MUSIC EXTREME - REVIEWS

THis is pure heavy metal but with a sound and guitar riffs thata are not typical of the styles.In fact some of the rhythms reminded me to thrash metal and others more to death metal. But the band is definitely heavy metal. The vocals are really clean and with a good management of melodies. And it alos has a lot of strength without sacrificing power for melody. Some parts reminded me to Yngwie Malmsteen but with a completely different sound and intensity. And we have the climax here in the six part composition called "Ramayana", a masterpiece in complexity and arrangements. The sound is raw but effective letting you listen all the ideas that are flowing on this release. Pure progressive heavy/thrash metal !!!

Majestic keyboards open up "Al`ombre des grandes foréts" setting the atmosphere that is Artesia`s trademark. This is really climatic music full of ethereal female vocals that comes from the heart and soul of Agathe M. and keyboards.Another essential feature here is the violon played by Gaëlle D., a superb musician that delivers here incredible sad and melancholic lines that can make you weep with all the feeling that you will find in them. Plus, we have a dark feeling here, reflecting the mood that you can start feeling juist by watching the cover art. The keyboards / piano also are essential for Artesia and they another way to achieve melancholy with arpeggios and melodies. THis is one of the most extremely beautiful albums of the year !!

Really primitive death metal with a strong late eighties early nineties influence. The sound is really raw, reminding me to early death metal recordings done with a low budget. Here we have metal legend Danny Lilker in a completely different format than in Nuclear Assault. The vocals are extreme of the deathly type. Lovers of old school death metal will like this one (remembers me a little bit of old Benediction in some parts or early Carnage and early Dismember in others). As I said before, this is a rehearsal demo and the sound is really raw but gives you an idea of how the band sounds in a live situation. Pure old school death metal !!

Some time ago we reviewed the previous album from this one man project. Now comes to our hands this new album that features a lot of progression in the music and specially in the sound. The music continues to be pure electronics with some industrial feeling in some parts with heavy experimentations. Here you have plenty of keyboards and programming creating interesting soundscapes through each composition. And you have Vadim Davidson`s voice doing some lines in a really enigmatic way with. The songs are explorations with moods, sounds and atmospheres that sometimes sound like coming from outter space. The sound here is really good and if you listen this recording with your headphones you will be transported to the electronic world of Cybernetic Erosion feeling through each arrangement that has been created here.

Pure black metal holocaust is what we have on this album. This guys have taken the spirit and sound of norwegian black metal and they have created this compositions full of hatred and blasphemy. I really liked the aggression that this compositions have with the trollish anguished screams that are one of the trademarks of the Descantation sound. The drumming is fast and mixes some blast beats and hyper fast rhythms with some old school thrash in the darkest parts. But the main thing here is the speed and aggression that this band unleashes with the chainsaw guitars that rip through your flesh with their intensity. the sound is really raw, sounding almost like a home recording and giving that underground black metal spirit and sound to the music.

Pure aggression in its highest degree. Here we have a band that combines modern metal with hardcore and also with some death emtal in order to achieve an extremely brutal result. One thing that I liked is that they throw in many places some melodies, as in th chorus of "Enemies" making the songs memorable at the same time than utterly aggressive. The guitars sound huge and they play really rhythmic riffs that are the essence of the brutality here transmiting pure energy to the listener. The album has a really good sound, specially the guitars and the extreme, vocals that sound like screaming in your face !!!! Pure aggression unleashed over mankind !!!

An extremely original release that surprises because of the multiple different arrangements and feelings that it has. With strong seventies influences but a really modern sound the band manages to create here seven memorable compositions. One of the trademark is the voice of Simona, full of melody and power and used in an unconventional manner, sometimes doubling the guitars and sometimes adding different lines. There is a big use of keyboards and guitars that contrast heavily on each tune but at the same time they create the essential Dollmen atmosphere. And the guitars are essential here playing from riffs to arpeggios contributing with arrangements to push Simona´s voice to the limit. A killer album with killer songs.

This band makes bands like Fear Factory pale in brutality and aggression when compared to them. This band starts smashing your brain from the first second with huge guitar riffs that sounds like if you were standing in front of huge amplifiers. Then you have the drumming. this guy is amazing with the double bass and the good thing is that he has a great sound that allows him to play all this patterns and sound really in the front of the mix making the result even more devastating. the vocals are really extreme fitting really well the music (not too guttural but of the type that emphasises the aggression of the music). ´Tue Madsen´s production gives the final touch to the band´s sound adding even more power if that is possible. This album is really powerful and aggressive and each note is a testimony of this !

This is a pure aggresive band with a huge guitar sound. The music in "Dumped for Life" reminds me to early Kreator but with a much more modern sound and with plenty of death metal elements. Then the band gets into a more death metal style but always keeping some thrash metal riffing that turns the music really original and makes the tunes memorable. Besides, this guys have good technical skills and that doesn`t mean that they are sacrificing aggression. In fact this makes them sound tighter and harder. The vocals are really extreme and are of the kind used in the most extreme thrash bands or in bands like Carcass. The album has a raw but clear sound that lets you feel all the power unleashed by Essatic- A devastating crushing release...and we want more !

Some issues back we reviewed the previous Exiled on Earth album and this new release is even more powerful. Unleashing the thrash metal with shades of pure heavy metal that the band has mastered here we have an album with three aggressive, complex and memorable compositions. This guys are really amazing musiicans playing aprts full of complexity without missing a beat and showing how to be original and at the same time extremely powerful. The rhythm section is amazing creating this patterns that use double bass and good bass lines. And the guitars change from riff to riff with solvency and with clever ideas. Mulitple breaks and changes are the essence here. A must have.

A couple of years ago we reviewed the previous album by this czech band. And they have progressed a lot since then. Not only in compositions but also in sound. This guys are really technical and they can play multiple structures, breaks and tempo changes within each of their songs in a really tight way. The guitars sound really huge now showing why this guys are a moving force in the death metal scene of their country. If you listen this album at a loud volume as I do you can almost feel the drums pounding through your chest with all their intensity. The vocals give the deathly feeling to the music being realy growling and adding even more brutality. This is an extremely brutal release done in the best way: with good musicianship and killer technical skills.

A band that can combine death metal with climatic moments creating compositions that are really well developed. You will find here moments of pure brutality, interacting heavily with more climatic moments, including ones with acoustic guitars. One of the main things here are the vocals, sometimes really guttural and sometimes clean and melodic, such as in "Wallpaper Sky". The guitars play heavy riffs with a really fat sound when the compositions need them and they also play beautiful acoustic arpeggios in the cleanest parts. THere are also guitar solos full of feelings that embellish even more the tracks. The album has a raw sound that gives an underground feeling to the music. A good combiantion of aggression and killer moods.

This really surprised me because I expected some death metal band and then comes this solid heavy metal band with full power !! There are eighties influences here but with a modern sound the band has achieved its own sound. they have added to the mix some thrash metal elements in some of the riffing and rhythms that gives even more strength to their music making other metal bands pale in comparison. This guys take you band to the metal era of bands like Accept or the thrash metal times of bands like Overkill. The songs have good choruses that make them extremely memorable and they are full of power. The sound is a little bit raw and I think that this guys deserve a studio with a huge sound because they rule and have the power of pure metal !!

The three tracks contained on this MCD gives us a sample of the sheer intensity that Helvergr can unleash over the listener. Here we have a band whose second name is brutality...and they achieve this bestiality combining brutal death metal with some thrash metal elements. Speed is essential here but also teh tightness and skills of the band that ound really well rehearsed giving even more impact to their music. The double bass drumming is amazing here and the use of cymbals is essential to achieve the degree of brutality that the band unleashes here. The vocals are really extreme, of the agonic type giving an even more deathly feeling to the music. The album has powerful sound that adds extra dosis of heaviness to the music. Pure violence unleashed through three tracks.

