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Alestorm - Black Sails At Midnight
(Napalm Records) Review by Steve Green |
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I'm having so much fun with the Napalm releases of late. Following a
no-show on one recent album, I'm faced with another as landlubber
Nathan, who, being a supposedly big Alestorm fan, simply couldn't get
into the new album by Scotland's infamous pirate Metallers. So I've had
to step into the breach once again to hoist the mainsail and come to the
rescue... and I'm the one who hated them live last month!!!!
It has to be said that Alestorm a lot more fun on cd than they are in
the flesh. Mainly because you cannot see the band, as they don't
particularly look rugged enough to cause any real trouble on the high
seas, especially the rather slim (I refrained from using the term
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weedy... almost) frontman Christopher Bowes. So thanks to the joys of
the modern studio, Black Sails At Midnight is a catchy pirate themed
slice of Power Metal, which is a lot of fun for a song or two, before
you get the general idea and as with Turisas, the joke begins to wear a
bit thin after a while.
Best of the bunch is Keelhauled which encapsulates perfectly, what
Alestorm are all about. Unfortunately, there's not enough songs of this
calibre, with only the instrumental No Quarter and the album closer
Wolves of the Sea ticking all the boxes for me. One for the younger
generation methinks.
www.myspace.com/alestorm
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Ancient Ascendant - The Heathen Throne
(Self Released) review
by Sam Thomas |
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Every now and then I get a self-released album that comes
along with some very classy packaging, which generally means
that it’s from a band who are doing everything they can to
promote their product (and yes, like it or not, music is a
product) to the best of their ability. “The Heathen Throne”
definitely fell into this category – nice artwork, properly
pressed CD, extensive info about the band – it was so far,
so good.
Ancient Ascendant are from Reading and London – another plus
point, I used to live near Reading – so I was quite looking
forward to playing the CD. This is their first release
(apart from a one track promo), but you’d never be able to
tell from the quality of |
everything from the songwriting to
the production. You’d probably never guess that they were
from Reading either – the sound is so firmly Swedish that
it’s quite unbelievable. There are only six tracks, so
there’s not much time wasting, the wares are on display from
the first explosion of sound. This is proper death metal,
very much in the style of Opeth at their peak (ie Blackwater
Park), minus the clean vocals. The guitar is technical
perfection, and carries the melody with the ease that comes
from long practice and a good helping of talent in the first
place. The opening track, “Clawing the Mark” in particular
wouldn’t be out of place following “The Drapery Falls”,
which is probably my favourite piece of music of all time.
So, do I rate “Ancient Ascendant”? They’re not bad. OK,
actually they are amazing. Technical precision and
perfection simply oozing with every note of this incredible
release. If I say that it’s a superb debut album, that
doesn’t do it justice. This would be a superb album, whoever
released it. It flows, carrying you along in a torrent of
perfection towards an all too quick ending.
The band are currently writing a full-length album, and
looking for a label. If ability was any guarantee in the
music industry, they’d already have found one. Catch them
now, and there’s a chance that in a few years you could be
saying, very smugly, “Of course, I bought their debut album
when it first came out”.
www.ancientascendant.com |
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Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound - When Sweet Sleep Returned
(Teepee) Review by Metal Mark |
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I don't know what the people at Teepee Records have been
doing, but their artists have been on a roll so far in 2009.
The releases from Weird Owl, Black Math Horseman and Quest
For Fire have all been solid or better. Not to be outdone,
the third release from California psychedelic rockers
Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound may even be better than the
three acts above. The influences include Blue Cheer, Neil
Young, Pink Floyd, the Byrds, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple.
