REVIEW: STIGMA ''Concerto for the Undead''

TRACKLIST:

1. ''Chop his head off!''

2. ''Prove You are a Man!''

3. ''And they died happily ever after!''

4. ''A Monstruous Feeling''

5.  ''The Undertaker''

6. ''What About a Terror Ride''

7. ''3000 Years and Still Keeping it Real''

8. ''A Grave Situation''

9. ''Beat me Maestro,Eight to the Dead!''

10. ''Doctor Skeleton''

Right out of the gate,I'm gonna say that the very first thing I've noticed about STIGMA is the striking resemblance to the ARSIS sound.It is undeniable that these musicians have been attending the James Malone school of thought when closely observing the classical influence on the riffs,and the perfect blend of technicality,melody,and brutality forging the core of this very thrilling songwriting.

I would say that this album as a whole is very accessible to the Hot Topic masses,but it is also an offering that will impress the purists in the sense that the absolutely atomic chemistry between the musicians turns the music into such a breath-taking mosaic of advanced-level technical ideas it will simply fucking crush 'em to dust and show 'em how it's done in the adults' playground.I know for a fact that this kept me on the edge of my seat during quite a number of tracks,especially ''And They Died Happily Ever After!'',and ''3000 Years and Still Keeping it Real'',which are dizzying mazes of complexity within a heck of a rush of brutality that took over my senses and I feel those symptoms aren't going to leave me anytime soon.

That being said,the technical/classical voice of the spirit of this impressive entity is muted on quite a handful of tracks that I would qualify as very weak and quite blatantly filler.Said tracks,especially ''The Undertaker'' and ''What about a Terror Ride'',seem quite fatigued in terms of creativity.The patterns of these tracks inevitably fall into the easy-to-consume deathcore mold,with piss-poor main riffs,and very basic and watered down breakdown-verse-chorus-breakdown bullshit that quite laughably fails to punch me in the guts.I'm not saying these aren't listenable,only that they don't seem to fit within this fucking delectable rush of an album.I have a feeling it's most definitely half-assed material.All that retained my attention during these particular tracks is the very Richard Christy progressive drumwork that definitely kept the punchiness factor through the roof for all this time.

Overall,I can safely say that this disc is a heck of a big ass smoking gun.The skillful musicianship that's clearly rooted in the most complex style of music ever invented that is classical,the raspy and fucking insistant vocal delivery that definitely knew to impress me for the entire lenght of the journey,and the absolutely out-of-this-world progression/nuances and knife-sharp precision of the ensemble of most of the tracks are elements that kicked my ass across the room big time.

I want more of this.Now.

RATING: 8/10

-Noch 

                                                                                               

REVIEW: DOOMDOGS ''s/t''

TRACKLIST:

1.''Fight the Greed''
2.''Dogs of Doom''
3.''Calling''
4.''I'm Sure''
5.''The Game''
6.''Shout''

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Fight the Greed'' Extremely Sabbath-y and groovy stoner doom cut with a heck of an effective catchiness that makes you want to crank it 'til something blows up.Most definitely a nice way to kick shit off the ground.The lenght of the track is justified,since while those riffs aren't exactly the most original I've ever heard,they're very efficient in their simplicity and remind me of the greatness of those oldschool bands from the 70s who simply had that magical knack for ideas that just plain WORK.This doesn't ever get tiring to hear nor generic.

2. ''Dogs of Doom''

This one track,sounding like more of a radio-friendly hit than an actual bone-crusher from the dephts of the catacombs of Paris,does much less for me.The repetitiveness of the riffs in their slightly alternative and more-or-less heavy fashion makes the song seem longer than it truly is,to these ears.I've never been a fan of this type of danceable ''doom'' so I suppose my take on it is highly subjective.When it comes to the catchiness,it probably manages to score a few points with the fans of more accessible hippie rock,but for the true doom metal addict,this is a bit of a letdown.

3. ''Calling''

Here we have the very best example of a track that has absolutely every element to beat your ass into a crisp,but turns into nothing else than a poor bitch slap as its lenght progresses to an absurdly endless stretch.We have the smokin' riffs,the absolutely delightful heaviness,the pretty freakin' sweet bluesy leads (that come into the picture far too late,may I add) and the soaring vocals of a particularly wild vocalist.I have to say though,trim this thing up.It becomes an irritatingly pedestrian affair after the first six minutes,guys.Sticking to the same beat and putting the riffs on loop mode without any sort of surprise thrown within the mix when the tune is nine minutes long,that ruins the experience and turns it into a painfully dull and tired offering.A shorter version of this song would've been an absolutely killer deal.The extended version puts the track to shame.

4. ''I'm Sure''

I'll start by saying that the main riff that we have here is pure genius,making the track a very catchy affair while remaining heavy and authentically doomy.For once I do feel like the lenght doesn't reach a point of excess,as the purely rock and roll spirit of the tune charges on without any single letdown moment,any single turn-off along the way.The leads are acceptable,but barely impressive.The rhythm section holds its own though,making this tune an instant stoner doom classic.It does sound very accessible,but also will have an irresistable sex-appeal to the purists.Try not nodding your head along to this puncher of a track,you'll have a heck of a hard time.

5. ''The Game''

Hooks galore!This is the type of tune I've been waiting for since the first track ended.It incorporates incredibly satisfying creative ideas all along,and the audacity of the nuances does rock up the damn house comparatively to the linear fashion of say,track three.It is catchy,progressive,bluesy,macabre,and is almost what I would call a full-blown cross between Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath,with a bit of a Motorhead kick.Absolutely delightful.

6. ''Shout''

The first three minutes are an immediate skipper.From the megaphone vocals and their painfully repetitive and unconvincing lyrics right down to the absolutely awkward cacophony in the background really does a heck of a lot to make you wonder if this is a joke song.It eventually turns into more of a jazzy deal (after THREE minutes of this crap) that soon morphs into a bass solo that is brilliant for the first two minutes but ends up being painfully uncreative when it stretches out to nine-minutes,the last moments of the song being nothing but a loop of the last bass line and someone sliding a pen on the neck of a guitar plugged into a lame-ish overdrive amp channel.

RATING: 5.5/10 This band certainly has the peanuts to bring relevance to the table.They have extremely powerful ideas for their rhythm section in every song,but I must say that the leads need a lot of working on.These ideas for the solos need to be fleshed out into something much more elaborate to really be useful within these songs.Lastly,I must underline the fact that if you're gonna throw in a bunch of nine-minute tracks on an album,you have to make ABSOLUTELY sure that you avoid putting the first three minutes on repeat,or you might make someone go away from the listening session out of desperate boredom.When you have a talent for hooks,exploit it at all times,don't be sloppy for a ten minutes that might completely butcher the ensemble of the listening experience.

-Noch

REVIEW: UNLEASHED - ''As Yggdrasil Trembles''

TRACKLIST:

1.''Courage Today,Victory Tomorrow!''
2.''So It Begins...''
3.''As Yggdrasil Trembles''
4.''Wir Kapitulieren Niemals''
5.''This Time we Fight''
6.''Master of the Ancient Art''
7.''Chief Einherjar''
8.''Return Fire''
9.''Far Beyond Hell''
10.''Dead to Me''
11.''Yahweh and the Chosen Ones'' 12.''Cannibalistic Epidemic Continues''

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Courage Today,Victory Tomorrow!''

