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Hyubris - Hyubris (Recital Records) Review by Steve Green

This is the type of debut where you can see exactly what the band are trying to achieve and you applaud them for their efforts. Unfortunately, all their mistakes are open to the same level of scrutiny. If I were so inclined, I could go into great detail about Hyubris' short-comings, but I really like this album, so I'm going to be on my best behaviour and intend to be as constructive with my criticisms as possible.
The two main areas to focus on are the musical direction and the vocals. Starting with the latter, Filipa Mota has a wonderful operatic voice, not quite up to the standard of say, any

of Therion's chanteuse's, but when she's in full flow, she's a joy to listen to. Her lower register is also top quality and she puts in a faultless performance throughout the album. And the fact she sings for the most part in her native Portuguese doesn't detract from your listening pleasure in the slightest. My only complaint, which is one I also have with Rain Fell Within, is that sometimes the vocals dominate a song and the instrumentation is left buried in a sea of vocals (albeit a tranquil and pleasurable one).
Musically, I think the band to need to focus a little more on their direction. The opening title track Hyubris starts off in a stunning operatic style, but quickly shifts into Iron Maidens Seventh Son territory and it's not a true representation of their sound and can thus confuse any potential fans who hear this song, but not the rest of the album. Same applies to various dalliances with hey nonny nonny folk, very high pitched soprano vocals, Eastern influences mixed with flutes, thigh slapping sea faring shanties, bagpipes etc... Hyubris need to find a middle ground and work within those boundaries and they mustn't stretch their repertoire too far. Even though every song is good, more cohesion between the styles is needed. Because the likes of Terpsicore and Rose On My Grave may be side by side on the album, but they sound as if they were recorded by 2 completely different bands.
But on the whole, the band are definitely heading in the right direction. When they get things right, they do it in style and therefore show a huge amount of potential. And yes, I have made criticisms, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this album, because I did. Hyubris have a certain freshness about them that makes it impossible for me not to enjoy this album. They are definitely a band worth investigating www.hyubris.com
 
Jack Frost – Out in the Cold (Screaming Ferret Wreckords) By: John Waldo
Jack Frost is one of my favorite guitarists. He isn’t afraid to try new things, and is able to shred at the drop of a hat. Anyone who has followed him in Savatage or Seven Witches can attest to that. On the new CD, he brings aboard several guest musicians including vocalists Neil Turbin (ex-Anthrax), Ted Poley (Danger Danger), Alan Tecchio (Seven Witches) and Paul Shortino (ex-Rough Cutt). Unfortunately, the release sheet that came with the review disc didn’t have any information available on who all is included and who did what, so I can’t be sure who is playing or singing on any given track. The CD opens with a great song called “Wasting Your Luv” that really sets the bar high for the album. The
guitars sound absolutely crushing and great vocal harmonies on the chorus make this one of the catchiest songs on the CD. Things get a bit heavier and more straight forward in the “traditional” metal vein shortly with the next few tunes “Hell or High Water” and “Crucifixation (which I believe is sung by Neil Turbin if I’m not mistaken). This is where things get a bit disappointing. “Out in the Cold” sounds more like a bad Dokken song, and then we come to “Sign of the Gypsy Queen”. I was anxious to hear how Frost would handle an old AOR song by one of my favorite groups, April Wine. Not well, as it turns out. The song actually isn’t too bad, as Frost sticks pretty close to the original, but the drums are completely overdone, and make the song very hard to listen to. “Peter and Me” is a decent enough song, but it is more in the Bad Company/The Firm style than anything found in the middle of a metal record. Next, the second of four covers, “Cold as Ice”, originally done by Foreigner. If I thought the drums screwed up “Gypsy Queen”, then I hadn’t heard anything yet! I had to listen to “Cold as Ice” several times to make sure I was hearing it right. The drummer had to be playing a completely different song than the rest of the band. At no time do they even remotely sound like a cohesive unit, and I can’t believe that someone along the way didn’t put a stop to this one. “Covered in Blood” features one of my favorite singers Jeff Martin (Racer X) on vocals (don’t need a track sheet to recognize that voice!), and the song gets things back on track. This track also has some excellent bass riffs to it, although again, I have no idea who is playing. Nicely done, whoever you are. Back on the cover train, and this time it’s 38 Special’s song “Hold On Loosely” that gets worked over. Featuring Frost on vocals, this is actually an interesting take on the song musically. Once again, though, (are we establishing a pattern here?) the drums, while not completely wrong for the song, are not together with the guitars, and this makes for a very uncomfortable listen. “Passage to the Classical Side” is a piano/vocal that is a very cool tune, and then the album closes with the last cover, The Baby’s “Head First”. It is actually the best of the covers on the CD, but sticks very faithfully to the original and doesn’t really lend anything new to the song. In the end, this disc struggles desperately to find it’s identity. Is it a metal record or a melodic rock record, a regular release or a cover album, a solo effort or a great big bunch of friends getting together for a fun release? Normally Frost delivers the goods, but this one falls way short.
www.myspace.com/jackfrostsevenwitches | http://screamingferret.com
 