Rhythmic guitar riffs open the fist track here setting the pace for the rest of the album. The music here combines the heaviness of heavy metal with the rhythms of heavy rock and also adding some seventies feeling and also some stoner music. The vocals are really deppressive and they fit in an interesting way the rest of the music. The guitars play heavy and rhythmic riffs biut always leaving space for the voice to develope its ideas. The rhythms are heavy in both the fast and the slow parts adding the essential spirit of the music here. The sound is raw and heavy giving power to the music. THis is pure power with a lot of memorable guitar riffs.

A music quite difficult to describe. The music here has elements of pure metal, of thrash metal and also some hardcore in the vocals. Add to this a lot of extreme death metal in the fastest parts and you will just have an idea of how Kautery sounds. THe guitar riffs are fast and furious and the rhythm section is constantly doing incredibly fast rhythms in a really raw way.The vocals are really extreme, sometimes more of teh screaming type and sometimes more growling adding even more brutality to the music. There are some more rocking or heavy metal solos with heavy use of wah wah in tracks like "Bone Shredder". The sound is extremely raw and mixing everything louder would give the band even more impact. A devastasting band that specializes in writing extremely powerful compositions.

Keyboards open this album with magnificence before the rest of the band enters with their intense riffs and killer rhythms. THis is pure heavy metal but taken to one step beyond adding some programming and electronic elements that give a different feeling to the music (there is even a programmed drums that contrast with the real one). There is heavy contrast also in the interaction between the heavy guitars and the keyboards. And here we have a really versatile vocalist that delivers incredible melodic lines all along the tracks. This melodies are fundamental to make each composition truly memorable and keeping this melodies in the listener´s brain is the job of this guy. Eleven compositions of pure metal with virtuosism and killer ideas.

A combination of pure aggressive black metal with some death metal elements, but always emphasizing the brutality of the compositions. The band has some old school influences in their music but they have taken them to a more modern sound. Extreme vocals are essential here giving an even darker feeling to the music of this "Tyrant´s return". One thing that I liked a lot is the use of the toms in the drums in many compositions that give a different feeling to some parts, sort of more tribal, fitting really well the music and adding originality. This sort of drumming is not that common in this style of music because this guy does fast rhythms but then adds a lot of toms work. The sound is raw but effective, specially on guitars. There is a cover by legend´s Slaughter her called "F.O.D." that adds even more points to this release. Pure aggression and darkness.

Starting climatically with the beginning of "Dawn in Black" Metamorphosis delivers their crushing music that is difficult to define because it has elements of black metal, also of death metal and pure heavy metal combined with orchestrating keyboards. And this mix of influences make this recording really unique. Boris Ascher is the brain behind this music and he surely is a good musician, because here is evident the skills that this guy has. The combination of the aggression delivered by the guitars and the vocals contrasts with the kilelr orchestration and also with the melodies delivered in many of the compositions. There are good guitar solos and arrangements thata re another trademark of Metamorphosis music. the songs have a lot of space for delivering new ideas because most of them are over 5 minutes long and Boris developes countless ideas there. A must have for any dark metal lover.

A bestial fusion of death and black metal created to devastate the listener with sheer brutality. That isn the way we can describe this band. Everything here is pure bestiality. And one thing that I liked is that the band puts here and there some melodies that add a different feeling to their music making each tune memorable. There is really intense drumming with fast rhythms and aggression and we have here really intense vocals that give sometimes a deathly feeling to the music and sometimes a darker one closer to black metal, but always keeping the aggression and brutality to the limit. The sound is really direct and in your face making this album like a kick in your teeth !!!

THis is what I call a technical death metal band !! WIth a lot of bruitality and intense riffs Nekropolis has managed to deliver here thirteen tracks of pure violence full of amazing musicianship and ideas. One thing tat got my attention is teh combiantion of pure brutality with killer keyboards that orchestrate all this brutality adding constantly arrangements. There is heavy double bass drumming through all the recording and intense rhythms that emphasize heaviness on each composition. The vocals are really extreme and give a brutal feeling to the music. One remarkable thing is the perfect sound that the band has achieved here that gives even more brutality to their music if that is possible. Death metal at its most intense level.

An amazing release full of technical skills and virtuosism, full of melosies and powerful parts. Ora Nombro is a band whose main goal is to construct compostions where multiple feelings are developed with killer musicianship. Pino Tozzi`s vocals are an essential part here constructing incredible melodies against the rest of the instrumentation. And there is a killer vocal work here with harmonies and melodies. If you like bands like Dream Theater or Symphony X you should like this release. There are programmed drums here used in a really clever way that is really similar to real drums. the melodies developed here are excellent and make each of the three compositions extremely memorable. The tracks are extense letting the band explore multiple ideas on each of them. Pure virtuosism

A climatic release where melancholic passages are achieved through sad guitar phrases and through interesting vocal work. Clean guitars are essential here creating rhythms and arpeggios that develope this ethereal atmospheres that the music here needs. Take the cover art and transport it into your mind combining it with the music delivered here and you will found yourself submerged in the ethereal world of Predominant Lunatics, full of dark melodies and moods. The contrast between the deep male voice and the female ones is another trademark here and this people know how to develope melodies that stick the music into your mind while surprising with their introspective nature. And melodies are the essence here making each passage really unique and beautiful. A great combination of melancholy, darkness and ethereal music.

A long dark intro full of keyboards and orchestrated atmospheres sends us directly into the unholy world of Presences, a band whose music is extremely dark and that combines raw guitars that play fast riffs with incredible keyboards. And this keyboards are essential to achieve the extremely dark sound that this band has. Tracks like "Imperial Legion of Thor" are masterpieces of darkness being the blackest of all the tunes here. The sound is raw, specially on the drums giving that old school feeling to the music. One remarkable thing is that the band uses a lot of tempo changes relying not only on speed but also on good musicianship. Pure black souls and hearts revealed in nine tracks of pure darkness

One of my aboslute favorite releases in this first months of 2005. A band that can combine the ultimate technical skills with intensity, brutality and aggression. The main thing here are the guitar riffs that are unconventional and complex showing the good musicianship that this guys have. The drumming is really intense and shows a lot of skills in double bass passages, and multiple patterns. The vocals are really extreme roaring through the four tracks and giving the more deathly feeling to the music. The sound is really good letting you listen perfectly eachidea developed. Four tracks leave you wanting more of this amazing band.

Pure motherfucking heavy metal at its most powerful level. The music here is pure heavy metal but with certain thrash touches that turns Reviver into a band that is more powerful than most of the bands of the style. The songs are fast and furious with plenty of good musicianship showing that this band has rehearsed a lot for achieving this killer degree of quality in their music. The guitars are surprisingly heavy and they are the heart and soul of the music here developing the main riff with a heavier than hell sound and adding heaviness and rhythm to the music. The sound of this recording is extremely loud and aggressive with killer sound on guitars and drums that make this a true heavy metal release. Heavy metal is alive thanks to bands like Reviver that deliver heaviness with interesting ideas!

