Pseudogod - Deathwomb Catechesis : Album Review

Owing to a recent job I got as a content writer, I haven't found the time to write music reviews. Writing four long articles on a daily basis is saturating to say the least. However, I will now dedicate some time to write about Russia's Pseudogod and their latest output, which proves to be major contribution to Death/Black Metal.

Stylistically, Pseudogod's music is not too distanced from Bestial Black Metal. Their previous releases, namely Illusion of Salvation and Triumphus Serpenti Magni and a number of other split albums / EPs dhowed a tendency towards the aforementioned style through their chaotic riffing style and relentless, pulverizing drumming. In Deathwomb Catechesis, the band expand their stylistic boundaries beyond primitive assault, focusing more on a dense atmosphere and churning crushing, yet memorable riffs. The band chose to lean more towards Death Metal while creating an atmosphere similar to Orthodox Black Metal. It is nearly impossible to dissect the album musically, since it all blends into a singular mass of musical atrocity (in a positive way, obviously). Each instrument winds itself around another in a twisted way, and although that means individual instruments don't get their own moments of glory, it all fits properly in a well-defined song structure, which is what ultimately separates an actual good band from novelty.

That is not to say that Pseudogod's music is linear or uninteresting. There are some very fine details to be heard throughout the album which a listener won't notice on the first listen, despite the non-challenging nature of the band's songwriting. The riffing is mainly fast and chaotic, but at times, slows down to a medium or slow pace to pulverize listeners with sheer heaviness. The riffing style maintains an evil and occult vibe throughout the album, never settling for an odd upbeat melody. The drumming takes a back-seat in the mix, but every drum is clearly audible, from the crashes to the kick, and creates a rather noticeable impact on the music. The vocals are deep growls with the right amounts of reverb and delay effects added to them, which adds to the overall menacing vibe of the album.

The production job was rather surprising to most fans, considering the fact that Pseudogod's earlier works featured a much thinner, rawer production with drums being as much in the foreground as the guitars. This album features a rather bass-heavy mix, comparable to that of Vasaeleth and Witchrist . The sound works very well for the album since there is no compromise in anything the band intended to offer. Deathwomb Catechesis is highly recommended for its competent songwriting and consistency in delivering powerful Death/Black Metal throughout the 40 minutes of its playing time. The album is available for purchase through Hells Headbangers. Buy & Support!

Master's Hammer - Vracejte Konce Na Místo : Album Review

The Czech experimental Black Metal legends, Master's Hammer made a comeback in 2009 with their album Mantras. After building up lot of anticipation, all their fans were let down by a sub-par release. Fast-forward 3 years to February 2012, and we're presented with Vracejte Konce Na Místo. The album, from the first minute shows the band's determination to restore their legacy as one of the most innovative Black Metal bands.

The best way to describe the album would be "a mix of band's past works". Hints of orchestral elements from The Jillemince Occultist can be heard, with the straight-forwardness of Ritual in some places. Slagry and Mantras were failed experiments, but everything they do on this album manages to blend flawlessly, and is executed well. The riffing, although not something that will get stuck in your head on the first listen, is immediately enjoyable. Heavy, thrashy rhythm guitars that play out with melodic lead guitars hint towards a Death/Thrash sound, rather than Black Metal, so complaints from clueless people about it not being "Black Metal enough" are expected. Guitar solos are added occasionally for good measure, avoiding a rhythm-dominated nature of the songs. Just like The Jillemince Occultist, the orchestral elements are played in an majestic way without being cheesy and add to the intricacy and complexity of the composition rather than creating an atmosphere, similar to what's heard in classical music. The folk elements are well-executed and arranged, to go in sync with the rest of the music, so it all fits well. The drums can tend to sound a little mechanical at times, but besides that annoyance, the drum patterns are laid out well and add a consistent beat throughout the songs. The vocals are similar to Master's Hammer's first 2 albums, and a fortunate change from the unbearable vocals heard in Mantras. In each song, the band shows it's compositional prowess, keeping the listener interested, and mixing elements from different forms of music seamlessly.

The overall sound of the album is similar to their older works, but heavier and cleaner, yet not too polished. The production job is befitting a Master's Hammer release since it emphasizes all the aspects which make the band stand out. The emphasis is not on a dark or grim atmosphere, but a heavy, majestic, yet aggressive Thrash-derived sound, which is so unique that it can no longer be placed under Black Metal, though it takes cues from their early Old School Black Metal sound.

I wouldn't recommend this to a person looking for typical Black Metal of any kind since it sways too much into an experimental direction, but I will certainly recommend it to anyone looking for something new.

Worship - Dooom : Album Review

It's not often that a band manages to create a true sense of despair, melancholy and depression, but that changed when, "Fucked Up Mad" Max Varnier (R.I.P. 2001) from France and Daniel "The Doommonger" from Germany formed Worship in 1999. After their highly acclaimed demo "Last Tape Before Doomsday", Max committed suicide, but Worship lived on, carrying forward the legacy of Max Varnier's bitter, depressed soul and released Dooom in 2007. Just like the debut, Dooom encompasses a sense of extreme negativity, depression and hopelessness.