Luna Ad Noctum – Theme III – The Perfect Evil In Mortal (Metal Mind) Review by Lee Kimber
This was my first taste of Poland’s Luna Ad Noctum, and despite the frankly hilarious Spinal Tap-esque band history on their webpage, I was absolutely dying to hear exactly what Lunar metal sounded like. The answer was disappointingly familiar, but whilst the style of music is no surprise, the interestingly titled Theme III - The Perfect Evil In Mortal is by no means a disappointment.
The introduction, Phantoms Ov Wrath is a dramatic orchestral piece setting the stage well before we launch into the title track. The thing that is immediately clear is that this ground has been well covered by other bands in the past, with comparisons to be drawn to early
Emperor and Dimmu Borgir, however these guys are far more polished than many of their contemporaries, with every track on this release being very well written and at times, outstandingly performed. Adrian Nefarious provides a brutal black metal vocal to compliment the twin guitars of Tomas Infamous and Blasphemo, and Dragor Born In Flames (near Krakow), provides a fiery ferocious drum attack throughout, particularly on Diablex Virus and the triumphantly evil Deviante Obscuriante. Penultimate track Dimness In Me is a particularly rampant blast, the intricate guitar work completely mesmerising you as the sound rips through the speakers, completely brushing aside any earlier preconceptions of them being a bargain basement Dimmu Borgir.
Overall, despite the familiarity of the sound, this is a very good release and well worth checking out for fans of this particular genre, however those looking for that something new and mind blowing should exercise caution. My only other gripe here is the obsession that Black Metal bands seem to have with bad production. Why the constant need to ‘fuzz up’ a perfectly good recording in the belief that is ‘true Black Metal’. I’m sure purists will disagree. www.lunaadnoctum.com
 
