|
|
|
|
|
Avian - Ashes And Madness
(Nightmare Records) Review by Mat Willcocks |
 |
Those not already familiar with Avian will form an opinion
the second that the term ‘power metal’ is brought up. Though
rather than falling into the Helloween and Stratovarius camp,
Avian have the tendency to fall into the ‘true’ bracket
occupied by such stalwarts as Iced Earth and Savatage. Now
boosted by the guitar heroics of Bill Hudson (of Cellador),
this is a better produced effort than the debut From The
Depths Of Time, with a much needed depth added. The
aforementioned first album was far from consistent, but
featured a number of genuinely good songs. Though this new CD
doesn’t possess a track as awe-inspiring as ‘As The World
Burns’, it is a passionate and much more balanced effort. |
Master of the voice Lance King again croons and soars like
only he knows how to. Opener ‘Ashes and Madness’ is brave,
nearly 8 minutes long. ‘Into The Other Side’ is a
comparatively short affair, but is the most memorable track
with flashes of Hammerfall-style riffing. ‘Time And Space Part
II: Unlock The Mystery’ is, just when one was perhaps finding
Avian’s tendency to stick to one beat a little tedious, a
welcome ending to the album, in so much that time changes and
melody are plentiful and full of hooks that reign you in for
the whole 10 minutes that it lasts.
Again, this is sadly not a release which will attract anyone
other than already-established Avian fans, but with this
progress, some well-deserved recognition may be round the
corner.
www.nightmare-records.com |
| |
Behemoth- Live Esxhaton:
The Art of Rebellion DVD (MVD Video/ Metal Mind
Productions)
By: Dave Schalek |
 |
Here’s a re-issue of an early video release from Behemoth.
“Live Esxhaton: The Art of Rebellion” was originally released
in 2000 by Metal Mind Productions on VHS, and is an officially
sanctioned release from the band. However, the DVD version has
never been sanctioned by Behemoth, and will not be found in
official discography listings. At any rate, “Live Esxhaton…”
is now re-issued in DVD format by MVD Video.
Regardless of the release’s status in the eyes of Behemoth,
and any arguments over rights that may exist, those of you
mostly familiar with Behemoth’s later releases may want to
track down this DVD, as the concert presented here is a good
showcase of the band’s early material. Filmed in Poland in
front of a small crowd in Krakow, the concert features the
usual production values from Metal Mind Productions. Excellent
video quality with multiple camera angles including the
familiar sweeping boom shots common with Metal Mind
Productions releases. However, the audio mix isn’t the best,
as the drums sound a |
bit muddied. Minimal focus is given to the crowd, as well,
which seems to be mostly standing around.
Focusing mostly on material from the just released “Satanica”
and “Pandemic Incantations”, the concert already showcases a
band on top of their game, although they had yet to gain wide
exposure. In addition to the main concert feature, there are a
lot of extras included. Official videos for “Decade of Oepion”
and “Chant For Eschaton 2000” (which is filmed on the same
stage as the concert, but without an audience) are included.
Incidentally, the sound for “Chant…” is noticeably better than
the concert, and is probably an overdub of some sort.
Rounding out the rest of the DVD’s features, there’s a rather
long interview with Nergal in different segments, in street
clothes and entirely in Polish (no subtitles) that I skipped
over, some rare audio tracks of early material from early
demos and EPs, and various galleries.
In short, “Live Esxhaton…” is a great package of early
material from Behemoth, and is an excellent addition to your
DVD collection. I would have hoped that the interview had
included subtitles, but, that’s a minor complaint. Buy or die.
http://mvdb2b.com
|
| |
|
Black Math Horseman -
Wylt (Tee Pee) Review by Metal Mark |
 |
If I were judging music solely by band titles, then prior to
cracking open the case I figured this LA based act was to be
heavy and the songs would be lengthy. Low and behold they
turned out to be both, yet a whole lot more as well. If I had
to describe the Black Math Horseman in one word then the first
one that pops into my mind is deceptive. In their music at
first seems very basic as they focus on very simple and often
singular sounds. Yet like some sort of sonic quicksand their
music pulls you in and before you know it you are enveloped by
sound. There is so much more to this band then there appears
to be. They rely greatly on tones and repetition. That sounds
easy, but the tones are rich and thick as |
|
molasses. The band uses repetition on numerous riffs on every
song yet it never gets old because they how to serve it up.
