GAË
BOLG AND THE CHURCH OF FAND – Tintagel (CD – Dysphorie
Records). A marvellous masterpiece of Neo Classical Folk Atmospheric
Music!!!!!!! Incredible union between medieval folk music and classic
opera, camera’s music, church chorus and tormented martial drums… Is
very difficult nominate this exclusive sound experience created by GAË
BOLG, it is personal and original – a kind of music that seems to have
been composed 300 years ago – but it has some avant-garde touch too. The
emotive “Pendant L’Apocalypse” has atmospheres that remember me the
legendary CARMINA BURANA, “Hymne” – with impressive cymbals and
trumpets – is heavy, dense and sumptuous at the same time,
“Offertorio” is a modern mix between contemporary dark ambient, folk
flutes & classic tenor chorus, very intense! “Gloria” is Gregorian
chant mixed with EBM synths and tribal drums, while “Avant
L’Apocalypse” is a kind of minimal dark ambient track mixed with
sadness chorus (it remember me the great band COPH NIA). “Le Chant de La
Rainette” is a perfect deconstruction of the medieval music with sick
chorus, tribal drums & cornet noises; “Danse Des Nains” maintains
the proposal of the previous track – but is more insane. “Rite” is a
dement furious prelude to the incredible last song
“Tintagel” – wonderful melancholic music for all tortured
souls. Impossible for
me to define the greatness and beauty of the music found in this album!
Contacts: dysphorie@dysphorie.fr
(EF).
GODÜS
– Hell Fuck Demon Sound (CD – Xtreem Music). Spain already aborted
your own “true-grotesque-putrid-black-metal-holocaust”, yes; GODÜS is
the crudeness horde coming from Cervantes land! That debut album has all
elements that will be happy the sickest lovers of DARKTHRONE, MUTIILATION
& MOON TOWER: a really underground production –without computer
effects, without keyboards or female vocals – only raw vocals, raw drums
and crudeness riffs. The band mixed slow moments with some speed raw parts
and the created climates are a real fucking hell, sometimes, the proposal
of GODÜS remembered the first black hordes of the world, as in the music
“Hell Fuck Demon Sound” & “War, Blood and Agony” – it sounds
like old VENOM to me. The last track is a fucking cover to the
DARKTHRONE’s classic “Triumphant Gleam”. GODÜS gave its first step
on the way to the true black metal’s elite! Contacts: thetruegodus@yahoo.es
/ info@xtreemmusic.com (EF)
GOJIRA
– The Link (CD – Next Music). Raw experimental
death metal aborted in France, GOJIRA is strange and unusual, all aspects
of the band’s aesthetic are uncommon – the visual & artwork –
simple and very symbolic, the lyrics – subjective, social and technical
subjects are included, the sound is a very curious fusion between
atmospheric guitars, cymbals & noises with dark-heavy compassed riffs
and angry vocals, producing emotive tracks as “Indians”, “Inward
Movement” & the climatic “Dawn”. If you want listen something
new in death metal scene GOJIRA is the perfect choice! Contacts: rgamba@nextmusic.fr
/ vanzo@empirescenelogic.com
(OE). 
GROTESQUEUPHORIA
– Conquered by Corruption (CD – Destro Records). Obscure and putrid
brutal death metal coming from USA, the climate of infinite nightmare is
the mark of that second full-length from these four maniacs. The grotesque
cover artwork are created by the KREPUSKULUM editor Edgar Franco, it is a
kind of metaphor to the band´s lyrics subjects talking about war, social
problems, corruption, etc. The sound of the band remember me acts as
SUFFOCATION & IMMOLATION, but GROTESQUEUPHORIA had personality,
creating dense riffs and dark soles in highlight composition: “One
Thousand Churches Will Burn”, “Embracing Death” & Psychotic
Paroxism”. Very powerful, intense, underground and brutal music!
Contacts: info@grotesqueuphoria.com
/ xlambguts@aol.com
(OE)
HAEMORRHAGE
- Morgue Sweet Home (CD –Sonic Death). The Spanish grindkillers kings
release a special version of their new grind opus “Morgue Sweet Home”
to the Brazilian psychopaths, including 3 special bonus
tracks (covers of DEAD INFECTION & REPULSION). The legendary
band exist since 1990 and in their long way into the European underground
they conquered hundreds of fans for the whole world and their name is
always mentioned among the 10 better bands of grindcore of the present
time, they already released a impressive DVD too! "Morgue Sweet
Home" is a proof of the power and efficiency of the band, creating
crazy grindhyms that will amaze all the lovers of the brutal-intense-gore-
anti-music virulences! It is a masterpiece of the gender, new marks of
grindcore can be listen here: "Funeral Carnage", "Sublime
Anatomy of Revenge" & "The Forensic Requiems". All
Brazilian grindmaniacs have a dream: see HAEMORRHAGE on STAGE!!!!
Contacts:
haemorgue@hotmail.com
/ www.sonicdeath.com (EF)
HAMMERGUN
–
Texas (CD – Stereo Recording Company). STONER TO FUCK YOUR HEAD!!!! The
former line-up of this combo are interesting because all musicians play in
grind & hard core acts (THE KILL, CLEAR & SANDKICKER), imagine the
crazy fusion between BLACK SABBATH & AGATHOCLES with a perfect stoner
instinct…yes, I know that it is impossible, then you need to listen that
band now. Stone thrown as " Volumizer ", Sidewinder " &
" God’s Country " - all of them with more than 10 minutes
- will fuck your ears and snuff your heart forever! Dense riffs,
cavernous deep vocals & dark psychedelic melodic voyages are the scars
of HAMMERGUN! Contacts: hammer@hammergun.zzn.com
(EF)
HARMONY
DIES
– Impact (CD – Morbid Records). This is another force coming from the
obscure caves of the Germanic underground, the legendary brutal death
metal holocaust called HARMONY DIES! It aborted their new aggressive piece
of crude death metal "Impact", released by the great label
MORBID RECORDS, this is the real proof of the power and cruelty of this
furious act, a real lesson of true brutality and fury, one of the best
death metal albums of the new era. The songs are very extreme and crude in
the line of acts as DEEDS OF FLESH & MONSTROSITY, the music of HARMONY
DIES is very powerful and technique, with creative riffs and interesting
drums grooves. The cover art are very curious and interesting, it remember
me the biomechanoids by H.R.Giger, with a curious mix between organic and
metallic. The instrumental
"InstruMetal" are one the best music of the album in my opinion;
it has interesting mid-tempos and climates. Contacts: harmony-dies@t-online.de
/ promo@morbidrecords.de
(EF)
HATRED
– Soulless (CD – Self Produced). The fusion of thrash and death metal
is creating a lot of great bands nowadays, HATRED already proof the power
of its music in the good “Fractured” demo released in 2002, now they
self released the first full-length, and I’m very curious: Why didn't
that band still sign with a label? Because their music rules, this is a
very personal e intense thrash death metal with fabulous feeling
demonstrate in compositions like the title track, “Lie To Me” (with a
beautiful & sad introduction), Mind Control (it remember me TESTAMENT
from “Souls of Black”) & “Cursed”. The production of this
album is the best off, the cover art is curious and the lyrics bring deep
poems of pain, hate and disillusion. I really like this band and I
indicate that sound for all the lovers of creative and full of feeling
thrash death music. Contacts: evilewald@hatredmetal.de
/ bacchus@hatredmetal.de
(EF)
HEAD
CLEANER – Intellectual Oxygenation
(CD – Self Produced). I think that is one of the best names to put in a
politics grind core band! HEAD CLEANER plays a kind of grind core with
hardcore groove and some death metal echoes. The riffs are really deep in
the line of old AGATHOCLES, the vocals is in a pig style mixed with death
feelings, very crude & rotten, the prominences of this first
full-length are the death grind combos “Madness of Biotechnology”, “
Carcinoma of Fundamentalism” & “Slaves no Longer”, great songs
with impressive powerful grind approach. The subjects in the lyrics are
very interesting and connected with the global problems today and the
artwork is insane…putrid Christ with flies and gas mask. HEAD CLEANER
coming from Greece, and proof that the country is a cradle of great grind
acts too. Contacts: headclnr@hotmail.com
(OE) 
HEGEMON
– By This, I Conquer (CD – Dysphorie Records). HEGEMON exist since
1997 and the band, coming from France, already release 2 demos and one
album, this is the second full-length of them and it is a good surprise to
the maniacs that like brutal black metal with some melodic touches, very
powerful and violent! Sometimes it remember MARDUK, another times is
possible to listen influences of BATHORY, MAYHEM – in tracks as My
Breath As A Blade” & “No Glory For Traitors”, and some melodic
death riffs in the line of AT THE GATES & IN FLAMES (old) as in the
track “The Rise of The Empire of Mine”. HEGEMON is another pride to
the black legions! Contacts: immisericors@caramail.com
/ dysphorie@dysphorie.fr
(OE).
HORDE
OF WORMS
– The Uncreation (CD – Bloodbucket Production). The more putrid act
aborted in the frozen lands of McLuhan! This is a legend, a marvelous
crude, intense, furious, and incredible legend of the brutal death metal
music!!! HORDE OF WORMS coming from the more grotesque and underground
hole of the sickness metal womb of Canada. The band sign its name in the
history of brutal death with 3 impressive releases, the self-titled album,
the second full-lenght "Dreams and Dying Eyes" and the EP
"Wormageddon", now they create a new nightmare intitled
"THE UNCREATION", without doubt, this is the best album of the
band and one of the more intense death metal attacks that we already
listen! The music of HORDE OF WORMS is very influenced by the 90th
death metal bands as MORBID ANGEL, DISMEMBER & DEAD INFECTION, The
album is divided in 2 interesting brutal parts by a melodic interlude.The
lyrics of the album are creative and talk about a lot of subjects,
including references to cosmic & astral aspects, as in the
interestings "Solar Execreation", "Galactic Hammer"
& " The Uncreation". Powerful, brutal & marvelous!
Contacts: hordeofworms@hotmail.com
/ info@bloodbucketproductions.com
(EF)
HORNED
GOD – Chaos, Bringer of All Revelations (CD - Listenable Records).
Holly Shit! Chaos, Bringer of All
Revelations is the new release from HORNED GOD (Brazil), and this album is
full of violence, hate and anger. Now Fabiano Penna (ex-REBAELLIUN) joined
the band and HORNED GOD is killer than ever! Penna (guitars) have already
shown his skills in the past, and now he’s more technical and sharp as a
knife. After releasing Absit
(2001), the band took a long time to release the second album, maybe
because Brazilian bands have improved their selves a lot, so HG should
want to do a good work. It’s impossible not to remember from KRISIUN,
but they still have something to add to extreme scene. If you like
growling vocals, blast beats, sharp riffs and crazy guitar solos, Chaos…
is for you. All songs are fucking great.Contacts:
HUMAN
FAILURE – Tales From a Hollow Eternity (CD – Self Produced).