I approach this album while being fully conscious that these guys really aren't your typical death metal band.Each of their offerings are a nice eclectic brew of sub-genres,and the emphasis on the melody takes the front of the stage,rather than being buried within a maze of blastbeats and the typically razor-sharp,wall-to-wall guitars you would expect from a death metal offering.Keeping in mind that this is the introductory track,I can safely say that it is a sweet melodic thrasher that does set the mood for the carnage to come.It gets your head nodding,while not exactly pushing you over the edge.Nifty little intro to an album I hope will know to impress me.

2. ''So it Begins...''

I am immediately reminded of Amon Amarth's absolutely mind-numbing skill at choosing a main riff when headbanging along to this smoker of a track.The attack we have here is of a purely swedish viking metal fashion,with incredibly spot-on blastbeating,impressively elaborate leads,and nothing short of an absolutely epic driving melody.I have nothing negative to say about where I'm being taken with this,and I am extremely enthusiastic about what's coming.

3. ''As Yggdrasil Trembles''

Certainly the most fucking grandly epic and face-meltingly kickass tune I've ever heard coming from these guys.Since their last album ''Hammer Battalion'',their sound has most definitely matured and the band's knack at creating a spectacular ambiance and integrating absolutely gigantic hooks into their songwriting is much more present than ever,and cuts like this are bound to remain on your mind through the years,the very same way Amon Amarth has managed to conquer the hearts of all fans of the sub-genre with their most classic albums.Absolutely unforgettable.

4. ''Wir Kapitulieren Niemals''

This not being the most mind-blowing follow-up to the blinding quality of the third track,it is still a nice little slab of melodic metal delivered with such precision you can hardly refuse to crank it up and appreciate the harmonious little keys emphasyzing the swaying little choreography of the guitars.I must admit I find it more or less fitting to hear Dimmu Borgir type-riffage within the Unleashed enveloppe,and this makes the track seem much less vicious and kind of makes me grin a little.I can hardly call a track like this one death metal to the bone,since it does sound much more symphonic and progressive than each of the other cuts present on the disc,but it still is an enjoyable and amusing little interlude that will most probably be followed by something slightly more straightforward.

5. ''This Time we Fight''

A very quick and razor-sharp delivery that does work wonders,even though it is far from displaying quite as much originality than the previous tracks.It is pretty much your classic swedish death metal war song,with less emphasis on the ambiance,much more focus on charging straight through,throwing you out of the way with its somehow thrashy riffage that does fit beautifully within this viking-esque ensemble,bringing to the forefront the signature Unleashed sound.

6. ''Master of the Ancient Art''

Score.I never expected to hear a stoner doom influence within a viking death metal context my whole life,and Unleashed totally managed to give me this happiness.The dirty guitar sound immediately got me hooked,and the absolute genius in the catchiness of the entirety of the song is undeniable.We obviously still hear the primal,galloping swedish death metal entity of the band within the choruses,but this is a passing ghost within the very doom-ish,Sabbath-y feel of this rockin' cut.Very surprising and satisfying to these doom metal fan's ears.

7. ''Chief Einherjar''

Absolutely massive guitars grab you by the throat and suck you into a wall-to-wall and vicious fuckin' world of perfectly spot-on serpentine and melodious leads supported by this same dirty-and-sexy rythm section being a brilliant foundation for everything else to lay on,adding considerable depht to the root of the sound.This is an incredibly well-crafted shitkicker.

8. ''Return Fire''

Impressive drumwork drives the punches for this face-melter.Another very efficient war-tune going straight for its aim without any sort of slowdown or distraction.The guitar work displayed here doesn't go for a melodious angle,but rather provides a steel-solid foundation for the drum to crash on as it fucking drops tons of bricks on your head,never giving you a single second to breathe,making your head fuckin' spin the way any fan of this style of music craves for it.

9. ''Far Beyond Hell''

Another very Amon Amarth-ian pace defines this track which isn't exactly the most impressive on the whole album,but does hold its own as it thrashes forward without any signs of weakness.I think the main letdown here is the obvious patterned fashion of the track,and a bit of a lame-ish chorus that does have some nice fleeting little melodic guitarwork but fails to hit home when it comes to the instant efficiency this band is capable of.

10. ''Dead to Me''

More of a nuanced,progressive stabber,with yet again some very addictively violent drumwork,and venomous,soaring leads that erupt into full fuckin' madness all through the track.I raise my horns very high to the lead guitarist who definitely is on fire all through this tune,elevating it far above orgasm-level.I would say this song has more of an obvious hate and darkness to it than the previous cuts,with the vocalist's harsh delivery and the very straight-forward lyrical approach atop of the dizzying chemical reaction within the musicianship.

11. ''Yahweh and the Chosen Ones''

Another nice charger I have nothing additionnal to say about.It doesn't leave the main swedish death metal mold in any shape or form which is a bit upsetting considering the melodic chops at work within the body of this band,but it doesn't let me down when it comes to precision,and knowing how to keep my attention.It's a heck of a headbanger,with yet again amazing leadwork within,but it doesn't top what this band can do when they're being more audacious with the riffage.

12. ''Cannibalistic Epidemic Continues'' When it comes to originality,and theatrical ambiance,this cut smokes.When it comes to spectacular riffage,it misses.I must admit that the war drums,and the filthy vocals,and the macabre aura around this song definitely brings it upwards on the quality-meter,but I've spent better moments with the technical songwriting of the beginning of the album.

RATING: 7.5/10 Everything I could possibly say about this disc has been summed up within the review.I can safely say that Unleashed has strongly matured as a band when it comes to ambiance,melodies,and the technical progressivity of a track.The chemistry between the band-members is brought to the forefront,taking you along for a joyful ride,but dropping you off at about the eighth track to pick you up again for the tenth,with nothing interesting to see but plain land after that one is over.Quite a handful of tracks could've been left out,but I won't pretend I would classify this as pure filler,only that they sound a bit fatigued and uncreative.The first half of the album should get all the praise in the world,though,and rightfully so.

-Noch

REVIEW: EREB ALTOR ''The End''

TRACKLIST:



1.''The Entering_Myrding Prologue''
2.''Myrding''
3.''Our Failure''
4. ''A New but Past Day''
5. ''Vargavinter_The End Part I''
6. ''Balder's Fall_The End Part II''
7. ''The Final War_The End Part III''

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Myrding''

I wouldn't classify Ereb Altor as a doom metal band just yet.The feeling embracing me as the music pours out of the speakers is purely and simply folkish,while retaining a darkness and sacredness that would classify it as pagan folk,with only a ghostly doom presence wrapping it all up.I was pleasantly surprised to consider that for the whole lenght of the track,I was on the edge of my seat.I truly appreciate the depht of the vocalist's emotionnal and extremely powerful singing,making this track hauntingly memorable.I wouldn't say that riffage wise it's the most original piece of work I've ever witnessed,but the music serves more as a background to the singer's heartfelt despair than anything else,and it does make for a good accompaniment.Catchy tune I might find myself spinning a few more times after this listen.

2. ''Our Failure''

Yet again,this tune ain't a smasher when it comes to coming up with original and refreshing riffs,but the doom atmosphere is indeed being brought to the forefront this time,complete with the very obvious nod to Candlemass.The folkish chants are still present in the background,beautifully accompanying the singer who does sound very convincing in his delivery,but fails (no pun intended) to impress me quite as much as he did on the first track.The guitars are slightly heavier here,creating a slight but effective feeling of menace that does suck you in,but the lenght of the track could've been trimmed generously.I don't feel this song has anything truly symbolic to offer.It does kind of miss its aim,since it is very repetitive and gets quite dull at one point.Throwing in a bit more nuances/surprises wouldn't've hurt.

