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Darzamat - Solfernus’
Path (Massacre Records) Review by Steve Earles |
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Maybe it’s the decades spent under communist oppression
but there’s a terrific sincerity from Polish metal bands, a
grit and determination, nay, an appreciation that spoilt
fans and bands in West don’t have. It’s this lack of a sense
of entitlement that makes them try so much harder and to
great effect, as this is a fantastic album.
Darzamat describe themselves as gothic/symphonic metal.
Certainly female vocalist Nera has a beautiful powerful
voice, soaring to the heavens but the harsh vocals of male
shouter Faluros bring things back down to the level of Hell,
a nice juxtaposition I feel. Opening track False Sleepwalker
comes on like the bastard offspring of Dimmu Borgir’s
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of the Great Apocalypse…yes, Darzamat ’s standards are that
high. Vote for Heresy is seriously heavy, really when you
think of gothic you don’t tend to think of such fury, and in
such a catchy format, Nera’s repetitive refrain of the
chorus carves into your brain and there is a killer solo
from guitarist Chris. The production by King Diamond legend
Andy LaRocque is outstanding, and gives Darzamat a
terrific edge. Best listened to as a body of work as it
constitutes a concept album, nonetheless all the full songs
stand up well on their own, particularly Lunar Silhouette,
Chimera and the title track. A stunning album from a band
that deserves a much wider audience.
www.myspace.com/darzamat |
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Destruction - The Curse Of The Antichrist -
Live In Agony (AFM)
Review by Steve Green |
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I don't know why I never really got into Destruction. I had 1989's Live
Without Sense live album (on cassette), which I really enjoyed at the
time, but I never explored the bands output after that. Over the years
I've heard the odd song or two, mainly on the Metalmania dvd's and have
really enjoyed what I've heard, but I've still not bought any of the
bands back catalogue. So here's my chance of redemption. A 22 track
double live album, with 25 years of Thrash history to explore.
It took me a couple of songs to find my feet with this album. I've not
listened to the band properly in about 15 or more years and I've not
really kept up-to-date with Thrash over
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the years, but boy, does this album kick fucking ass. Be it
the old school greatness of Mad Butcher or Beastial Invasion, or newer
classics such as D.E.V.O.L.U.T.I.O.N. and Thrash 'Til Death, it's time for some serious
dandruff action. And I will have to find a place in my collection for
Destruction, despite my lack of Thrash action the past 20 or so years.
And the Thrash genre as whole will once again be on my playlist after a
very long time in the wilderness.
www.destruction.de |
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Echoes of Eternity - As
Shadows Burn (Massacre Records) Review By
Steve Earles |
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For their follow up to their debut LP The Forgotten Goddess,
Echoes of Eternity have moved from Nuclear Blast to Massacre
Records. The resulting album As Shadows Burn is a fine
progression from its predecessor. Francine Bouchier is
blessed with a voice equal to her looks, so it’s
considerably impressive! But this is very much a band
effort. Kirk Carrison is a fine drummer, well matched by
bassist Duane Cowan, while Brandon Patton is an accomplished
guitarist who always serves the song. Standout tracks
include Memories Of Blood And Gold, the moving Buried
Beneath A Thousand Dreams, and The Scarlet Embrace. A fine
progressive metal album.
www.massacre-records.com |
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Guilt Machine - On This Perfect Day
(Mascot)
Review by Steve Green |
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I'm a big fan of Arjen Lucassen, but I think the man needs to do something
completely different, as everything is now starting to sound the same. I
thought the last Ayreon album, 01011001, was very predictable and
although his new project, Guilt Machine only has one main vocalist,
Jasper Steverlinck, it's still obviously the work of Arjen Lucassen.
