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In
This Moment - Beautiful Tragedy (Century Media)
By: Joe Florez |
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I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this California 5
piece. Looking at vocalist Maria Brink and all her tattoos
covering her hands and arms, I was wondering if it was some
sort of rockabilly band. My actual first taste of the group
was on Sirius a few weeks back and heard their title track. It
absolutely blew my mind at what they are capable of. Stop
right there if you think that you are going to get something
to the effect of Lacuna Coil. “Prayers” takes off running with
highly energetic guitars and blazing riffs that are both
caustic and melodious. The drums pack quite a punch as well.
Then, we get to Maria. All I have to say is that she can give
Angela Gossow a run for her money. When she comes to the mic,
she |
has a scream that will make Dani Filth cringe and windows
will shatter. Yes, I don’t like the fact that it’s metalcore,
but when she does her cleans, they are sensitive and fragile,
yet she finds a way to rock the house Joan Jett style and then
some. There are some metalcore notes inserted in this song,
but it’s a great mix of metal and said genre for a song that
is highly combustible. There are even some seminal blastbeats
thrown in from time to time as well, making for a nice
surprise. The title track opens up with some really beautiful
guitar work that is light and then mixing it with some plugged
in distorted six strings gives it a nice touch. The way Maria
comes in with her lungs, reminds me of something off the last
couple of Lullacry records, but better. It’s all audible and
pleasant to hear, but there is still some bite to her voice.
The craziest part is that it has so much potential to find a
home not only on satellite radio, but terrestrial radio as
well. It has that much hope as far as I’m concerned. This one
is going to be burned in my head for quite some time to come.
In fact, I listened to this a few more times before I
continued with the rest of this.
Holy shit, I wasn’t expecting
this exceptionally well done power ballad “The Legacy Of Odio.”
Even though some real hard screams come into plays here and
there, it was absolutely powerful and moving. This is the
closest thing to doing a gentle song that is akin to Cristina
Scabbia or Tarja as Maria will get. I wasn’t expecting
anything like this and at this point in my reviewing days, it’s
hard to impress me with anything new because most of the stuff
is rehashed in one way or another. This one had my jaw on the
floor. Sure, I could do without the shrieking because it would
make the band and music that much better, but I’ll take this
and say that the hype surrounding the band is legit. This one
crosses many boundaries making it accessible for everyone
because there is a little of this and that that will satisfy
people that listen to different genres of music.
www.centurymedia.com
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www.myspace.com/inthismoment
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Labyrinth - 6 Days To Nowhere (Scarlet) Review by James Young |
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I was ever so excited when I received the latest Labyrinth
album - the band have been amongst my favourites since
witnessing them a couple of years ago with Dream Evil. In the
meantime I have explored their back catalogue, and until this
point was convinced that this band could do no wrong. I was
sadly mistaken though, because this, their sixth full-length
album is absolutely nowhere near the standard of the previous
releases, and a huge letdown. Let’s get a few things straight,
the music is flawlessly executed, with some beautifully
melodic guitar harmonies, captured by a production job which
is hard to criticise. Roberto Tiranti’s voice, which has
polarised the metal community, is in my opinion one of |
the best out there, and his wonderfully gentle tone, which has
worked wonders on the previous couple of albums, is present
throughout, with his uncanny ability to hit about a hundred
notes in one word. What then, you ask, is wrong with the
album? The direction the band has decided to take, which is
somewhat of a labyrinth in itself, is the main problem here.
It’s nowhere near powerful enough to be power metal, not heavy
enough to be thrash, and too unimaginative to be prog. What we
are therefore left with is a confused muddle of ideas which
when put together are simply lacklustre.
In some of the tracks a progressive feeling predominates,
including the opener ‘Crossroads’ and ‘Mother Earth’, and
despite the wonderful vocals, you get to the end of each song
feeling totally unmoved. The only songs which come close to
the Labyrinth of old (and even then fall miserably short of
the mark) are those which boast some faster drumming from
Mattia Stancioiu. These tracks, namely ‘Just One Day’ and
‘What???’ exhibit a little more attention to making the tracks
exciting, but are still largely disappointingly limp. Even
some quasi-blastbeat moments surface in ‘Lost’ (believe me, I
was), and ‘Wolves ‘N’ Lambs’, which have the potential to
ignite the songs but end up drifting into sheer boredom. The
remainder of the tracks are overwhelmingly dull, including the
outrageously misleading ’Out Of Control’. The confusion of
this album is best demonstrated by the inclusion, not as a
bonus cover, but right in the middle of the album, of a
Beatles cover (no, I’m serious…). Not even as good as the
original (and this is by no means coming from a Beatles fan),
this version of ‘Come Together’ just doesn’t seem right, even
for such a tame record. This lack of energy throughout the
album ensures that by the time you reach the ballad of ‘Smoke
and Dreams’, you don’t even register a change of pace which
you normally expect with power metal bands.