This album opens in a really epic way with the keyboards in the introductory "Eos". then comes the pure metal that this band unleashes but the good thing is that the epic feeling is still there, through the combination of heavy guitars and keyboards that is one essential feature of this band. The vocals here are really melodic and they contrast with the heavy guitars creating good melodies that soon stick into your mind. The keyboards are constantly embellishing the music here. And there are some operistic choruses in tracks like "Way of Ecstasy" that give even more majestuosity to the music. there are also some calmer parts like in some parts of "Wake Up" where clean guitars are used. There is a lot of virtuosism here and good musicianship. The sound is really good making the results even better and letting the isntruments and voice shine while developing their ideas..

A short intro leads us directly into Pure violence unleashed with some hardcore influences and a huge sound. Screaming vocals that seem to be spitting their lungs out of the body because of the way they deliver the violent lyrics. Names like Hatebreed or Agnostic Front come to my mind. this is pure aggression on each note and thaht is evident from beginning to end of this recording. the sound is direct and extremeluy loud. The guitars have a big sound that is raw yet extremely effective. I recommend this album at full volume to demolish walls and other stuff. If this is the "Five Knuckle Philosophy" you have to let this smashing release erase your face with utter violence.

A climatic opening in "...And the Meek" turns soon into the most powerful heavy metal that is the style that Shadow Demon manages perfectly. The good thing that I perceived first is the huge guitar sound that this guys have that it seems coming from a downtuned guitar, which is not a common feature in bands of the style. But this guys go beyond this style and they have also added osme thrash influences

AETURNUS DOMINION - SEMPER TYRANIS
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: U.S.A.
Line Up: Jester - vocals Demented - guitars Spud - guitars, vocals Rat - bass Ozi - drums
Music by Aeturnus Dominion Lyrics by Aeturnus Dominion
Tracks: 1- Holocaust 2-God Has Failed 3-Aeturnus Dominion 4-They Wait 5-Unsanitized 6-Global Cremation Suicide 7-Meathook 8-Unholy 9-Cyanide	What an amazing band !!! THis guys are really difficult to label because they have in equal parts heavy metal influences and death metal ones combining them into the same compositions. that is why "Holocaust" opens up with a heavy/thrash riff and killer vocals and soon turn into a faster part with death metal growling !! And this combination is the trademark of the band. Tracks like "Aeturnus Dominion" open with clean guitars and show a different side of the musical personality of this amazing band soon changing into a heavier part, with more deathly growling. The rhythms are sometimes more syncopated and soemtimes faster, depending on the feeling that the composition must have There are guitar solos here that are tastefully played giving more melody to the music with a lot of feeling. The sound is huge specially on the guitars that are the essence here making this record a crushing experience.
Cover Artwork by: Tryym com
Recorded at Demented Den Studios Produced by Aeturnus Dominion	Contact: www.aeturnusdominion.com

AM´GANESHA´N - ELEFTHERIA
Label: Holy Records
Year: 2005
Country: France
Line Up: Carla Alain Gherad Amelie Karin
Music by Am´Ganesha´n Lyrics by Am´Ganesha´n
Tracks: 1- Altar 2- Samsara 3-KalA Aari Vati 4-Nharba 5-Zephyria 6-Song of Devotion 7-Stigmata 8-Atma 9-Deva 10-Adhemonia 11-Bliss 12-Caeligena Invocated Spirit 13-Om 14-Shanak 15-Lamentations	Beauty is the exact word to describe this band´s music. Their sound is extremely atmospheric and melancholic with eastern sounding influences. The female vocals are essential here to achieve the overall feeling of the music here. Take bands like Rajna or Dead Can Dance and add more vocals and arrangements and you will have just a small idea of how this band sounds. The instrumentation is really good also letting a lot of space for the atmospheres and developing good arrangements on each song. The keyboards are essential because they interact with the vocals. constructing the climatic moments and reaching many climaxes on the album. There is some tribal percussion that adds that primitive feeling that this music must have. This is an album for open minded people who love good musicianship and original ideas.

Produced by Am´Ganesha´n	Contact: www.holyrecords.com

ANTHRAX - THE GREATER OF TWO EVILS
Label: Sum Records
Year: 2004
Country: U.S.A.
Line Up: Scott Ian - guitars, b. vocals John Bush - vocals Charlie Benante - drums Frank Bello - bass, b. vocals Rob Caggiano - guitars
Music by Anthrax Lyrics by Anthrax
Tracks: 1- Deathrider 2-Metal thrashing Mad 3-Caught in a Mosh 4-A.I.R. 5-Among the Living 6-Keep it In the family 7-Indians 8-Madhouse 9-Panic 10-I am the Law 11- Belly of the Beast 12-N.F.L. 13-Be All End All 14-Gung-Ho	Here we have the Anthrax classics of the Belladonna/Turbin era recorded almost live in two days in a studio by this different lineup that includes John Bush on vocals and Rob Caggiano on guitars. The result is sometimes good and sometimes not so good. the good thing is to listen the classics with an almost live sound with harder guitars. But let´s face it, the magic of "Fistful of Metal" is not here in the same way than it was back in those days. In fact it happened to me that I expected to listen all the original arrangements and the band changed some thingsm, specially Bush. But if they had done all exactly there would have not been any reason to record this tracks again. The good thing is that you have fourteen of the best tarcks in Anthrax pre-Bush career and you can see that this songs sound still really well (some of them 20 years after they were originally recorded).
Cover Artwork by: Shephard Fairey and Chris Peasley
Recorded at Avatar Studios Produced by Anthrax	Contact: www.anthrax.com

ANTIQUUS - RAMAYANA
Label: Independent
Year: 2005
Country: Canada
Line Up: Jesse White - vocals Scott Unger - bass, vocals Jeff Dormer - guitars Andrew Bak - drums
Music by Antiquus Lyrics by White
Tracks: 1- Empire Rising 2-Changeling 3-Tanlin Bridge 4-Battle of Eylau Ramayana - An Epic in Six Parts: 5-Part I - Ayodha 6-Part II - A Beautiful Stac 7-Part III - The Hunt 8-Part IV - Hanuman 9-Part V - Sri lanka 10-PArt VI - He who Makes the Universe Scream !!	THis is pure heavy metal but with a sound and guitar riffs thata are not typical of the styles.In fact some of the rhythms reminded me to thrash metal and others more to death metal. But the band is definitely heavy metal. The vocals are really clean and with a good management of melodies. And it alos has a lot of strength without sacrificing power for melody. Some parts reminded me to Yngwie Malmsteen but with a completely different sound and intensity. And we have the climax here in the six part composition called "Ramayana", a masterpiece in complexity and arrangements. The sound is raw but effective letting you listen all the ideas that are flowing on this release. Pure progressive heavy/thrash metal !!!
Cover Artwork by: Jesse White
Recorded at the Northland Produced by Andrew Bak	Contact: www.antiquus.net

APOSTHATE - FIRST BORN EVIL
Label: TAF Prods. / Necrotorture Agency
Year: 2005
Country: Italy
Line Up: Azmeroth - guitars Midgard - guitars Rasez - drums Orias - vocals Sakar - bass
Music by Aposthate Lyrics by Aposthate
Tracks: 1- Voices from Beyond 2- Synodus Cadaveric 3-Christfall 4-Shades of Noir 5-Seed of Lunacy 6-Chaos Revenge 7-Freezing Womb of Pain 8-The Unknown Cross	Full Armageddon unleash through seven tracks and an intro. This guys start without mercy with "Synodus Cadaveric" a track at full speed where the bestiality of the band is delivered to the listener that will be blown by the brutality of this italian quintet. Do you want fast rhythms? Here you have a drummer that is like a speed machine with his drum kit playing blast beats and ultra fast rhythms along with more mid paced patterns. Do you like guttural voices? Here you have really growling ones that seem to be coming from the sulphuric entrails of a volcano. Do you like heavy guitars? Here you have guitars playing riff after riff giving shape to Aposthate´s music and surprising with breaks and multiple changes. The sound of this redcording is good and that also adds more brutality to the work that this guy have delivered here. One of the most brutal bands of the year.
Cover Artwork by: Azmeroth
Recorded at Golgotha Studios Produced by Aposthate	Contact: www.thyanthemfades.com/aposthate or www.necroagency.com or www.thyanthemfades.com