After recording this CD this Swedish band changed the name for
ANACHRONAEON, I also reviewed the first album with the new name and is
important to say that all elements that amazed me in ANACHRONAEON already
can be listen in this previous release, inspired heavy metal music, with
some power metal and melodic touches mixed with atmospheric aspect that
remember, sometimes, doom metal climates! The genius musicians Patrik
Carlson (vocals & guitars) & Andreas Akerlind (drums &
percussion) putting here all his sad, painful feelings creating a
interesting collection of songs as “Night of Weeping Skies”,
“Through the Eyes of The Owl (instrumental)” & “Doomer to
Forever Wander” (it is the most doom song of this release- slow and
depressive). Powerful music! Contacts: jugulator_666@hotmail.com
(EF).
HUMAN
MINCER – Devoured Flesh (CD – Xtreem Music). Another
great cover artwork to the XTREEM releases, this record label likes covers
with draws and it’s very brutal sometimes like this, tormented soul
persecution! This is the second full-length album of Spanish death metal
combo HUMAN MINCER and they continue with a fucking brutal death metal’s
saga around the European extreme underground music. No concessions her, no
melodic parts, no atmospheric shits, only the most putrid, aggressive and
insane brutal death attack in the line of DISGORGE (Mex.), CANNIBAL CORPSE
& DEEDS OF FLESH, of course the destruction have some touches of the
grind gore universe and it’s sound great! Listen tracks as “Reposes on
Blood” & “Devoured Flesh” and feel the dark frozen brutality of
this Spanish chainsaw massacre. Contacts: info@humanmincer.com
/ info@xtreemmusic.com (EF).
HYPNOS69
– Promise of a New Moon (CD – Self Produced). Belgium stoner rocker
band with a lot of feeling to show to the world and good musicians. This
release is very professional, with a good mix and recording, the band
sometimes sound stoner with BLACK SABBATH groove, in another times the
music is more psychedelic and we can listen some influences of traditional
hard rock like in the songs “Paralyse”, “The Devils Knows My Name”
& “These Are Dreams”, but I really like the band in the most
stoner’n’roll tracks like “Vertigo”, “Burning Ambition” &
“Cradle Rock”. A good album to the lovers of the genre. Contacts: hypnos69@hotmail.com
(OE)
IKUINEN
KAAMOS – So Rose The Dreadful Ghost (MCD – Self
Produced). Inspired pagan dark metal with a primitive sound production.
The band’s music drink in the cup of BATHORY, MATHEM, DARKTHRONE and
other true old black death metal acts and mix this influences with a kind
of symphonic guitar groove, creating atmospheres slowest that the
traditional true black metal. Some echoes of doom give another personal
touch in this music; the second track “Sleep” is the best of this
release. I’m already waiting to listen the first full-length. Contacts: ikuinen_kaamos@hotmail.com
(EF)
IMMORTAL
RITES – Art of Devolution (CD – Morbid Records). The
best form to called this band is “brutal melodic death metal”, because
they include stronger influences of the Gothenburg Sound (IN FLAMES, AT
THE GATES, SOILWORK) mixed with some death metal old school touches –
echoes of DEATH, MORBID ANGEL and DISMEMBER can listen in some parts of
the IMMORTAL RITES’ music. The sound production of this debut album,
produced by Alex Krull at Mastersound Studio, is very good and it has very
special guest vocals; A.Krull from ATROCITY and the legendary Liv
Kristine! 10 tracks of pure melodic aggression with killer guitars riffs
and the most raw/angry vocal of the genre creating aggressive pearl as the
tracks: “Fatal Exploited”, “Digital God”, “Mirror Reflections”
& “The Cadaverizer”. Another point to highlight is the cover
artwork, really beautiful and creative! Contacts: promo@morbidrecords.com
(OE)
IMPALED
NAZARENE – All That You Fear (CD – Osmose / The End Records). The kings of
extreme metal are back with one of the best records that they already
create! The fury, the pain, the energy, the speediness – you can listen
all of it here in a elevated level of brutality !!! The legendary gods of
gore put all their nihilism, crudeness, darkness & cruelty in this new
play, the style of the band is simple: “IMPALED NAZARENE’s METAL” -
for me is a sacrilege to compare that band with any other one, because
they always had a lot of originality to create its own sound identity and
they were already mock for many! The guitar riffs & soles are the
prominences of this album, furious and melodic at the same time, creating
fabulous tracks like the already cult “The Endless War”, the grindeath
“Goat Seeds of Doom” and the furious “Tribulation Hell” (a fucking
kind of version of HELLOWEEN´s “ Ride the Sky”). The cover art is
simple and superb; napalm-pentagram with a lot of worms…IMPALED NAZARENE
FOREVER! Contacts: slutifer@hotmail.com
/
theend@theendrecords.com
(OE)
IMPURITY
– Satanic Metal Kingdom (CD – Kill Again Records).
Impressive return of this legendary horde from brazilian black metal,
IMPURITY coming from the same city (Belo Horizonte) that aborted the best
extreme brazilian acts: MUTILATOR, HOLOCAUSTO, SEPULTURA, CHAKAL &
SARCÓFAGO and the band maintains the old tradition – because it is a
intense, extreme, furious and marvellous example of unholy black metal,
the couple of guitars –Gosaric & Hades – create one of the most
brutal guitar works of the new black metal – with fury, technique and
feeling, producing dark brutal hymns to the devil as the prominences
“Invocation of The World of Horrors”, “About The Flame and Wind” e
the incredible “Dark Are the Ways”. The cover art is very interesting
(it remembered the BLACK SABBATH classic album “Mob Rules”) and the
sound production is good. I saw the band on stage (opening to ENTHRONED)
and they proof that really are some of the most powerful hordes from
Brazil today! Hail IMPURITY! Contacts: impurity@impurity.com.br
(EF)
IN
ETERNUM – Seas of Forgetfulness (CD – Black Castle).
Atmospheric doom metal band coming from Argentina, IN ETERNUM recorded its
first full-length – and it is a good album. Of course, you won’t
listen nothing new here, all clichés of the style are found here:
“Beauty and the Beast” double voices, slow dark guitar riffs, drums
mid-tempos, symphonic keyboards and a cover art with a lonely people in
dawn of the day…The voice of female singer Yvonne Lenz is very sad and
deep – one of the best points of this work beside the violins soles
created by Cristian in the sadness songs as “Ethereal Funeral”,
“Nocturnal Gleam” & “Ancestral Illusions”. If you are a fan of
this kind of music, IN ETERNUM is a good revelation. Contacts: ineternum@argentina.com
/ infoblackcastle@aol.com
(OE)
INFEARIOR
–
Two Faced World (CD- Self Produced). I loved the cover artwork of this CD,
the artist use the concept of the CD title to create a fabulous double
illustration shown to us the past and future of the Earth based in the
nature’s exploration & destruction – my congratulations to the
talented artist Markus Vesper. After we appreciate the cover we will talk
about the sound of INFEARIOR, the band invests in an elaborated power
metal with touches of traditional metal and some thrash metal riffs. Havi
is a great vocalist, his voice remember me some 80th vocals
from the power metal icons – like OMEN, SAVAGE GRACE and old GRAVE
DIGGER, a the guitarists' couple is also very good producing sharp riffs
and inspired soles, the music are very varied with a lot of climates from
the epic to the intimate, but at every moment the heavy and energy of the
power metal are present. In my opinion the highlight tracks are “The
Black Silhouette” – with the true power metal spirit – and “The
Cage Within” – with incredible stoner riffs. Great revelation coming
from Germany – MAY THE POWER OF METAL BE WITH YOU – listen INFEARIOR!
Contacts: obscure@t-online.de /
markesper@t-online.de (EF)
INTESTINAL
DISGORGE – Drowned In Rectal Sludge (CD – Sonic Death). The
re-release of this fabulous classic of human degeneration is a good
surprise for all maniacs around the world! If you don’t know INTESTINAL
DISGORGE, open your ears for the crudest, grotesque, putrid, insane &
sickness music that you already listen in your life. The American psychos
with names as “The Consumer of Festering Rectal Slime” (Bitch Screams,
Cries), “The Imbiber of Disgusting Urinary Discharge” (guitar) &
“The Colon Grinding Corpse Butcher (guitar & Diarrhea Vocals)
creating a grind holocaust without boundaries here, music that transforms
the sound of bands as AGATHOCLES & NAPALM DEATH in something behaved.
Furious grinding riffs, with real drums & machine beats mixed with the
called “bitch screams” – the craziest innovation of INTESTINAL
DISGORGE´s decompositions, can only say that this is one of the most
furious and raw albums that I already heard in my life, music just done
for the feeblest minds of the planet, with the revolt spirit and fury
maintained intact in a primitive and truly underground recording, besides
a booklet full of feces leaving asses. An unbeatable classic of the true
grind holocaust! Contacts: marco@sonicdeath.com
(EF))
IN
THE WOODS – Live At The Caledonien Hall (Double CD – The End
Records). For our real sad, this is the “swan song” of the marvellous
act IN THE WOODS, a band that put an unforgettable mark in the metal’s
history. The prog-psychedelic-metal masters putting in this special double
album a beautiful exhibition of its performance on stage. No overdubs
here, no editions and another kind of “production shit”, it is only
psychedelic metal god playing with feeling in the last show of the
band’s career, they play all classics “ Heart of The Ages”, “I’m
Your Flees”, “Weeping Willow” and include a full live version of the
great album “Omnio”, is possible fell the emotion of the band when
they play “Empty Room”, ”Karmakosmic”,
“Titan Transcendence” and the fabulous version of KING
CRIMSON’s “Epithap”. In the end, when the band says goodbye forever
to the public, I admit that felt a big sadness, hopefully they still
return one day. Several forms exist of dying, and IN THE WOODS decided to
die beautifully and to eternalise. Indispensable album! Contacts: theend@theendrecords.com
(EF)
KAOS
– Kaos Among Us – (CD – Oblivion Entertainment). Impressive digipack
release, with a hard cover art – skull trespassing by swords! What is
the sound behind this United States combo? TRUE THRASH METAL based in the
old roots of icons like: ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, EXODUS, KREATOR &
ARTILLERY. This 5 maniacs promote the best thrash metal revival coming
from USA in the last year – all signs of thrash cult are including here:
raping riffs, thorny vocal, crude guitar midtempos. Listen tracks as
“The Rage of War”, “Live Forever”, “Paralyzed by Fear” &
“Open your Past” and feel the power of this real thrash of new era!