One of the most disappointing albums I’ve heard in a long
time, I would not recommend this to any self-respecting power
or prog fan. ‘6 Days To Nowhere’ is almost an accurate title -
this record actually took fifty-seven minutes and thirteen
seconds to get nowhere, although it felt like six days by the
time it was done. Go and stock up on their old material and
let’s pretend this never even happened.
www.labyrinthmusic.it |
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Lost Eden - Cycle Repeats (Candlelight Records)
By: Joe Florez |
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Judging by the cover of this disc and the name of the band, I
was expecting another power-prog band. Well, I was about to
find out just what I was gonna get myself into. “Seed” gets
the ball rolling. It begins with a very atmospheric vibe that
is calm and peaceful, however after a minute into the thing,
it’s an all out war with the agro vocals, furious licks and
vicious skin bashing. The shredding throat action from Norio
has that metalcore feel akin to Matt Heafy from Trivium, but
come chorus time he can belt it out with the best of them.
It’s clean, packed with passion and has great melody. It’s
just sad that the whole thing couldn’t be this way as opposed
to sound like another Haunted or something to that effect. The
twin |
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solos on here just fly and they are quick too. They may not go
balls to the wall on it, but it’s controlled and not obnoxious
and it’s just right as they keep you wanting more just the way
it should be. I have to say that with this cut, I was pretty
much hooked in, but can they hold my interest for the
duration? Despite the angry vocals that carry over time and
time again, I couldn’t believe how nicely paced and melodic
that “Squeeze” would be. I was expecting more catastrophic
composing, but what I got was something that sounded a bit
power metal-ish and could have a go at radio.
Weird. The guys really seem to know what they are doing and do
a good job at mixing up the tempos making sure that things
don’t get stagnant after the five minute mark. They add hints
of electronics to enhance the mood, but are aware of making
sure that it doesn’t saturate the overall sound. I had no idea
that they came from Japan because they have such a great grasp
of the Scandinavian melodic death metal sound that you would
have though they came from Sweden or something to that effect.
The only thing that I would change would be all that screaming
because it wears me down. I don’t mind if you grunt or growl,
but do it in moderation because it’s becoming very stale
quickly. Otherwise, this record rocked my socks off and if you
are looking for your next fix, then this is it. Move over
C.O.B. and In Flames, these guys are already in contention for
your title and they can swipe the belt from the both of you.
Enjoy this feast!
www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
| www.lost-eden.com |
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Luctus/Argharus - Sonitus Caeli Ardentis split cd
(Ledo Takas) Review by Crin |
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A split cd featuring two Lithuanian Black Metal bands, and
kicking off the proceedings are Luctus, who deliver a nasty
dose of arse ripping Black Metal at a rate of knots that would
leave a nuclear powered torpedo swirling in its wake.
Aided by a drum-machine [and we all know how I hate these
synthetic beats] that hauls the chainsaw guitars through a
frenzied vocal fury of distorted sneering roars and ear
melting growls.
It is the trait of the one man band, the drum machine and done
well [thankfully, it is done very well] the artificial
percussion can quite literally crush the inner ear.
The arrangements seem to draw upon the thrashing melancholy of
Celtic Frost at an |
amplified state of intensity, and it is within this era
orthodox brutality that the whole Luctus
experience is anchored.
The sound is thicker than a brainless village idiot, with a
warped sense of melody that makes the terror seem more
palatable.
After 6 tracks of complete aural chaos, I settled down in
anticipation for the second band, Archarus.
Here we find a band in full flow and the vitriolic atmosphere
is very similar to the grinding viciousness of Luctus.
There is a part of Emperors, Nightside Eclipse, sealed into
the fast, precision Black Metal style [and vocal similarities
to Ishaln] of this very capable Lithuanian band.
The first track instantly lifts the ante of the cd, giving a
priceless aura of a definitive guitar style and a hammering
set of songs that are played as well as they are written.
The sound also reminds me of the thick guitar style of
American Black Metal band, Arghosolent.
By far the stronger of the two bands, and another moment when
a band can redefine a musical style with a slight deviance
from the orthodox, creating something that reminds me why I do
what I do. www.ledotakas.net/ |
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Nine - It’s Your Funeral (SpineFarm) Review by Samuel
Munch-Petersen |
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Having been released on SpineFarm records (Ensiferum,
Nightwish) you kind of expect there to be an element of
fantasy metal creeping into their repertoire. This is not the
case with Nine. They have a heavy and bass driven sound that
makes them something else. Come the first track you’re thrown
into the very soul of Nine. They’re a band that is playing
music from their hearts and keeping it pure and wholesome, not
bowing down to those music Gods and creating music for the
sheer necessity of bringing in the dollars. Their home of
Sweden has given them a range of bands to draw upon but they
have certainly found their own spin on things and show it in
It’s Your Funeral. |
They have a melodic quality but keep it dirty and slow to
emphasise their characters and the music itself. They’ve
matured from being a hardcore band back in the day to a band
that now creates a heavy and gritty sponge of death rock which
even apparently “shakes the world of ‘emo’ with a defiant slap
in the face” (something I’m sure we all love to hear). But I’m
not sure if the music is punchy enough to even tickle the
cheeks of those we hate so well. It has a drive behind it and
is constantly firm, though for me lacks something. Perhaps the
speed is something that could (or should) be worked on. The
first four tracks have certainly had me sitting still. There
hasn’t been much of a chance to really kick out and rock out
as much as I’d like. If anything the music comes across more
in rock riffs and drum patterns than metal. I can almost liken
them to a lumbering bear, though snarling and full of force,
it’s slow and tedious at times. The vocals don’t really make
up for much; some screams which seem more pained and youthful
than anything else. Not raw or destroying enough to even perk
up my ears.