ARKHON - TAINTED DOGMA
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country:
Line Up: Soulreaper - bass, vocals Violator - guitars, b. vocals Demon - guitars Bloodfreak - drums
Music by Arkhon Lyrics by Arkhon
Tracks: 1- The Tenth Archon 2-Tear on the Heart 3-Sanctes Sanctorum 4-Bloodwing Rebellion 5-Tainted Dogma 6-At the Rotting Gates of Heaven	Opening with clean guitars the band soon shows their pure aggression in "THe Tenth Archon" where they show all their musicl personality. And this guys have a really distinctive sound where melodies, solos and technical aprts interact heavily with the more brutal side of the music giving a unique sound to Arkhon´s music. Aggression is the main thing here but this guys have not forgotten that good technical skills and ideas give even more power to the music. The vocals have an extreme thrash/death feeling in some parts nd are really guttural in others always fitting the music and adding the more extreme feeling to the music. The rhythm section is really solid and the good thing is that they change a lot the patterns without abusing speed or blast beats. In fact one good thing here is the fusion of death metal with rhythms and riffs that are closer to eighties thrash. the sound of the recording is raw yet powerful making the band be fully audible and letting you listen all their power. A lot of bands should learn from Arkhon how to deliver aggression with killer ideas.
Cover Artwork by: Matt Robertson
Recorded at Helsophice Studios Produced by Arkhon	Contact: www.arkhon.tk

ARTESIA - L´AUBE MORNE
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: France
Line Up: Gaëlle D. -Violon Agathe M. - Vocals, Piano
Music by Agathe M. Lyrics by Agathe M.
Tracks: 1- Al´ombre des grandes foréts 2- Le murmure des feuilles 3-Tristesse 4-Lassitude 5-L ´aube Morne	Majestic keyboards open up "Al`ombre des grandes foréts" setting the atmosphere that is Artesia`s trademark. This is really climatic music full of ethereal female vocals that comes from the heart and soul of Agathe M. and keyboards.Another essential feature here is the violon played by Gaëlle D., a superb musician that delivers here incredible sad and melancholic lines that can make you weep with all the feeling that you will find in them. Plus, we have a dark feeling here, reflecting the mood that you can start feeling juist by watching the cover art. The keyboards / piano also are essential for Artesia and they another way to achieve melancholy with arpeggios and melodies. THis is one of the most extremely beautiful albums of the year !!
Cover Artwork by: Artesia
Produced by Artesia	Contact: www.artesia.fr.st

BABYLON PRESSION - NEGATIVE GENERATION
Label: Sriracha Records
Year: 2004
Country: France

Music and lyrics by Babylon Pression
Tracks: 1- Personne 2-La Fange 3-Negative Genération 4-Champion Love 5-Emeute 6-Schizo 7-Confession 8-J´Aubile 9-R.M.I. 10-Contre - Courant	This is modern metal at its best. That is, a band that delivers incredibly heavy riffs with syncopated drumming. the vocals are of the screaming type sounding like the singer is screaming at the top of his lungs most of the time, spitting with anger all the lyrics when the song is pure aggression and singing in a calmer way in the more climatic moments. And the lyrics are in french language, fitting really well the music and at the same time giving a weird sound to the music. The sound of the recording is really clear making the guitars sound like a wall of bricks against your brain. I ahve to remark that the band is extremely tight making the compositions and rhythms really compact and heavy. Pure heaviness in a modern metal context !
Cover Artwork by:
Recorded at Praxis Studio Produced by Babylon Pression	Contact: www.babylon-pression.com or www.coriace.com or www.sriracha-sauce.com

BEANSIDHE - EVERLASTING CRY
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: Switzerland
Line Up: Eli - drums Piter - guitars Reeks - bas G.ni - guitar Phil - vocals
Music by Beansidhe Lyrics by Beansidhe
Tracks: 1- Sdrum 2-World´s everlasting cry 3-Disillusion 4-Beansidhe 5-Chainsaw mon amour	If I had to give a label to Beansidhe´s music I would say that their music is death thrash metal. I put first death metal because they are brutal, fast and the vocals are really of the death metal type. then I put thrash metal because there are elements in the guitar riffs that brings to our minds that killer style (just check "Disillusion" to see what I am talking about). The riffs are complex and I like that because instead of just using simple speed this guys have a lot of technical skills and good musicianship in order to construct great compositions. As I said before the vocals are really of the growling death metal type adding a more extreme feeling to the music. the sound is raw and direct fitting well the style and making the band sound like in a live situation. this is pure brutality with killer musicianship. .
Cover Artwork by: Sacha
Recorded at Box Studios Produced by Beansidhe	Contact: www.beansidhe.ch

BLACK HORIZONZ - THE COMPLETE DEMO RECORDINGS
Label: Independent
Year: 2005
Country:
Line Up:
Music and lyrics by Black Horizonz
Tracks: Eccentric Wrath (demo 2005) 1- Eccentricon 2-Since the Eyes of Chaos 3-Humillated 4-Cataleptic Hours of Darkness 5-Continuation of Supernatural Probabilities Within My Suns Last Shafts (Demo 2004) 6-Within My Suns Last Shafts 7-Visible Lies 8-Ensnared by the Black River 9-Storms of Ashes 10-Dethroned Emperor Lost in the Shadows GRim (demo 2001) 11- Beyond the throne of light 12-The Cursed Warrior 13-Storms of Ashes 14-Into the Realm of Subconscious Dreams / A Path to Eternity	Here we have a collection of Black Horizon´s demos dating from 2001. Here you can see the evolution of this band in this four years, going from really raw death metal with full speed and brutality into a more professional and original band that combines cleverly death and black metal elements . On the 2005 demo it is more evident the use of darker atmospheres that is the element that this band has amstered perfectly, even using slow tempos. The combination of agonic vocals with aggressive guitars is a trademark here. The tracks have amny memorable parts achieved through the riffs and through using some keyboards here an there. The sound is very different in the three demos being the 2005 demo the one with the most powerful sound. There is a cover of Celtic Frost´s "Dethroned Emperor" is like the ice to the cake making lovers of thi classic band approach Black Horizons killer music. A collection item !!!
Cover Artwork by: Black Horizonz
Produced by Black Horizonz	Contact: www.blackhorizonz.com

BLOODWORK - INSUFFICIENT FLESH
Label: Tarantula Promotions
Year: 2005
Country: U.K.
Line Up: Jaen - drums Jeff - vocals, guitar Michael - vocals, guitars James - vocals, bass
Music by Bloodwork Lyrics by Bloodwork
Tracks: 1- Hammerbrain 2-Bloodshed 3-Dark is the Day 4-Yet I Walk 5-Perfect Eternity	A crushing combination of the most brutal death metal with some thrash metal elements. And there are also some riffs that come from the black metal reign !! So, you have an idea of what we have here. Pure brutality with intense riffs and fast tempos. But what I really like is that the band sounds extremely tight and they can play fluently really complex parts without missing a beat. The vocals are sometimes more guttural, sometimes more of the blakc metal type but always really extreme. But the main thing here is the brutality unleashed by the guitars and the srumming that are the essence of Bloodwork´s music. Pure brutality unleashed in five brutal tracks.
Cover Artwork by: Bloodwork
Recorded at Dblock Produced by Bloodwork	Contact: www.tarantulapromotions.com