From the 60s sounding Beatles melodies, to the futuristic nuances and
this could quite easily pass as an Ayreon album, but without the usual
myriad of world class singers. And while some fans may be happy with
that, I was hoping that this project would offer up something a little
different, as he did with Stream of Passion. So as it stands, yes, this
is a very good album
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and Jasper Steverlinck is another great find, but
we've heard this all before, way too many times.
www.myspace.com/guiltmachine |
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Ministry - The Last Dubber
(13th Planet)
Revolting Cocks - Sex-O Mixxx-O (13th Planet) Review by Steve Green |
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How many times can Al Jourgensen sell the same product again, again and
again? This year alone, we've had a Ministry live album, a Ministry live
dvd and a Revolting Cocks album. These 2 remix albums feature the whole
of the Revolting Cocks Sex-O Olympic-O, remixed as Sex-O Mixxx-O,
obviously, and the Ministry remix album, which is a new take on 2007's
The Last Sucker. Maybe Al is looking for a little retirement fund?
I have to say The Last Dubber doesn't do it for me at all, while Sex-O
Mixxx-O begins with a (Tweaker Mix) version of HookerBot3000 which isn't
a patch on the original and that's a bit of a fucker as it's my
favourite song on the album. At least the (I'm So Gay Mix) of I'm Not
Gay lives up to its name and is very gay indeed.
The bottom line is that neither album is as good as their original
version, so what's the point?
www.thirteenthplanet.com |
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Mistur - Attende
(Einheit Produktionen) Review by Crin |
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Black Folk Viking Metal is the phrase that does not justify
the music here. Symphonic Black Metal is more to the point.
The Norwegian scene at present offers some stunning bands.
There are the icy creative brilliance of Koldbraan, Sarkom,
Abomino Aetas, and Kaosritual. Then we get the more melodic
neck ripping of Pantheon I, Krypt, as well as the more
established bands that need no introductions. Then we get
the less awe-inspiring but nonetheless reliable bands like
Posthum, Orcustus, Gravdal, [well, the list is pretty
extensive] So where do Mistur fit in the teeming Norwegian
scene at present?
Here we have a band formed in 2003 from various members of
Sigtyr, Windir and |
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Mykgrav. The sound is, from the start, worshiping Emperor's
Nightside Eclipse in tone and atmosphere. But this isn’t a
carbon copy of Emperor as Mistur have a certain spark that
ignites this album into their own agenda. Attende, is an
album layered wonderfully rich keyboard arrangements and
form the very first track, Slaget, we are taken on a
meandering journey through thick strident guitar strums,
shimmering Taake style guitar jams and piano sections that
create pockets of ambience throughout this release. The
following, Svartsyn, is an eight minute reminder of just how
majestic and viciously tempered early Emperor was and how
that classic sound can be reinvented here. There are no
instantly genre defining tracks like the mighty, Blashyrkh
(Mighty Ravendark), Mother North, I am the Black Wizards, or
Funeral Fog. But of all the tracks here, the finest has to
be the catchy Skuld. It still follows the albums basic guitar/
keyboard flow and yet is endowed with a great hook and
rhythmic keyboard arrangement. The vocals are familiar
Nordic snarls and although music here is still very much
full of bite and aggression, it is all wrapped in that
symphonic beauty that takes away the jagged edges and
creates a gleaning musical shine. There is a reworked
version of "Skoddefjellet" originally found on the 2005
demo of the same name. The album ends with the thirteen
minute, Attende, and it is just a recap on all that has
appeared previously. Mistur are the type of band that will
keep the Norwegian Black Metal scene alive in this modern
age.
www.einheit-produktionen.de |
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Nightmare - Insurrection (AFM)
Review by Steve Green |
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I've not listened to French Metallers Nightmare for a fair few years now.
I've no doubt someone will correct me on this, but I'm sure they used to
a bit more symphonic in nature, and their Silent Room album from 2003
was more in the vein of Therion, while this album, reminds me more of
Grave Digger in places, as well as a more traditional Power Metal
direction. And with this "new" direction - well it's new to these ears
at least, the band have become somewhat faceless. This could easily be
one of a number of bands plying this stale style of Metal and
ultimately, this is going to end up the pile labelled, "never to be
played again". In a word, bland.
www.nightmare-metal.com |
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