They know how to milk the nuances from every tiny part. Like
the band name, they ride through dark, shadow passages hitting
a gallop when needed and slowing the motion down when called
for as well. If there is one thing that sets this band apart
it's that they don't push too hard. They are content to let
the music flow and eventually it takes on a life of its own.
Now this kind of subtle drone isn't for everyone, it can be
tedious at first and some songs do blend together a little.
Yet in the proper mood, this is an album where the band really
pulled as much as possible out of everything they did.
www.myspace.com/blackmathhorseman |
| |
|
Daath - The Concealers
(Century Media) Review by Chris Davison |
 |
Well, it seems as if Daath is a religious state mentioned in
the Kabbalah, and not someone from Somerset trying to summon
Lord Vader from his meditation pod. It also seems as if Daath
are an up and coming modern metal band, and this is their
fourth album. In a time where bands seem keen to be labelled
within a single genre, and lazy fat reviewers seem keener to
pigeon hole them there too, it's a pleasure to hear an extreme
metal band that won't be constrained by any one simple genre
convention.
“The Concealers” is an accomplished, sprawling – at times
epic- piece of work. Within the eleven tracks here, there are
shades of death metal, thrash, progressive influences, middle |
eastern guitar flourishes and sounds most associated with the
industrial movement. The problem with these ambitious ventures
can be that the music becomes some kind of amorphous, muddy
mess without direction or any sense of a cohesive whole. The
music can become, if you will, the audio equivalent of the
colour that all plasticine will become after a weeks play in
the hands of a toddler. It's perhaps a testament to the boys
in Daath then that this is never anything other than an
incisive, cutting edge record that brings to mind the best of
several genres. In the overall brutality and simple technical
ability of the musicians, the death metal influence is
undoubtedly here, but in the scope and scale of the
soundscapes, this has much more to do with the progressive
giants of heavy metal. For every clickety, impossible feat of
drumming and throat-shredding vocal scream, there's also a
vast sweep and landscapes being conjured in the head. This is
not an album to be merely placed on in the background, as it
demands your attention – and in doing so ensures that you
fully engage with and appreciate the artisanship on display.
I have avoided Daath for the longest time based on their shit
name and a nagging suspicion that they would sound something
like the terminally uninspired Lamb of God. Now, thanks to
this wonderful piece of art, I must eat humble pie and go and
hunt down their back catalogue, the dogs. Vast, ambitious and
perfectly composed, played and produced, “The Concealers” is a
must buy for any metal head that looks for more in their music
than Satan, beer and hookers. Most of the time, that's me.
Most of the time. To be honest, this sounds as much as a
soundtrack to the most amazing science fiction dystopian film
never made than any simple heavy metal album. Track down cut
number 4, “The Unbinding Truth” and tell me that isn't
true...I dare you.
www.centurymedia.com |
| |
|
Far From Horizon / Cult
Of Gaia - Split cd (Self release) Review by Steve Green |
 |
I've always enjoyed the concept of the split cd as it's a chance to hear
more than the single track you'd expect to hear on a compilation, and with
only two bands to listen to, it's a lot easier to absorb than 15 new bands
vying for your attention all at once. Here we have 2 bands from Germany,
namely Far From Horizon, from the Northern town of Bielefeld and Cult Of
Gaia, who are from Aschaffenburg in the South.
The heavier of the two bands is Far From Horizon, who treat us to 5 songs,
and an outro, of in-your-face Deathcore and thankfully, there's not a hint
of wimpy clean vocals to be heard, although there is a clever use of
female vocals towards the end of track two, |
Ophelia. For the most part, this is brutal, gutteral and
downright heavy as hell and Far From Horizon are a band I'd
definitely like to hear more from.
With the vocals coming in a few octaves higher, kind of like a
modern hardcore-ish bark, and with a rather unique blend of
melodic Death guitar lines, Cult Of Gaia certainly make an
impact, mainly because I've not heard the two styles used in
this way before. Breaking this cacophony up is the obligatory
gutteral growled vocals and a few squealing guitars. I'm not
sure if they've absolutely nailed what they are trying to
achieve, but at least they are trying something a little
different.