BORN HEADLESS - HEADLESS HENCHMEN
Label: Lifefluid Distro
Year: 2004
Country: Australia
Line Up: Corwyn Kenny - vocals Jason Peppiatt - guitars, bass, vocals PAtrick Moane - drums
Music by Born Headless Lyrics by Born Headless
Tracks: 1- Butchered Hope 2-Headless Henchmen 3-Vision of the Blast Within 4-Dungeons of Abraxus 5-Empowered Existence 6-Rise of the Overlord 7-Roman 8-No More Shall Remain 9-Scales of Scythia 10-Skull Crusher 11- Stained Wars of Coloured Earth	Really raw ultra brutal death metal is what Born Headless delivers here. And headless you will be after listening the bestial attack of this band !! There is a combination here of old school death metal with brutal death metal in order to achieve Born Headless own sound. Everything here is aggression and bestiality: the loud and fat guitars that deliver riff after riff reaching moments in which you can not surpass the heaviness that this guys deliver. The vocals are really guttural most of the time and here we have also screaming vocals that contrast with the more deathly one. There are multiple tempo and rhythm changes and that is one essential feature of this band´s music. the sound is raw but really loud and if you listen this at top volume you will listen the instruments pounding through your chest. This is death metal in its heaviest form....reaching heavines in all the ways !!
Cover Artwork by: Reece Hicky
Recorded at Dead Pawn Studios Produced by Born Headless	Contact: d_vlyons@intas.net.au or www.bornheadless.cjb.net

BURDEN OF GRIEF - FIELDS OF SALVATION
Label: Remedy Records
Year: 2005
Country: Germany
Line Up: Mike Huhmann - vocals Philipp Hanfland - guitars Ulrich Busch - guitars Dirk Bulmahn - bass Carsten Schmerer - drums
Music by Burden of grief Lyrics by Burden of grief
Tracks: 1- Desaster and Decay 2-Dead Soul Decline 3-The Nightmare within 4-Engaged with Destiny 5-Fields of Salvation 6-Slowly Pass Out 7-Yearning for Salvation 8-The Silent Killing 9-Don´t Fear the Creeper	Amazing drumming opens up this album before the whole band enters with full thrashing force. Burden of Grief have taken elements of eighties thrash metal, added some death metal and also some climatic elements to create their music full of killer musicianship. Original guitar riffs are the main thing here creating the main song structure. The vocals are of the type of german bands like Destruction. there are killer clean guitars interludes and multiple arrangements where the band shows amazing technical skills that set them apart from all other bands in the style. there are fast parts in tracks like "Dead Soul Decline" but speed is just othere element to achieve the full intensity that this band has. The sound of the recording is killer making everything really coherent.Tommy Hansen who produced Helloween and Illdisposed is producing here and the hand of this master is evident in the sound.
Cover Artwork by: Kurt Wördsdörfer
Produced by Tommy Hansen	Contact: www.remedyrecords.de

COLLAPSE 7 - IN DEEP SILENCE
Label: Napalm Records
Year: 2004


Music by Collapse 7 Lyrics by Collapse 7
Tracks: 1- Intro 2-Infernal Apocalypse 3-In Deep Silence 4-Empty as We Are 5-A Prophet´s Speech 6-Blessed with Pain 7-Into Obscurity 8-Legions of Blackness 9-Tombs of Depravity 10-A Suicidal Sickness 11- Within the Light 12- Faith in Flames	A release that I could call modern death metal because it has all the elements of the pure death metal style but combined with a modern sound that makes the guitars more effective than in most of the bands of the style. That is, combine a death metal band with the guitar soun of bands like Machine Head, Fear Factory, etc. Brutal vocals are a trademark here giving a more extreme feeling to each composition. And the guitars play fast riffs but of the type that always leaves space for an arrangement or a melody that makes the tune fully memorable (just check "In Deep Silence" to see this). And that combiantion of memorable arrangements and brutality is the essence of Collapse 7´s music. The sound is amazing making each track a crushing experience. This album is a must have for any metal lover.
Cover Artwork by: Collapse 7
Produced by Martin Schirenc	Contact: www.collapse7.com or www.napalmrecords.com

CONTRADICTION - THE VOICE OF HATRED
Label: Armageddon Music
Year: 2005
Country: Germany
Line Up: Oliver Lux - vocals, guitars Oliver Kämper - guitars Karsten Heyn - bass Tim Obernyer - drums
Music by Contradiction Lyrics by Contradiction
Tracks: 1- Break the Oath 2-The Voice of Hatred 3-Arguments 4-Falling Down 5-Hate Patrol 6-Crimes 7-Nation of Fear 8-Horizon 9-Privacy 10-Engines of Greed 11- Future	Starting in a really devastating way with "Break the Oath" the band soon shows their trademark, a combination of pure thrash riffing with a huge modern sound in the guitars. The music is extremely aggressive here. Extremely powerful vocals are unleashed here over the devastating guitar riffs. The drumming here is amazing, like taking eighties thrash metal to the 21st century adding good technical skills to a modern sound and superb passages are developed here. The band sounds extremely tight and that is one of the secrets of the effective Contradiction sound. Their tightness here is equal to more heaviness. The sound is really good, showing a lot of time spent in the studio and the mix searching for the most devastating sound possible. An album designed to be played loud and to blow your speakers into pieces.

Produced by Contradiction	Contact: www.armageddon-music.com or www.contradiction.de

CRUCIFIST - REHEARSAL DEMO
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: U.S.A.
Line Up: Gallo - guitars, vocals Lilker - bass Blackwell - vocals Waske - drums
Music by Crucifist Lyrics by Crucifist
Tracks: 1- Putrid Motherload 2-Skull-Smashing Face-Ripping DEath 3-Curse of the Plasma Hound 4-Demon-haunted World 5-Witchgrip	Really primitive death metal with a strong late eighties early nineties influence. The sound is really raw, reminding me to early death metal recordings done with a low budget. Here we have metal legend Danny Lilker in a completely different format than in Nuclear Assault. The vocals are extreme of the deathly type. Lovers of old school death metal will like this one (remembers me a little bit of old Benediction in some parts or early Carnage and early Dismember in others). As I said before, this is a rehearsal demo and the sound is really raw but gives you an idea of how the band sounds in a live situation. Pure old school death metal !!

