Live 4 Metal - Reviews

Aura Noir - Hades Rise (Peaceville) Review by Crin
	Norwegian Black Thrashers return for more leather and beer dynamics. This is the 4th studio album and the progression from harsh retro grim Black meets Thrash metal is utterly evident here. The band seem to have grasped a style of their own with a depth of great headbanging tracks still very much anchored in the mid eighties, and yet dragged into the new millennium with neck snapping ferocity. The emphasis here is not on speed and hell for leather snare work. From the first track, Hades Arise, and thereafter it is apparent the music will generally plod along in true twisted NWOBHM variances, injecting the guitar riffs with raw METAL malevolence. The vocals curdle the senses as you would expect and
yet there is none of the retro cliché components as aired in previous works. This is dirty, turbo-charged HEAVY METAL, like a biker rock band wrung though a mangle and immersed in boiling vomit. The inevitable burst of speed occurs midway through the second track, Gaping Graves Await, only to be quelled by the following, Unleash the Demon, another head nodding anthem to the smoke filled gig halls of sardine packed maniacal throngs. There is a taste of Darkthrones F.O.A.D, crawling about the music here, whether that is a deliberate influence I have no idea, but the general loose vitriolic groove is definitely here. You could even diagnose this albums root musical style to a collision of Venom's ‘Possessed’ album and Voivod's debut. That reveals much of what this albums about, raw, dirty thrashing rage that will eat away into ya brain and infect you with all things METAL.. what more could you possibly want apart from an orgasm with a corpse’s old leathery tongue stuck up ya ass. We have guest appearances from Danny Coralles [Autopsy], and Blasphemer [Mayhem], who really appear and disappear, and the music has quite enough dynamism to stand on its own merits. www.peaceville.com

Azaghal - Omega (Moribund Cult) By: Dave Schalek
	Finnish black metal beasts Azaghal soldier on with their latest full-length, entitled “Omega”, on Moribund Cult Records. Azaghal are always solid with seven full-lengths to their credit, as well as seemingly endless EPs, splits, and what have you. However, Azaghal never seem to be quite able to shake that dreaded second-tier status and vault to the top of the black metal underground. A rather poor reception of “Luciferin Valo”, the band’s last full-length from 2006, didn’t really help either, considering that the band’s early output is quite ferocious. Unfortunately, though solid, “Omega” doesn’t really change the status of Azaghal.
A slightly melodic, fast black metal album that is under-produced, “Omega” consists of fast riffs, all out blasts, the usual rasps, a few tempo variations with bits of crunch, and, surprisingly, some muted melodies. Although I wouldn’t characterize Azaghal as symphonic black metal, a few brief keyboard melodies make an appearance. In short, “Omega” sounds a bit like a rawer version of Naglfar’s earlier albums. That’s just fine, of course, but the songwriting is a little uneven as the album has a bit of a weak finish. “Omega” is one of those releases that storms out of the box with some well written songs, but is unable to sustain itself over the long haul. The songs don’t really peter out; in fact, the last couple of tracks are all out blasts, but, this deep into the album, they’re just not all that interesting. Too bad, since Azaghal certainly tear it up with enthusiasm and gusto. At any rate, Azaghal have once again delivered a solid effort with “Omega”, and is best described as good, but not great. www.myspace.com/azaghalterrorcult \| www.moribundcultrecords.com

Beyond The Grave - Sands Of Desolation (Self Release) Review by Steve Green
	Newcastle's Beyond The Grave are not short of confidence. With this 4 tracker, the band provided a very professional booklet with their achievements to date and of their intention to make it big. Well after playing this cd practically non stop for the past month, I have to agree with them. They are going to be fucking huge. Already, the band have supported Cradle of Filth in Newcastle, closed out last years Hard Rock Hell Festival, and more importantly, they've sold out the 450 capacity Carling Academy 2 in their hometown. Not bad for a band who aren't even signed. So what sort of music do they play? Bollocks to sticking this into a category, it's just
Metal. And that, I believe, is the secret to their success. This is dripping with flowing guitar solos, which fans of everyone from Iron Maiden to Arch Enemy are going to love... and trust me, the lead guitars on this cd are awesome. The vocals change from a despairing rasp to multi layered and clean and the wide ranging styles are sure to appeal to most Metalheads. And the music as a whole, is just good old fashioned Metal, but with just a modicum of modern influences, which keeps things fresh and exciting. I don't want to influence anyone with any comparisons with Beyond The Grave's music, because if I mention a band that someone doesn't like, then you won't give them a chance. Instead I'm just going to recommend that you check them out for yourselves because if they can continue with material of this quality, then they are going to be the next big thing from the UK. www.myspace.com/beyondthegraveuk