The cult album begins with Endzeit Elegy, and the first hit of the heavy, crushing riff shows The Doommonger's capability of carrying Worship through even after the tragic loss of Mad Max, and that he has not lost his creative capabilities. The atmosphere evoked is paralyzing and absorbs you in the flow of depressive and heavy riffs. The combination of what sounds like a church bell and the powerful, crushing guitars is amazing. The riffage is also coupled with mournful lead guitars scattered almost throughout the whole album, adding a sense of despair, and also making it effectively different from Last Tape Before Doomsday. The melodies created by the lead guitar are devoid of cheesiness, yet sound depressive. The vocals are done mainly by The Doommonger, but the album also features vocals from Mad Max, recorded much before his death, on the tracks The Altar and the Choir of the Moonkult, a Solitude Aeturnus cover and I Am the End - Crucifixion Part II. Both vocalists have a similar, low, rumbling style, though Max sometimes executes screams that are often heard in Depressive Black Metal. The bass guitar is an important instrument here, since it is a Funeral Doom Metal album. Apart from adding to the general heaviness, the bass does some wonderful parts on this album. For example, the bass intro to The Altar and the Choir of the Moonkult is eerie to say the least. The drums are played in a typical Funeral Doom fashion. Slow, playing a beat every second or two, and generally drowned in the background. They do absolutely nothing, except the job of holding the riffs together, but that is okay, since the genre doesn't demand drums. Worship does a wonderful job of creating a captivating atmosphere with the minimal use of synth, and the best use of lead guitars, and wonderful vocal delivery, which includes grunts, screams and whispered and sometimes sung narration. Dooom also includes a cover of Solitude Aeturnus's Mirror of Sorrow, done in their own, slow, plodding, depressive and atmospheric style, and is probably one of the best cover songs.

Dooom, although does not match up to Last Tape Before Doomsday, almost misses out on the quality of it by inches. Meaning, it is almost as good, but might leave Worship fans asking for more, since most songs sound too similar. Regardless of that, every song has moments that make it stand out from the others, and most of all, it is an album capable of actually stirring up the listener's emotions in a very powerful way, which is saying a lot. Dooom is recommended for fans of Funeral Doom Metal, since this is one of the only bands you will ever need.

Standout Tracks - All I Ever Knew Lie Dead, The Altar and The Choir of The Moonkult, Mirror of Sorrow, I am The End - Crucifixion Part II

Infinite Redemption - Face of Disaster EP: Review

Modern Metal is always a hit-or-miss affair for most (mostly a miss), and in a country like India, among a vast sea of uninspired, same-sounding bands, it is difficult to find a band that actually stands out as good. Infinite Redemption is among the good bands. Formed in 2003 in Mumbai, Infinite Redemption play a style that takes influences from different genres including Math Metal/Mathcore, early Metalcore, Melodic Death and Thrash Metal and Technical Death Metal, and blend it seamlessly to create a sound that sets them apart from other bands.


Face of Disaster is the debut EP of the band, released in January 2012. The opener, Abhorrence, sets the mood for the EP with a Thrashy guitar riff and aggressive drumming. Catchiness and memorability is maintained throughout the song with tastefully written guitar riffs that switch styles varying from Thrash Metal to Melodic Death and Groove Metal, accompanied by alternating Hardcore Punk screams, screeches and Death growls, all done really well. The opener is followed by the self-titled song, which begins with a nicely written, melodic lead guitar section and a mid-paced rhythm riff. The song has a Metalcore vibe, which may turn off some listeners, but the endless flurry of well-written riffs more than make up for it. The next song, Noise Edge has some textured, progressive and groovy riffs and drumming, making it thoroughly enjoyable for those who dig Progressive stuff, which is followed by one of the older songs written by the band, Shadows of Disaster, which is a straight-forward Melodic Death Metal song, with loads of melodic guitar solos and riffs, which showcases the band's ability to keep things fresh. The final song, Tyranny of the Pallid, takes cues from relatively modern Technical Death Metal, with sometimes complex, yet catchy riffs and tempo and structure changes, and a brief, but really good bass guitar solo. The assault of drums, bass and vocals continues throughout each song, and though they're mostly supporting the endless riffing fury, every element has numerous stand-out moments, and serves equal importance in the music. The drumming is very well done, with adequate amount of groovy moments as well as blast beats, the bass provides heaviness while throwing in an occasional solo, and the vocals add to the overall aggression in the music.

The production job was done by Vishal J. Singh of Amogh Symphony, so professional quality wasn't unexpected. This might turn away people who swear by old school production values and sound, but listeners who can ignore the modern production, as well as listeners who prefer modern production will surely like this, since there is very little to not like here. Being an EP, it also is very short on playing time, clocking at the usual EP length of 21 minutes 24 seconds, and leaves the listener expecting more. Infinite Redemption plant their flag in the Indian Metal scene with their impressive debut, and more material can be expected from them in the coming years.

Face of Disaster can be purchased by contacting the band at infiniteredemption@gmail.com

Be sure to check out their Facebook and ReverbNation pages.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/InfiniteRedemption/149356108413917
Reverbnation: http://www.reverbnation.com/infiniteredemption

Axis of Advance - Strike : Album Review

Axis of Advance were a Black/Death band from Canada. Their playing style is similar to Ross Bay cult bands like Blasphemy, Revenge and Conqueror, mostly owing to the fact that James Read from the latter two bands handles drums. Axis of Advance play in a style similar to, but not exactly like the above mentioned bands.

Strike is the band's first full-length album, released in 2001. The moment the first epic 8 and half minute song hits, you realize that it isn't your typical War Metal affair. Unlike the chaos of Conqueror and Revenge, and directionless and mindless blasting of Bestial Warlust, Axis of Advance has some coherence when in comes to structure and riffing. Bear in mind that this, in no way means that it can be digested by your usual Black or Death Metal fan, since the chaotic quality has only been toned down a little. Imagine a cross between Revenge and Order From Chaos - the noise and violence of the former, coupled with the riffing variety and style of the latter. Like their fellow countrymen, Axis of Advance don't cut down the intensity of their assault.