LONG LIVE TO THRASH ATTACK, LONG LIVE TO THE KAOS! Contacts:
kaos@kaosamongus.com
(OE)
KARMAKANIC
– Wheel Of Life (CD – Regain Records /The End Records). I already
listen this album dozens of times, and to each new audition I find it more
wonderful, more emotional and incredible! This is a great TRUE PROGRESSIVE
ROCK project, created by the legendary musicians: Roine Stolt (FLOWER
KINGS), Thomas Bodin (FLOWER KINGS), Richard Andersson (TIME REQUIEM &
SPACE ODYSSEY) & the marvellous vocalist Göran Edman. Four
masterminds united to create a masterpiece of the genre, if you are inside
Prog Rock and loves KING CRIMSOM, CAMEL, ELP & GENESIS, it is a great
new revelation of the genre, and it’s not another clone, this band has a
lot of personality to create their incredible experimental-melodic-emotive
music. It is sweet, deep, sumptuous, atmospheric, oniric, ethereal and
fabulous!!!! Each one of the
8 music has an unique and special atmosphere! The lyrics are great too,
talking about themes as the childhood with a special poetic touch, as in
the beautiful “Alex In Paradise” that begins with Alex's voice, son of
Jonas Reingold – this track is really great. Another great moments are
the epic progressive voyage divided in two parts “Masterplan” and the
sweet prog attack with piano interferences “Where The Earth Meets The
Sky”. I want the longest life of the rock history to KARMAKANIC!
Contacts: jake@theendrecords.com
/ theend@theendrecords.com
(EF)
KARMAKOSMETIX
PROMOSAMPLER – (CD Compilation – Karmakosmetic/ The End
Records). A lot of experimental acts are presented to us in this
compilation, the mark of the bands are the avant-garde proposal and
electronic influences, with acid rock, prog, indie, rap e techno
influences too. Some bands sounds great as the sweet & psychedelic
STILLE OPPROR, the post punk BLACK BONE CHAPEL (the vocals are in the line
of Iggy Pop), SOXPAN & HUGE BROWN (with a lot of sadness and
feeling!), another bands sucks as the boring NAERVAER, the bad PLUTHO and
the very boring rap MC 14-TISS + MC BLAUD KONSONANT. Contacts: theend@theendrecords.com
(OE)
KATAPLEXIA
– Catastrophic Scenes (CD – Xtreem Music). This band are formed by
south & central America guys that lives in Helsinki, the proposal is
to play a brutal death metal sound very inspired by acts as INCANTATION,
SUFFOCATION & GROTESQUEUPHORIA. The band is a power trio and the
curious aspect is that the leader and creators of the project is Rodrigo
Fatality – he plays drums and also singing with a traditional
pig-decapitation style – really sick! The music is very brutal death
without slow parts, destructive massive sound in all 25 minutes of the CD,
the prominences are “Ashes From Our Incinerated Innards”, “Scenes of
Tragedies” and the killer bonus video-clip version of “Brutal
Addiction”. Open your soul to the new brutality! Contacts: kataplexia@helsinkilainen.com
/ info@xtreemmusic.com (EF).
KHARON
– Raised by Hellish Demons (CD Demo).There
isn't much information about Kharon, but all I could say is that they play
an insanely Death/Black Metal. They come from Norway, a traditional
country that gives us great extreme bands. Raised By Hellish Demons is in
the same level than a lot of Death Metal bands with signed contracts. This
demo is plenty full of fast and melodic riffs, which will fill all your
death metal hungry! Kharon is the new Death Metal promise. Contacts: kharon_nor@hotmail.com
(Në¢rø¢åññïßaL)
KLIMT
1918 – Undressed Momento (CD – My Kingdom Music). A
very special band here, these four guys mixed an interesting universe of
references to create unique intimist music, we can listen here echoes of
THE CURE, THE MISSION, FIELD OF NEPHILIN, KATATONIA, OPHET, U2, DEPECHE
MODE and THE SMITHS. It’s not metal, is a kind of soft gothic pop rock
with a sad and melancholic feeling that evolve all compositions creating a
intense atmosphere of disillusion, a beautiful work of guitars and special
sweet clean vocals singing by Marco Soellner . For me, the best aspect of
music is that it must be touch our souls and this is a great band because
I really feel a lot of feelings and emotions around the audition of this
album. The prominence songs are “Parade of Adolescence”,
“That Girl” & “If only You Could See Me Now”. Another
great release from the legendary doom-gothic-avantgarde-post-modern music
label MY KINGDOM MUSIC. Contacts: info@mykingdommusic.net
/ info@klimt1918.com (EF)
KONKHRAS
– Reality Check (CD - Code 666). KONKHRAS is a well known band from
Denmark (in spite of they aren’t known in Brazil), and they haven’t
released a CD since 1999. But now they are back with their sixth album,
entitled Reality Check. I read somewhere that they are the new SEPULTURA,
which’s something I disagree. The only thing that reminds me SEPULTURA
is Anders
Lundemark vocal, which sounds like Max Cavalera growls. Musically, if
we’d compare KONKHRA with actual SEPULTURA, I surely can tell you:
KONKHRAS is much, much better (ok, this isn’t that difficult). Reality
Check shows us a Death Metal band, with very groovy guitars, the
perfect songs to be listen live. Sometimes we can also listen cool guitar
solos, and these solos are very catchy, because it sounds like rock ‘n
roll bands, and I liked it. The whole album is homogeneous, and all songs
are good. KONKHRAS doesn’t show us something “innovative”, but
they’re music sounds very groovy, nervous. Great Death ‘n Roll band.
Contacts: http://www.code666.net / http://www.konkhra.com
(Në¢rø¢åññïßaL)
KORIHOR
/ ABIGAIL – Alkoholik Metal Blasphemers (Split CD – Hells
Headbangers). Two true black thrash metal acts united in this fucking
release of HELLS HEADBANGERS, KORIHOR was aborted in PHILLIPPINES and
already released a split with SURRENDER OF DIVINITY and a full-length
12” LP called “Kult Razor”, the proposal of the band is create a
unholy black metal with raping riffs and hellish vocals with riffs
inspired by thrash metal icons from the past, they put here four tracks
and the highlight is the powerful “Trident Sermon”. ABIGAIL is a true
underground black metal coming from…JAPAN!!!! Yes, the band was founded
in 1992 and already released a lot of 7” EPs, split CDs, cassettes and
two albums, the music of the band is very, very crude and the recording of
the 8 tracks included in this split is really bad – it is a rehearsal
from april 1992, it’s impossible to define guitars and bass among that
sound mass, some influences of HELLHAMMER and VENON can be listen in
moments but this is a raw registration that will please only the fans of
the band. Contacts: HellsHeadbangers@neo.rr.com
/ obispo666@hotmail.com (OE)
KRONOS
– Colossal Titan Strife (CD – Xtreem Music). I
already reviewed the KRONOS’ first full-length album, the powerful “
Titan’s Awakening” and these debut surprise me, now this French
machine of brutal death demolish return with another lesson in hate and
darkness, the references of KRONOS sound are acts like ABORTED, SEVERE
TORTURE and MONSTROSITY and they maintain the killer tradition of the
genre in the fucking 11 tracks of this death metal nightmare, signing
definitively their name in the history of the European death metal with
rotten pearls as " Opplomark", "Aeternus Pharaos
Curse" & "Infernal Worms Field". The sound production
are great, but I don’t like the cover artwork, that creature is funnier
than grotesque! Contacts: info@xtreemmusic.com
/ michaelsaccoman@aol.com
(EF)
KULT
OV AZAZEL – Oculus Infernum (CD – Self
produced).The eternal gates of hell are opened by the new devil sons! If
you think that United States didn´t have great true black metal acts, you
must be a fool...because one of the best new black metal legend is coming
from the South Florida to destroy all christianity and burn all
saints!!! The true old black metal roots and feelings are listen in the
KULT OV AZAZEL dark ellite horde! The new masterpice of the band is simple
named OCULUS INFERNUM, a crude and intense holochaust in form of music to
worship the master from darkness, a real true black metal opus, with
influences of legends as DARK THRONE, BATHORY, BURZUM and a intense dark
feeling, this deep black art will fuck your soul! Only for the real black
bangers! Contacts: Xaphan@KultovAzazel.com
/ www.kultovazazel.com
LAST
RITES – Mind Praise (CD – Self Produced). The old Gods
of thrash metal aborted another bastard son: LAST RITES!!!! Yes, if you
are inside SODOM’s massacre, KRETOR’s nightmares, ARTTILERY’s
attacks and DESTRUCTION’s guitars holocaust we will love this massacre.