3. ''A new but past Day''

This tune gets mildly interesting (at the very best) five minutes in.I have to say it is very linear,lacks substance,and a hell of a great deal of creativity.From the very first seconds of the song I was under the impression that the riffs I was hearing,I had heard at the beginning of the record.Maybe there was a slight and subtle difference in their construction,but it's barely noticeable to these ears.A very pedestrian,unoriginal,and overly too long folkish little ballad in the woods.It would've been inoffensive if it hadn't been heard (in a much better and much more immersive rendering) in the first track,and if it had more dynamics to it,and more naunces (I feel I'm gonna use that word about a gazillion more times in this review).A conscious effort to throw in more catchiness is being made around the five minute mark,but it's much too late to save this from absolute demise.I'm gonna hand it to the band that the ambiance they are creating DOES work,but the riffage definitely could incorporate more variations and the singer could let himself get considerably more inspired,much like he did so greatly at the beginning of the album.

4. ''Vargavinter_The End Part I''

I found myself pushing the stop button almost a minute before the end of the song.Why?It was painfully and even irritably repetitive.What I feared would happen to this disc did happen.It gets so focused on the idea of telling a story,it forgets to keep on punching through the walls musically.It doesn't even hint at becoming a dynamic song at any point within the whole lenght (which is six minutes;I have to say at one point I had to laugh).The singing is exasperatedly dull,the guitars are sloppy,still going down that same road they took within the very first seconds of the album,never leaving their mold,never showing even a shadow of audacity.This is pretty much the peak of blandness.It can't really get any worse than that when it comes to boredom.I hate to say it,but this track totally ruined the little enthusiasm I had for this disc.

5. ''Balder's Fall_The End Part II''

I had heaps more good moments with this song as it does display more creativity within its patterns.In fact,it is more of a progressive and nuanced journey than a patterned offering,which does exceed my expectations.The heaviness is present,the very Candlemass-y down-tempo moments of spellbound despair are more frequent as they are thrown in between midtempo folk-ish AND catchy little passages.I am still unimpressed about the singing though,as the Lowe screams didn't make any reappearance,and the vocals did become a background to the music on this one.But this is definitely a nice rise from the ashes.I must say the punchiness of the drumwork really did wonders in the midst of this track,also.Thumbs up.

6. ''The Final War_The End Part III''

Yet again,I pushed the stop button before the end of the song.It clocks in at over six minutes in lenght,and for that entire six minutes and beyond,nothing varies.Nothing strays from within the pattern of almost zombified numbness that was seriously starting to beat me down into a sleep.The same pedestrian folk-ish enveloppe of this track waters down the possibilities of much more a heavy offering (which these guys are capable of;only they hold it down).I can't understand why they always have to stick to this dull and soulless main generic riff all the time when they could very well take much more splendid routes when it comes to doom metal epicness.I guess they have their comfort zone,but they might want to explore around it and finally realize their potential is greater than what they want to show.

Rating: 2/10 This album did show some potential with the first two tracks,but soon became quite a sleeper,falling into a mold that put barriers between the band and their chance at charging forward within the panoply of epic routes doom metal can take,coupled with the folk influences that could've added much of a magical feel to the music.I am sorely disappointed.All the tracks really do sound like the piece of a puzzle that has practically nothing but blank pieces.A lot could be done to enhance these songs,but it seems everything's been shot to sunrise and we are left with nothing but a fleeting impression that this is going in some direction,but not quite determined to reach its destination.It started rotting somewhere along the way.

-Noch

REVIEW: KERASPHORUS ''Cloven Hoofs at the Holocaust Dawn''

TRACKLIST:

1.The Abyssal Sanhedrin
2.Aosoth Paradigm
3.Disturb the Forethest Stars
4.Swarm Intelligentsia

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS

1. '' The Abyssal Sanhedrin''

A mid-tempo and strongly immersive Satyricon-type of intro embraces us and takes us into much of a delicious chaos of purely dark and hypnotizing black metal complexity.I rarely come across modern black metal bands that excel in the art of crafting lenghty songs that keep your attention from beginning to end,and what we have here is a prime example of an incredibly spot-on delivery that will pummel your brain into dust from the very first second to the last.Amazing start to quite a promising journey.

2. ''Aosoth Paradigm''

I am quite highly impressed with the technicality and the creativity of the songwriting on display here.This is organized chaos,which not every musician can pretend they know something about.This is a wall-to-wall,mind-blowing,and may I add addictively dizzying descent into the dephts of positively deranged and delectable evil.This song has many hooks and phases,while retaining a very clear pattern which emphasizes the band's talent at writing a solid main riff.The rythmic section is yet again very hypnotic and pleasantly sadistic,while retaining a very obvious sense of melody,never losing aim of the direction it's clearly going in (as opposed to some guitar work I have heard on other black metal works that were quite blatantly directionless,fill-in-the-blanks type-riffage).I must give my kudos the the infatiguable drummer who holds his end of the deal with inhuman ferocity.

3. ''Disturb the Forethest Stars''

What we have here is the peak of Kerasphorus' knife-sharp flair for the most malevolent,vicious and memorable guitar melodies you'll ever want to hear within such a violent cut.The ensemble of this band's craft being primarily defined by technicality and wisely calculated brutality,it is absolutely thrilling to find out that the emphasis on the importance of the melodies is still one of the key elements of the charisma of tracks such as this one.The rythmic section on-display within the chorus is one that will remain etched upon your brain and will keep you throwing this track on Repeat mode for hours,making you feel revitalized.What we have in between these choruses is yet again a perfect slab of technical black metal that will totally take you into a new dimension of your mind.

4. ''Swarm Intelligentsia''

The clever alternance between blindingly intense moments of apeshit violence and the catchy mid-tempo passages automatically makes this one track quite accessible,while remaining absolutely spot-on to the purists.To get more visual,I would call this Anaal Nathrakh meets Satyricon,both influences being blended together into song phases colliding quicker than the speed of light to form a sonic ensemble that repeatedly stabs you in the chest,leaving you begging for more as it comes to an end.

RATING: 9/10 It's been quite a while I haven't heard a novice black metal band come up with an EP that makes such a lasting impression.Each and every track is a no-frills,no-bullshit business that puts on display a stunning talent at technical songwriting.Everything a respectable black metal fan wants to hear is present in very rich doses within every cut.I'm going to come back to this EP a few times a week,since my body now needs its daily fix.

-Noch

REVIEW: ARES KINGDOM ''Incendiary''

TRACKLIST:

1.Incendiary
2.Descent of Man
3.The Destruction of Sennacherib
4.Silent Mortal Flesh (Convergence)
5.Ashen Glory
6.Beasts That Perish
7.Consigned to the Ages
8.Gathering the Eagles
9.Abandon in Place

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Incendiary''

I would say this is an acceptable start for an album.It has most elements a fan of oldschool death-thrash wants to hear; furious rythm sections,raspy vocals,malevolent ambiance.Although,I must underline the fact that the lead guitar work is slightly poor.I have been cringing slightly while listening to what sounds very much like improvized and generic,filler-type soloing.I have been hoping in vain that this would improve as the song progresses,but I came out of this empty-handed.This element alone does ruin the magic for me.You have to be quite the diehard thrash metal fan to move past this and give the rest of the album a chance.

2. ''Descent of Man''

This track gives me the feeling that what we have here is a band that has at least a bit of a clue when it comes to throwing in some (if very few) good hooks into songs,having the listener headbanging along for so little a moment.This is most definitely something I can hand to them.The downside to this is basically that these hooks are thrown into an absolute directionless mess.The beginning of the song is catchy,but soon turns into an absolutely bland and pedestrian affair that stretches out to no end.The hyperactive technical-masturbation the lead-guitarist is throwing into the mix does very little to tame the boredom as it still gives me the feeling that it has been improvized on the spot,only for the sake of responding to the popular demand that the pattern of a song has to include that god-forsaken solo.The ending of the song is somewhat of a return to the catchiness of its beginning,and oddly enough,seems to have more of a structure,more of a direction,more of a relevance.