Produced by Crucifist	Contact: www.crucifist.com

CYBERNETIC EROSION - ABOMINANT TRANSMISSIONS
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: U.S.A.
Line Up: Vadim Davidson - all isntruments, vocals
Music and lyrics by Vadim Davidson
Tracks: 1- Sincerely Vomit 2-Attack 3-Enter Zero 4-Descentrest 5-Missing Link	Some time ago we reviewed the previous album from this one man project. Now comes to our hands this new album that features a lot of progression in the music and specially in the sound. The music continues to be pure electronics with some industrial feeling in some parts with heavy experimentations. Here you have plenty of keyboards and programming creating interesting soundscapes through each composition. And you have Vadim Davidson`s voice doing some lines in a really enigmatic way with. The songs are explorations with moods, sounds and atmospheres that sometimes sound like coming from outter space. The sound here is really good and if you listen this recording with your headphones you will be transported to the electronic world of Cybernetic Erosion feeling through each arrangement that has been created here.
Cover Artwork by: Vadim Davidson
Produced by Vadim Davidson	Contact: funeraldecadence@yahoo.com

DARKTHRONE - HATE THEM
Label: Black Metal Attack Recs./ Moonfog
Year: 2004
Country: Norway
Line Up: Fenriz - drums Nocturno Culto - guitars, bass, vocals
Music by nocturno Culto (1,3,4,6) and Fenriz (2,5,7) Lyrics by Fenriz
Tracks: 1- Rust 2-Det Svartner Nå 3-Fucked Up and Ready to Die 4-Ytterst I Livet 5-Divided we Stand 6-Striving for a Piece of Lucifer 7-In Honour of Thy Name	Here we have the latest blast by Fenriz and Nocturno Culto with all the elements that each of their releases has. that is aggressive fast guitars, drumming that sometimes is close to blast beats and sometimes have a more thrashy feeling. All in a context of pure raw black metal. ONe thing that I have to remark is that despite having the raw sound that has become a trademark of the band they have this time polished a little bit their sound making the instruments more audible than in some of their previous releases. Fenriz drumming is solid and still his drums have that early norwegian black metal sound in them. A good release by a legend of the most unholy black metal on Earth.
Cover Artwork by: Eric Massicotte
Recorded at Pan Lydstudio Produced by Dakthrone	Contact: www.evilhorderec.com or www.moonfog.no or www.darkthrone.no

DEADLOCK - EARTH.REVOLT
Label: Lifeforce Records
Year: 2005
Country: Germany
Line Up: Johanes Prem - vocals Tobias Graf - drums thomas Huschka - bass Sebastian Reichl - guitars Gert Rymen - guitars
Music by Deadlock Lyrics by Deadlock
Tracks: 1- Demonicus (Tonus Diabolus) 2-10000 Generations in Blood 3-The Year of the Crow 4-Everlasting Pain 5-Earth.Revolt 6-More tragedies to Come 7-Awakened by Sirens 8-Kingdom of the Dead 9-May Angels Come 10-Harmonic	A full orchestral intro opens this album throwing you into the devastating world of Deadlock. A world full fo aggression and fast riffs but at the same time of memorable compositions that soon will blast the listener with it sheer intensity. The main thing here are the guitar riffs that are complex and really effective in creating the basis of all the compositions. Then comes the extreme vocal that give a deathly and sometimes black metal feeling to the music. And we have here also female vocals that are full of melancholy and deliver incrediuble melodic lines. And the guitars also add some interesting melodic arrangements and solos, such as in "The year of the Crow", a masterpiece in brutality and musicianship. The keyboards add atmospheres also contrasting with the heaviness of the music. And everything is put together with an incredible mix and sound that makes things even better. A must have foir any metal fan that loves virtuosism and aggression.
Cover Artwork by: Peter Hoffmann
Recorded at Gaia Studio Produced by D. Richter and S. Reichl	Contact: www.lifeforcerecords.com

DEAF SYMPHONY - BLACK GARDEN
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: U.S.A.
Line Up: Matt Cerbin - guitars, keyboards, vocals Larry Cox - drums
Music by Matt Cerbin Lyrics by Matt Cerbin
Tracks: 1- Scary love Song 2-Vision 3-Black Garden 4-Dark Angel 5-Greensleeves 6-Phantom 7-Evening Mist 8-Passage 9- Dream	A great combination of powerful riffing and good melodies that make each of the nine compositions extremely memorable yet aggressive. If you add a dark sound or feeling you will have an idea of how Black Garden sounds. There are incredible arrangements here like the classic/ spanish guitar in the beginning of "Black garden" that soon turns iunto a heavy guitar riff that keeps the idea and the mood of the song. there is a lot of heaviness her but the main thing here is the good developing of the songs. There are incredible keyboards in many parts that orchestrate the compositions showing that this guys have incredible technical skills. The compositions are very different one from each other showing that this guys are extremely original and that they are full of clever ideas. The sound of the recording is good and direct adding even more power to the music. A trully original heavy release !!!
Cover Artwork by: The Design Studio
Recorded at Searchlight Cemetery Produced by Black Garden	Contact: www.deafsymphony.com

DEATH MECHANISM - NECROTECHNOLOGY
Label: Necrotorture Agency
Year: 2005
Country: Italy
Line Up: A.Pozza - guitars, vocals Rambo - drums Daniele - bass
Music by A. Pozza Lyrics by A. Pozza
Tracks: 1- Unknown Pathology 2- Necrotechnology 3-War Mechanism 4-Fusion-Man-Weapon	Some issues back we reviewed Death Mechanism´s previous release. This one is a huge stage forward. Just from the start we have a possible hit called "Unknown Pathology", a track that combines pure aggression, speed, heaviness and a central melody that sticks in your mind. This guys have taken thrash metal to the extreme adding death metla influences and really extreme vocals that are a trademark here. The band is extremely solid and that gives extra power to the compositions, that sound compact and direct. There are changes in riffs and tempo and this guys manage this changes perfectly. The sound is really loud an dthat is essential for this style of music to have this direct impact on the listener. Now we await a full length from this killer italian band !!
Cover Artwork by: Malgametal
Recorded at Remaster Studio Produced by Death Mechanism	Contact: www.deathmechanism.too.it or www.necroagency.com

DEATHFROST - 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+....=666
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: Russia

Music by Deathfrost Lyrics by Aleister Crowley
Tracks: 1- Fourfold Blasphemy 2-Warrior Lord of the Forties 3-The Fall of Because 4-Fear Not 5-No Other God Than Me 6-Do What Thou Wilt	We have reviewed some Deathfrost albums before and this new one continues with the original path that they have developed over theyears. Their music is really extreme as always with that sort of combination of death metal with industrial elements that makes their sound really unique. Here we have really extreme vocals that are processed and sound like another isntrument in tracks like "Fear Not". The guitars sound really raw and create riffs that are the heart and soul of the music here, leaving space for the vocals. The rhythms are sometimes slow and that gives a darker feeling to Deathfrost`s music. A band that has found its own sound and continues in the right way.
Cover Artwork by: Deathfrost
Produced by Deathfrost	Contact: http://nav.to/deathfrost

DESCANTATION - DESCANTATION
Label: Morbid Winter Records
Year: 2004
Country:
Line Up: Pestilence - all instruments and vocals
Music by Descantation Lyrics by Descantation
Tracks: 1- Firmament 2-While the Frozen Air Awaits Morning 3- The Death of Fenris	Pure black metal holocaust is what we have on this album. This guys have taken the spirit and sound of norwegian black metal and they have created this compositions full of hatred and blasphemy. I really liked the aggression that this compositions have with the trollish anguished screams that are one of the trademarks of the Descantation sound. The drumming is fast and mixes some blast beats and hyper fast rhythms with some old school thrash in the darkest parts. But the main thing here is the speed and aggression that this band unleashes with the chainsaw guitars that rip through your flesh with their intensity. the sound is really raw, sounding almost like a home recording and giving that underground black metal spirit and sound to the music.
Cover Artwork by: Pestilence
Produced by Descantation	Contact: descantation@hotmail.com