The riffs vary between grinding, war metal-like and catchy, vicious Black/Death Metal riffs, which keeps the songs interesting and avoids monotony, while maintaining the ferocity of the assault. Contrary to majority of Metal, the riffs take up the role of support fire - the band's main weapon is their artillery in form of drums, and it's command undertaken by the war machine, James Read. Read pounds on the snare like a maniac, but with the timing and precision of a sniper. The drums assault the listener's ears, invoking a sense of suppression that is felt in a battle. Between those assaults, are moments with catchy riffs and less destructive drumming, creating a picture of an advancing army through the battlefield, claiming more of the enemy's territory. The drums and riffs are supported by throaty rasps and growls, that don't possess much power but do their job well. The bass guitar is hidden beneath layers of pounding drums and grinding guitars, but due to the rather straight-forward music, its exact nature of playing isn't missed much, but they do the ever-important job of making the music heavier. Some songs on the album end with samples of gunfire, which seem to fit in seamlessly and don't feel forced or put in for no reason. The weak points in the album include the difficulty in differentiating one song from another, (though the case is not as bad as Bestial Warlust), and the length of three particular songs is over 8 minutes, which is a drag for the style Axis of Advance play.


All in all, Strike is an above average album, recommended for Black and Death Metal fans who can take a vicious, relentless assault for over 40 minutes.

Rotting Christ - Non Serviam : Album Review

Better known for the far more melodic Gothic-based albums, Rotting Christ started out as a Grindcore band, but abandoned that sound early on, embracing a riff-based, melodic sound, and establishing themselves among First Wave Hellenic Black Metal bands, alongside bands like Varathron and Necromantia. Although a lot of fans like their later sound, Rotting Christ on Non Serviam brought us a flurry of addictive riffs and melodies.

The album begins with The Fifth Illusion, a song with a catchy main riff and chorus. Like a lot of early Greek Black Metal, they don't blast away, nor do they try to create a grim or dark atmosphere. The atmosphere and sound here, are very ancient/medieval, which goes well with the imagery of the band. The riffs throughout the whole album are extremely catchy. The band chooses not to indulge in hard-to-make-out, distorted tremolo picking, and settles for slow to mid-paced riffs, with adequate use of melodies, which immediately brings Traditional Doom Metal bands in mind. The guitar sound is thinned down due to the production, but it shouldn't be a big problem, since the riffs are not overpowered by anything else in the mix. The scales used here are clearly distinct and different. I'm no music pundit, but there's something distinct about the pattern and combination of notes played by the band that sets Rotting Christ - and most Greek Black Metal - apart from the usual idea of the genre. 

The riffage is particularly memorable in slower songs like Morality of a Dark Age, which reflects the band's mastery in the craft of songwriting. The vocals are quite basic black/death metal growls, and there are no attempts by the vocalist to set himself apart. He's a no-frills, to-the-point vocalist, which proves to be a good thing, since they blend in smoothly with the rest of the music, never once grabbing the listeners exclusive attention. The bass guitar is played in a simplistic manner - almost exactly along the lines of the rhythm guitar - but it adds sufficiently to the heaviness of the otherwise thin sound. The drums lines are well written, although simple. There are no blast-beats, but a regular thrashy pattern, when swaying away from addictive grooves. That said, each instrument plays an important role, even though the guitar riffs are the main point of interest.

Thin production is the only problem I can point out, right now. Disregarding that, the album is an essential Black Metal release. The "melodic" part is done well and devoid of any cheesiness, so it shouldn't put potential listeners off. Very highly recommended for seekers of the riff, and for fans of Master's Hammer, Argentum and the likes.

Meth Drinker - Meth Drinker : Album Review

Sludge is known to be among the heaviest genres within Metal. The overall of sound of a Sludge band can vary between groovy and chilled-out, and misanthropic. Meth Drinker play depressed, misanthropic and hateful kind of Sludge, similar to crusty Sludge bands like Dystopia and Graves at Sea, but without the violence and brutality of Crust. Hailing from New Zealand, this self-titled album is the first release by this band.

The first impression formed by this band on a listener's mind is "Wow, this is heavy". Feedback-laden, raw guitar riffs are prominent from the first note. The guitar tone is very similar to that heard on Eyehategod's In The Name of Suffering. Perfect for this band, since rather than engaging in bluesy riffing, Meth Drinker combine notes to make the most hateful kind of sound they can. Previous comparisons with Dystopia come into the picture here, but, again, the band is set apart by the total lack of fast, crusty sections, and relies solely on heavy, oppressive riffs. The vocals feel as if rasped out with full force, vomited out by a suffering man, perfectly contributing to the misanthropy. The bass guitar is prominent throughout this release as should be in any Sludge Metal album, and most of it blends in the extremely down-tuned guitars. The groovy, simple drumming here makes sure it doesn't distract the listener from the black, hateful goodness spread through in the guitar riffs. Yet, it maintains groove, without which the album would sound hollow.

Through the album, Meth Drinker showcase their good songwriting abilities, with impressive riffs, use of samples, and variations in songs. The song titles suggest a lyrical theme of drug abuse and mental illness. This is perfectly reflected in the music, and especially the vocals, so it wouldn't take you time to guess it yourself. The band does this variety of Sludge really well, without relying on Crust or Hardcore Punk to bring out the hate, and that is very commendable.

Meth Drinker is recommended for all Sludge fans, as long as they don't expect chilled-out, Stoner/Sludge Metal. This album is unsettling and depressive. There's no cannabis, no booze here, but abusive and destructive meth!