3. ''The Destruction of Sennacherib''

This being an interlude,I'm not immensely surprised that it won't have enough of a weighing power to convince me that things are getting brighter in the songwriting department.I have to admit that in this case,the wee interlude should have been taken out of the tracklist.Sound effects of a sadistic war are being extremely overused on thrash metal,and folk metal albums.It does very little ( read: nothing at all) to convince anyone that it makes the ensemble of the sound more badass.This time,both the rythmic section and the leads sound absolutely sloppy.It's a wonder no one in the band had any second thoughts about including this stinker on the disc.

4. ''Silent Mortal Flesh (Convergence)''

I would say this is a listenable track.The main riff,although it is quite painfully unoriginal,gets me nodding my head along,even though I'm nowhere near a headbanging frenzy.The main downer is probably that its repetitiveness is watering it down to the point of making you wish the song was shorter.Most of the riffs in the rythm section have been copied and pasted from already existent thrash metal releases,even though I might add that said riffs are probably the most simplistic I have heard in the history of this sub-genre.It is quite a poor tribute to the gods.The lead guitar work at the beginning of the song is laughably useless.I've been quite surprised to find out that midway through the track,it actually does sound like it's been written to add a nice touch to the ensemble of the track,but it doesn't exactly make me hyperventilate with enthusiasm yet.

5. ''Ashen Glory''

I am pleasantly surprised to find out that this band does have some melodious chops to bring to the table.Since the beginning of my journey with this album,this is the first track that distinctively showcases a general direction,complete with an interesting melodious progression.It has a bit of a viking-esque feel,the main riff being a nice and much needed breath of fresh air within the sea of distaste this album has been so far.This is quite the sweet tune,even though it doesn't break bricks at this point.

6. ''Beasts that Perish''

This is yet again a listenable track,even a slightly catchy one.Its lenght certainly wouldn't've suffered a slight trim,being quite a linear offering,but I will cut the band some slack and give them some credit for bringing up a nifty,slightly OWOBH-sounding thrash metal cut that is still a good listen,while not reinventing the wheel by any means.

7. ''Consigned to the Ages''

Another interlude that carries a well-built little melody,and actually serves as better filler than ''The Destruction of Sennacherib'' for bloody sure.

8. ''Gathering the Eagles''

Although this is another clearly organized offering,with even a twang of melodious effort into it,the blandness and excessive lenght of this track most definitely turn me off.It does shy away from having a distinct personnality.It seriously lacks ferocity.Its vagueness does force me to classify this as another very blatant filler.

9. ''Abandon in Place''

Ending the album on a slightly more positive note,I have to say that for once,the lenght of a track on this record is actually pretty close to being justified.This one track has more variations than I thought I could possibly witness within this band's songwriting capacities so far.It is quite a reasonably interesting,if not a bit of a third-tier thrash metal cut.

RATING: 4/10 The second half of this album is most definitely much more of a point of reference to rate this album than the opening half.The major down-points that we have here is the randomness of the leads,and the lack of audacity when it comes to the creative voice of the riffage.I have a feeling that this band is capable of peeling faces off,only I can't help but feel that they need to work on their craft a lot more before they step up with a disc.This is quite a disappointing and faceless effort.

-Noch

REVIEW: STORMWRATH ''Swords of Armageddon''

TRACKLIST:

1.Swords of Armageddon
2.Black Legion
3.Ascend to Hell
4.Militant Messiah
5.Revenge
6.Beyond Trinity
7.Throw the Hammer
8.Ride the Scythe

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS

1. ''Swords of Armageddon''

Upon my very first listen of this album (this being the second time around),I noted quite an interesting blend of styles and influences all through the journey.Stormwrath is primarily a thrash metal band,but since one of its founding members Jose obviously has very eclectic tastes when it comes to metal (knowing him personally,I can assure you this statement is fully verified),each and every track has its phases that are very blatantly reserved to separate sub-genres within the panoply that exist.With this first cut and its absolutely smoking drumwork,we are taken unto a very thrashy assault,with mid-tempo passages that showcase the band's ability of writing an efficient rythmic section (these passages being enjoyable as opposed to being a complete letdown or a ''roadblock'').

2. ''Black Legion''

The first track being a very nifty introduction to the band's sound,this one is most definitely a full-on grasp onto its very roots.As the track begins,I am immediately reminded of ''Diabolus in Musica''-era Slayer.Being a very vocal and fervent fan of said record (while everyone else is making it their duty to stomp all over it),I was immediately hooked.The guitar melodies most definitely reminded me of the most memorable moments of said record,the ones that remained etched upon my brain on the very first listen.One thing I can safely say to those who understimate ''Diabolus in Musica'' is that Stormwrath's take on this sound includes a very strong emphasis on song patterns that alternate between mid-tempo parts and absolute thrash metal fury stacked up with face-melting fucking riffs that will make you go straight back to that Slayer album you thought you hated.This track is going to make you re-discover the efficiency of the menacing down-tempo moments on a metal record.These emphasyze the importance of the rythmic section and also the raw songwriting skills of a musician who NEEDS to have a good sense of which melodies work,and which don't.Based on this alone,''Black Legions'' is the track I'm going to stream on my radio show this very weekend.

3. ''Ascend to Hell''

Wow.Just...wow.This track might be the best thrash metal song I've heard in the past three months.The main-riff yet again screams Slayer influence at the top of its lungs.The blinding skill of the guitar work in this song totally gets my head spinning.This is a slab of pure oldschool thrash goodness,and it doesn't drop the ball for the slightest second.For the entire three minutes of its lenght,it fucking pummels you with outstanding riff idea atop outstanding riff idea.It also has a slight punk edge that all thrash metal diehards know to embrace.

4. ''Militant Messiah''

We are yet again standing face-to-face with an extremely well though-out and well-crafted display of patterned songwriting.I am using the word patterned in a very positive light when it comes to this album.I am going to focus your attention on the incredible creativity in the constant change of pace in the drumwork,and the way it perfectly fleshes out the driving rythmic force of the song,making it sound like a brand new and revitalized riff by the simple way it cooperates with it,as that main rythmic section morphs in a very subtle and progressive fashion (in the mid-tempo passages).This totally impresses me when it comes to the absolutely atomic chemistry between this band's drummer and rythm guitarist.I might also add that some of the riffs in that song seemed like a very interesting tribute to ''Justice'' era Metallica,these riffs being incredibly steel-solid foundations to build upon.

5. ''Revenge''

If you miss ''Reign in Blood''-era Slayer like most of us self-respecting metalheads,this track is the one you might want to visit ahead of the rest of the joypack.It is very much in the same lignée as ''Ascend to Hell'',infused with about a thousand times more malevolent Hanneman-type riffage,and what I would qualify the most amazing vocal performance of the entire deal so far.I can also hear a very subtle twang of hardcore influence within the very few mid-tempo sections of this song.