Brown Jenkins - Angel Eyes (Moribund Cult) By: Dave Schalek
	Thoroughly disgusting, strangely guitar driven black metal is the order of the day from Brown Jenkins, a solo act from Austin, Texas. The product of the warped mind of one UA, Brown Jenkins was originally homage to the works of H.P. Lovecraft with the project’s title referring to “The Dreams In The Witch-House”, and other Lovecraft references sprinkled throughout the project’s previous output. Moving beyond Lovecraft, however, “Angel Eyes” is the proper debut full-length from Brown Jenkins, and is released on Moribund Cult Records. Virtually an instrumental piece with not much variation from track to track, “Angel Eyes” is
full of weirdly hypnotic, and prominently displayed, tortured riffs that are almost over produced, especially for what is essentially raw black metal. The madness is magnified further by seemingly deliberate sloppy guitar technique with riffs that tend to drift out of synch with the background percussion for a large portion of the album. In addition, some growled vocals make odd appearances to enhance the bizarre atmosphere presented throughout “Angel Eyes”. Throw in some muted bass and a mid-paced tempo and you end up with a strange exercise that somehow never seems to become boring, even though the entire album basically sounds the same. “Angel Eyes” is definitely not for everyone and becomes almost painful to listen to as you wait with bated breath for what torturous riff is to be issued next. In addition, the simplistic nature of the music combined with the overall sloppiness of the musicianship comes across as amateurish, but, for some reason, retains enough hideous atmosphere for you to be sucked in almost against your better judgment. That’s enough for me to give “Angel Eyes” an endorsement. www.myspace.com/brownjenkins13 \| www.moribundcult.com

Carlos Lichman - Firestorm (self released) Review by Dave Baynham
	Although he has produced a single, a demo EP and appeared on a DVD of Mozart with added electric guitar, this is the debut album from Brazilian shred guitarist Carlos Lichman. The question you have to ask yourself is how much do you like mildly neoclassical, gratuitous shred guitar playing? This album sounds very much like a early Shrapnel Records release and it does not move outside of the formula. It is all instrumental and involves some very fast, technical playing. On a number of the tracks the main riff interrupts frantic soloing rather than the other way round. In some tracks there are some pretty excessive drum fills too. There are the obligatory guest slots, of whom the best known is
Kiko Loureiro of Angra on ‘Shred Dogs’. The fact that on the track ‘Intense Guitar Playing’ Jim Horne is credited with lead guitar from1:12 to 1:31 shows that listeners are expected to be paying close attention and probably be other guitarists trying to work out how it’s done. As with a number of neoclassical virtuoso guitar players there is an electric version of a classical piece on here. In this case it is by the late 1500’s French composer Thoinot Arbeau and provides an oasis of calm in a mainly frenetic album. At its best this album sounds like early Tony MacAlpine, but at its worst it probably looks prettier as tablature than it sounds as music. www.carloslichman.com

Guns On The Roof - New Frustration (Glory Glory Records) Review by Steve Green
	I reviewed the bands Last Orders EP back in May and was impressed with their old school Punk values. I also fired a warning about their poppier side and thankfully that side of their sound is practically non existent on this album. This is a young band embracing the more commercial side of (real) Punk, ie: the more accessible side of The Clash, and mixing it with their own high energy performances and catchy melodies. And because of this, it's easy to see why they've clocked up a few notable supports: The Anti Nowhere League, Dead Kennedy's, The Misfits, UK Subs, Stiff Little Fingers etc... as their music is, I'm sure, perfect for the live environment. Especially as they sound so much like The Clash.
But it's not all about worshiping the ground that Joe Strummer and Mick Jones walk on. Admittedly there are times when I'd lose the argument on that statement, but at other times you can see their own sound emerging, particularly on the ferocious Freedom and the surprisingly mellow, acoustic led Yours Sincerely. So, their influences are bloody easy to spot, yet at the same time they've got the balance of old and new just about right. Fans of The Clash and old school punk should head over to www.gunsontheroof.com asap.

Infestus - Chroniken Des Ablebens (Debemur Productions) Review by Crin
	German Black metal is a potent all consuming phenomenon that is equal in quality and diversity to the mighty Nordic and Eastern European scenes. The Teutonic hordes consist of such wonderful exponents of the art, Endstille, Absurd, Nahtfalke, Nargaroth, Eisregen, to name but a paltry few. As in all scenes there are the few recognized bands, the many sort of "heard of" bands, and the innumerable unknown bands that will generally remain unknown. There are many labels who will release albums from such obscure entities and still label and band will remain relatively inconspicuous. This is where the true mechanics of the underground work, keeping alive the whole scene and offering substance and a firm
foundation for the more established labels to rip us all off… Debemur Productions specialize in unearthing the quite unnoticeable entities lurking in the deepest recess of the underground and Infestus are very much part of that enigmatic breed. Here is a band wallowing in the poisonous fumes of charred Black Metal purity. This is the second album and I have no idea where the first one appeared from or where it went. That is proof of my aforementioned theory of the strange and seemingly pointless underground activity from labels and bands alike. But, here the band arise once more with a cascading wall of vicious guitar strums, rip roaring percussion and rage spitting vocals. Pretty much how a Black Metal album should be and that is basically what this is. There are good compositions that have a varied level of pace and atmosphere, yet it is standard ugly as Satan's arse lips extremity channelled though thoughtful arrangements. If you need some reclusive and more personalized Black Metal music then look no further than here.