Coffinworm - When All Became None: Album Review

Long time, no review. Time to end the dry spell, and Coffinworm is a good enough band to do so. Formed in 2007, these bunch of guys play Blackened Sludge. Sludge, being a genre that works well in combination with most metal genres, seems to work the best with Black Metal, since the atmospheric and hateful quality of both is added up. After a raw and rough EP titled "Great Bringer of Night", Coffinworm released their full length album in 2010

Not unlike their preceding work, When All Became None is a pretty dirty, misanthropic pile of dark, blackened Sludge. Coffinworm utilize slower, crushing sections very well, as they literally pound and pummel the eardrums, like you would expect from any Sludge. In addition to that, there are rather groovy, sometimes Crusty mid-paced sections scattered across the songs, which adds variety and keeps it interesting. What makes this band stand out, is the highly atmospheric feeling to the music, yet, it is very unlike Post-Metal/Atmospheric Sludge. The guitar effects invoke a rather Black Metal-like, dark and dismal atmosphere. There is no trace of Stoner tendencies in the music, and there are absolutely no bluesy passages and riffs, but the general atmosphere is spacey and psychedelic at times. The dissection of the quality of riffing isn't necessary here, since this is Sludge, and to be a half-credible Sludge band, you need riffs, so this band obviously assaults the listener with a barrage of crushing riffs, varying between Doom, Black and Crust styles. The guitar tone fits their style of music very well. It is sometimes reminiscent of Graves At Sea, sometimes reminds of Evoken. The general goal of creating a dark, macabre atmosphere with crushing riffs is achieved through it. The vocals are Black Metal 'growls', and sound powerful. There is only a little variety in them, and the vocalist sometimes switches to low growls temporarily. There is a sense of rage in them, but a slight feeling of evilness and grimness would have really helped. This is just a minor drawback here, since the vocals are not playing the biggest role here. The drums are luckily neither too high, nor too low, and are mixed really well. The cymbals don't hurt, the snare sounds perfect and crushing, and the bass is loud. The bass guitar is not distinctly audible unless paid attention to, but since the Lows are turned up in the mix, it doesn't seem too much of a drawback.

Song memorability is low on the first few listens, since there isn't much that helps differentiate between songs. Every song is similar, and there are almost no defining moments, except the intro to Spitting In Infinity's Asshole. This is the biggest drawback of this record, and it will take a few listens to actually dig in. that means bad news for people without enough patience, who will likely discard this, labeling it as monotonous. Disregarding the poor memorability factor on the first few listens, this album is really good, and Coffinworm effectively combine Black Metal, Crust and Sludge. Recommended.

Hell - Human Remains : Album Review

In the past couple of years, when a large percentage of unaware audience was mourning the declining older, more traditional forms of Heavy Metal and (rightfully) blaming modern metal for the imminent death of Heavy Metal, there were a good number of bands engaging in old school metal worship in all its flavours. While people are well aware of revivalist Thrash and newer Old School Death Metal, new Traditional Heavy Metal goes unnoticed. Though I should make it clear, Hell are NOT a new band and have been around since 1982, as a part of the NWOBHM movement, but never released an album till 2011.

UK's Hell released few demos back in the 80s, but never got any attention due to the large number of bands from the movement successfully releasing a number of albums. Human Remains is their first ever full-length album. Needless to say, Hell play Traditional Heavy Metal, very similar to the top-of-the-line bands from 1980s, most notably Mercyful Fate. Their NWOBHM roots are very pronounced in their playing style, but they also take a little from their American counterparts in form of Speed Metal riffing and wailed vocals and "epic" songwriting. The band doesn't shy away from inclusion of synth, which is okay, since it doesn't sound like flowery Euro Power metal keyboards. The style works well for the record, but can sound monotonous since the album is over an hour long with little variation.

The riffing is a combination of upbeat, punk-ish NWOBHM-like riffs and heavy, palm-muted Speed Metal riffs, which is like listening to Mercyful Fate, Riot and Angel Witch, all at the same time. The possibility of an amazing outcome of such a combination is hindered by the fact that they're arranged in a chaotic and disjoint manner at times in certain tracks. Nonetheless, the enjoyability factor is kept up by the quality of the riffs. The guitarists show their full potential with blazing, melodic guitar solos present in every song, upping each song's quality. The vocalist differs from typical NWOBHM vocalists with his good range and superior singing ability. Yet, he might come off as unoriginal, since the King Diamond-like style doesn't work for anyone except King himself. The vocals dominate most of the songs, and that can be distracting from the rest of the music. The bass guitar is not very audible, despite the clear and fairly modern-sounding production of the album. The drummer plays quite well, without a sign of sloppiness or error, and adapts well to the structural changes throughout the songs. The band engages in progressive songwriting, with constant changes in structure, tempo, riffs and certain unconventional (but not outright weird) time signatures. The progressive nature of the songs compels the listener to either pay full attention to the music or give it several listens. The lyrics deal with Satan, Hell, Occult, etc, and the dark nature of such is further amplified by the meticulous use of synth.

Even if the band comes off too similar to Mercyful Fate, Hell has its own flavour. There are no new ideas here, since it is a Traditional Heavy Metal release, and if it is all you're looking for, you won't be disappointed and Human Remains is for you.

Raventale - After : Album Review

Ukraine's Raventale is a Black/Doom Metal (or often labeled as Depressive/Atmospheric Black Metal) project of  Astaroth, and was formed in 2005. Of the total of four albums released, After is the most recent work, released in 2010, under Solitude Productions. Raventale's musical approach, although very typical of modern melancholic Doom Metal bands is mature in terms of songwriting and production.