The guitars of this album is very inspired in the DESTRUCTION’s
“Eternal Devastation” phase, and it sounds great. I’m very happy
with this thrash revival and the number of new good bands in the worldwide
scene is incredible. LAST RITES is another good thrash’s name and the
band create great tracks as “ Mind Prision”, “Skeleton” &
“Paradise Lost” – hymns to the new thrash generations! Contacts: info@last-rites.net
(EF)
LEASH
LAW – Dogface (CD – Black Lotus Records). A new heavy metal combo
is coming and it is called LEASH LAW, coming from USA, this power heavy
metal team are formed by great names as Wade Black (vocalist – CRIMSON
GLORY & SEVEN WITCHES), Richard Christy (drums – DEATH & CONTROL
DENIED), Rick Renstrom (Guitars in ROB ROCK band), Stephen Elder (Bass –
ROB ROCK) and Emo Mowery (guitars – NOCTURNUS), the experienced
musicians create here a special heavy metal product, that include great
influences of icons as IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, ANGEL WITCH,
GAMMA RAY, with a very beautiful guitars work – soles with real metal
feeling. Songs like “Stealing Grace” & “Martial Law” will
enchant the melodic metal loves and the traditional metal maniacs. LEASH
LAW rise as a METAL MONSTER! Contacts: invaders@otenet.gr
/ blrpromo@yahoo.gr
(EF)
LEGION
– Unseen To Creation. (CD – Listenable/The End
Records). The debut album from these Norwegian brutal black metal masters
really surprises me! It is a fabulous work with putrid speed technical
black metal, the great reference here is MARDUK, and some compositions
remember me very much the phase of “Panzer Division Marduk” as
“Redeemer” and “Awakened Fury”, the riffs and vocals are very
similar to the killer couple Morgan – Legion – of course, the name of
the band is a reference of old MARDUK’s vocalist. The other coincidence
is that the powerful MARDUK’s drummer Emil Dragutinovic plays also in
LEGION!!!!!! Ok, we can say that LEGION is a furious and bastard son of
MARDUK and they rules like the father! The cover art is great, the
production marvellous and the music will put you in the deepest hole of
hell! Contacts: contact@legion.nu /
jake@theendrecords.com (OE)
LENG
TCH´E
-
Manmadepredator (CD – The Spew Records). Belgium is the country of this
intense grindeath holocaust!!!!! If you love the roots of grindcore
(NAPALM DEATH, AGATHOCLES, ROT), and the fury of first death metal bands
– including some thrash metal riffs too – LENG TCH´E will explode
your head. Explicit lyrics talking about social problems, nihilism e pain,
mediatic imbecilities, and putrid religions as the crude & powerful:
“GOD – Mass Hysteria”, “5 Minutes of Fame”, “Time is Against
Me” and the deep/dark/grind hymn “Nothing to Be Proud” – with one
of darkest riffs of the grindcore history! The cover artwork is great and
the album had a special slipcase. Necessary to all grindeath maniacs
around the world. PURE & CRUDE HATE HERE! Contacts: anvilofury@hotmail.com
(OE)
LE
TRISTE SIRE – Effusions...(CD – Dysphorie Records). Beautiful digipack is the
presentation of this deep & melancholic dark synth ambient coming from
France. 10 instrumental songs with an impressive solitudeness & pain
feelings created by neoclassic keyboards. When I listen this album for the
first time, I feel a dark sadness invading my heart and soul, songs like
“Ubris” and “Outrages” sounds like misanthropic funeral
symphonies, nihilistic hymns to the twilight of the human race and the end
of faith, the best doom ambient of the new era. If you are a listener with
open mind, you need to listen this album, but please…only in desperate
days of winter! The last song (11) is a different version of the first
song “Deliverance”, including vocals - actually just unhappy and lost
whispers…Doomy your existence. Contacts: le_triste_sire@yahoo.fr
/ dysphorie@dysphorie.fr (EF)
LIFEND
– Live (MCD – Il Male Production). Melodic Thrash
metal, for me it is the best form to called the LIFEND’s music, because
they create a furious metal with thrash riffs and curious melodic guitar
soles, the band also include two voices (the traditional “beauty and the
beast” cliché). The live performance present in the MCD is a good
sample of the band’s energy. The sound production is very poor, but the
band’s energy overcomes that technical problem. Melodic Thrash Heavy
metal with some death touches that will be pleases the fans of this kind
of music. Contacts: info@ilmaleproduction.com
(OE)
LILITU
– The Delores Lesion (CD – The End Records).
Imagine that you mix in the same music the best aspects of IN FLAMES &
SOILWORK’s music – the angry brutal vocals & melodic death riffs
– with the dark gothic spirit of HIM & FIELDS OF NEPHILIM with some
touches of indie pop rock as RADIOHEAD & PLACEBO – if you can
imagine this improbable fusion you can imagine the LILITU’s sound. This
is the fourth release of the band and it is great in all aspects: unusual
& beautiful artwork, inspired lyrics and wonderful sound production
– but the better is the music – an universe of climates & feelings
that jump from the sad to the hate, time to time, creating a masterpiece
of metal’n’roll replete of great moments as: “Even The Vultures Have
Moved On ( A Tragic Love Story)”, “Follow Through” &
“Fragments of My Reflection”. The perfect balance between heavy
expression and melodic feelings are found by LILITU! Contacts: jake@theendrecords.com
(EF)
LINCOLN
LOVE LOG – Illnoise 2-piece BBQ (CD – Black Hole
Productions). I liked very much this CD, mainly of divestment and raw
under proposal of the band. The sound has that garage spirit that lately
is lost in the grind gore scene -full
of super productions that don't combine with the underground spirit of the
style. LLL leaves clear its love for the putrid music and for the will of
trying, creating true pearls of experimental grind that seem to mix new
elements as stoner riffs, crust noises and intense nonsense keyboards.
Slow courses and insane vocal that go from the gore to the almost crust.
That is truly experimental grind in the purest sense of that expression,
much more daring than other works called experimental. The deprived cover
art brings a funny and primitive drawing of Stevo from IMPETIGO, it
contributes to increase the spirit of "do it yourself " of the
LLL's music. Finally, this is an indispensable CD for those that love
vanguard grindcore acts and BLACK HOLE label continues its saga of
investing in quality music for opened mind listeners! Contacts: metzger@peoplepc.com
/ mail@blackholemag.com (EF)
LITTLE
DEAD BERTHA – Two Sides… (CD – Stygian Crypt
Productions). Fabulous revelation of the melodic epic pagan metal coming
from the great Russia! This band counts with 7 members, including two
girls: Maria Sotnikova (keyboards & Female Voices) & Veronica
Belyaeva (violin & Female Voices) and they invest in a superb epic
metal, replete of majesties atmospheres and “beauty and the beast”
vocals – the male voices are bestial and clean sometimes. The album is
really incredible, with more than one hour of intense metal atmospheres
and impressive guitar riffs, keyboards climates & a lot of creativity
in arrangements & compositions, I love the power of tracks as
“All Have a Two Sides…”, “It’s War with the People with
Icy Hearts and Frozen Souls” (with doom metal atmospheres) & the
epic drama “He Can Become Free”. Great band with impressive album!
Contacts: stygian@uraltc.ru
(EF) 
LUGUBRE
– Anti-Human Black Metal (CD – Folter Records). The album initiate
with a traditional demon voice speech and after it you can listen a
fucking nightmare of dark-speed-blast-riffs and furious obscure vocals in
the line of the icon DARKTHRONE! Yes, we are before more one horde
dedicated to the insane and brutal true black metal! You can listen
nothing new here, that doesn't matter for the fanatic maniacs for Black
Metal's true obscure spirit – they search bands with all elements of the
traditional holocaustic underground black metal with echoes of MAYHEM,
BURZUM, DARK FUNERAL, BATHORY & HELLHAMMER! If you want true dark
black attack, buy this artefact today, because LUGUBRE is a genuine piece
of hell in form of music! The prominences worships for Satan are:
“Nuclear Counterstrike”, “Depopulate This World” & The Final
Solution”. Hail to the northeast hordes! Contacts: info@folter666.de
(EF)
LUNGORTHIN
– Morgrom (CD – Folter Records). Frozen and tenebrous melodic Viking
pagan black metal horde coming from Germany. This album have a good
production an all the good marks of the genre are presented here,
symphonic & lyric keyboards, furious and epic guitar riffs and raw
tormented vocals, nothing new here, but it will be please very much the
lovers of Viking spirit, because songs as “Abandoned” and “Emperial
Fall” are great manifests of hate and pure paganism.
Contacts: lungorthin@lungorthin.de
/ info@folter666.de
(OE)
LYCOSIA
– Lycosia (CD – Equilibre Music). What a fuck is
“Glam-goth-deluxe”??? This is the question that I think when saw the
band’s release…is it another band with pretensions of create another
music style? Ok, today exist a fashion of renamed styles and it´s
boring…of course, the limits of genres and influences are broken all
days in a world with a lot of cultures and visions, millions of substrates
are mixed in all kind of art. LYCOSIA is a band that emerge from the black
metal scene (they played with IMMORTAL & CRADLE OF FILTH in the past)
but now these 4 guys are into another ways: they play a beautiful and deep
gothic rock with influences of FIELDS OF NEPHILIN, THE CURE, THE CULT, THE
MISSION, BAUHAUS, electronic body music and, of course, some thrash/black
metal guitar riffs. I think that the SANDMAN’s visual of the members
(based in The Cure) is the reason of the words “glam-deluxe” in the
band auto proclaimed style. The music created here is very interesting,
with great gothic pop rock grooves and intense refrains, the musicians
don’t forget the heavy past and the songs are really powerful! I liked
very much of the tracks “Cold Summer”, “Altay” (this is very
influenced by METALLICA and mixed with Asian music touches) &
“Scythia”. Contacts: nicolas@equilibremusic.com
(EF)
MAD
DRAGZTER – Strong Mind (CD – Self - Produced). The best
thrash metal assault that I listened in the last 15 years! The Gods of
thrash metal blessed Brazil! Yes, they put here the best thrash metal band
of today and the name of this aborted child is MAD DRAGZTER. If you are a
lover of the roots of thrash metal with Bay Area touches and echoes of
European legends such as KREATOR & DESTRUCTION, you will break your
head with this insane band! But MAD DRAGZTER is more, they have the magic
touch of personality that only great bands have. The debut album STRONG
MIND is a marvelous lesson of agressivity, power and genuine thrash
feeling, more than 70 minutes of impressive music. Welcome to the new
sensation of brazilian metal scene! The production of the album is great,
we can listen all details of the instruments, the mix are fabulous too, I
believe that STRONG MIND is the longer thrash metal album of the history
(71:26 seconds!), but he is not annoying, because it maintains
our interest of the beginning to the end. Some music of STRONG MIND are
real hymns of the new thrash as the incredible DESTROYING MY LIFE and the
powerful RAGING CITY, and the lyrics of the album are great and some of it
are critics to the system such as the great 402, that talk about the
tragic brasilian airplane crash in the 90`s. LONG LIFE TO MAD DRAGZTER!
Contacts: maddragzter@maddragzter.com.br
, www.maddragzter.com.br
(EF)
MALEFICENTIA
– Under The Banner of Suffering (CD – Melancholia
Records). France is now a cradle of a good metallic scene, bands of all
genres are crated there all day, MALEFICENTIA is a symphonic epic Black
metal horde that was born in 1997, “Under The Banner of Suffering” is
the second full-length album from this 6 creatures of hell and the music
of them really rules. They create real darkness atmospheres in the 8
tracks of this release, the music is very based in keyboards climates and
old-style-black riffs, the vocals of Daevhorn are a kind of perfect mix
between Dani Filth and Quorton, The tracks are long, but the band gets to
maintain the energy along them, creating inspired music as " Gods of
Lankhmar " & “The Ethereal Legion” (furious epic symphonic
hymn!). I wait anxious for more devils’ songs coming from these darkest
warriors. Contacts: contact@melancholia-records.com
/ management@melancholia-records.com
(OE)
MALKUTH
– Fourth Empire (CD – Self Produced). The powerful
warriors of the Brazilian infernal legions continue their saga of sound
destruction in this unholy four release. The cover art is simple and
symbolic, the music is a great epic true black metal, with killer riffs,
ritualistic dark vocals and majestic keyboards that include some symphonic
touch in this great release, influences of MAYHEM, IMMORTAL, BURZUM, SARCÓFAGO,
EXPULSER, MEDICINE DEATH & MUTILATOR can be listen here in tracks as
“The Strong is Stronger Alone”, “Living Dead in The Summerlands”
& the furious “Blaspheming God”. 44 minutes of raw exciting
underground black metal music! Contacts: cybernecrodaemon@metalextremo.zzn.com
/ malkuth666@uol.com.br
(OE). 