Motorhead – Kiss of Death (SPV) review by Chris Davison
There are those of course, who would have it that Motorhead return every two years, produce another album through the burner and proceed to make us stone deaf forever for another two years, go out on the road, rinse and repeat. Ignore these people – they are traitors to the metal cause, and exactly the sort of people that are going to shoot you in the back.
So I started to listen to this at 1916 in the evening, and I was immediately blown away. Folks have raved about how great Inferno was, and how, in terms of tracks, it was filled with killers, but for the most part, enjoyable though it was, I thought that the praise heaped
upon it was overkill. It was a polished, aggressive album, no doubt – but I thought that it had no class. It lacked that extra bit of spit and shine, that extra bit of genius that would elevate it from being another good Motorhead to a great one. “Kiss of Death” is that rarest of creatures – a ‘Head album that combines all that is best with this, the most definitive of line ups (damn those dogs in the press that eulogise endlessly the Clark/Taylor version – those fools who print the mags know that they have the power to say what they like, but hey kids, we all know that just because they got the power, that don’t mean they got the right, alright?) – and a modern, progressive edge.
Opener “Sucker” comes straight out of the saloon doors like a sharpshooter, firing six guns with abandon. The Campbell guitar attack has never been more evident than on this album, and alongside the usual greasy, belligerent swagger are examples of his fine ear for melody and intricate guitar work. “Trigger”, in particular showcases his tasty licks, and why, in more than one sense he could well claim to be Doctor Rock himself. This is an album with absolutely no filler at all – the tracks come clattering along, one after another, and the train just don’t stop a’ rollin’. This isn’t to play into the common misconception that Motorhead are just bludgeon and no subtlety – this is, for my money at least, the most definitive album they’ve ever produced for exploring other aspects to their sound. Oh, so sure, at heart, they’ve still got the old black heart, the iron fist – but it’s now, just very occasionally clad in a velvet glove. Example in case? The wonderfully plaintive “God Was Never On Your Side” (best Motorhead title ever). Oh sure, Lemmy and co. have tinkered with acoustic passages before – from the acceptable “1916”, the traditional blues of “Whorehouse Blues” and the strange anti-paedo anthem “Don’t let Daddy Kiss Me” – but never has it been so brilliantly written and magnificently put together as it has here before.
“Living in the Past” bruises in, all “No Remorse”-isms pasted over an awesome marriage of classic ‘Head and modern swagger. The powerful drums of Mikkey Dee, who for years has left us hammered and been introduced as “The Best Fuckin’ Drummer in the World” by Lemmy underpin the music, as well as often compelling the tracks on just as surely as Mr Campbell and Mr Kilmister. Every song he plays in is a sheer pleasure to listen to from a drummer’s perspective, and I can only wonder why more people don’t seem to know who he is! Anyone doubting my words should be forced to listen to “Sword of Glory” at obnoxious levels, until they accept the gospel of my words. I don’t need religion, but trust me folks, I do need Motorhead – and so do you. Lemmy of course, sings in the quintessential voice of whiskey-soaked rock n’ roll, and as you know, when it comes to the choice of who best to sing this bastard offspring of metal and good old fashioned rock n’ roll, he is the ONLY one to sing the blues.
My greatest fear is that only the loyal Motorhead fans are going to go out and buy this. I’ve been to the last eleven or twelve tours (Jesus I’m old!), and I’ve made the odd sacrifice to do it – but at the end of the day, you’re guaranteed satisfaction and entertainment. I want you all to go out and buy this album, and if you can’t, then go and hear the songs live while you lap up the old classic outing of Ace of Spades. Then, fully sated on hands down the most authentic, the hardest working and the most honest band in show business today, you can put your hand on your heart, and pledge allegiance to the legends. This is the true sound of a band that not only refuses to die, but seemingly pulls it out of the bag with every release. Their best? Debateable. Brilliant? Undisputable. www.imotorhead.com
 
Oath To Vanquish – Applied Schizophrenic Science (Grindethic) Review by Martin Harris
The problem with the really brutal death metal genre is that virtually all the bands sound so similar that no individual band has a uniqueness to instantly identify them. However Oath To Vanquish are a first for me, as they are the first band I’ve heard from Lebanon. When OTV pile on the brutality they are a match for anyone in the scene. As a three piece they certainly pack a punch as they sledgehammer you with some truly bludgeoning death metal in the vein of Disgorge (Mexico) and Gorerotted. Nevertheless OTV offer this genre something different, and that’s melody without losing intensity or impact. In fact the use of some slower melodic sections gives the blasting areas much more force in delivery. Pear Of
Anguish (strange song title) cleaves your head with some skull splitting bass drum work, frenetic guitar and multiple time changes to keep you alert without it descending into complete disarray. The use of a dual vocal assassination is well worked with guttural vocals that are almost animalistic, and an almost black metal style shrieking, gives each song a variability that is welcome. Funeral in F Sharp is one of the longer songs and really tests whether OTV have the technical prowess to keep the song interesting. Their ability to slow things down and add that fragment of melody is what makes this a more conspicuous release. The drum assault is awesome as Carlos demonstrates his ability to blast as well as any in the scene. Executive Onslaught subtly beats you up, and whilst you’re down Toxic Bowel Movement comes in and sticks the boot in. Symptoms of Accrued Transgression is by far the fastest and most relentless track and complimented by some super dense guitar work in the middle. The inclusion of a very short keyboard piece was lost on me as it added nothing to the butchery already experienced. The closing track ends the slaughter with some of the most rabid screaming vocals on the album, and some great double bass drum work. In the realms of brutal death metal you’ll be hard pressed to find an equal to Oath To Vanquish’s crushing demolition of your senses. www.oath-to-vanquish.com | www.grindethic.co.uk 
 