The album starts off with Gone, a 10-minute track that shoots off with a dark and atmospheric riff, which gives a basic idea of Raventale's sound, which is very distanced from what it is sometimes labeled as, since the production value is much cleaner and polished than you would hear in a Depressive Black Metal band. Still, the production suits, since musically, it is closer to the likes of Novembre or Darkflight. I would even draw a comparison between Raventale and Black Autumn. The rather atmospheric riff is followed by a much heavier Doom Metal riff, played by a separate guitar. The guitars are layered in a good way, and the music doesn't end up sounding thin or pale. The heavier riffs give the music a very strong Doom Metal touch, sometimes reaching heaviness that, when at its peak, can be likened to bands like Ataraxie. Despite the crushing heaviness, Raventale chooses to play faster than what is expected of Doom Metal. The playing speed doesn't hamper the melancholic atmosphere, since it is supported by intricate, melancholic guitar leads played by a second guitar, and the presence of clean guitar sections spaced and placed well in a song. To top it up, the atmosphere is further enhanced by synthesizer present throughout, but mostly audible when the guitars aren't playing or in cleaner sections. The vocals are overshadowed by the music, which appears to be mostly instrumental. Since they aren't that great, their long absence in song goes unnoticed. The music speeds up after the second track, which is also the title track of the album. The fourth track, Flames has a rather fast intro that breaks down into a part with a heavy, but depressive, palm-muted guitar riff. This song showcases Astaroth's ability to write good, engaging riffs, and also consists of a brilliant guitar and even a keyboard (of the non-annoying variety) solo. The keyboard solo is very bearable, very unlike Children of Bodom's keyboard wankery, and isn't audible unless you're paying special attention to the details. This song is clearly the highlight of this album. The bass and drums are nothing to write home about since the drums are mostly programmed and played by a drum machine, and that fact is very obvious.

The element of melancholy in the music isn't stretched far into Funeral Doom realms, but has a far more relaxed, less misanthropic sound. The music embraces nature and darkness rather than depression and emotions, both musically and lyrically, as evident from their mellow sound, and a rather positive, more than negative vibe.

Raventale is recommended for fans of bands like Novembre, but it nonetheless can entertain Doom Metal fans, as long as they don't expect a massively crushing wall of agonizing riffs to pummel them. This release doesn't have it, but it will surely be a great company during a long, tiring journey.

Woods of Desolation - Torn Beyond Reason : Album Review

Woods of Desolation was formed by D., in the year 2005 in Australia. Working alone in the band, handling all the instruments, Woods of Desolation released several demos and splits. In 2009, D. was joined by Desolate (Mitch Keepins) of Austere and handled the vocals in the EP "Sorh". Soon, Desolate left the band and was replaced by Tim Yatras of Austere, who handled the drums and vocals, and the gave us this piece of emotionally-charged music titled "Torn Beyond Reason".

Not having heard previous works of the band, I cannot comment on how different/similar this record is to the others, but Woods of Desolation's music can perfectly be described as sorrowful, with great emphasis on melodies, yet keeping up the qualities that puts it under the "Black Metal" category. This may or may not be a conscious effort, but is certainly favourable, considering the type of music they make. The songs are filled with tremolo-picked guitar riffs and very dynamic and energetic drumming, which makes it a lot less depressive, yet the tremolo-picked guitar melodies manage to invoke a sense of desolation and sorrow. That is combined with screamed and wailed vocals and rather generic emotionally-charged lyrics that are only few steps away from entering the "cheesy" territory, yet not quite stepping into it. The riffs and melody have very little to absolutely no Black Metal influence, barring the distortion, drumming and tremolo-picking and tend more towards Depressive Rock territory. That, of course, doesn't automatically render it bad by any means. It just places it apart from Depressive Black Metal. Woods of Desolation sits comfortably in the grey area between Depressive Black Metal and Depressive Rock. The playing style is akin to Metal, but the melodies and compositions are nowhere close to it. Tim Yatras clearly imports his drumming style from Austere, which makes it easy for any uninformed listener to confuse the band for Austere. The vocals have a slight similarity to Austere too, and so does the overall sound and playing style, placing both bands parallel to each other and hard to distinguish, and takes away the originality element from the band in question (since earlier demos had a different sound, whereas on this record, it sounds adapted from Austere's terminal studio album).

The songs have enough variations in terms of songwriting, which keeps the album from sounding like a clusterfuck of depressive riffs and screeched vocals. The band employs clean vocals and clean guitar sections. Especially in the songs Darker Days and Somehow.... The short instrumental, interlude-like track, November is probably the album's highlight. The band invokes a sense of melancholy in its own way, by not relying on the atmosphere, since it's nearly cancelled out by the energetic drumming, but with riff-work and vocals. The end product is mildly sorrowful music that does just enough justice to the lyrics.

Woods of Desolation's Torn Beyond Reason is strictly for fans of Austere. If you liked To Lay Like Old Ashes, you will certainly like this. People expecting cold, unsettling Depressive Black Metal, stay away.

7.5/10

Black Oath - The Third Aeon : Album Review

From the land of Doom metal greats like Paul Chain, hail Black Oath, a modern Traditional Doom Metal band. Formed back in 2006, and with just a few releases, Black Oath didn't make a big impact, especially in presence of bands like Hour of 13, Lamp of Thoth, and other better known present-day Doom Metal bands. Despite that, with The Third Aeon, they are definitely set for much better acclaim by Doomsters all over the globe.

What makes this band, and especially this album so special is the originality in their sound. They do not try to directly lift ideas off Black Sabbath, Candlemass or Solitude Aeturnus, although there are many observable similarities with the latter two bands. Black Oath have an occult-like atmosphere, supported by their occult-based lyrics. The eerie atmosphere is created by careful use of organs and mellow piano in certain places. That of course, is led by heavy riffing. Stylistically, most of the music is inspired from the likes of Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus and Solstice, rather than Black Sabbath or Pentagram. Hence, the riffs lack the bluesy quality of the latter two, but have a horror-inducing sound and crushing heaviness. This is where the band brings forth its own ideas, by only in certain places, delving into the melancholic territory of Candlemass, and sticking to a much creepier, occult-like sound, reflected in the riffs and the keyboards. This combination, i.e., the good use of melancholic elements and a more extensive use of desolate, horror-invoking sounds, is what sets this band apart from their mentors. The riffs are, needless to say, one of the most important aspects of this album, and though there isn't much variety in the one-note riffs that chug along through almost every song, the slower riffs and most guitar leads are what make the atmosphere. The drummer does his job well, although his job here is only giving the music a sense of presence, so that it doesn't turn into snooze-inducing drone within minutes. The bass is crunchy and loud, sometimes louder than the guitars, which is always a big plus in a Doom Metal band. The bassist doesn't restrict himself to playing the same thing as the guitarist, and hence, is even more noticeable.