Check out both bands via their Myspace pages:
www.myspace.com/farfromhorizon |
www.myspace.com/cultofgaia |
| |
|
Hex Machine - Omen Mas
(Minimum Underdrive) Review by Luke Goaman-Dodson |
 |
Hex Machine play a particularly angular brand of
noise-rock/metal, most reminiscent of Unsane, with a bit of
Jesus Lizard thrown in. Opening with a bit of harsh feedback
and static, "Nurse Me Back to Hell" features a nice, heavy
riff at a bone-crushing tempo, setting the tone for the rest
of the album superbly. Vocals are largely distorted screams,
sort of like David Yow, or perhaps a more dynamic Chris
Spencer. "Lunatic Sun" is a bit more metallic, opening with an
almost doomy riff and monotone singing that vaguely recalls
ritualistic doomsters Om. My personal favourite track on this
album, "Black Skeleton", is a more up-tempo piece, that at one
point reminds me of "A Minute" by Shellac. "Pink |
|
Whisky" almost treads on Boris territory, while closing number
"Vivisection" channels the best of the likes of Steve Albini
without slipping into the sincerest form of flattery. All in
all, a fucking excellent release from a fucking excellent
band.
www.myspace.com/hexmachine |
| |
|
Hunted - Alone
(demo) Review by Dave Baynham |
 |
This is a three track demo EP by a band based in Cardiff. I’d
describe them as technical metal, with thrash and progressive
elements. However, boundary pushing seems a good way to put
it. This means that while I didn’t always enjoy the material I
really like their ambition in trying to do something
different. It also means the bits I didn’t like others will.
There are parts of the tracks, such as ‘Impaled’ that are too
thrash for my taste, but if you like the Duracell bunny style
of beats per second drumming then it will rock for you. There
is a lot to like in this EP. The vocals are impressive, Chris
G is a screamer whose style often reminded me of a young Geoff
Tate, Midnight of Crimson Glory or Jon Oliva. The vocal
inflections are very much that kind of late 80’s / early 90’s
American metal. Guitarist |
and songwriter Steve Barberini knows how to solo effectively
without hijacking the tracks. At times the moves between all
out riffing and acoustic picking sound very Opeth influenced,
which is no bad thing. There were a number of times when I was
reminded of the first Pagan’s Mind album, probably as both
bands share influences from Dream Theater to Megadeth. So you
get complex riffing, tracks that bodyswerve from one style of
metal to another and give you neck ache too. In all a
promising start from a band worth keeping track of.
www.myspace.com/huntedrock |
| |
|
Nightvision - As The
Lights Go Down (Rockstar Records) Review By
Strawb |
 |
And in the beginning God created... The Big Bang Theory...
Evolution ... and for those I haven’t mentioned, forgive me.
Whichever one is the one which you happen to have as a tenet
of your reason for being, I think we all agree that there had
to be a start point, and following it there has to be
significant events. And so it is with Nightvision.
The formation of this four-piece band was in 2003, in the city
of Lincoln, where they are still based. Now, Lincolnshire has
been my adopted home for over half of my life, and I must say
that in that time, it has not shone as a fertile breeding
ground for musical talent. Potatoes and other crops is where
the ground part comes in, and the breeding is mainly of |
the ‘inter-‘ kind in some of the rural areas, and it is a
large county of many, many rural areas. Duelling Banjos would
have a legitimate claim for the county anthem and here, a
guitar has six strings so there is one for each finger.
Luckily, [even in a band containing two brothers], these boys
are from the big city, so I cast no aspersions in their
direction, and the standard of this offering would indicate
that they as band members have put all of their available time
in a musical direction. The current line up was formed in
2006, since when they have put in the hard yards in touring
and gigging countrywide.
In the life of any band, the release of their first album is a
cataclysmic event, and so it is with this release that
Nightvision have their own personal Krakatoa [circa 1883]
moment. And this release is a noisy arrival on the
seismograph. The twelve tracks are all of, as the band
describe it, ‘High energy Hard Rock music’, and although the
quality does vary, I would state that none of them threaten
the 50 % or-less area as I assess it. After Dark opens the
album well, a good riff followed by screaming vocals form the
intro. The vocals are clear throughout the album, whether it
is Dave's lead or the harmonious efforts of all. Sick And
Tired is the first of a number of the tracks that show serious
changes of pace within the song, but whatever the speed is, I
find myself headbanging along, even as I write this. I
particularly like the ending riff. Something Better is the
first of the tracks that are over five minutes in length and
has a slower start. I am reminded of some of the early Def
Leppard as I listen to it. Not at all keen on the chorus;
however, once again impressed with the sustained vocal late on
in this one. As this microcosm of the first three songs is
repeated throughout the disk, a variation of styles, pace and
personal appeal are ever present. And today, the track I find
myself most drawn to is Demons, or is it the cleverly
constructed cliché-ridden Carnival? However, tomorrow it will
almost certainly be one of the others, it really is that sort
of an album.