MALNÀTT
– Perle Per Porci (CD – Il Male Production). Folk
black metal coming from Italy, this album is a good surprise because they
really include strange influences and great feelings around all 50 minutes
of curious compositions. It is very melodic and avant-garde than all black
metal acts that I already in the last year, tambourines, female chorus,
rock and roll climates, prog atmospheres and folk mid-tempos mixed with
crude riffs and brutal vocal, hard rock soles, & Spanish guitars this
is the formula of MALNÀTT´s music and them create interesting tracks as
“La Vampira”, “1097-2001” and the curious “Pezzo di Metal”.
The recording and mix could be better, because in some moments the vocal
sounds a little loud and moved, but the work of the band is really good
and innovative and they have a great future!
Contacts: info@malnatt.org / info@ilmaleproduction.com
(EF)
MANES
– Vilosophe (CD – Code 666). Electronic metal based music or avant-gard
synth dark metal, good names to call the personal way of MANES. The band
exists since 1992 and “Vilosophe” is their second full-length album, it
is a deep voyage from the hate to the melancholia, with dark chaotic
frequencies, heavy killer parts and progressive darkness created by techno
influences. The band really gets to sound original and enigmatic in music
as: “Diving With Your Hands Bound (nearly Flying)” (epic dark heavy
techno hymn!) & “The Hardest of Comedowns” (electro prog power dark
rock). I feel always strange when listening that CD and that is a valuable
feeling in days of tedium! I need to listen more MANES' albums...Contacts: manes_no@hotmail.com
/ michele@code666.net (EF).
MANTRA
– Hard Times (CD – Horus). A group of impressive Italian musicians are
united in this hard rock combo! The
genius guitarist Gianluca Galli formed the band in 1988 and they already
participate in various compilations and recorded some albums. The band’s
music is a very inspired 70th hard rock influenced by the icons
“DEEP PURPLE”, “LED ZEPPELIN”, “RUSH” & “AEROSMITH” and
it remember me sometimes the rock grooves of BLACK CROWES, above all the
incredible vocals of Jacopo Meille. Music as “Sandcake”, “Memory
Song” (beautiful ballad with Star Way To Heaven’s feelings), “Kick My
Mind” & “Crocodiles” are examples of the best hard rock music
composed in the Earth today – pure rock’n’roll old spirit
here!!!!!!!!!! LONG LIFE TO THE GREAT MANTRA! Contacts: meille@mclink.it
/ gianlucagalli@libero.it (EF).
MAPLE
CROSS – Next Chapter (CD – Verikauha Records). Finland
also has a powerful thrash metal band. MAPLE CROSS exist since the
beginning of the 90th and they play a furious true thrash metal
that mix influences of European icons as KREATOR, SODOM, DESTRUCTION,
ARTILLERY with touches of Bay Area bands above all EXODUS. “Next
Chapter” is the return of the band and it is a proof of the band’s
evolution and maturity, a great machine of thrash riffs and heavy mid
tempos with new tracks replete of punch as “Last Steps of Joe”,
“Simply Simplicity”, “Victim of Life” & “New Direction”.
We greeted the return and wished long life to MAPLE CROSS!
Contacts: contact@maplecross.net
(OE)
MAR
DE GRISES – The Tatterdemalion Express (CD – Firebox). The
Santiago city already put your dark pain in the Earth’s vein, Chile is a
great country to the death metal scene
- great acts was born there as PENTAGRAM & TOTTEN KORPS, but
MAR DE GRISES is the first doom metal act coming from Chile that I already
listen, and they rules! This album is really wonderful, it mix influences
of true doom metal (in the line of old PARADISE LOST, ANATHEMA) with some
dark ambient touches, slow melancholic doom parts (in the vein of
SKEPCISM) and some furious death metal intercourses. The keyboards are
very important in the music structure and the guitars complete the
soundness density producing powerful dark doom voyages as “El Otro (more
than 11 minutes), ”Be Welcome Oh Hideous Hell” (deep dark epic
serenade!) & “Onírica”, good surprise to the worldwide doom
scene! Contacts: info@firebox.fi
(OE).
MEAT
– Neocortex (MCD – Self Produced). Technical death
metal created by four Brazilian maniacs. Brazil has a great tradition in
thrash metal style and reveal to the world fabulous acts as SEPULTURA,
EMINENCE, DORSAL ATLANTICA, MAD DRAGZTER & NECROMANCIA. MEAT proof in
this first release that the band can be the next revelation of our thrash
scene to the world, the band plays a killer thrash metal with raping riffs
and killer guitar soles – the personal mark of this release – the
vocals of Bruno Castellani (that plays one guitar too) are powerful mix
between Max Cavalera and James Hetfield, raw and with a special groove,
the four tracks of this MCD are interesting, but the prominences are
“The Reality of A Dream” and “Hurry Dogs”. We are very anxious to
listen the debut full-length! Contacts: meatcortex@bol.com.br
(EF). 
MELECHESH
– Sphynx (CD – Osmose / The End Records). If NILE created the Egyptian
Death Metal, MELECHESH created another kind of historic metal called “
Mesopotamian Metal”! The lyric and sound proposal is inspired by all
mythological subjects from the first human civilization, including the use
of strange instruments and melodies from the old Sumeria. SPHYNX is a
fabulous work; the music play here is furious, creative and innovative,
with an interesting fusion between technical death metal with Sumerian
rhythms creating incredible songs like “Annunaki´s Golden Thrones”
– with death Sumerian riffs!!!! “ The Arrival Ritual” – great
avant-garde instrumental dark ambient music - & the
epic-classic-death-hymn “Caravans to Ur”. The cover art of the album
is very impressive and it includes an interesting multimedia section with
interviews, photos and a powerful video clip. WONDERFUL ALBUM of one of
the best new death metal revelations! Contacts: melechesh@hotmail.com
/ theend@theendrecords.com
(EF)
MELEK-THA
– Perfect World Erradication (CD – Kubernoise).
INSANE and inimitable, one of the most aggressive e tempestuous “death
ambient” masterpieces that I already listen. Strange frequencies, putrid
voices, unusual noise effects, dirty & chaotic atmospheres to hurt
hearts and ears…deconstructive sounds, inverted hallucinations of the
psycho mind called Lord Evil. Some references to this sound are the icons
MENTAL DESTRUCTION, LUSTMORD, MERZBOW, BRIGHTER DEATH NOW and another raw,
introspective & dark soundscapes. 6 tracks and more than 70 minutes of
sonic pain, dense & obscure glimmers of the abyss. Contacts: melek666tha@aol.com
/ contact@kubernoise.com (EF) 
METHEDRAS
–
Recursive (CD – Self Produced). Technical death metal with a lot of
influences of DEATH, the guitar riffs had a melodic touch that remembers
Chuck’s CONTROL DENIED. Another influences that I can listen in the
sound of these Italian combo, are the thrash metal of bay area, above all
TESTAMENT & EXODUS. Eros is a great musician, and his leads are very
inspired give some personality to the METHEDRAS music as in the technical
ecstasies “Wreck`n`roll” & “The Denied Gods”. I am sure that
METHEDRAS will still surprise us. Contacts: contact@methedras.com
(OE)
MIASTHENIA
–
Batalha Ritual (CD – Somber Music). This
is the best Brazilian band of the pagan black metal scene in my opinion!
They invest in a creative & powerful kind of pagan dark obscure music
inspired by the old South American cultures and forest spirits, creating a
very personal atmospheric black metal symphony, with epic folk keyboards,
melodic killer guitar riffs and the most extreme deep cavernous vocals –
sung by HÉCATE – a genius female vocalist, leader of the band and
writer of the symbolic beautiful lyrics (jn Portuguese language), she is
finishing a PhD in history of culture and this academic experience are
included in the MIASTHENIA music groove! This is the second band’s
full-length and now the band found the perfect maturity and balance
between melodies & heavy parts producing cult tracks as “Soturna
Selvageria”, “Dimensão Totêmica Ancestral”, “Nos Domínios de Cã”
& “Mítica Escuridão do Eldorado”. A classic album to include in
the list of the best of black metal’s music!!!!!!!! Contacts: somber@sombermusic.com
/ miastheniaband@yahoo.com.br
(EF).
MIDNIGHT
SYNDICATE – Dungeons & Dragons Official Roleplaying
Soundtrack (CD – Wizards of The Coast). The most important neo-classic
dark ambient act of the world return with another lesson of
creepy-epic-dense atmospheres, now the couple of insane behind MIDNIGHT
SYNDICATE created a special soundtrack for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
role-playing maniacs around the world. This is a perfect union, the
fabulous talent of MYDNIGHT SYNDICATE to create dark climates united with
the classic RPG! I think that this band is the best of the genre, because
all new release of them is more dense, more deep, more atmospheric and
rich, with the more inspired keyboards of the dark ambient music, tracks
as “Ride The Destiny”, “Skirmish”, “Craft of The Wizard” &
“Army of The Dead” are perfect hymns to all RPG players. As always,
the sound production is wonderful and the artwork very impressive. Classic
absolute of the style! Contacts: info@midnightsyndicate.com
(EF).
MINCING
FURY / SCREAMING AFTER BIRTH – (Split CD – Bizarre Leprous
Production). MINCING FURY already is a icon of gore grind, the best
extreme act coming from Czech Republic nowadays and they don't disappoint
here in those 9 decompositions, including nonsense jokes as the funny
chorales in the track "Little Duck" and the guttural homage to
CEPHALIC CARNAGE masters in "On Six " cover. The last track of
the band “No Jokes With Devils” is simple the best track that I
already listen of MINCING FURY – great rape to all ears! SCREAMING AFTER
BIRTH prove the power of the crude speed grind core created by perverted
minds, I’m very curious to listen their debut album “Puke Pile”,
still more after listening nightmares sound like "Septic" &
"Colostomy Bag Mouthwash". Contacts: antitrend.zine@email.cz
/ Lazer40oz@cs.com / roman@bizarreleprous.cz
(EF)
MIRRORTHRONE
– Of Wind And Weeping (CD – Red Stream). Symphonic & melodic death
black metal one-man project created by Vladimir (I didn't get to find
references about the musician's nationality), this first full-length
including 8 tracks and more than 50 minutes of music. The sound production
is very good and it is important in this kind of sound with a lot of
atmospheres and subtleness, the musician is very powerful and demonstrate
a great domain of keyboards guitars and drum machine, the songs have a
intense classic & baroque groove mixed with a lot of brutality, it
remember me another great one-man-band , the fabulous ELVIRA MADIGAN and,
of course we can listen influences of CHILDREN OF BODOM, DIMMU BORGIR and
some touches of doom gothic metal in tracks as “The Four Names Of The
Living Threatening Stone” & “Moi Mort…”. With that first album
MIRRORTHRONE demonstrates that will still surprise the world of the
symphonic metal, keep the name of this band in your mind. Contacts: redstream@redstream.org
/ promo@redstream.org
(EF)
MISANTHROPIC
– Soulreaver (CD – Xtreem Music). Death metal combo coming from
Germany and with a common new proposal: mix influences of the old death
school and put elements of the new brutal & technical death metal. The
band counts with experienced members that play in another bands as Matze
(AGATHODAIMON), the best references to the bands sound is CENTINEX, brutal
riffs with speed drums and vocals mid-tempos, some tracks are really great
like the epic death attack “The Play”, and the raw “Into the
Night”. Contacts: band@misantropic.de
/ info@xtreemmusic.com
(OE)
MISERICORDIA
– Frase The Skies (MCD – Downfall Records). Another good example of
blasphemy in form of obscure music coming from Sweden! MISERICORDIA plays
brutal black metal with old school spirit, you can listen here influences
of BATHORY, MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE, IMMORTAL, KRISIUN & VARATHRON. Is important to say that the guitarist Kail is a true master
in his instrument and he is responsible for killer riffs and fucking
inspired soles – the personal mark of the band! Music as " Satans
Servant " & " Torture by Thy Name “ leave us very anxious
to listen the band's debut full-length! Contacts: downfall_records@hotmail.com
(OE).