DESENSITISED / PEACH-HER - SPLIT CD
Label: Grodhaisn Prods
Year: 2005
Country: The Netherlands / France
Line Up: Desensitised Steven - vocals Rick - drums Susan - guitars Jeroen - bass Peach-Her Gohrgore - vocals Denix - guitars, b. voclas David - drums Jerome - bass
Tracks: Desensitised 1- Stonerain 2-Smugness 3-Meltdown Mutation 4-Black Gold 5-Bought Beauty Peach Her 6-PVP (on the rocks) 7-Pop-Corpse 8-My fork is a poltergeist part 1 9-Roasted Gambas 10-Too young to die 11-Some Bothering Story 2 12- Brain ice Cream 13-My Fork is a Poltergeist Prt 2 14-Vomit on You 15- Too young to die	Desensitised is with no doubt one of Holland´s heaviest bands. their music goes in the middle between the heaviest thrash metal and the most rhythmic death metal. And this guys achieve the uttermost heaviness through speed and through creating incredible riffs that smashes your brain with their intensity. Extreme vocals are essential here giving an even more deathly feeling to the music. there are also blast beats that turn the music into a kick in your stomach because of the power that is Unleashed. The five tracks leave you wanting more from this destructive band. Then comes Peach Her, a killer death metal band with speed and with influences from both old school death metal and more modern metal in the most rhythmic parts. The songs here are direct and effective showing aggression in every second. The sound here is raw and direct making the guitars sound right in your face. This split is essnetial for those who want to listen good death metal with ideas but with also some old school influence that makes their music even more attractive
	Contact: www.grodhaisn.cjb.net or www.desensitised.nl or www.peach-her.com

DESTROYING DIVINITY - HELL UNLEASHED
Label: Grodhaisn Prods
Year: 2005
Country: Czech Republic
Line Up: Erik - vocals Gassi - guitars Flagin - guitars, bass Ommurtag - drums
Music by Destroying Divinity Lyrics by Destroying Divinity
Tracks: 1- The Last Relic of Mankind 2-God´s Requiem 3-Death is Nothing 4-Dawn of Eternity 5-Murderers Don´t Stop with Crosses 6-Starting Point is Massacre 7-More Dead than Alive 8- Mosaic of Madness	A couple of years ago we reviewed the previous album by this band, called "Created". Now comes to our hands this burst of aggression called "Hell Unleashed". And this is a title taht reflects what is inside this album....pure brutality in a brutal death metal format. I have no doubt that Destroying Divinity must be one of the most brutal bands on Earth. Fast rhythms are essential here and they are played with such good technique that they sound even more brutal when played in this tight way. The vocals are guttural and sometimes of the screaming type, but always really extreme fitting the brutality of the music. I have to remark the guitar work that play incredible double guitar riffs in an extremely tight way, even in the technical hardest parts. The sound of teh recording is direct and loud making this album destroy your windows glasses when played at a loud volume. The ultimate experience in extremely brutal music !!!
Cover Artwork by: Destroying Divinity
Recorded at Studio Sopa Produced by Destroying Divinity and Stanislav Valasek	Contact: www.destroyingdivinity.com or www.grodhaisn.cjb.net

DESTRUKTOR - NUCLEAR STORM
Label: Hell´s Headbangers recs.
Year: 2004
Country: Australia
Line Up: Glenn - guitars, vocals Jarro - drums, vocals Regan - bass
Music by Destruktor Lyrics by Destruktor
Tracks: 1- Intro 2-Fight like the Devil 3-Nuclear Storm 4-Strive to Conquer 5-Justice Unleashed	I expected a pure black metal band with not that much ideas but I was completely wrong. Just from the beginning is evident that this guys know how to deliver good aggressive music but with good musicianship. Yes, they are extremely bestial doing blast beats and hyper fast parts but they combine this with good ideas, coming mostly from the guitars that deliver brutal riffs always adding something taht you don´t expect. One thing that surprises also is the really loud sound tat this recording has, emphasizing even more the aggression tat this guys unleash on this MCD. The drumming is really intense with blast beats and also with interesting breaks and patterns that show that this guy is a beast behind the drumkit. The vocals are realy extreme fitting the music and they sound clear in the mix hitting the lsitener with their full blasphemic power. As I said before the sound is loud, direct and raw making this band sound like in a live show with intensity and full power. Thrash black metal the way it must be done !!
Cover Artwork by: Jai Raphael
Recorded at Cuttin Edge´s Studio Produced by Destruktor	Contact: www.hellsheadbangers.com or www.destruktor.cjb.net

DEVASTER - INFERNAL MARCH
Label: Independent
Year: 2005
Country: Italy
Line Up: Doktor - vocals, guitars Cimmero - guitars Michele - bass Massi - drums
Music by Devaster Lyrics by Devaster
Tracks: 1- March 2-Feverish Commando 3-Persecution 4-Infernal Evocation 5-Necrothrash (come back...)	Eighties thrash is alive and kicking ass in the 21st century !!! And it surely has evolved thank to bands like Devaster. Here we have the rhythms that are essential in this type of music and also the aggression that this type of bands must have. the muisc here is centered in the guitar work where killer riffs are unleashed in the vein of early Metallica or Megadeth or even Overkill. Doktor´s vocals are another of the trademarks here, really raw and giving that thrash metal spirit to the music. The band sound well rehearsed and at the same time they have this sound that is sort of a live show sound, full of energy. The drums have a really original sound in the snare drum and the overall sound of this recording is raw yet effective. Thrash metal is back and Devaster is one of the bands that are taking this killer style back to the emtal realm.
Cover Artwork by: Devaster
Recorded at Eruption Studio Produced by Doktor	Contact: www.devaster.net

DIMENTIANON - PROMO 2005
Label: Paragon Records
Year: 2005

Line Up: G. Dominus - guitar J. Fogarazzo - guitars J. Mroz - bass M - vocals R. Bohlman - drums
Music by Dimentianon Lyrics by Dimentianon
Tracks: 1- Terribilis est Locus Iste 2-Blood Shed from a Black Rose 3-To be Crowned King and Stabbed to Death 4-Azrael	As alwyas Dimentianon surprises with their pure aggression and brutality. This is evident while listening the guitar riffs here and the amazing drumming. One essential feature in Dimentianon´s music is the drumming that always sounds like an earthqueake while delivering the fast patterns that are characteristic of the band. The guitar riffs are fast and furious making each composition really intense and aggressive. The vocals are deathly and extreme being anotyher of the trademarks of the band and adding even more violence to Dimentianon´s music. The sound is similar to the one in "Seven Suicides" with slight improvement in the drums and the guitars and reflecting all the aggression unleashed by this crushing band.
Cover Artwork by: Dimentianon
Produced by Dimentianon	Contact: www.paragonrecords.net

DO OR DIE - TRADITION
Label: Alveran Recs
Year: 2005
Country: Belgium
Line Up: Greg - guitar Luigi - guitars Rudy - drums Etienne - bass Chris - vocals Angelo - vocals
Music by Do or Die Lyrics by Do or Die
Tracks: 1- Enemies 2-Sentence 3-TRadition 4-Dead End 5-Persecution 6-1930 Prohibition 7- The Pact 8- Vendetta 9-Too Late 10-Bound By Blood 11- Red Dusk 12-Scars 13-Betrayal	Pure aggression in its highest degree. Here we have a band that combines modern metal with hardcore and also with some death emtal in order to achieve an extremely brutal result. One thing that I liked is that they throw in many places some melodies, as in th chorus of "Enemies" making the songs memorable at the same time than utterly aggressive. The guitars sound huge and they play really rhythmic riffs that are the essence of the brutality here transmiting pure energy to the listener. The album has a really good sound, specially the guitars and the extreme, vocals that sound like screaming in your face !!!! Pure aggression unleashed over mankind !!!

