Video Review: IN DEATH Godzilla by Dave Wolff

IN DEATH

Godzilla

From their forthcoming full length The Devil Speaks

No Clean Singing’s site where I watched In Death’s promotional video promises you will be bludgeoned by their advance track Godzilla. Godzilla was recorded for their new recording The Devil Speaks which comes out next month. The Australian death-thrash metal band composed the song with a great deal of crunch and stattaco guitar chops; if this is what it takes to bludgeon you, you can rest assured the song will do so without much effort. One of my first impressions was it sounds a little like Vader, with less blast and more groove. The next impression I received was from the vocals which reminded me of Per Gyllenbäck of Deranged on Rated-X. Vocalist Krugga boasts a similar approach to death metal vocals, seeming to channel long-winded guttural roars from deep in the pit of his stomach. There is a refrain midsong that brought Amon Amarth to mind, and later in the song there is a short section of atmospheric lead guitars. I found no lyrics so I can’t say what the song is about, but the above link has information about who filmed and edited the video. Wilson Bambrick’s (currently producing a documentary of a Japanese band touring Australia) direction called for the band to be surrounded by minimal lighting, with intermittent closeups of each band member accented by strobe effects from one shot to the next. The lighting, usually intended to spotlight the band, is relegated to the background here, providing a cold, vast atmosphere. I have to congratulate the band for maintaining their performance through what seemed like many takes with close to no lighting and strobes going off right in front of them. You can visit In Death on Facebook for information about the album and planned promotional shows. -Dave Wolff

Video Review: ECHO US It's Time For Winter by Liath Sahjaza

ECHO US

It's Time For Winter

The first video single from their upcoming full-length studio album, released on the Winter Solstice

Absolute Probability

I was not familiar with this artist, and got a pleasant surprise. Nice singing voice, great song. The instruments made sounds that make you think of sleet and snow hitting the windows. Watching the wintry scenes, the blues, silvers, whites, give a chill even as I sit in my warm home. I hope to hear more from this artist. -Liath Sahjaza

Single Review: ZORNHEYM A Silent God (Non Serviam Records) by Dave Wolff

ZORNHEYM

A Silent God

Non Serviam Records

Zornheym is the latest project founded by guitarist Tomas Nilsson who has had a significant amount of band experience, most notably Dark Funeral from 2011 to 2014. Released in October of 2016, A Silent God is the followup single to The Opposed which came out in August. That single has reportedly been accepted with enthusiasm by listeners all over the internet, having received 27.000 Spotify downloads and counting. One example of how much social media has been of assistance to unsigned bands, through web radio and labels providing access to their bands. Obviously they are doing something right; these are impressive numbers for a new underground band that only got started months ago. Not to mention that web DJs and labels did much to rescue bands from illegal downloading as well as allowed for originality and creativity to continue in extreme music. Both of these you get from this song, intended to be included on a forthcoming full length album the band is working on at this time. It’s going to be a concept album about “the horrors of a mental institution and its inmates” as per the bio provided by Qabar Public Relations, the company handling this band. It doesn’t take long to see why Zornheym are being embraced by so many in such a brief amount of time. Besides that they are releasing a single at the time to generate interest they embody the theatrical aspects of death, black and industrial metal to birth material with as grand a scope as a symphonic metal band is capable of. In fact some shades of symphonic metal are part of this song with its choral refrains which go well with the frigid keyboards backing the guitars. Fans of Opthalamia and Unbra Et Imago may find similar characteristics in this piece. If every track on the debut album is like this one, I’ll be anticipating its release. -Dave Wolff

CD Review: BALANCE INTERRUPTION Room 218 (Satanath Records) by Dave Wolff

BALANCE INTERRUPTION

Room 218

Satanath Records

Room 218 is one of those albums you know is a surreal dream excursion simply from its front cover. The cover art is like an old movie about the vampire mythos; the first I thought of is of course Nosferatu but I’m sure you can think of others. As for the album, it shows Balance Interruption exhibits black metal with a death metal edge and the creative fortitude to unexpectedly enhance it with jazz in strategic places.