6. ''Beyond Trinity''

Iron Maiden meets Slayer.Have you ever thought this was actually possible?No,neither have I.This track takes me right across the map of the evergrowing family of metal sub-genres and then back,and then some.It starts out as a nearly accoustic baby,morphs into absolutely fucking sweet Iron Maiden-ish riffage,and,against all odds,becomes the meanest thrash metal beast you could possibly imagine,displaying the most vicious and skillful lead-guitar work since the beginning of the disc,fading into Iron Maiden goodness I'll never get tired of,to end with the very same accoustic-type feeling of the beginning of the song.If this is not a masterful craft,I wonder what is.I never expected I could possibly change my mind about this,but this is the very first song I'm going to air on my show,and I'm going to pitch it to other promoters from the very moment I am allowed to do so.

7. ''Throw the Hammer''

Old Wave of British Heavy Metal is written all across this track,complete with its remarkable nods to Motorhead.The fact that the spirit of thrash metal is less present on this cut indicates that the last moments of this album are much more focused on the melodic aspect of the music rather than the I-will-tear-you-up explosions we have savoured all through the disc so far.Here we have an interesting cross between OWOBH and a very,very strong dose of punk.I must give my thumbs up to the vocalist once again,for delivering a vocal performance that adds layers and layers of character to this cut.

8. ''Ride the Scythe''

I am always very curious to see just how each and every band is going to organize the grand finale of their albums.They know they have to make a very memorable last impression with every offering,and with each and every band I've heard lately,I can safely say the last track of an album is always the moment of truth.
In Stormwrath's case,I am not upset.The track starts out with a bit of a stoner doom feel,complete with the jazzy organ in the background,turning into a LoG infused thrashcore interlude,and taking a very unexpected path towards a viking-inspired vocal-driven accoustic passage that ends the song on quite a charming note.

RATING: 10/10 I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this disc.I have heard the most impressive tracks I've ever heard in months of active band-promotion.I am officially convinced that Stormwrath is going to become a strongly influential thrash metal band in the months to come.You fucking watch.

-Noch

TAKE NOTE: I will stream the track ''Beyond Trinity'' on this Saturday March 20th installment of ''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.You can tune in at 7 PM EST on www.radioquebec.biz or www.frankoradio.com.The re-broadcast airs on Sunday,also at 7 PM EST,on the same two channels.A downloadable version of the installment will be uploaded to my MySpace page the following Monday.

 

NON-METAL RELATED POST: GET YOUR ''LOST'' FIX

Since ''Incredibly Lost Live'' is a project I hold very close to my heart,I'm going to allow myself to post about it on this blog.I know it has nothing to do with the music,and if that gets your panties in a bunch,I bet you do remember how to scroll past a post.

It all started with an RPG forum that I joined in December.I had never thought my whole damned life that I would possibly ever find a Role Playing Game that might be of the slightest interest to me,even though I've been told by numerous people that I should have a career as a writer.For many years I have left this hobby aside (pretty much since I dropped out of high school).Then,years later,I discovered the captivating and thrilling world of the hit tv-show ''Lost''.That has inspired me to look for RPG boards where equally-talented writers joined to re-write history.

That is when I discovered the one and only web-forum that displays a very convincing re-write of the original ''Lost'' script: ''Incredibly Lost''.

I have personally joined in the fun as Charlie Pace during the x-mas break.I have been posting actively since then.

Some weeks ago,me and co-writer Kay Z have had the fabulous idea of turning our texts into actual episodes of ''Lost'',using audio that we recorded for the characters that we portray on the forum.This audio is going to be synced to actual footage from the TV show.In there,I portray Charlie Pace.

A commercial has already been posted on the official Incredibly Lost Live channel.Ten-minute episodes will be posted each week.I will announce the release date of the first episode once we're done working on it.

Spread the word,and if you do feel like whining about the fact that there are Lost-related posts on this blog,feel free to do so in the comments section.

Sincerely,

-Noch

URLS

The ''Incredibly Lost'' RPG forum: http://incrediblylost.proboards.com/index.cgi
The ''Incredibly Lost Live'' Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/IncrediblyLostLive

Last saturday's installment of my show is up!

Take note that I replaced the Podomatic player at the top of the page by a brand new one to get extra storage space.To hear previous installments of my show,visit www.myspace.com/crocpodcast where everything is still archived.

In this past Saturday's installment (March 13th) I brought you sixteen choice cuts in an extended 87-minute special.

Here is the playlist.

1.IMMOLATION: A Glorious Epoch
2.LUX DIVINA: Forgotten Divinity Deletrix Part I
3.CATAMENIA: Quantity of Sadness
4.MORDERISCH: Welcome to Death
5.GRAVEHAMMER: Omens of a Macabre End
6.DULCAMARA: Infierno
7.KALMAH: Bullets Are Blind
8.ANIMA: Welcome to Our Killzone
9.SOLUTION .45: Gravitational Lensing
10.ARSIS: We are the Nightmare
11.UNLEASHED: As Yggdrasil Trembles
12.SYN:DROM: Obsolete Gods
13.ORDER OF APOLLYON: Never
14.EXODUS: Hammer and Life
15.HOSTILITY: Resented Legacy
16.UNDEAD CREEP: Undead Creep

Spread the word.

-Noch

REVIEW: ANIMA-''Enter the Killzone''

TRACKLIST:

1.Intro
2.Incarceration
3.Loner's Reflection
4.Cu(n)t & Twist
5.The Man Eater
6.Carnage Provoked
7.Black Night
8.The Omnipotent Torture King
9.Welcome to Our Killzone
10.Necromantica
11.I am Sick I Want to Kill
12. XXXIII

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

2. ''Incarceration''

I have to underline the fact that this album's production leaves a lot to be desired.I have a strong impression that this is an unfinalized mix of the track due to something that seems like a complete distance between the drums and practically everything else happening in the song,sound-wise.Musicianship-wise,these guys are very skilled at their craft,even though I must admit I am no fan of deathcore.Now I might get crucified for this,but I sat through the whole song,and found no element that particularly stood out in my ears when it comes to defining ANIMA as a band of its own rather than just one of the many of the gazillion bands of that same area of the scene.Not that I expect every single band to manage to reinvent the wheel,but I at least expect them to have at least one particular trait of their sound retaining my attention enough to keep me coming back to THEIR material instead of any other band's.I dare hope it is still yet to reach my ears.

3. ''Loner's Reflection''

Even though I was only a BIT less bored with this one track than the previous,I do believe in there lies a conscious effort to make the song slightly more nuanced than just one huge breakdown and a go-nowhere solo thrown into the void.This song has phases,and a personnality.It is one highly venomous display of passionate and furious drumming.The riffage in there is nowhere near original,but I must admit it follows more of a clear direction than on the previous track and it does have a highly threatening sound that makes the track one to fully enjoy,but it will still take a lot more than that to get me to come back to it repeatedly.

4. ''Cu(n)t & Twist''

Most definitely,this album keeps on getting better as it progresses.I'm pretty psyched to see there are some more regular brutal death metal sounding moments on this disc,and they sometimes do take the front of the stage,pushing away the obsessive focus on breakdowns for a breath of fresh air that was extremely needed from my end.This is a highly groovy track that wouldn't be out of place on a Dying Fetus album.Being a very loyal fan of the latter,I can only say this makes ANIMA score quite a few points in my book.I am pleasantly surprised.

5. ''The Man Eater''

Quite interesting to consider that this track's main riff sounds a bit death-thrashy on the edges.I never expected to find such a riff buried somewhere within this effort.It is quite a considerable driving force for this song as it remains omnipresent within the hardcore enveloppe that clearly packages this band's sound.I definitely appreciate the nod to different sub-genres and the ability of blending it in within the core of the identity of this album.It makes for quite a violent and original-sounding assault that grabs me a thousand times more efficiently where the album failed to even retain the slightest of my attention in the beginning.