The vocalist, who also happens to be the guitarist, does an amazingly good job on the mic. He doesn't try to replicate Ozzy's vocal style, which I hold a lot of bands guilty of. His singing style is similar to Messiah Marcolin, but without the melancholic element and a comparatively masculine pitch. He doesn't have an extensive vocal range, but manages to pull off relatively higher notes with easy. This perfectly suits the occult nature of the music and lyrics.

The album doesn't stretch too long and clocks at an appropriate length of 45 minutes. This lessens the chance of boredom or "How long before this ends"-thoughts. The 6 songs are enough to satiate a Doomster's hunger for slow, plodding and possessing metal of horror and sin.

Extremely recommended for a Traditional Doom Metal fan. This isn't a release to be missed by any chance.

Good luck finding a copy of the album for a lesser price. Available on Amazon for a whopping $43.

High Rise - High Rise II : Album Review

Since the 1970s, Japan has had a large underground Heavy Psych and Noise Rock scene, and since I am, as usual, unfamiliar with it, I cannot enlighten anyone on who the pioneers were, or who started it. That said, High Rise are among the large number of impressive Japanese rockers following a largely noise-based Heavy Psych sound. High Rise II is the band's second studio album.

The music the band plays is a rather noise-laden, distorted variation of Deep Purple's music. But this is no clone band, as they have their own unique ideas. High Rise II is an album full of typical 70s-sounding riffs, yet quite powerful and noticeable drum lines, and a lot of noise and distortion, sometimes similar to a 90s Norwegian Black Metal band. That makes this album a lot less listenable to a classic rock fan who swears by clean production, as it has more noise than a badly produced NWOBHM tape, which explains why the whole scene never got enough exposure.

The album is very enjoyable for the fact that these guys churn out straight-up Hard Rock songs, never once to slow down and sing a cheesy ballad. The riffs are quite chord-based and simple, but memorable enough that you'd remember the song next time you play it. Especially the main riffs in Pop Sicle and Monster a Go Go. The whole album is filled with Acid Rock-esque guitar solos. In fact, it is filled to the brim with it, and in later parts of the album, the vocal and rhythm sections are overshadowed by the solos. The 13-minute song Pop Sicle is a long solo-fest, but never induces a single yawn. The bass guitar is buried by the rhythm sections most of the time, but you can hear it rumbling when the lead guitar plays, and is apparently not a big part of the music here. The drum lines, as previously mentioned are dynamic and energetic, and play a major part in the music. The vocals are mildly sung out, probably in Japanese, probably in English, but since I never bothered to check the lyrics sheet anywhere online, I don't know. That is because the vocals are there just for the sake of it. The whole album would have sounded as good if it was solely an instrumental album.

Overall, a good album for Noise Rock fans or even Psychedelic or Hard Rock fans, provided they can handle the noise in this record. For others, there are certainly better alternatives.

7.5/10

Buy: High Rise II

Weekend Nachos - Worthless : Album Review

After being disappointed with the highly acclaimed Powerviolence band, Capitalist Casualties, I had no plans on checking Weekend Nachos (due to the Powerviolence tag) till my fellow reviewer convinced me to, and I believe that was a pretty good decision. Formed in 2004, the band has come up with 3 full-length albums and few EPs and a split album. Being still unfamiliar with the underground Hardcore Punk / Powerviolence movement today, I can comment no further on the band's background, except that the band still appears to play in small venues, yet has a good following.

Weekend Nachos play a very heavy version of Powerviolence. Like every powerviolence band, their playing speed usually borders on grindcore. I would usually disregard a band that plays fast but nothing particularly memorable or even good, but Weekend Nachos aren't your regular grind-away-till-the-album-finishes band. When not raining your face with chaingun riffs,  the band brings in the tank - slow, heavy, sludge riffing similar to Noothgrush and Grief. Even if not reaching the heights of the mentioned bands in terms of creativity, the sludge sections are what make this album a treat to listen to. Coupled with the heaviness and power of the heavily feedback-laden guitar sound, those portions crush the brains out of the listener's skull. Vocals are nothing new. The vocalist screams in a hardcore fashion - at the top of his lungs with utmost rage and disgust. The drums too are quite typical hardcore/grindcore (in the respective sections of a song). Bass guitar is audible but plays exactly the same as the guitars. Never once during its course does the album lose intensity or ideas. Riffs are aplenty and their transition into sludge doesn't sound out-of-place or broken. The only place where they sound unoriginal is the middle portion of the song "Worthless" (the main riff is clearly lifted off Noothgrush's Hatred For The Species). Nevertheless, the album is thoroughly enjoyable for at least a few continuous listens. The song lengths are appropriate, most of them clocking at 1 minute (plus or minus 30 seconds), except 3 songs, which are above 3 minutes long and the longest being 7 minutes 21 seconds long, which is a completely Sludge song and makes for a good closing track.

This album is appropriate for fans of Grindcore, Powerviolence and even Sludge. It's not top-notch when in comes any of them, but is enjoyable due to the sheer power it packs, and the adrenalin rush it induces because of that.

7/10

Goreaphobia - Apocalyptic Necromancy : Album Review

Goreaphobia was formed in 1988 in Philadelphia, making them among the earliest Death Metal bands from Pennsylvania along with Incantation, but unlike them, Goreaphobia managed to get a cult status only through years of Demos as they never released a single Full-length till 2009.