I was around for the NWOBHM, and we cannot use that mnemonic
again, but I feel a new one needs to be found soon because
there is an excess of riches out there at the moment. And with
the release of As The Lights Go Down I feel that Nightvision
have made a bid for top of the premiership, just behind
Crowning Glory and Fury UK. A nine on the Richter Scale.
www.nightvision1000.co.uk to learn more. |
| |
|
Synestesia - Feeniks
(Kampas Records) review by Sam Thomas |
 |
Times were, you knew what to expect from a band based on their
geographical location. Norway = black, Sweden = death, Finland
= dark, gothic. Not any more! Synestesia are from the west
coast of Finland, but they play what I used to describe as
Swedish death metal, albeit with lyrics in Finnish. Which led
to my first misunderstanding with this album – I was mildly
irritated that the title Feeniks, was misspelt, in much the
same way as most (text) communications from my son are… I did,
eventually, get round to checking and discovered that this is
the correct way to spell “phoenix”. If you’re Finnish, that
is.
Having cleared that up, I could settle down to enjoy the
music. This is a young band |
(activity was forcibly suspended whilst band members completed
their military service) who are now producing their debut
album, after the usual few forays into demos and
self-releases. As you might expect, it’s a very polished,
perfectly-produced affair, which, whilst it doesn’t always
break new ground (but does that really matter? How much virgin
territory is there left that could still be described as
metal?) is nonetheless an extremely enjoyable aural
experience. In particular, Kalle Aaltonen has the ability to
make his guitar both sing and shred (calling to mind both
Alexi Laiho and Mikael Åkerfeldt) and Eero Kuusisto performs
great distorted vocals. There’s even a hint of (wordless)
female vocal which is the perfect foil for the brutality of
Eero’s growls.
There’s enough here to be slightly out of the ordinary as well
– sixth track “Merituuli” is a lovely little instrumental,
featuring that well-known metal instrument, the cello – but it
all fits together very nicely, without that awful feeling of
some ghastly experiment which has got out of control. In
summary, then, this is a very accomplished release from a band
that are well worth looking out for in future. Meantime, I’m
off to (legally) download their first couple of offerings from
their myspace page….
www.synestesia.net |
www.kampas.fi |
| |
|
The Burning - Rewakening
(Massacre Records) Review by Marco Gaminara |
 |
The cool thing about listening to a band you've never heard of
before, is finding out that they're really good, but the
coolest thing is finding out that you actually really enjoy
their stuff. Such is the case with The Burning. This Danish
quartet reminds me a hell of a lot of Facedown in their
brashness and no mucking about approach to song writing.
Johnny Haven's vocals are gruff raspy shouts interspersed with
the odd growl for good measure. There’s no twin guitar attack,
therefore Rasmus Vinding has so much more to do on his guitar
to keep things heavy, but that's definitely aided by Thue
Moeller, and can you really go wrong with an ST fan playing
bass? |
Toby Hoest throws in all manner of intricate drum fills while
seriously pounding the shit out of them. Simple guitar squeals
and growls are the intro to "It Came From The North", but the
fury it's played with, is far from simple, and is even
intensified on "Cloven Hoof". I really enjoyed the choppy
changes in "Carnivora", with its catchy chorus. There's a
video for "Eight Legged Omen" on their website, and it adds a
visual element to the song, well duh, and shows how well these
guys work together with their syncopated beats and quick
changes. "Repentance (Burned At The Stake)" is just as fast,
if not faster. While there are bits where the vocals are a
little whiney on "He Who Whispers In The Back Of Us All", they
are used with great effect and contrast to the resonating
growls. Owing to the fact that I love the title, I have to
mention "Evangelical Cannibal", if for no other reason. Title
track "Rewakening" has things start a little slower and
reminds me of something, but I just can't remember what it is,
so I just have a nagging feeling in the back of my head for
its duration. Final track "My Apostasy" follows in a similar
vein, and while not frantic, has a heavier feel to it, and is
full of sustains and false harmonics to give it plenty of
squealing guitars. Good stuff, and if you enjoy simple
straight forward metal without too many digressions or frills,
then you'll love this.
www.theburning.dk |
www.Massacre-Records.com |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