This is their third full length following Nuclear War For Rescue (2007) and Era II: Deserts Of Ashes (2011). The Ukraine band also include acerbic riffs, unorthodox passages, ambient sounds, electronic/industrial effects, movie samples and even saxophone. I think this last addition will be sufficient to most effectively unhinge extreme metal fans, but it’s only a small sample. I’ll take the chance of stating this is how Pink Floyd might sound if blown back as a black metal outfit (by this I mean the psychedelic era Pink Floyd), especially in their song Morbid Soul Shelter. It may be hubris to say so, but I’m talking about the imagination and feeling evoked, the wonder and abject terror that arises. Besides, I’ve read similar comparisons made by some reviewers.

Perhaps something more reasonable would be to say this album falls within that category of Sigh, Tartaros and latter Emperor. If you’re looking for traditional elements you may hear some Mayhem, Deicide and Sepultura (Roots era). Whoever you happen to be reminded of, you won’t be bored while listening as each track brings something different from the previous track to the table, and you won’t be able to help your curiosity to consume everything placed before you. Bands have a better chance to be noticed by revising the rulebook or adding new chapters, and it only takes one song to show Balance Interruption have made a massive effort to take the experimentation of those who came before them in new directions.

Making use of guitars, time changes and nightmare visions, the band increase their effectiveness and assail you with one turn after the next. Again you’ll find yourself remembering those few years in the late 90s when a select number of bands played with song structure, verse and arrangement and produced something instantly recognizable as never having been tried. Room 218 is a full length that continues where other bands left off. It’s one of those albums that plays less like a collection of songs and more like the most surreal, horrifying supernatural thriller you’ve seen in your years.

One listener’s post on the album’s link at Bandcamp summed it up as saying the Ukrainian underground has outdone itself once again. The breaks between each section of each song sound more clearly defined while retaining consistency. The jazz and saxophone elements added to Last Sunset Without Sun, D.U.S.T., Suicidealer and Imcubatum Conveyor travel those extra miles toward expanding the range a band can compose with and proving it takes intelligence and an unwavering ability to dream to spawn an unforgettable and unorthodox album. -Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Last Sunset Without Sun