The album cover slays just as much as the album itself.

With Apocalyptic Necromancy, Goreaphobia proved that they are among the most consistent bands when it comes to making dark Death Metal with good songwriting. The album has a modern-styled production, but they still maintain an organic and fairly old school sound, which is a good thing. The album's material isn't as powerful as the new songs heard on Vile Beast of Abomination compilation, but more powerful than that heard on Mortal Repulsion. Apocalyptic Necromancy sounds an extension to Mortal Repulsion, so can get boring at times, but as each song brings forth a new and engaging riff, it manages to draw back the attention of the listener. Chris Gamble does a good job on vocals as always. His growls are decipherable, and have a good range, but lack heaviness, but that can be excused because they sound evil enough to go with the sound of the rest of the instruments. Don't expect bowel-churing Chris Reifert screams, but Gamble's vocals are unique in their own way. Alex Bouks does a good job with the riffs. Each one of them written and played well. The band, like always manages to come up with interesting mid-paced riffing in each song with occasional, catchy palm-muted riffs. The bass is crystal clear and audible everywhere, but follows a simple pattern. Even though all it does is add to the heaviness of the already heavy record, it does its job well. The drumming is well done, precise and follows a Thrash Metal pattern than the usual blast-till-no-tomorrow. The snare sound can get a little annoying, though.

Like earlier mentioned, Goreaphobia are masters of the art of creating absolutely sickening and sinister Death Metal in a way that the modern production couldn't take any of its essence away. Chris Gamble's horrifying vocals reciting tales of horror and sickness, combined with Alex Bouks' and VJS's guitar riffs spewing evil through sound waves, and Jim Roe's ritualistic drum pounding definitely make Apocalyptic Necromancy among the better releases of 2011 so far.

2011 has certainly been a great year for Death Metal. Who knows what the coming moths have for us. Till then, enjoy this corpse-infested crypt of an album.

Azarath - Blasphemer's Maledictions

Poland is known among metal fans as the home to some of the most intense bands. Azarath ranks among the highest in that matter, as almost all of their releases - barring their weak 2009 album, titled Praise The Beast - were very intense and powerful.

Despite the fall in intensity and memorable songwriting, Azarath return to their form with Blasphemer's Malediction, with a slight change in lineup, i.e. a new vocalist, who adds a different flavour to their music, but lacks the commanding power of their ex-vocalist, Bruno. In spite of this, the music presented by the band in this album is top-notch with only little flaws and drawbacks. Each song is filled with catchy riffing, brutal drumming and fairly audible bass, which is only partially drowned by the guitars like in earlier albums. The album, judging by the cover has a Sumerian theme and a slight mid-eastern tinge in the music, yet is far from being gimmicky. The production job is well done and suitable for Death Metal, even thought it is slightly modern (somewhat like early 2000s). Bart Szudek does a good job on the guitars with chaingun riffing, which manages to be catchy as well as evil, and blazing, yet melodic solos, reminding the listener of Diabolic Impious Evil. Inferno executes drums with perfection - no sloppiness, no errors - with aggressive blasting, blazing double bass and tasteful drum rolls and fills. He is, as always, the highlight of the album. The vocalist has a rather Blackened Death Metal style, that works well for Azarath, despite being different from Bruno's possessed, low-pitched growling, which perfectly suited their sound. Still, Necrosodom unleashes his vocal chords with full fury, in resonance with the band's aggressive and brutal sound.

Blasphemer's Malediction does not surpass their Magnum Opus, but comes close enough to it and is equally enjoyable. Recommended for Death Metal fans who can survive a continuous onslaught on their eardrums.

Mütiilation - Vampires of Black Imperial Blood - album review

Mütiilation was one-man Black Metal band (featuring Meyhna'ch as the sole member), and a part of Les Legions Noires, an underground group of Black Metal musicians in France, known for releasing numerous demos, EPs and splits.Vampires of Black Imperial Blood is the band's first full-length released in 1995.

The album is the polar opposite of good musicianship, and has received acclaim as well as criticism, solely for the fact that it is an ugly, misanthropic work of sonic interference, dripping with muck and blood. Out-of-tune guitars, fuzzy riffing and almost inaudible bass, and sloppy drumming are the main characteristics of this album, yet, this is the perfect non-music album for expressing hatred towards humanity. The slower parts are nothing less evil than early New York Death Metal or Norwegian Black Metal, and the vocals are demented screams and vomits befitting the misanthropic atmosphere created by the fuzzy guitar riffs. The riffing is varied - sometimes catchy, sometimes depressive, sometimes downright grim. The sloppy drumming does almost nothing to add to the music, but because this isn't music in the first place, it doesn't matter - it just plays, blasting in fast sections, plodding in the slower ones. All songs are just sonic impersonations of hateful ramblings of a misanthrope confined to an asylum and surrounded by white walls, and in a straight jacket. The fact that Xasthur chose to cover one of Mütiilation's songs is enough to support that.

Every song in the album has a slightly depressive tinge to it, leading a lot of people to tag it as Depressive Black Metal, but this is something much primitive, and a lot more deranged than that. This is the epitome of rawness in the genre. It may not be musically good, but this is something what Black Metal has always been about, according to a lot of purists. It's solely the emotion and the hatred of the man behind it, encapsulated in the form of audible violence.

Mütiilation's Vampires of Black Imperial Blood is recommended ONLY if you like raw, badly produced, non-musical Black Metal. Otherwise, you will hate it more than you've hated anything else. Either way, this album achieves it's objective of invoking hatred in the minds of listeners.

No amazon link. Good luck finding an original Mütiilation record.