Though I don’t think Nine are a band for me, if you enjoy the
slow approach and fancy something of a progression from
hardcore to wannabe metal then go for it. They’re seventh
track Until Death Do Us Part gives us something more
hard-hitting than the previous tracks, but still not terse
enough for me.
Interestingly enough the album was produced by Daniel
Bergstrand (SYL, Meshuggah, In Flames) and I can hear some
elements coming through, but nowhere near the likes of those
bands mentioned. A shame in some ways, since I think if Nine
stepped up the bpm I can see there being a new level of death
rock which is unlike stuff we’ve heard recently. But they’re
sticking to their guns and I give them a hearty nod for doing
that. Just not for me. Somewhat repetitive and sluggish it’s
music you are more likely to reflect on than spaz out to.
www.killingangels.com |
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Omnium Gatherum - Stuck Here On Snakes Way (Candlelight Records)
By: Dave Schalek |
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Candlelight Records continues to look to Finland for stellar
talent across many different genres of metal. Melodic death
metal band Omnium Gatherum release their third full-length,
“Stuck On Snakes Way”, which continues a string of excellent
releases from various Finnish bands on Candlelight Records.
Omnium Gatherum are generally considered melodic death metal,
and many of the signature elements of the genre are present.
Rough vocals, with a few moments of clean vocals making muted
appearances, are combined with excellent riffing, bursts of
speed appear within the various tempo changes, and healthy
doses of progressive touches are liberally |
applied. Much of the progressive work consists of some strong
soloing, acoustical guitar touches as well as some other
guitar effects, and some muted keyboards that do not overwhelm
the music. The guitars really stand out on this release, with
excellent riffs, licks, and melodic solos throughout the
entire album. In addition, there is some strong bass work
periodically brought to the forefront and allowed to shine.
The production is excellent, although the drums could’ve
benefited from a deeper sound, and the overall songwriting is
better than on Omnium Gatherum’s previous releases, ultimately
resulting in an excellent, memorable album.
What separates Omnium Gatherum from some of the other giants
of melodic death metal (a difficult genre for a band to make
much of an impact within these days), such as Soilwork and In
Flames, is a greater tendency to focus on ramping up the
musicianship and songwriting of the music while still staying
heavy and true to their original genre. Those of you
disappointed in the lighter direction taken by some of the
other melodic death metal bands, or were never really enamored
with those bands in the first place (such as myself), will
find much to like on this release. The over saturated,
overused genre of melodic death metal doesn’t have many
saviors, but Omnium Gatherum is definitely one of them.
Excellent.
www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
| http://omniumgatherum.org |
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Sarpanitum - Despoilment of Origin (Galactic Records) review
by Sam Thomas |
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Reading the start of the biog that came with Despoilment of
Origin, which drips with overblown images of ancient Babylon
and Sumeria, I mistakenly assumed that I would be listening to
some kind of Middle Eastern battle metal. Sort of a Turkish
version of Finntroll, perhaps. What I actually got was one
hell of a surprise. Sarpanitum fit somewhere into the extreme
end of the death metal genre, being both breathtakingly brutal
and furiously fast. The vocal style is more Desecration than
Amon Amarth, and blastbeats thunder away throughout, in the
manner of antiquated rams battering away at castle walls.
Despoilment of Origin is Sarpanitum’s first album, coming in
at a slight thirty five minutes. |
Don’t dismiss this as being lightweight, though – by the
final, title track you definitely feel that you’ve had your
money’s worth of pounding. The track titles do suffer from a
touch of Bal-Sagoth style:
“Provocation of an Eternal Odium” and “Dusk over Assyria” for
example, but fortunately that’s as far as the pretentiousness
goes. The music is unmitigated brutality with the occasional
cessation of hostilities just so that a guitar solo can be
thrown in.
When Sarpanitum are playing flat out, they are very good
indeed, but problems seem to arise when there are no vocals
and no blastbeats, in that things tend to slide a little off
track and the direction is slightly confused. It’s not a
problem of musicianship, just that the slower instrumental
passages don’t seem to be able to either form a cohesive whole
or an effective contrast to the juggernaut that is the rest of
the music. Until, of course, you reach the aforementioned
“Dusk over Assyria”, which has to be one of the most
hauntingly beautiful little tracks I’ve ever heard in this
genre. It evokes images of a temporary peace descending over a
war-ravaged landscape and provides exactly that within the
context of the album: a breathing space before the onslaught
resumes.
Overall, this is a very promising first album with some
features which suggest that Sarpanitum may well be a band
worth watching in the future.
www.sarpanitum.com
| www.galacticrecords.co.uk |
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