MOONLYGHT
– Progressive Darkness (CD – NMS Music). This is a perfect title to
these Canadian power symphonic dark metal debut album, impressive darkness
are jumping from the riffs and epic climates created by MOONLYGHT, and is
even difficult to believe that this is the first full-length of this band,
because everything is so professional and harmonic here! 55 minutes of
powerful atmospheres, inspired soles, sweet & deep climates mixed with
hellish crossfire, in long tracks as “The Sceptic Traveller”, “A
Tale from a Fantastic Kingdom” and the opus prog-melodic-death-power-epic
title track (more than 11 minutes of dark fantastic metal!). The lyrics of
the album are very beautiful and it escapes from the old cliché of demons
and dragons, the cover artwork is in the line of prog metal bands, as well
as we can notice certain echoes of QUEENRYCHE & FATES WARNING in the
music of MOONLYGHT. Great prominence for the new metal era! Contacts: join_moonlight@hotmail.com
(EF)
MOON
TOWER – Black Metal Terror (CD – Total Holocaust Records).
Poland already aborted great black metal blasphemes, but for me, MOON
TOWER is the best one! If you know with is the real “True Black Metal”
with the wonderful feeling of the old school and fucking dark deep
melodies that will frozen the darkest black metal legions around the globe
– it is MOON TOWER, forget shit female voices, and open your heart to
raw intense symphonic black attack with nervous vocals, powerful riffs and
some fucking dark keyboards and 10 hymns to the glory and proud of hell
master Satan, when I highlight “Savage Wind”, “Ancient
Pride”,”Fields of Death” and the raw cover version of the classic
“Armageddon” from BATHORY! Hails to the great MOON TOWER! Contacts: moontower666@wp.pl
/ thr666@telia.com (EF)
MORS
PRINCIPIUM EST- Inhumanity (CD - Listenable Records).
A strange name for a melodic death metal band. Yeah, Mors Principium Est
(or MPE) will fill all of your expectations if you love bands like
Children of Bodon and Soilwork. In fact I don't like so much nowadays
Soilwork's releases, so MPE surely could take their place as a good
melodic death metal band in my CD collection. MPE comes from Finland, a
country that gave us a lot of great bands, like Children of Bodon,
Nightwish, Stratovarius and Amorphis. Inhumanity was mastered at Finnvox
Studios, a world reference when talking about studios that works with
Metal. This album brings us great songs like "Another Creation",
"In my Words" and "Inhumanity", with great guitar
solos and keyboards. If you like aggressive vocal with melodic guitars,
MPE is for you.Contacts:
mpe@mail.com / www.listenable.net
(Në¢rø¢åññïßaL)
MÜTIILATION
– Majestas Leprosus (CD – Ordealis Records). The return of the most
furious & raw black metal one-man-band of France. MÜTIILATION is a
eternal legend of the European underground obscure music and the proposal
of the band is create the most raw, intense, primitive and satanic true
black metal, the references are obvious: DRAKTHRONE, BATHORY (old), MAYHEM
(old), SARCÓFAGO(old) & BURZUM (old) – a lot of “old”
influences. The production is great to me, because it sounds like the
first MAYHEM & DARKTHRONE albums, raw, very raw!!! I read and
interview of the man behind this band and he is one of the most nihilistic
and controversial black metal figure that I see, KREPUSKULUM tried to
interview him, but unhappily we didn't obtain answer. This is a fabulous
release, with the underground black metal magic intact, 45 minutes of
furious and unholy voyage to the abyss. The new hymn for the black
nihilistic legions is the track: “Destroy Your Life For Satan” –
with a refrain that is a kind of darkness fucking satanic mantra. HAIL MÜTIILATION!!!!!!!!
Contacts: ordealis@hotmail.com
(OE)
MXD
– Musicogenic (MCD – Equilibre Music). Electronic Body Music with some
influences of pop rock and gothic spirit, this MCD is a curious example of
the new European EBM, a good new kind of techno music with a great
vocalist and a lot of compasses and atmospheres! The sound is very pop to
me, but is a great band to the lovers of the style. The best songs to me:
“Le Pire” & “Defoliant”. Contacts: management@mxd.ch
(OE) 
NAGLFAR
– Diabolical (CD – Regain Records / The End
Records). The second masterpiece of fucking violent technical &
symphonic black metal are re-released by REGAIN RECORDS, a great new for
the fans that are searching for this cult album. If you know NAGLFAR you
already feel the force and crudeness of this symphonic black holocaust –
impressive fast riff and blast beats, creepy chorus, epic synths, revolted
vocals! Superb tragic serenades with slow mid-tempos dedicated to the
Devil as “Embracing The Apocalypse”, “Into The Cold Voids of
Eternity” & “When Autumn Storms Come” – classics of the new
black metal music! Contacts: jake@theendrecords.com
(OE).
NAPALMED/RECALCITRANT/ALL
SCARS ORCHESTRA – (3 Split Cd – LNP Industrial services).
3 monsters of the ambient industrial united to promote the total
destruction of musical boundaries in this cult release! NAPALMED include 3
tracks of its deep experimental noise, one of then, the insane “Scars”
have more than 13 minutes of indescribable noises and effects – a
classic of the nonsense in the ambient universe! RECALCITRANT put 2 tracks
here, its music is dense and soturn, including radio frequencies &
disturbances, I kind of industrial mantra for ciborgue new generations
called “Super Brain Charger” & “Pygmee Alfa Alley”. The other
god of the noise industrial is the project ALL SCARS ORCHESTRA created by
the legendary Italian musicians Daniele Brusaschetto & Mirco Rizzi
(ASHTOOL), with another crazy minds: Smiao, Pier Paolo Berttinadi &
Daniele Pagliero, the 3 tracks composed by them are more atmospheric than
the other bands, it sounds very dark sometimes as in the deep “Session 1
Pt 1”. This is already now a legendary release, a mark in the industrial
worldwide scene! Contacts: pkopecky@iol.cz
/ paolo@inrete.it / ashpool@tin.it
(EF)
NATIONAL
CEMETERY ORCHESTRA – Prince of Rosh (CD – Self
Produced). I already reviewed the first full-length of this curious
project, this one-man-band (Karl Nix – all instruments &
programming) has a very personal proposal: create only instrumental thrash
metal tracks! Karl is a great musician and the compositions created by him
are really powerful, it is very inspired by the Bay Area acts as ANTHRAX,
EXODUS, METALLICA & TESTAMENT, the sound production is fabulous and
the music rules, but I admit that would like a lot to see a vocalist
singing in those tracks, I believe that would be still better! However,
even without vocal, music as " In The Valley Of Hammon " &
" The Black Hand" are very interesting and strong. Contacts: kenix@aol.com
(EF)
N.C.O.(NEPHENZY
CHAOS ORDER) - Pure Black Disease (CD
- Red Stream). Dark, brutal & technical black metal, with death
climates and hellish riffs, the best aspect of the NCO music is the
incredible capacity to create powerful riffs like in the agressive &
intense "Total Abuse" and in the title track - for me it’s the
best black metal track of the last years- very agressive, very deep and
very crude. To understand the music of NCO, imagine a fusion of DARK
THRONE, CHILDREN OF BODON and MORBID ANGEL, yes this is like it sounds to
me. The musics are plagues coming from the deepest hole of hell and the
atmospheres is like the end of all world, burning in eternal explosions of
pain – another masterpiece of the Swedish Black/Death Metal school
! OPEN YOUR SOUL TO THE REAPER FROM HELL! Contacts: nephenzy@hotmail.com
/ redstream@redstream.org
(OE)
NECROMANCE
CD SAMPLER VOLUMEN 1 – (CD compilation – Necromance
Records). Great initiative of the Spanish label NECROMANCE, release a
compilation with a lot of new extreme music acts around the world, you can
listen here bands from Spain, Brazil, USA, Portugal, Slovakia and more.
76:30 minutes of fury and brutality, of course this kind of compilation
shown a lot of record quality from the great to the shit, but most of the
bands gets to present a good recording, where can highlight: ANTROPOMORFIA
(Spa), RUNEMAGICK (Swe), AVULSION (USA), CEREBRAL EFFUSION (Spa),
FORNICATION (Bra) and SECRETUM (Ger). Congratulations for the label for
this great compilation and for the powerful underground spirit of
cooperation and friendship! Long life to NECROMANCE! Contacts: info@necromancemag.com
(OE)
NECROMANCE
CD SAMPLER VOLUMEN 2 – (CD compilation – Necromance
Records). This second volume of NECROMANCE compilation is the proof of the
good work realised in the first release, the proposal is the same here,
but now it includes some famous names of the extreme underground scene as
WACO JESUS (USA), TERRORIST(Arg) & INGROWING (Che) - ennobling the
selection. The another prominences here are: GREENFLY (Spa), ERED (Spa),
VOMIT THE SOUL (Ita) & FEAR ABSOLUTE (Can). We are waiting for the
next! Contact the label and get it now! Contacts: info@necromancemag.com
(OE)
NEGURA
BUNGET –
‘N Crugu Bradului (CD – Code 666). The kings of pagan spirit of Transylvania returned with
another masterpiece of evil, melodic, atmospheric, introspective,
aggressive and incredible black metal. This band from Romania is a legend
and their personal proposal that includes folk melodies and structures of
the old Romanian culture mixed with brutal black metal symphonies is
unique and grateful, the tracks in this release are simple baptized of I,
II, III & IV – and united it has more than 53 minutes of inspired
pagan epic black metal music. A voyage to the deepest soundscapes of old
spirits from medieval Europe! Contacts: contact@negurabunget.com
/ info@code666.net (OE). 