2. Door 218

3. Not Survived To The Sentencing

4. D.U.S.T

5. Suicidealer

6. Incubatum Conveyor

7. Morbid Soul Shelter

8. Hypnotik Eye Kvlt Terror

CD Review: GRAVEHUFFER Your Fault (Swamp Metal Records) by Alan Lisanti

GRAVEHUFFER

Your Fault

Swamp Metal Records

Released March 3, 2017

http://www.facebook.com/gravehuffer

http://gravehuffer.bandcamp.com

Gravehuffer's Your Fault doesn't fit cozily into your neat and tidy box of genres and sub-genres and over simplified classifications. That's what stands out about it, and that's what my ears loved about it when I heard it. See, I can recall a time when bands didn't cater to these kinds of genre classifications and certain styles, and instead...challenged conventions. You didn't chase the past...you attempted to shape the future, or just shift the course even. You never really look at it like this life altering or substantial thing, and it doesn't have to have that sort of significance necessarily to have some sort of impact. But, the point is or was, that you didn't try to follow along. You saw the road most traveled and said, "nope...I'm going this way." You forged your own path. You didn't stick to anybody's expectations. You didn't care that you "weren't supposed to do that", you did it regardless. That's the kind of territory, venturing beyond the box and completely outside of it, that can yield unexpected results. But, you've got to be brave enough not to follow the leader. You've got to be willing to put it all out there, and disregard all those rules and parameters, and just do your own thing. You take that risk. And no matter what, nobody can ever say you weren't being yourself. Nobody could ever claim you weren't honest in your artistic exploration. It's so refreshing in this day and age to hear bands out there that could care less about where they're supposed to fit in the musical spectrum, and how they're supposed to approach their art in the eyes of those that would prefer their music not to stray from these supposed boundaries. People like to complain that nobody is original or everyone is just repeating what's been done before, or they love to compare new bands to whatever similar bands they can think of from back in the day. But honesty is really all you need to be different. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. You can still make the wheel your own. There's a lot of different styles happening in the songs on Gravehuffer's, Your Fault. Some Crust, some Punk, some Grind, a bit of Sludge, some Death Metal-esque blasting, a bit of Thrash, and absolutely no regard for fitting into any box. And the fact that they don't care is exactly what I like about it. None of it sounds dishonest, contrived, or forced. It's music from the heart and the heart doesn't care about your genres and rules either. I suppose you could call it Crust Sludge Death Punk Grind Swamp Thrash, or something equally long and absurd. Or, you could just call it good music. Either way, it certainly disregards convention in a good way that might even piss some people off. But isn't it a good thing you can still do that these days? Every once in awhile, music and the status quo could use a good reminder that it's okay to shake things up a bit. It's okay to go against the grain. After all, Metal, Punk, and all these other styles were founded on these very principles. These things are products of people that weren't afraid to challenge the norms. Gravehuffer disregards the rules, and the result is a refreshing dose of clashing styles that blend together effortlessly without ever sacrificing their integrity for the confines of any pre-drawn lines. There's a good variety here, and plenty of attitude to go along with it. It's that carelessness that keeps it genuine and honest. Even when the band strays far off the beaten path, they never lose their Punk-esque and Metal identities. It's a brash exercise in all things heavy and unpleasant, and that's exactly how this music should be. Uncompromising and unforgiving. Your Fault will be available March 3rd, 2017 on Swamp Metal Records. The band is currently taking preorders for the album through their Bandcamp page. If you're feeling kind of jaded lately, this should shake you out of your "heard it all before" slumber. -Alan Lisanti

Track list:

1. Gravehuffer

2. Of Fish And Men

3. Kill For Sport

4. Dead Peace

5. Shut Up And Skate

6. Powers That Be

7. Destroyer Of Worlds

8. Death Caprice

9. Worms Of God

10. Prince With A Thousand Enemies

11. Chains Around You

CD Review: UNCOFFINED Ceremonies Of Morbidity (Memento Mori) by Alan Lisanti

UNCOFFINED

Ceremonies Of Morbidity

Memento Mori

Released October 24th, 2016

From the vast sea of music I'm always swimming in, I can't recall exactly how I initially stumbled onto Durham UK's Uncoffined. I heard their song, "The Devil And The Old Cursed Tree", from their debut album Ritual Death And Funeral Rites, and I immediately went down to my local record store and asked them to order me the CD. What struck and stuck with me the most upon hearing the band's debut offering, was the emphasis on the Doom element in their approach. Where most Death Doom bands tend to start from the Death Metal side of the spectrum, and interject a bit of Doom into their Death Metal pallettes, Uncoffined is very much grounded in the Doom side of this equation. So, when the band claims to be Doom Metal of Death, I have to absolutely agree with their assessment. In fact, the moniker fits them and sums them up very accurately. It's what sets them apart as well. So, needless to say, when I heard the band was working on new material, the anticipation propelled me to return to my local record store once again. This time, Ceremonies Of Morbidity was on my radar. After a few months of harassing them, I finally hold the band's follow up release in my hands. The riffs trudge along with a sinister methodology, and the songs expand and contract as effortlessly as they ebb and flow. It's no easy feat to follow up your debut with the same magic qualities still present in the material, but Uncoffined has kept all the integral pieces that worked on their first release intact, and seem to have expanded it all beyond even its own supposed limitations. 5 songs of unrelenting Doom Metal of Death that pays a tasteful homage to the past heavy hitters of their genre, but has no problem finding its own identity and forging its own path. These songs are not 2 minute long get in and get out assaults. They are long and layered. It's easy to get lost in the atmosphere and riffs when listening. You may find yourself losing track of time. They don't feel too large to digest, nor do they suffer from redundancy. They vary at precisely the right times, and never let you go once they grab hold of you. It's like watching a good horror flick. When the ingredients are right and the pieces all fit into place, you tend to get lost in the film and forget about the outside world for awhile. Uncoffined's Ceremonies Of Morbidity possesses that same quality about it. Press play, and drift into the graveyard. Front to back, there is not really a weak point on the album. Uncoffined bleeds the old school. It's prevalent in the songs. It's almost as if someone buried the ghosts of Doom's past in a tomb, and Uncoffined unearthed the vault from its forgotten sanctuary. Perhaps Highgate Cemetery has a few hidden treasures embedded in its soil. Uncoffined has managed to excavate the forces of evil that some would prefer didn't fall into the "wrong" hands, and they have utilized it and harnessed it to create a familiar but completely different beast. It's interesting to note that "The Devil And The Old Cursed Tree" (from their debut album), and "The Horrors Of Highgate" were based on local legends and lore. K. Shevil's lyrics, unforgiving vocal presence, and all the musical components help to bring these stories to life to the point that I almost feel as if I've been to Highgate even though I've never set foot on UK soil in my life. There is a quality to the songs here that tends to transport you to the setting in which they are based upon. This is not Death Metal. This is not Doom Metal. It's not even Death Doom either. This is...Doom Metal Of Death! Ceremonies Of Morbidity is available now on Memento Mori Records. You can grab your copy directly from the band as well. Doom on! -Alan Lisanti