Produced by Do Or Die	Contact: www.alveranrecords.com

DOLLMEN - Q-MENDA
Label: Independent
Year: 2002
Country: Italy
Line Up: Simona - vocals Andrea - guitars Alberto - bass, keyboards, piano Enzo - drum, percussion
Music by Dollmen Lyrics by Dollmen
Tracks: 1- Alice 2 2-Q-Menda 3-Delusione 4-Monhanni 5-Morte at 4/4 6-Daffodils 7-Christorundum	An extremely original release that surprises because of the multiple different arrangements and feelings that it has. With strong seventies influences but a really modern sound the band manages to create here seven memorable compositions. One of the trademark is the voice of Simona, full of melody and power and used in an unconventional manner, sometimes doubling the guitars and sometimes adding different lines. There is a big use of keyboards and guitars that contrast heavily on each tune but at the same time they create the essential Dollmen atmosphere. And the guitars are essential here playing from riffs to arpeggios contributing with arrangements to push Simona´s voice to the limit. A killer album with killer songs.
Cover Artwork by: Dollmen
Produced by Dollmen	Contact: asopalla@tiscalinet.it or molude@tiscalinet.it

DOWNTOWN BROWN - DOWNTOWN BROWN
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country:
Line Up: Neil P. - guitar, vocals Wolf - bass Floortom - drums
Music by Downtown Brown Lyrics by Neil Petterson, exc 4,12 and 13
Tracks: 1- Welcome to the Acropolis 2- Smooth Talker 3- Holy matrimony 4- Sit in teh Pit 5-Orange B 6-Love Kitchen 7-Dream Woman 8-Mangina 9-Free Charlie 10-In front of my face 11-Feel the Beat 12-Leadaz of ROKK 13-Live Today (TWT)	THis is a really original band that combines powerful heavy metal with virtuosism. Starting on 1 with a guitar sound that reminded me to Steve Vai the band turns few seconds later into a power metal / thrash metal tune with a fast and aggressive riff. There is really good musicianship here and that is evident in the multiple changes and solos thata re all over this recording. The singer is really versatile changing his voice and mood on each passage, stretching to fit perfectly the mood of a specific riff or rhythm. The guitars are really heavy and there are some galloping riffs here and there but comined with different rhythms and patterns. The rhythm section is extremely tight and the good thing is that they know how to develope an idea and how to change from one pattern to the other in a really coherent way. The sound of the recording is really good. A Trully rocking experience with multiple aggressive parts.
Cover Artwork by: JMFK
Recorded at Tempermill Studios Produced by Downtown Brown and Tony Hamera	Contact: www.dtbmusic.com

END OF DAYS - DEDICATED TO THE EXTREME
Label: Alveran Recs.
Year: 2005
Country: Germany
Line Up: Kevin Otto - vocals Thorsten Kleine-Hegermann - guitar Frank Knöfler - drums Olli Sarkander - bass Dennis Begger - guitar
Music by End of Days Lyrics by End of Days
Tracks: 1- From Hell (Intro) 2-Dedicated to the Extreme 3-March of the Hollow 4-Nothing But Disgust 5-Savage Redemption 6- Unbreakable 7-Inside I Burn 8-Worthless 9-Sleepless Sorrow 10-Turned to Death	This band makes bands like Fear Factory pale in brutality and aggression when compared to them. This band starts smashing your brain from the first second with huge guitar riffs that sounds like if you were standing in front of huge amplifiers. Then you have the drumming. this guy is amazing with the double bass and the good thing is that he has a great sound that allows him to play all this patterns and sound really in the front of the mix making the result even more devastating. the vocals are really extreme fitting really well the music (not too guttural but of the type that emphasises the aggression of the music). ´Tue Madsen´s production gives the final touch to the band´s sound adding even more power if that is possible. This album is really powerful and aggressive and each note is a testimony of this !

Mastered by Tue Madsen Produced by Jacob Bredhal	Contact: www.alveranrecords.com

ESSATIC - BITE THE BULLET
Label: Independent
Year: 2004
Country: Belgium
Line Up: Peter Bogaert - vocals Philippe Tack - guitars Tom Van Cauwenberghe - guitars David Hugelier - bass David Bourdon - drums
Music by Essatic Lyrics by Essatic
Tracks: 1- Dumped for Life 2- Vermin 3-Undead Symphony 4-Gift from Below 5-Hate	This is a pure aggresive band with a huge guitar sound. The music in "Dumped for Life" reminds me to early Kreator but with a much more modern sound and with plenty of death metal elements. Then the band gets into a more death metal style but always keeping some thrash metal riffing that turns the music really original and makes the tunes memorable. Besides, this guys have good technical skills and that doesn`t mean that they are sacrificing aggression. In fact this makes them sound tighter and harder. The vocals are really extreme and are of the kind used in the most extreme thrash bands or in bands like Carcass. The album has a raw but clear sound that lets you feel all the power unleashed by Essatic- A devastating crushing release...and we want more !
Cover Artwork by: Tom Van Cauwenberghe
Recorded at Cafe t´Brugske Produced by Essatic	Contact: www.essatic.be

ETHNOMETAL COMPILATION VOl. 1
Label: Ethnometal Recs.
Year: 2004
Tracks: 1- FATAL - Anakhendavia 2-N0119 - Styl Jdid 3- BURGUL TORKHAIN - He Ptalas Ben Amothep 4-LITHAM - El Djamra 5-HORRESCO REFERENS - Deceptes 6-ABSORBED - Oppressed Mind 7-TEAL - Hebek Habibi 8-MORPHEUS- Bizim Hiler 9-KHZENAT - Dream or Reality 10-BONTY - Banana 11-MELMOTH - A Rise from the hell 12-ANTHARES - Archangel 13-KENITRA - Red Balek
	Here we have a really unconventional compilation. We have reviewed before bands like Horresco referens, Litham and Kenitra and they all were really original bands. MOst of the bands here come from the most extreme side of metal and they combine this utter bestiality and aggression with eastern sounding elements. THis is a trully oriignal compilation full of killer and aggressive bands. Here we have Fatal´s death metal to N0119 almost indescriptible metal, Burgul Torkhain´s climatic eastern death metal full of melodies and atmospheres and killer musicianship. And we also have pure heavy metal bands like Anthares or power death metal bands like Absorbed and Melmoth´s blcak metal. All of them have in common good musicianship and ethnical sounding elements in their music. A must have for those who are always looking new sounds in metal
Cover Artwork by: Hamza Labrinssi
Produced by Jalal Mrhani and Eric Spider	Contact: www.ethnometal.com

ETHS - SOMA
Label: Sriracha Records
Year: 2004
Country: France

Music by Eths Lyrics by Eths
Tracks: 1- Méléna 2- Crucifère 3- D´etruis-moi 4-Septum Lucidum 5-Le fruit des anges 6-∞ 7-Rutsah 8-Je Vous Hais 9-L´Instant Sourd 10-Simiesque 11-Ailleurs c´est ici 12-Elle s´endort	The first thing that amazed me here is the combination of extreme vocals and clean vocals here. Here we have a female voice that is sometimes really melodic such as in "Crucifère" and then turns abruptly into a more extreme one and also into a more guttural voice adding even more brutality to the music. This aspect, along with the heavier than hell guitars are one of the trademarks of the band that allows them to play compositions that are pure heaviness but that at the same time have certain atmospheric moments. This band has many elements of modern metal in the rhythms and the guitar riffs and they use this influences to achieve utter aggression through all the compositions here (beware, because the last track has a big silence gap in the end and then comes some acoustic bonuses). The sound of the recording is really good, specially on the huge guitars making this an extremely heavy album with destructive compositions !
Cover Artwork by: Eths
Produced by Eths	Contact: www.sriracha-sauce.com or www.eths.net or www.coriace.com