NOISECORE
FREAK – My Mother The Anarchist (CD
– Self Produced). Putrid, crude, experimental, sick and insane…this is
the third album released by this one-man-band-grind-noise-industrial
attack, and the crazy mastermind Chris Stepniewski put here a lot of
tormented noises mixed with one aggressiveness drum machine and little
parts taking from movies, radio stations, etc, the vocals are deep and
pigsty in the way of great grind acts like LAST DAYS OF HUMANITY, but it
is strange because the music have noise interruptions, winds sounds and
microphonies mid-tempos, as if you put in the same cup: MENTAL DESTRUCTION
& LYMPHATIC PHELGM. I6 minutes of experimentalism to opened noise
heads! Contacts: noisecorefreak@hotmail.com
(EF)
NOISECORE
FREAK – Corner Itch Theory (CD –
Self Produced). This is the fourth album from Chris Stepniewski, and it is
the most experimental piece of sound destruction created by this crazy
man. Now I can listen more than 32 minutes of very experimental noise
grind with industrial grooves and ambient touches. The musician's proposal
comes developing and the result of that is still the appearance of tracks
more incisive, disturbing and difficult of being classified. The truth is
that in this album the main instruments are the synthesizers and the
guitars were in second plan, but nor that the work stops having power and
density. It is tormented music of difficult digestion, only for those that
are interested in the terrestrial vanguard of the extreme music. A work
for we never forget ! Contacts: noisecorefreak@hotmail.com
(EF)
NOVEMBERS
DOOM – The Pale Haunt Departure (CD – The End Records).
This is a perfect album! I always think why NOVEMBERS DOOM never was
included in the list of doom metal worldwide heroes!!!! The band exists
since 1989 and their trajectory is very exemplar, personal and powerful!
To me, NOVEMBERS DOOM can’t be compared with another doom metal acts,
the band’s music has a lot of personality and creativity, and the morbid
deep riffs created by Larry Roberts and Vito Marchese are singular in the
metal’s history, it’s unique and very intense, as the emotive vocals
of the legendary Paul Kuhr. “The Pale Haunt Departure” was very waited
by me, I really love the 5 previous albums, especially “The Knowing”,
including in my list of the 10 best doom metal albums, but now I will
include another NOVEMBERS DOOM masterpiece in this list, because “The
Pale…” is wonderful, a real masterpiece of dark doom atmospheric
metal, with great production, impressive creepy personal artwork (created
by Attila Kis in a style very influenced by Dave McKean) – and 51
minutes of pure heavy and caustic true doom metal experience, 8 tracks
that I never forget, above all “ Autumn Reflection”, “The Dead Left
Echo” & “Through a Child’s Eyes”. Doom phenomena’s!
Contacts: info@novembersdoom.com
/ jake@theendrecords.com / EarsplitPR@aol.com
(EF).
NIELS
VEJLYT – Extreme Tapping (CD-ROM – Self Produced). It
isn’t an album of a new band, it is a interesting release of the great
melodic guitarist Niels Vejlyt (from the prog act MY EMPTY ROOM) that
create here a special method of play guitar release in a good produced
multimedia guitar instructional guide. It includes one video for each
exercise and is very didactic. If you are a new guitarist or are
interested in play this instrument it will be a good beginning for you!
Contact: mail@nielsvejlyt.dk
(OE).
OATHEAN
– Fading Away Into The Grave Of Nothingness (CD – The End Records).
When I read the name of the country of OATHEAN, I thought that perhaps
that CD would disappoint me, because South Korea doesn't really have any
tradition in playing black metal. But when I play it in my stereo I was
very surprised, the melodic black metal created by this band is powerful,
very well executed and it really possesses creative moments, of course,
the influences are DIMMU BORGIR, CRADLE OF FILTH, CHILDREN OF BODOM and
OLD MAN’S CHILD – and the musicians are very good, the vocalist Do-Su
Kim (he played one guitar too) are one of the most furious and grotesque
voices of the melodic black metal genre, the keyboards of Hye-Ryung Koo
are the great prominence of the band, it are responsible for the epic
atmospheres of tracks as “Scent of Longing” & the sad “The Money
from Tobacco Pouch”. The sound production of the CD is really wonderful,
but lacked the same care with the graphic art t, the booklet design is
very poor, the band deserves something better next time. A great album
from this Asian metal's revelation. Contacts: jusinmaster@empal.com
/ EarsplitPR@aol.com / jake@theendrecords.com
(EF)
OPHIOLATRY
– Anti-Evangelistic Process (CD – Evil Vengeance /Malignant Art). From
the deepest abyss of the Brazilian underground coming this brutal kind of
sonic blasphemy, OHIOLATRY exists since 1998 and the band’s debut album
“Anti-Evangelistic Process” is a raw lesson of aggressiveness death
black metal culture, putting 11 obscure furious tracks in an album with a
good production and unholy artwork. The bands influences are acts as
MORBID ANGEL, SLAYER, DEICIDE, HORNED GOD, KRISIUN and another kings of
death black destructions, mixing speed raw riffs with cavernous maniac
vocals in songs as “Messiah of Deformity”, “Opposite Monarchy”
& “Chaos Domination”. Another proof of the great power of
Brazilian extreme metal scene! Contacts: malignant@malignant-art.com.br
(EF)
OPHIOLATRY
– Misanchristianthropy (MCD – Deathgasm / Malignant
Art). The technical darkest death black metal bastards from Brazil
continues their sanguinary saga in this fucking MCD released by the North
American label DEATHGASM. 7 tracks of deep hate and extreme brutal
grindeathic black metal with tenebrous vocals and speed guitars from hell!
Great atomic attacks as “Cauterization”, “Ophiomancy” and the
aggressive “Vida Animal”- singing in Portuguese and with a very
curious end. OPHIOLATRY rules!!! Contacts: malignant@malignant-art.com.br
(EF)
OPHIS
– Empty, Silent and
Cold (CD – Self Produced). THE
SNAKE (meaning of OPHIS) is
the real sadness coming from Hamburg, the throne of melancholy has a new
king and the name of this bastard creature is OPHIS. If you love the crude
& intense feelings of desperate real doom metal you will love OPHIS, a
fabulous mix of true obscure doom metal with death touches and a lot of
pain! The mastermind behind this deep pain is Phillipp Krupa, the only
musician in this album, the
atmosphere created in the OPHIS´music mix a kind of crude melancholy with
Krupa suffering voice with the depth, slow & powerful guitars. True
doom metal for dark deep soul, listen Pazuzu and frozen your heart
forever! Contacts: www.ophis.net
/
Rain-of-ashes@gmx.de (EF)
OPHIS
– Nostrae Mortis Signaculum (MCD – Cxxt Bxxtcher Records). Before
recorded the first CD-demo as a one-man-band, Philipp Kruppa (vocals &
guitars) invite some musicians to join the project and now OPHIS is a band
with Jan (guitars), Olli (Bass) & Richard (drums & keys). The
sound production is the best here, we can listen all instruments and the
mix are really powerful, with another guitar the band is heaviest than
ever, the drummer are another prominence of the EP – it is a great doom
maniac!!!! The music still is slow, crude, painfully dark doom metal only
for the most tormented souls!!! You listen 4 hymns of the eternal end
here; the prominences are “Funeral” & “Convert to Nihilism”.
Contacts: Rain-of-ashes@gmx.de
(EF)
ORANGE
GOBLIN – Thieving from The House of God (CD - Rise Above
Records). Nervous stoner rock’n’roll new masterpiece from the
legendary GOBLIN’s from England. If you already know these masters of
dirty and heavy riffs and inspired soles you will encounter here another
lesson of powerful music with the intense feelings of the previous albums,
crazy rock’n’stoner hymns as “One Room, One Axe, One Outcome”,
“If It Ain’t Broke, Break it”, “Just Got Paid” and the epic
psychedelic holocaust “Crown of Locusts” (with more than 9 minutes).
Open your heart to the music, the real music of angry! Contacts: will@riseaboverecords.com
(EF).
OSCULUM
OBSCENUM
– Body Hurting Art (CD – Sonic Death). Intense dark feelings penetrate
my soul when I listen this band, this is the new combo from de extreme
south brazilian scene, a incredible Sado Masochist Satanic
Metal with a lot of lustful, pain and torture in the lyrics and a powerful
nightmare atmosphere in the music. The debut album "Body Hurting
Art", released by the great brazilian label Sonic Death, is a
masterpice of flesh hurting art. Welcome to the new perverted
holochaust!The band´s thematic is more based in sexual perversions with
some touches of satanism and lyrics of the album are very blasphemous
sometimes, like in the crude "Jesus Gay" & "U.N.G.O.D
(Unholy Goat Of Darkness), but "Caligula Imperium" is the best
song of the album in my opinion, this is crude, minimal and killer, a
furious hymn coming from the obscure souls. OSCULUM
OBSCENUM gigs are legendary in our country (Brazil), they cut themselves
in the stage, hurting their flesh, use sadomasochist clothes and torture
instruments! If you love legendaries acts like SARCÓFAGO (old),
SEXTHRASH, VENOM and grindcore gods like C.B.T. you will love this band!