I have heard some rumblings about this band not being
original. That's true, but they are fantastic at what they
do. They know how to create massive flowing streams of
fuzzed out tones, but they also know how to interweave and
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in some subtle, yet powerful rock beats as well. The guitar
parts are at times simple, but the genius is in how they
manipulate these simple ideas. There is a lazy groove that
drives many of these songs. Familiar it may be, but they
know how to lay on the textures and harmonies. They have a
great sense of pacing and that allows them to really mix the
influences and styles, but they never overstay their
welcome. It didn't take long for this disc to convince me of
its merits. This is a band that us on a slow ride, but there
are enough turns and twists to make it memorable. |
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Axis Powers - Marching Towards Destruction
(Pulverised
Records) Review by
Chris Davison |
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With several members of Sweden’s black/thrash mob Suicidal
Winds in the band, you might well be forgiven for thinking
that Axis Powers are going to sound not unlike the chaotic,
razor sharp fury of that particular outfit. In fact, while
also a fairly loose sounding, pounding extreme metal outfit,
this sits most comfortably, and well and truly within the
well worn tradition of Scandinavian death metal, though in
this case with a palpable punk-edge.
With a real sense of urgency, Axis Powers really do emulate
their namesakes, though in the 1939-1941 era, rather than
the less successful later years. Of course, war obsessed
death metal has been done before (most notably with Bolt
Thrower), and World War 2-centric |
death metal has also produced some stunning outfits (Hail of
Bullets, take a stand), but in all honesty I don’t think it
has ever sounded so gnarled, aggressive and in your face.
The spiky bass sound, combined with the buzzsaw guitar riffing all equals
one thing: the sensation of a jack boot doing the goose-step
all over your poor, defenceless head. Tracks like the
merciless “War of Attrition” do exactly what they say on the
tin, while stomping, swaggering songs like “Slowly To Decay”
show all the confidence, self belief and accomplishments of
the band. The urgency of the punked up bass work propels
this along at a breakneck pace, seeming truly spontaneous –
even on repeated listens, which is no mean feat.
A full on, beefy production, superb song writing and vocals
so insanely death metal that they may well have been the
product of some kind of industrial wood press / genital
interface all combine to ensure that this is an extreme
album of unrelenting savagery. In reality, the Axis Powers
may well have lost, but with this martial battering, they
may well have their revenge…
www.myspace.com/axispowersdeathmetal |
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Bibleblack - The Black Swan Epilogue
(Vic Records) Review by
James Young |
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King Diamond and Mercyful Fate’s axeman Mike Wead has been
busy putting together Bibleblack, a strange hybrid of all
things dark and heavy, and it certainly contains some
serious riffing. ‘Leaving Shangri-La’ and ‘I Am Legion’
contain some big riffs and technical hooks, which yield some
mighty power, especially when set against a monstrously
biting production. Where this album compromises its sound a
little is in the less-than-interesting digressions into
mediocre melodic death metal / metalcore, with At The Gates
coming through every so often in two-dimensional drumming
and guitar leads, which the band are well above the level
of. Fortunately the wishy-washy metalcore does not last for
long - the |
industrial-tinged ‘Bleed’ is probably the worst culprit and
it still sounds better than Lamb Of God at their best. It
also happens to be in ’Mourning Becomes Me’, which just
happens to be one of the most enjoyable songs on the album,
so it can’t really be that bad, can it?
The positives of this album are far more numerous than the
microscopic holes one may be able to pick in it. As it has
already been said, the guitar work is impeccable, and
‘Mourning Becomes Me’ has a wonderful framework, especially
in the bridge between the verse and chorus. The same
brilliance can be heard in ‘The Dark Engine’, which has a
Dimmu Borgir-like magisterial quality to it, enhanced
tenfold by the outrageously over-the-top synths and
keyboards, which help widen the sound considerably. Kacper
Rozanski is a very powerful vocalist when he isn’t trying
too hard to sound too ‘core’, and his Shagrath-like howl is
a joy to listen to.