6. ''Carnage Provoked''

This one track is a focus on the band's rootsound.Even though it is a return to flat-out deathcore,I do appreciate the presence of a solid main riff,and the same type of threatening serpentine guitar work that made tracks like ''Loner's Reflection'' one nifty sort of volcano erupting on slow-motion.This is pretty much the best metaphor I have to offer when it comes to describing this type of deathcore.Slow,vicious.It does work.It does NOT reivent the mold,but it does work wonders.

7. ''Black Night'' This is an interlude.

8. ''The Omnipotent Torture King''

Very catchy slab of perfectly-executed deathgrind.Yes,I said deathgrind.This song is another highly relieving departure from the Tales of a Thousand Breakdowns defining the beginning of the record.Memorable main riff,moments of pure fucking technical chaos,haunting wall of sounds that get you craving for another bigger fix,only to have you find out it can't possibly get any bigger than that.

9. ''Welcome to Our Killzone''

This is a fairly equal alternance between furious thrash metal induced passages and the usual deathcore breakdowns.Within such a thrashy context though,said breakdowns are a much easier pill to swallow.This track's absolute sense of emphasyzing the importance of the melodies easily makes it my favourite song on the record.Each and every riff pummells my skull and remains etched upon my brain.This is most exactly what I crave hearing on each and every album I review : a skillful blend of sub-genres that are ever-so-rarely blended together with this much talent.This is one track I will definitely promote.

10. ''Necromantica''

Smashing brutality-wise,I fucking love this track.Riffage-wise,I am less than impressed with this one.The guitars have managed to take my attention in much greater ways than that in some moments of the album.That's the jist of it.

11. ''I Am Sick I Want to Kill''

This track quite surprisingly starts at a relatively down-tempo pace,making it a very well constructed progressive deathgrind win.Yet another song that took me aback with its raw and destructive approach to technical songwriting.So far this album has been a build-up,and I expect quite a grand finale.

12. ''XXXIII''

Against my expectations,this track is most definitely not the best of the whole affair.It really does kind of stretch out to no end,with much more emphasis on the sound effects than the actual substance of the music in itself.

RATING: 7.5/10 While I was far from convinced this record would ever manage to do anything for me,it has taken me on a road of highly pleasant and consuming surprises with its nod to other quality sub-genres and its technical edge that got more and more obvious as I visited each track.This is most definitely an interesting journey into the dephts of brutality and one I might even occasionally come back to in moments of intense lust for pure sonic chaos.Impressive effort.Give a chance to this album.It starts out on a flat note but builds into quite a mean fucking monster.

-Noch

I will stream the track ''Welcome to Our Killzone'' on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show,''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.You can tune in at 7 PM EST on www.radioquebec.biz or www.frankoradio.com.The re-broadcast airs on Sunday,also at 7 PM EST,on the same two channels.A downloadable version of the installment will be uploaded to my MySpace page the following Monday.

Mörderisch: YET ANOTHER GEM FROM BRASIL

The thrash metal revival of the past few years that everyone but the deaf and blind has witnessed and embraced spawned the sometimes epic,sometimes completely unnecessary return of the fathers of the scene,but the most considerable action caused by the return of this sub-genre to the forefront of the stage has,in my eyes,unfolded within the deep underground.Don't get me wrong,I'm definitely hooked to bands like Evile and Warbringer,but nothing gets me nearly as apeshit as obscure bands such as Pesticide,Bomb Threat,the band in question in this article Mörderisch,to name but a very select few.

To be taken back to the feel of the tape-trading days,down to the sound of the cassettes played through a small 80s 'corder,it is common knowledge that you have to dig up the deepest vaults of underground metal labels such as Pure Steel Records,Stormspell Records and a few others,and you also need to keep an eye on the evergrowing community of bands promoting their music on MySpace.

It is by opting for the latter that I discovered quite an impressive thrash metal band from Brasil.The four dudes in the picture above raise shitloads of hell.Groovy and absolutely well-constructed hyperactive guitar work,impressive drumming,and a completely insane-sounding vocal performance reminiscent of Tom Araya's earlier days are the main cards that are being played.Each of the band's cuts found on their MySpace page all have their very own personnality and heaviness to them.I can somewhat feel a pinch of NWOBH influence in the sound as well,which does give it a very rich personnality and appeal.


The band has formed in June of 2008.There are three tracks online right now,but there is nothing like the crowd's support and encouragements to keep a band on the roll.


Check 'em out and fucking applaud their talent. www.myspace.com/morderischbr

-Noch

TAKE NOTE: I'm gonna give these guys some airplay on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show,''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.Tune in,and support.

HOSTILITY: A JOURNEY BACK TO THE PANTERA DAYS

If you are a self-respecting metal fan,you are one of the thousands of millions of people who are still mourning the death of Dime.And if you are not a supreme fucking cunt who deserves to be lapidated with nuclear bombs,you respect Phil Anselmo and the way he's contributing to the growth of the underground metal scene,while fully recognizing the undisputable fact that he has NOTHING to do with Dimebag's murder.

Even though the man has his own record label called Housecore records,and it is quite a nifty home for killer heavy bands,even outside of Phil's radar are quite some remarkable acts that totally fucking rip it up exactly the way Pantera used to do it.

In comes Hostility.I heard these guys just this afternoon as they recently released a new track called ''Resented Legacy'' on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/hostilityus).
From the very moment the first chords hit it like a truckload of fucking bricks on my head,I was taken straight back to ''Vulgar Display of Power''-era Pantera.It was very blatantly going to fire up into a full-blown tribute to the gem that is the music Dime left behind with his unforgettable and highly worshippable legacy.

These guys' new record ''Set in Stone'' hits the shelves in the earlies of the summer,and the label still hasn't been determined.If I wasn't that fucking broke I'd put good money on the probability that they're gonna get Anselmo's kudos and will end up on Housecore.

Listen and see for yourselves.This is the real deal.

-Noch

NOTE: HOSTILITY is going to get a stream on this Saturday March 13th installment of my radio show ''C.R.O.C. Underground Metal''.Tune in,and support.

REVIEW: CATAMENIA-''Cavalcade''

TRACKLIST:

1.Blood Trails
2.Cavalcade
3.The Path that Lies Behind Me
4.Silence
5.Quantity of Sadness
6.Post Mortem
7.The Vulture's Feast
8.A Callous Mind
9.Reincarnation
10.Angry Again

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1. ''Blood Trails''

I have to admit I did sample this album on the band's MySpace page after hearing a wee bit of this track only to check if there was a bit more heaviness in store on this album.And I can safely say that make no mistake,these guys have got quite a few tricks under their belt.

This first song is quite a sweet slab of melodic metal.It has quite a fleeting darkness to it that you mostly can never put your finger on while listening to this type of alternative metal usually.I find the guitar melodies absolutely catchy,and the blend of James Malone-ish vocals and the cleans gives it a very human tone that definitely makes the track very efficient and quite a relief to hear when shit piles up in life and you need to hear a straight up rocker come out of your speakers.Good stuff,but I'm looking forward to hearing something truly metallic coming out of those energic little dudes.

2. ''Cavalcade''

When I said these guys have quite a few surprises in store for the listener,I was most definitely correct.This track takes us into a bit more of a viking folk terrain with a strong dose of Amorphis influence.This is a remarkable departure from the general direction the first track was heading into.It is a mid-tempo ''Sampo''-type track with a very immersive guitar melody that truly takes ya into the general feeling Amorphis always achieves: taking you into the dephts of dark woods in the dephts of Finland.The fact that these guys come from that area is quite undeniable when you look into the heart of this song.The clean vocals are particularly impressive at this point as the frontman reaches some very high notes and blend in quite successfully with deep haunting growls that display a raw emotion that totally grabs you.Simply beautiful and sacred.Fans of November's Doom and Katatonia also might want to turn to this song for a very similar feeling.