Disma - Towards The Megalith - Album Review

Disma appeared out of the blue in 2009 with their demo titled The Vault of Membros, and quickly gained attention attributed to the fact that it comprises of musicians from Incantation and Funebrarum. The fact that Disma is fronted by Craig Pillard was enough to send waves of excitement down any old school Death Metal fan's spine.

As with their demo, Disma prove with this album, that the immense amount of attention they got had a lot more to do with their music, and not with the mere presence of members from respected bands. Towards the Megalith is musically similar to a lot of new old school Death Metal bands - heavy, downtuned-as-fuck, and production similar to a mid-90s band. The riffs are slow to mid-paced, and the faster riffs are similar to those played by Disciples of Mockery. They evoke a sense of evil, not unlike a lot of early 90s Death Metal bands. The drumming is sharp and precise, which is a good break from the sloppiness shown, sometimes purposely, by a lot of Death Metal drummers. The snare sound is perfect and loud enough to support the crushing wall of sound created by the riffs and bass, and the bass drums sound neither too high nor too low in the mix. Craig Pillard's vocal delivery is sinister, low, and guttural as always. Though nothing compared to what he did on Mortal Throne of Nazarene, they can still be compared to dragging a heavy boulder on a gravelly road. The songwriting here is much more refined than that in their demo, and the songs are a lot more memorable and even catchy. The album includes the 3 songs from Vault of Membros, but with a much more refined sound, which isn't a bad thing, considering they sound even heavier and better than they did on the demo. The doom element is clear and obvious in this album, and is apparently something Craig Pillard really digs, as evidenced by the fact that almost all the bands he has been in, and has been involved with the songwriting, have slow, doomy sections.

Disma continue their assault throughout the album, constantly demolishing eardrums with their bass-heavy riffs A highly recommended album and among the best albums of 2011, right up there with Autopsy's Macabre Eternal. and powerful drum sound, with intense vocal delivery. The album cover artist did a very good job with the album art, as that is a near-perfect description of Disma's sound on this album - evil, horrifying and heavy. Disma is a perfect band for fans of old school Death Metal in the vein of Incantation or anything that sounds like it was recorded while performing occult rituals.

Ashpyx / Hooded Menace Split - Album Review

Asphyx recorded a split EP with Hooded Menace, released on 20th May 2011. A probable prequel to what the legendary band has to offer to us with Deathhammer, this split is a good 2-song EP.

The first side is Asphyx's "We Doom You To Death". The song starts out with an eerie riff that continues through most of the song. It is absolutely crushing and something that might fit on The Last One On Earth. Though it lacks the dirty, distorted sound of the aforementioned album, it doesn't take away from the crushing quality the song has. Absolutely devastating, slow to mid-paced, and menacing riff plays alongside Martin Van Drunen's equally menacing vocal delivery, and the heavy bass. Martin van Drunen's vocals never show a sign of degradation, and are the same for the past 20 years. The doom element is clear - both in the tempo and the sound of the band. The drums pound away at a rather slow pace with nice fills, and perfectly contributing to the doom atmosphere the band sets, and never unnecessarily speeding up or blasting. A very addictive song that I played over 5 times in a row.

Side B is Hooded Menace's "Abode Of The Grotesque". Which starts out with a blazing solo, transitioning into a mellow and melancholic lead, followed by the heavy rhythm guitar similar to that heard on Fulfill The Curse. The whole song relies mainly on the guitar solos which are quite remarkable, though the mellow leads do tend to drown out the crushing quality of Hooded Menace's sound. The vocals are vicious growls, and add a lot to the music during the heavier parts. This side isn't as catchy as the Asphyx side, and takes a few listens to really set in to the listener. The riffs are not very remarkable or memorable which a big downside. The song would have been better released as a single as it is a significant drop in the intensity and heaviness set by Asphyx. Nonetheless, a good song by a good band.

Overall, this is a good split and a must listen if you are a big fan of either or both of the bands.

Slugathor - Circle Of Death - Album Review

Slugathor from Finland was formed in 1999. They are considered among the newer Old School Death Metal bands. The band has released 3 full length albums and numerous EPs. Circle of Death is their second album released in 2006. The band consists of members from much older Finnish bands like Excrement and Apoplexy.

The album cover too screams Early Nineties

Unlike many Death Metal bands, Slugathor don't play a morbid, atmospheric style of Death Metal, but rather chunky, heavy and groovy style, similar to Bolt Thrower and Jungle Rot. Despite being released in 2006, Circle Of Death sounds like an album from 1992 or 1993. Like any band that plays mid-paced Death Metal, the riffs are the highlight of Slugathor's music. Infectious grooves combined with like heaviness and war-like atmosphere compel you to headbang along with the music. Bolt Thrower is an obvious influence on Slugathor, as the guitar sound and chunkiness can be mistaken for that of Bolt Thrower. The drumming is standard Death Metal. The drums provide sufficient groove and engage in blast-beats during fast section. The bass drum is loud - much louder than the snare - and that makes for a heavier sound when they play along with the riffs, and makes the groove much more evident. The bass guitar is loud enough to be audible, but doesn't play anything different from the main guitar riffs, so it doesn't stand out, and its only job is to add to the heavy sound.

Vocals are mostly indecipherable low-pitched growls, but the vocalist does throw in some variety with occasional high-pitched screams. In short, the vocals perfectly suit the music, without leaving a chance to sound redundant and repetitive. To keep the listener's interest up, Slugathor throw in some time signature and structural changes in their songs. They are very very minor, and far from sounding like technical wankery, but are noticeable. The only problem being that it sometimes causes songs to sound rather disjoint.

Some flaws apart, Circle Of Death is a very good album. Highly Recommended for fans of Bolt Thrower, Jungle Rot, etc.