This album isn’t perfect, but it has some great technical
flourishes and guitar wizardry which shine in this kind of
genre. Bolstered by bold production, this album should
appeal to Dimmu fans and Mercyful Fate fans alike, who are
united by their love of cheesy evilness.
www.bibleblack.se |
www.myspace.com/bibleblackofficial |
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Cadaveres - Evilution / Devils Dozen (DVD)
(Edge Records) Review by
Chris Davison |
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Confession time: I've never heard of Cadaveres. As it turns
out, they're a Hungarian crew who appear to be hitting the
big time in mainland Europe. Always happy to review hitherto
unheard stuff, I set upon listening to this bunch with a
gusto. It's not often that I receive such a large amount of
music to review in the one package, but this sweet little
deal came not only with the full length album, but also an
accompanying DVD.
As it turns out, Cadaveres are a particularly modern take on
the metal sound, being the kind of band that I would expect
to hear on Roadrunner. With a semi-tribal take on the post-nu
metal sound, they have their own particular noise, which
helps mark them out from the veritable legion of "me too"
down-tuned hipsters that followed in the wake of Slipknot
and chums. Cadaveres employ two drummers, to great effect,
as it goes, who drive the jungle rhythms and add that little
extra spice to the pot. The guitars are part-Devildriver,
part-Biohazard, being rooted in the palm muted riff and big
chug, produced to sound full bodied and meaty, the bass
driving the mid-tempo pacing of the music. The vocals are
tuneful, clearly sung and accompanied by screaming for
effect. While it's true to say that this kind of
ultra-modern, relatively simple heavy metal isn't really my
thing, I can at least hear that they are better than many of
their peers. The mainstream metal press might be |
endlessly fellating the likes of Machine Head, (although for the life
of me I can't really see why), when they should by rights be
pushing quality products like this.
The DVD is a nice little accompanying piece. The live
footage is nicely shot in an intimate club, with great
editing and a nice alternative to a metal show being shot in
Krakow! The most interesting parts though are the talking
heads sections with the band, and the warts-and-all footage
of the boys living life on the road. Driving most of the day
to reach obscure little clubs, sit with your mouth agape as
they...eat cold beans out of a can, sleep in basic sleeping
bags on grass verges and drinking in the kitchen of fans.
This isn't a glamorous life, and it's all the more candid
for seeing the passion and the lack of material success that
has greeted them. One thing's for sure, Cadaveres aren't in
it for the Rolls Royce, Champagne lifestyle or hookers.
Maybe they're all around the corner?
www.myspace.com/cadaveres
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Hanging Doll - Reason And Madness
(Once Bitten) Review by Steve Green |
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I feel a long one coming on, so best you make yourself comfortable. When
it comes to female fronted bands of the Gothic variety, the UK are poor
relations compared to practically anywhere in the world. The
Scandinavians, the Dutch, the Italians and even the US, piss all over
us. We've come close to having a band good enough to take on the world
once or twice before, with the last band I thought (potentially) good enough, Seasons
End, have seemingly imploded on themselves with a long period of
inactivity.
Now, even before hearing a note on this album, my expectations were high
as I'm a big fan of Sally Holliday's voice, who I discovered via her
work with No Love Lost. And |
thankfully, this album was everything I could have hoped for
and more. As a guide, this is Gothic Metal, with female
vocals and dark orchestration, but there's so much more to
discover that a generalisation simply isn't good enough.
After the gentle piano intro of the title track, Blood
Ridden Skies greets you with Eastern flavours and a melody
line that the early incarnation of Lacuna Coil would have
been proud of. Actually, this track, plus Silence In
Solitude (which reminds me of Hanoi Rocks' Million Miles
Away) and track 9, Iniquity, are the only songs that are
comparable to anyone else, as thankfully, Hanging Doll do
possess a decent amount of originality in their sound. This
is helped no end by Sally's performance as she changes from
Soprano to a more rockier sound with ease, and the addition
of strings (Violin, Viola and Cello) change the dynamics
even more, as do the sensible use of male vocals, both clean
and growled, and Aryan Amoli's superb keyboards.