3. ''The Path that Lies Behind Me''

This one track is quite the unusual blend of styles.I have to admit I love it when bands achieve the challenge of infusing two very different sub-genres into one absolutely efficient and smashing display of art that's going to take you aback and tear you a new one when it comes to what you THINK you can expect from a record.

This one track stays within the mid-tempo folk-ish vein though it is slightly less obvious than on the previous track.The vocals are slightly more rythmic than pre-dominant,and the song has quite a soft personnality,but beware: there are some black metal passages.These are quite simply amazing.The driving melody of these blastbeat-furious moments is completely stunning,and I have to say I now crave hearing more of what these guys can pull off when it comes to this sub-genre in particular.Good melodic black metal being a rare gem as of late,I always get excited when I hear such a convincing display of excellency.These passages should have been slightly more frequent within the song,but this doesn't take anything away from these guys' impressive ability to make this type of malevolent darkness fit with folk-ish,slightly alternative metal-sounding innocence.It is quite a beautiful portrayal of the darkened human mind and its patterns.

4. ''Silence''

Yet another very melody-driven track that is slightly in the vein of ''Cavalcade'' but it has more of a sorrowful tone than a dark one.I would say this strongly reminds me of what I have heard on the latest Arsis album ''Starve for the Devil'',but stripped from its technical elements,and rendered as raw emotion retaining the strong melodious talent.The James Malone vocals are particularly impressive on this track,being absolute shrieks that efficiently grab you and keep your attention all through the song,while the cleans are more of a background presence than on the previous songs,but achieve the same kind of effect than on the first track.The choruses are a very interesting nod to Opeth,Mikael Akerfeldt-ian deep growls included,and I can also still hear a hint of an Amorphis touch on the guitar work,which does blend in beautifully.It is a very promising swirl of influences that does take the listener on a roll where they simply can't tear themselves from this listening experience.

5. ''Quantity of Sadness''

This is the straight-forward display of insane heaviness that I was waiting for after hearing the third-track.This is a bit of a blackened folk song to some extent,but still with a touch of Arsis fascination taking the forefront of the game.The vocals are most definitely at their peak as the James Malone compares continue to abund.I would say this one track is the most loyal portrayal of the ensemble of this band's work that could easily be the first song to pitch to someone who's completely new to this band's sound.It is most definitely an instant kicker,an instant love.I'm going to stream this track on my own radio show this week.I am truly convinced this is going to be embraced by all the listeners without a single exception.

6. ''Post Mortem''

I would say this song is a bit of a step back into the band's basic roots.It is what I would classify as a prime example of what Viking Metal was all about before Amon Amarth turned it into swedish death metal.The chorus' union of clean vocals and mid-volume shrieks make for an extremely interesting sonic result.While this track isn't the strongest on the record when it comes to blowing your mind to dust with beat variations and skillful nuances,it is still a very sweet track that all folk lovers will embrace with much enthusiasm.

7. ''The Vulture's Feast''

We are heading straight back towards the Amorphis sound with a clean vocal-driven track that is quite boldly beautiful.To me it is most definitely the main surprise on this record.It could probably be turned into an accoustic track and still have me nodding my head along.It is what I would call a folk ballad,if I'm gonna put this under a tag.There is absolutely no growling within,no agressivity,yet it does belong on this disc and it's truly pushing the enveloppe when it comes to how efficient such a soft track can be in the midst of a metal record.

8. ''A Callous Mind''

Yet another fucking grand smash into the skull in a ''Quantity of Sadness'' fashion.The same cards are being played here,to my absolute satisfaction,making it yet another song I will absolutely have to stream.I have nothing to add to this that hasn't been said about the fifth track.It definitely reaches the same level of excellency while being a breath of fresh air and a very welcome kick in the face.

9. ''Reincarnation''

I would easily attach this song to ''Post Mortem'' in the sense that it is a focus on the root of the band's sound,particularly mind-blowing clean-vocal-driven chorus atop.The accoustic passages of the song add a very,very nice touch to the body of the song.

10. ''Angry Again'' (MEGADETH cover)

I must admit I was quite surprised to find a Megadeth cover in here,since the band's sound is clearly not going in that direction in the entire lenght of the album,but I was quite pleased with this type of tribute to a band I personally can't get enough of.It is a very accurate cover of a classic track that easily ranks amongst my favourites.The band does keep its sound,even though it is very loyal to the 'Deth.Quite a sweet way to end the album.

RATING: 9.5/10 I must admit I am most definitely on a blackened-folk drive this time around and this album is exactly the type of disc I want to crank at maximum volume every single day.This band's influences are comprised of my idols of the moment,while embodying a very unique identity for themselves.I must note that the songwriting in here is absolutely impressive.It totally smoked me up with each and every single track,and the unpredictable twists and turns of this band's sound are absolutely unforgettable.

This is a must-buy.

-Noch

REVIEW: DEMONICA-''Demonstrous''

TRACKLIST:
1.Demon Class
2.Ghost Hunt
3.My Tongue
4.Luscious Damned
5.Below Zero
6.Alien Six
7.Palace of Glass
8.Fast and Furious
9. Summoned
10.Astronomica

TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS:

1.''Demon Class''

With this track I would easily classify this band's sound as Lamb of God meets Exodus.Regardless of wether or not the sub-genre actually exists,this could respond to the tag thrashcore in the sense that it has the breakdowns and raw rebellion of hardcore,matched with the razorsharp wall-to-wall fast riffage of thrash.Those are promising elements for someone who is a newcomer to this band's music,considering that the nod to modern Exodus is one that is very hard to gain from all the purists of this world.

2. ''Ghost Hunt''

I would say this one track is much more nuanced with a heavier focus on piling up the riffs and melodies as the track has its obvious breakdowns and peaks.In my book,this is a furious thrasher along the lines of ''Riot Act'' thrown into a more mainstream mold with a formula that is slightly more accessible to those who are fans of Fear Factory and Slipknot rather than the thrash metal maniacs.It is a song that could easily be embraced by both camps.The chorus has a dirty and in-your-face guitar sound,and the verses do have some explosive riffage to them,but the recognizable patterns of a more mainstream approach are undeniable.

3. ''My Tongue''

I have to wonder exactly what this cliché stinker of a track is doing amongst such promising choice cuts.The lyrics are such a blatant,hilarious stereotype of rock and metal attitude,it definitely makes it a painful listen.I can hear no solid riffage in this track at all.It is mostly about the stripped frontman fantasyzing over his badass image with absolutely no musical substance to back-up his little parade.I suggest that you skip this one.It would have fit more accurately into a hair metal context than on a disc like this one.

4. ''Luscious Damned''

What we have here is the most clear example of how I described this band's sound earlier on: ''thrashcore''.This track manages to contain a ridiculous amount of breakdowns while remaining a very interesting ride from start to finish.I have always hated Hot Topic mallcore with a passion and I have to admit most hardcore bands do fit within this sorry category nowadays.A song like ''Luscious Damned'' retains the true drive of what hardcore should've remained when Pantera brought it to the table and Hatebreed followed on before the emocore scene turned all the anger contained within the sub-genre into absolute dust.The breakdowns are healthy hardcore mixed with modern thrash metal insanity that totally convinces me it's been copied and pasted from Exodus' newer formula,down to the vocals.But since I am an eager fan of this sound,I cannot complain.To say that it is original would be a joke,but I have to admit I am liking the general direction this band is going in.I am liking the blend of influences and the way they are being so straightforward about this as a judicious tribute to their idols.