Contacts: osculumobscenum@sonicdeath.com
/ marco@sonicdeath.com
(OE)
PACTUM - Staining the White Veils of Christianity with the Blood of
Decapitated Lamb (CD – Somber Music). PACTUM already is a real cult
horde for the real blackmetalers of South America, the band begun in 1995
in the south hell from Brazil. If you really love the true, darkness and
grotesque underground black metal created in South America, you needs to
listen it now! The second full-lenght "Staining the White Veils of
Christianity with the Blood of Decapitated Lamb", released by the
great Brazilian label SOMBER MUSIC is one of the best blasphemic attacks
of the new era, furious, technical and intense, the production is great, the sound remember me some albums
from the end of 80th. The band play black metal in the way of the roots, with
agressivity, fury, and pain, musics are based in guitars, bass, drums and
vocals, without the new waves like female voices, keyboards, etc. The
band’s music are very agressive but we can hear an interesting melodic
touch created by the guitar lines, promoting a lot of climates, like in
the fabulous "Invocation of The Sinister Gods of Darkness". The
cover art of the new album are very intense and creep, in black &
white old style, including a impressive slipcase! Great release to the
honor of Brazilian diabolic legions! Contacts: pactum_horde@hotmail.com
/ somber@sombermusic.com
(OE)
PAGANIZER
– No Divine Rapture (CD – Xtreem Music). Maybe PAGANIZER was the best
raw death metal act aborted in Sweden, the band is a legend of the
European underground and in 6 years of existence they recorded 5
full-length albums!!!! It is an incredible mark – one of the most
inspired and productive death metals acts of nowadays. The cover art of
this album is very simple and interesting, no Photoshop picture mixed (the
fashion of today) – only a illustration with an angel without wings,
stronger and painful like the tracks in this album: raw, intense fucking
& dark obscure lessons of brutality: “Nailed Forever”,
“Brutality Torn Sanity”, Abscess in Black” – the bests in my
opinion. The legend continues! Contacts: info@paganizer.com
/ info@xtreemmusic.com
(EF) 
PECCATUM
– Lost
in Reverie (CD – The End Records). The legendary Ihsahn from EMPEROR is
the mastermind behind this strange & innovative band, he joined his
forces with Ihriel (from STAR OF ASH) in 1998 and PECCATUM already release
4 CDs. “Lost in Reverie” is a curious masterpiece of avant-garde rock
with metal touches, when listening the album - sometimes the sensation is
sadness, sometimes deep darkness, in another times fury & hungry –
symphonic groove and jazzy spirit are the proposal here creating music
sensitive and complex as the beautiful " Parasite my Heart ",
the ethereal “Black Star”
& the deep “The Banks of River is Night”. Ihriel and Ihsahn
singing & playing in the band – The keyboards are responsible for
most of the atmospheres of the disk. Great music for those that are
seeking something new inside of the saturated universe of the metal, but
only for listeners of open mind. Contacts: theend@theendrecords.com
(EF)
PERPETUAL
DUSK
– Incarnated Darkness (MCD – Self Produced). Symphonic Black Holocaust
coming from the land of SARCÓFAGO, SEPULTURA & MUTILATOR. This is
only a demo, but is incredible the production and power of PERPETUAL DUSK
in the 2 compositions of that work, the band include influences of power
metal in riffs and some clean vocals, but the music structure is based in
melodic black metal in the line of old DIMMU BORGIR, guitars and keyboards
are the prominence and we are very anxious to listen the debut album that
will be released by the legendary label COGUMELO RECORDS, because
“Beyond the Ethereal Spheres of Nocturnal Domain “ & “Promised
Key to the Unholy Gates” are real hymns to the hordes. Contacts: perpetualdusk@terra.com.br
(OE)
PHANTASMA
– Gospel (CD – Downfall Records). This band was
created in 1992 in Slovakia and “Gospel” is the second album released
by them. The music of PHANTASMA is a kind of brutal death metal mixed with
some Gothenburg melodic touches created by the keyboards, sometimes they
sounds like the first AMORPHIS’ works, the guitar riffs change all times
creating insane mid-tempos between furious and heavy aspects. I think that
this album will be please lovers of the melodic that and brutal death
metal, because the music fusion is effective and good, tracks as
“Inquisition”, “Pope’s Last Dance” & “Gospel” proof it.
Contacts: phantasma@post.sk / downfall_records@hotmail.com
(EF)
PHAZM
– Hate At First Seed (CD – Osmose / The End
Records). PHAZM is the new revelation of old school death metal coming
from France, and this album is a cradle of good surprises, one of the most
interesting and creative graphic projects of the extreme metal – a
incredible booklet with special illustrations to all music, these painted
pictures (nothing of shit Photoshop stuff!!!) was created to illustrate
the curious history behind the album, a conceptual proposal that show to
us a insane revolt of the trees against Christianity, technology and
humanity, great subject in the pagan nature cult vein!!!! Another great
surprise of this release is the bonus CD-Rom video-clip to the music
“Loneliness”, it isn’t another raw & amateur production, the
opposite – it is fabulous, with a impressive attention to the visual
effects and climates, a piece of art!! Well, after speaking of that
everything, finally we arrived to the music played by PHAZM, is there that
the thing still improves plus, they play a furious death metal inspired by
masters of the eighties as CELTIC FROST, VENOM, DISMEMBER & MASTER,
mixed with influences of true black metal in the line of DARKTHRONE,
MAYHEM & BATHORY, finally, is an incredible band, that proof its power
in tracks as “Resinous Balm”, “Devoured Tenderness” &
“Fleshback”. PHAZM rules! Contacts: oldtree666@hotmail.com
/ EarsplitPR@aol.com / jake@theendrecords.com
(EF)
PIGMY
LOVE CIRCUS
– The Power of Beef (CD – Go Kart Records). Hey!!!! This is a good
surprise in my list of CDs to review, because this band isn’t another
clone, they play a very interesting and personal music, a furious
rock’n’heavy metal with echoes of AC/DC, LED, DEEP PURPLE and
MOTHORHEAD & some folk rock touch!!! You can listen here great heavy
riffs and vocals with intense groove, soles in the line of good and old
hard rock and music that are really in our head after we listen. A
powerful machine of heavy'n'roll hits as fabulous "Drug Run to
Fontana", " Pistolero Sleep " & Madhouse Clown ".
The band exists since 1987 and was created in Los Angeles, coming back of
a deep rest in 1999 to show us its interesting and full of the true spirit
rocker music! Great sound here! Contacts: band@pigmylovecircus.com
(EF)
PIGSTY
– Spiders (CD – Bizarre Leprous). Hey, are you
already listen a grindcore conceptual album? Before this new masterpiece
of PIGSTY I never listen this kind of great proposal, conceptual albums
are created by these boring melodic metal acts talking about Tolkien shit
universe and another annoying idiocy, by now, forget it and listen this
piece of conceptual grotesque grind gore fucking music, almost all the
tracks speak about spiders! I’m a great fan of PIGSTY crazy music. A
very inspired and crude grindcore with guitar riff midtempos and the most
fucking pig vocals of the grind genre!!! The cover art of the album is
very cool and all artwork of the booklet too, the production is good, but
the underground spirit is intact (no great shit productions!),
“Arachnia”, “Spider Cannibalism”, & “Cerbalus” are new
grind serenades to perverted people! The cover for RAGE AGAINST THE
MACHINE’s “Wake Up” that finished the album is better than the
original! Contacts: otyn@quick.cz / roman@bizarreleprous.cz
(OE)
PLUTONIUM
– Wind Of Change (MCD – Self Produced). Creepy and dark black metal
created by 3 maniacs from Sweden, J. Carlsson (Lead Guitars/ Vocals and
Programming) is the mastermind behind this combo, slow tetric black metal
with melodic guitars and some touches of doom metal. The drum machine is
used here with great creativity and power and it is visible in majestic
tracks as “Where Dead Children Feeds The Streets” & “World Wide
Vulture”, very heavy and misanthropic proposal with a deep obscure
feeling inside. We already wait anxious for a band’s full-length!
Contact: plutonium_platoon@hotmail.com
(OE)
PREJUDICE
– Dominion of Chaos (CD – Painkiller Records). The
new masterpiece of the Belgium’s combo are a fucking brutal death metal
machine! How they called their style: “progressive brutal death
metal”, this music is a brutal lesson of technical death with furious
mid-tempos and harsh harmonies, serenades to visit the deepest abyss of
soul as “Unobtrusive Hatebreed”, “Obsolete”, “Convicted” &
“Remains”. PREJUDICE already signs the name in the hall of the best
European brutal death metal bands! Contacts: prejudice@pandora.be
(EF)
PROFECIA
- VII veces VII (CD - Brutalidad Total & Black Castle Productions).
HEY! The good times of the 80th South American thrash metal are
reborning!!!! This band is a real exemple of the great crude and powerful
thrash metal coming from the classic era, when I listen this album I
remember old Brazilian masters as MX, ATTOMICA, TAURUS, AZUL LIMÃO,
DORSAL ATLÂNTICA, MUTILATOR and old SEPULTURA. PROFECIA coming from
Ecuador, and this album is a good surprise, including all lyrics singing
in Spanish and interesting illustration in the way of comic art to
illustrate the conceptual history of the album - based in the Apocalypse
book. The
thrash attack are insane in tracks like "Los 7 Reinos Del
Mal","Las 7 Nuevas Plagas " & " Los Mil Anõs de
Soledad". Contacts:
profecia_band@hotmail.com /
blackcastleusa@aol.com (EF)
PROSTITUTE
DISFIGUREMENT – Deeds of Derangement (CD – Morbid
Records). What to wait of a band with this kind of name? Brutality
elevated to the infinite! PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT is another fucking act
that mix the aggression of technical death metal with the insanity of
grotesque grindcore, this mixture produces quality extreme music for sick
and psychotic listeners. The grindcore decapitated pig vocals are a great
personal touch in the massive death metal rifferama created by this band
in nightmare tracks as “Deformed Slut”, “Repulsive to kill” &
“Screaming in Agony”. The second full-length of these Germanic maniacs
are a lesson in raw brutality! Contacts: stijflijk@hotmail.com
/ promo@morbidrecords.de (EF)
PSYCHOTRON
–
Open The Gates (CD – Self Produced). We can see a power metal revival
now, a lot of bands are interested in play power metal, many of them come
from Germany, like PSYCHOTRON, this debut album is a good surprise, with
interesting composition, a fusion between power & thrash metal,
including some influences of acts as KREATOR & SODOM mixed with the
power metal echoes coming from old OMEN. The cover artwork and logo are
tuned with the power metal aesthetic too. Matze M. is a good vocalist with
a lot of voice climates – clean and dirty, the guitars are powerful and
the track prominences are: “God Nihil”, “Beauty of Sadness” &
“Lightbringer”. Contacts: contact@psychotron.de
(OE)
PURE
UNDERGROUND VOL.13 (Compilation CD – Necromance
Records). Another interesting release of Spanish Label Necromance, this
compilation comes with Necromance Magazine 01and is good example of the
new extreme metal scene in Europe. All bands coming from the old
continent, the only exceptions are two bands from USA and the legendary
DISGORGE (Mex) with one track taken by the classic “Nechrolocaust”,
the other prominences of the compilation (it includes 21 bands in 80
minutes of music) are: ROSSOMAHAAR (Rus), SACRIFICIAL (Den), USER NE (Spa)
& CARNAL LUST (Fra). Contacts: info@necromancemag.com
(EF)
PUTREFY
– Lust So Vile (MCD – Grindethic Records). In the beginning of this
MCD you can listen the boring cliché of millions of grind gore bands: the
dialogues taken from another horror movie… to me, it’s a very
boring thing because dozens of bands include these shits in its music.
After this introduction I was listen an interesting death grind attack
with furious speed riffs and hurt-dog vocals, with influences of bands as
NAPALM DEATH & AGATHOCLES, creating good tracks as “Pigfucker”.
The last song of the MCD is “With a Pickaxe” record live – a proof
of the brutality of PUTREFY on stage. Contacts: grindethic@hotmail.com
/ beer@grindethic.co.uk
(EF)