that don´t abuse the higher notes). In fact, here we have nine songs that rely heavily on the keyboards passages along with the crushing guitar riffs which are the axis along which spins Shellyz Raven´s music. The songs are really well constructed and have many elements that catch inmediately the lsitener´s attention and don´t let it go until the end of the recording. First of all are the enchanting vocals, then the riffs that are really open so the keyboards can develope progressions and melodies over them along with the vocals. I habve to say that the mix is really good, specially on the keyboards and vocals which are essential here.

Favorite tracks: "Lady Of Shadows", "Desolation" and "Monochroma"

Produced by Thanit

Recorded and mixed by Thanit

Cover Art by Thanit

Tracks: 1- God on Fire, 2- Fuck me, fuck my dog, 3- Hair in Teeth, 4- Fuck With Hate, 5- Wet Dream may Cum, 6- Tonight

Here we have another project from thanit Thepsitrakon who is also a member of Deathguy (whose CD we review on this issue too). The music here is brutal death with no subtle elments and some grindcore touches in some parts. Here we have extremely brutal death metal riffs played at super speed and with guitars that are tuned really low in some places. Here we don´t have the melodies from bands like Deathguy because this is a pure brutal holocaust demo. The vocals are extremely guttural (not at the point of some grind bands where you can not discern if it is the vocals or another noise) and add a lot of bestiality to the tracks. Maybe the mix is a little bit low for my taste (specially the drums) but I think that Thanit can solve this problem easily. For lovers of utter brutality.

Favorite tracks: "God on Fire", "Hair in teeth" and "Tonight"