Track list:

1. The Horrors Of Highgate

2. Plague Of The Uncoffined

3. Ceremonies Of Morbidity

4. Ill Omens Of Death And Disease

5. Awakened From Their Dormant Slumber

Video Review: HORROR GOD Dust: 10/2016 by Simon Brown

HORROR GOD

Dust: 10/2016

Recording tracks for upcoming split CD

From the forthcoming split CD with Techne to be released via Lavadome productions in 2017, Moscow’s Horror God describe themselves as experimental death metal. While not inaccurate, they invoke images of bands such as Hypocrisy on speed through sound and vocal delivery. What they are, however is very good. Polished with a well-executed sound, this band does not have the appearance of your standard death metal band. This video set in a recording studio showcases the technical mastery this band hold over their instruments and as a collective unit. From what is displayed, this is a band who would rather let the music do the talking. The listener can expect multiple solos, a tight rhythm section, clarity of production without being too clinical and all played at a ferocious pace. For a style often too generic, this band stand above as an example of modern death metal still holding something of value to the listener. Highly recommended. -Simon Brown

CD Review: THE CRUCIFIER/HATE YOUR FATE Split (Floga Records) by Simon Brown

THE CRUCIFIER/HATE YOUR FATE

Split CD

Floga Records

Hailing from Greece, The Crucifier play a crossover thrash style in the vein of Municipal Waste which borders on hardcore stylistically. What separates The Crucifier from other bands in the same ilk is the vocals are neither growled nor delivered in the monotone shout so many other thrash bands seem to prefer. Production is slightly muddied though this does not detract from the recording. A nice nod to Sacred Reich is given in the cover of “Death Squad” and this for me is the highlight of the release. This is not to say the band are lacking in originality or passion (this is one of the fastest examples of thrash I have heard in a long while). The band simply need to showcase more of their individuality and I don’t think on this release they have shown what they are capable of as the songs are extremely short (“Life Ain’t So Well” clocks in at 1:40). Perhaps this should have been released as a demo rather than a split however it is a solid effort band a band passionate about what they do. Solos are kept to a minimum and in all honesty, I wanted to hear more. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of technicality happening underneath the tremolo picking. I look forward to hearing this band’s individual sound develop in the future. -Simon Brown

Track list:

1. Crucifier - Life Ain't so Well

2. Crucifier - Death Squad (Sacred Reich Cover)

3. Hate Your Fate - Surfing Dirt

4. Hate Your Fate - Brain Eating Machines

5. Hate Your Fate - Someone to Smash

CD Review: ANAAL NATHRAKH The Whole Of The Law (Metal Blade) by Simon Brown

ANAAL NATHRAKH

The Whole Of The Law

Metal Blade

Birmingham black metal legends Anaal Nathrakh deliver an album I’ve been waiting to review for some time. Nihilistic in delivery, impressive vocal performance complemented by highly developed musicianship. Songs such as “We Will Fucking Kill You” and “On Being a Slave” mean the listener is intentionally left unsettled by a wall of sound, unrelenting to capture the fury against existence. Well produced yet beautiful in an ugly delivery. This is an example of black metal done right yet still having good use of dissonance to showcase the stylistic essence. Very tasteful solos are used sparingly though highlight this band’s individuality in approach. It also shows why they’ve lasted for many years. The band also hold a keen sense of irony, performing a cover of Iron Maiden’s “Powerslave.” Something the listener would not expect from a band of these leanings. On a final note, the use of sampling in some songs also adds to the eerie dissonance of the release. Here is a band not afraid to experiment, and it works. Nothing is overdone. Highly recommended and release of the week. -Simon Brown

Track list:

1. The Nameless Dread

2. Depravity Favours the Bold

3. Hold Your Children Close and Pray for Oblivion

4. We Will Fucking Kill You

5. ...So We Can Die Happy

6. In Flagrante Delicto

7. And You Will Beg for Our Secrets

8. Extravaganza!

9. On Being a Slave

10. The Great Spectator

11. Of Horror, and the Black Shawls

12. Powerslave (Bonus Track)

13. Man at C&A (Bonus Track)

CD Review: IKE’S WASTED WORLD self-titled (Independent) by Dave Wolff

IKE’S WASTED WORLD

Ike’s Wasted World

Independent

Ike’s Wasted World is the brainchild and solo project of upstate New Yorker Ike Joseph, also involved in Lost Breed, Cardiac Noose, Blind Legion, Blackjack Blades, Black Juju and The Vengeance Brothers. Little information is available on the net except for a Youtube profile with promotional videos of seven of the ten tracks recorded for this project’s debut full length.

From what I gather, the material and promotional videos were produced by Tim Lynch at The Recording Company in upstate New York. Researching his studio I read Lynch is a musician and producer with an extensive resume including independent label collaborations, soundtrack work for cable TV programs and more than 3000 performances. His experience does much to polish and streamline these compositions, which is obvious from the opening guitars of Key Of Satan.

With its Circus-Of-Power-meets-Metallica theme, it takes you from Los Angeles, California to the Nile in northeast Africa to the Orient, establishing a sense of wanderlust that would have made a lasting impression on Kerouac. The following songs begin to suggest this journey from country to country is more of a search for something that seems to elude the traveler at every stop somehow. Whether it’s something in the physical world he is searching for or something more spiritual, there is a sense of something missing underlying the songs, particularly Speed Queen and Dreams Of Atlantis.

The longing to find the elusive desire becomes increasingly palpable as the latter song progresses, speaking of going in circles and finding oneself back where he started at the beginning and having to undertake the search again. The roads and highways traveled somehow seem empty, reflecting the isolation conveyed there. Diamondbacks sounds more uplifting after this, teeming with the energy of your surroundings in Mexico and the unknown perils you might find along the way as you accompany the band further on this trip.

Back Alleys And Highrises gives you a contrast between the fabled big city and the less affluent areas to be found close by, and the band's cover of Larry Wallis' Leather Forever takes a brighter turn, stating the journey must continue as something has to be found at the end sooner or later. The CD ends with a cover of Motorhead's I Ain't No Nice Guy. -Dave Wolff

Track list:

1. Key Of Satan

2. Love, Freedom & Pain

3. Tree Fox

4. Speed Queen

5. Dreams Of Atlantis

6. Teenage Head

7. Diamondbacks

8. Back Alleys And Highrises

9. Leather Forever

10. Ain’t No Nice Guy