OLD – Down With The Nails (Tyrant Syndicate) Review by Martin Harris
This is the second band picked up by Fenriz and Nocturno Culto for Tyrant Syndicate, an imprint of Peaceville. OLD’s single demo and a seven inch EP Nocturnal Ritual were quickly spotted and so here’s the full length debut from these black metallers from Germany. This isn’t blasting black metal in the vein of Marduk. The opening title track Black Jewel is a dead giveaway for what’s to come as OLD take their influences straight from early Sodom, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer and Venom. Citing a 3 day recording schedule as a selling point, means you’re either very good or think you’re very good if you’re to match the clinical productions of today. I’m glad it’s the former as the guys thrash
their way through some dirty black thrash metal, complete with the echo on vocals, death grunts and an almost mono type sound on the guitars. The bass is very low in the mix, as expected for a band clamouring for that retro sound, something I’ve always found difficult to understand. Darkthrone have perfected this type of sound, so the question begs are OLD as relevant and captivating as the maestros themselves. Yes is the answer, as OLD have trapped and tamed the old school style of sound and atmosphere, but also managed to sound refreshing as well. Every song on this is a blast from the past and whilst it is true that many of the riffs are extremely familiar, they are not rip offs. Under the Sign of Death and Empire in Flames have some gritty early Celtic Frost style guitar and drum work and are probably my favourite tracks on this. A Knife increases the pace with some In the Sign of Evil style Sodom, albeit without the mess in the drums. The harsh, brittle sound makes Reaper’s vocals much more intimidating and cold, without ever resorting to growls or deep bellowing. I can still hear punk in some of the riffs here and that’s a positive point. The title track is a fantastic black thrash workout with some great time changes, caustic riffing, a brilliant bass solo and driving drums.
This is a callous and unforgiving release, that contains a great deal of memorable riffs. If you’re into early Sodom, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Venom, Possessed and, of course, Darkthrone, then this is a worthy purchase. www.tyrantsyndicate.com 
 
Panchrysia/Iconoclasm – The Ultimate Crescendo Of Hell (Shiver Records) review by Chris Kee
My only previous encounter with Panchrysia was live, supporting Mantas at the Underworld back in 2004. If my memory serves me correctly they were praise-worthy and enjoyable although far from original or challenging and that pretty much sums up my reaction to the four tracks they have contributed to this split CD. ‘The Ultimate Crescendo Of Hell’ is powerful, simple and immediately effective but lacks that little spark of something special. ‘A Filthy Crusade’ opens with an addictive, dirty riff but then lacks the real class to follow through and create something great and ‘Stray Down’ follows a very similar pattern. You could never dismiss this material as mediocre, it is undeniably good…just not as good
as it could be. A solid live rendition of ‘Angst’ completes Panchysia’s aural offerings, all of which come within touching distance of excellence without ever quite achieving it. Great potential though.
My live meeting with Iconoclasm was at this year’s Infernal Damnation Fest and they really, really impressed me. Much like on that day, their first track here, ‘Hellmouth’, sweeps you up in its insanely vehement attack – never allowing you time to ponder its merits in terms of originality and composition. By the time it eases off the pace to merely ‘fast’ you’re converted. ‘Boadicae’ is slower but delivered with a punishing insistency; rougher and rawer than Panchrysia but also so much more venomous and vital. The thundering march, backed with a merciless drum battery, continues through ‘No Pity…No Fear’ and ‘Of Nothingness’ before things conclude with the blinding ‘Rebel Of Hate’. This track was breathtaking live and it has translated just fine to the CD format. Shot through with early Kreator this is irresistible, primal black thrash – as catchy as it is cataclysmic. A superb finish that assures Iconoclasm emerge victorious from this particular demonic death match.
www.panchrysia.be | http://iconoclasm.blackmetal.be