Of the 10 songs on offer, excluding the intro, I'd say 8 of them are
world beaters, with the 10 minute closing number, Silence In Solitude,
being a bit of a letdown as it isn't as epic as it should be. But when
you have the gloriously grandiose, A Formidable Mistake, the impossibly
beautiful, Forlorn and the albums strongest number, Iniquity, to contend
with, any criticisms are kept to an absolute minimum. Going back to
Iniquity, this is the number that, for me, elevates Hanging Doll to a
level where they could genuinely take on their European cousins.
Comparisons with Epica, and to a lesser degree, but equally as
important, with Within Temptation are unavoidable, mainly to the songs
wonderfully symphonic heart. Sally's performance on this song is one of
the best I've ever heard, particularly when she goes into Soprano
overdrive and it is a shame that it isn't the song that ends the album
as it really is a stunning piece of work.
Without wishing to upset the bands current record label, Hanging Doll
deserve to be with someone like Nuclear Blast or Napalm Records, a label
that will make the band tour their asses off, because if this band don't
make an impression on the international stage then I doubt that this
country will ever produce a band to rival the likes of Epica and
Nightwish. An utterly essential album for all lovers of darkness and
beauty.
www.myspace.com/hangingdoll
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Impiety (Sgp) - Terroreign
(Apocalyptic Armageddon Command) Review by Crin |
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Like a bleeding wound, this exquisite Asian release will cum
over ya face in stinking blobs of excruciating aural
fragmentation. If being defecated on by a vicar with rectal
cancer is your idea of heaven then Singapore’s mighty
Impiety is the musical equivalent. Here we have album number
seven and it is more of the same old school Slayer like
frenzied Black-Death vomit fest this band are renowned for.
The sound here is more dirty than a slut sucking off an
Alsatian whilst being pummelled up the arse by a Great Dane.
The rabid aural Black thrashing madness is more twisted than
a mental retard with a fetish for ejaculating over road
kill. [oh fucking hell!!,. this is rip saw riff after riff,
neck snapping |
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brutality….] Again, Slayers epileptic guitar turmoil is very
evident here and the snares snap at velocity exceeding a
machine guns round per minute quota. [it's like being force
fed drawing pins and anus pus] This is epic extreme metal
that really does push the barriers of explosive Black Metal
to the limit. Violent and totally over the top, yet played
so well it really does sound fantastic. Tracks like Atomic
Angel Assault, As Judea Burns, and Bestial to the Bone, will
hammer you to submission and strip your skin off ya back. Tight, awesomely solid, and made from
the very foreskin Christ never had. Brilliant. |
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Inevitable End - The Severed Inception
(Relapse Records)
By: Dave Schalek |
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Inevitable End are a Swedish quartet playing an organic mix
of grindcore, reasonably technical death metal, and a vague
hint of deathcore that, thankfully, never ends up resorting
to tricks associated with “wigger slam”, as deathcore is
derisively being called these days. “The Severed Inception”
is the nine song debut full-length from Inevitable End, and
is released on Relapse Records.
Inevitable End are quite good at flattening the listener
along with adding a considerable amount of variation to
their assault. The musical base is an all out blast of
Swedish grindcore that definitely has an organic quality
rather than sounding machined and precise. |
Add to that base different layers of mildly technical death
metal in the vein of Origin, a few minor moments of melody,
and a few shrieks and the odd breakdown or two that do
garner comparisons to deathcore (thankfully, these elements are minor, however).
In addition, the songwriting is quite good with a whirlwind
of interesting riffs that fill the songs. Truly what makes
the album work, however, is the enormous production that
just bowls over the listener with a huge emphasis upon the
guitar and drums. Of particular note is the bludgeoning
assault delivered by drummer Joakim Malmborg. In essence,
“The Severed Inception” is an excellent album.
However, those of you with a certain amount of standards
with regards to ideological matters should note that the
various members of Inevitable End have served time in the
past with bands with pro-Christian lyrical themes, including
connections to “un-Black” metal acts. If this sort of thing
bothers you (admittedly, it does for me), then you may
choose to look elsewhere. Those of you that don’t really
give a shit, though, will find much to like on “The Severed
Inception”.
www.myspace.com/inevitableend
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