5. ''Below Zero''

This is the second track off this album that I can't call anything but a painfully obvious filler.The agressivity and raw southern agression of the guitars is being constantly and excessively watered down by the smoother parts that contain seemingly nothing but random doodling.The soloing has been pushed right towards the end of the song,making it much less efficient as the track had been dragging its feet incessantly to get to the good stuff.

6. ''Alien Six''

Another solid track that unmistakably alternates from hardcore to thrash then back and forth full circle for the entire lenght.What I mostly dislike about this cut is the excessive emphasis on a bit of a weak chorus,but outside of this,the verses are clearly interesting and yet again bring out the best characteristics of both the sub-genres it utilizes as concrete basics for the body of the sound.I would give a bit more of a nod to Lamb of God for this track,since a lot of the riffage is clearly Morton-inspired and does have the feel of the latest LoG material.

7. ''Palace of Glass'' I can't help but strongly question if this track has any sort of direction.A lot of the riffs that have been thrown in there are more or less efficient and it does feel like the middle of the song is nothing but repetition.The use of keyboards kind of adds some cheesiness to the picture which doesn't help matters at all.The song does retain some agression but it does feel like the attack has been miscalculated and there is quite a lot of fat to be trimmed.

8. ''Fast and Furious''

As the intro of this track hit it like a ton of fucking bricks in a very sadistic and delightful fashion,I had to expect this song would be a thrash metal anthem,nothing less.It did get quite a bit pedestrian on short notice to fall back into that mainstream mold the album has clearly adopted on Track Two.It is still a very pleasant track,with some steady guitar work that definitely gives the listener a run for their money if they want some heavy shit,but it is far from reinventing the wheel,and it apparently has no desire whatsoever of doing so.It is yet another song I hoped would blossom into a masterpiece that I could take to the terrain of absolute enthusiasm but this impression has died down as the album progressed.''Fast and Furious'' is proof that the band is going to stay within its limitations of southern fuzzy nu-metal with a slightly progressive thrash edge.I have to admit they're the best in their game right under the kings of this sub-genre,Lamb of God.

9. ''Summoned''

This track has every characteristic of a generic mallcore song.It will be popular with members of the Unearth horde but will do little to please those who are gathered here out of their fondness for the burning fires of thrash metal rage that defined the first few cuts as absolutely moving tributes to Exodus.It is most definitely the one song they could use as their Mtv singles since it will work with those crowds.It is nothing but a hardcore song and it definitely does drag its feet.I won't hesitate to move on to better things.

10. ''Astronomica''

This is a very downright odd way to end this album,I'm gonna say it as it is.The way it all starts out with the tam-tams led me to question exactly what the fuck it would turn into.As some very Zakk Wylde guitar work took the stage I was absolutely content.Right up to the point where we hear nothing but cheesy space sounds that seem to stretch out right towards the end of the sound to the extent of killing my interest for the cool riffage that might have still been in store for my ears before the album's very end.

RATING: 6/10 These guys do have some pretty fucking great chops.They are in the ranks of the band Lamb of God who are equally well-accepted by the mainstream crowds and the metal purists of this world because of their ability to conjure up the souls of Pantera and Exodus with their very obvious love for the southern guitar sound,hardcore,and the elements of thrash metal's root. Good stuff for sure,but there are only a few tracks I might occasionally come back to.

-Noch

RAPID FIRE REVIEW: PANDEA-''Soylent Green''

TRACKLIST:
1.Intro
2.Lost Eternity
3.Nomadic Life
4.Clan of Saluation
5.Point of no Return
6.Today's Tuesday
7.Eden Again
8.Hands Tied Up
9.Final Real
10.Flesh and Light
11.Golden Gate
12.Outro



First off,I'm going to mention right out of the gate that I am no melodic metal fan.I've always stayed clear of cheese power metal acts,even though I do embrace speed metal bands with epic elements in the likes of Stratovarius and earlier Sonata Arctica.The fact that Pandea cite influences as detached from each other as Helloween and Bullet for My Valentine left me quite a little confused,and I have absolutely no idea what's lying ahead.The one guiding light I can actually put my finger on is the presence of the Rage guitarist on guest guitars and I have to admit I do have a little penchant for Rage. This is being described as a heavy metal opera,which leads me to believe I can expect a full-on Nightwish epicness,or a disastrous fanfare of a musical rendition of a D&D game.I'm going to hope it is the former

. TRACK BY TRACK ANALYSIS

1.Intro

I never focus on intros.To me the actual embodiment of a band's entity can only be pictured by the actual tracks.I don't over-analyze what's in between.

2.Lost Eternity

I have to admit I am pleasantly surprised by the absolute lack of MIDI keyboards and overused spoken parts in this song.By ''metal opera'' I had pictured this as an album that mostly focuses on these elements with the only intention of telling a story rather than rocking out and using wall to wall guitars. I was partly wrong.This tune is quite the charger.I can put my finger on quite some hooks within the short lenght of this track,and the guitars are fairly heavy and catchy.I definitely hear the wink to Helloween in the chorus,and the solo is definitely paving the way for quite a rich album when it comes to riffage.I'd be lying if I said the songwriting manages to break a ton of bricks at this point,but I have strong expectations about the rest of the album since this one track has the feel of a kicker for the beginning of the album rather than masquerading as its peak that will most probably follow this one closely.

3.Nomadic Life

I have been partly let down by this one track for the fact that the true action held therein truly starts at the four-minute mark.Before it hit this part,I had a feeling it was strongly dragging its feet.While I have nothing against vocal-driven metal,it also leaves me with the lasting impression that the music is nothing but its accompaniment and doesn't display its personnality to the forefront,and truthfully,metal should be about taking the front of the stage and rockin' faces off.That is most exactly what is achieved from the moment the solo comes on.It opened the door to a very refreshed powerful guitar sound and upbeat drum rythm that cary on to the very ending of the track along to a brilliant and catchy melody that would've probably easily made it within one of my playlists if the song had unleashed its power all over me for its entire lenght instead of having four minutes worth of content to trim.

4.Clan of Saluation

I have managed to find some strongly positive points stemming from the two previous tracks but I'm afraid this one definitely doesn't achieve anything in my book.I have brought forward the main problem of this band and it is the excessive comfort in vocal-driven music and lack of work on the heavy guitar riffs.For that,and that alone,I wouldn't classify this as heavy metal.This one track is mostly accoustic,and I find the riffage particularly weak.The attempt at saving the track with the soloing bit which falls into a very weird slow-tempo part that seems to be literally thrown into things randomly,definitely fails as the cheesy chorus takes over and leads me to believe this song was probably written by a different band for another project that they should not categorize as a metal outing.Also,the absolutely awkward electronic intro added to the very blatantly computerized and simplistic main riff are doing nothing to give credibility to this song.

5.Point of no Return

This track starting off with about two minutes of ambient music in the background and a narrative made me skip right across its lenght towards what remotely sounded like an actual song.I was left quite mortified at the simplistic main riff and the messy solo that sounded like it was painfully improvized.

I have to admit this is the end of my journey with this record.All of its downpoints,instead of being corrected,show up emphasized as the album's lenght stretches out to no end.I would suggest these guys release an EP with the first two tracks on it and rework their sound with much consideration for heavy guitar riffage if they do want to make it in this particular area of the scene.True power metal to me is about powerful music.This doesn't quite fit into that department.

Rating: 3/10

-Noch