ASTROFAES

Negative Existence Records, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Originally done in 1998, Negative Existence Records has decided to re-release the debut album of the Ukrainian black metallers, Astrofaes. I have to admit, this is one band that has completely slipped past my metal radar but now that I’ve had a chance to listen to them I will say that I am intrigued and will continue to learn more about them. Although the recording and production is lacking I am impressed with the rawness and grittiness that’s contained within.

Coming in with a very somber opening, the album then flies into a dark rage with the second track, “Fiery Mysticism”. Pure black metal drips with every note as you can hear the ferocity seep through Thurios’s vocals that are backed by heavy riffing and blast beats. “Path to Burning Space” is an interesting piece that is filled with melodic keyboards from Saturious (of Nokturnal Mortum) and dare I even say saxophone?? It somehow fits into this track and keeps it dark without sounding completely cheesy. It has some catchy riffs throughout and Thurios keeps the energy up with his brutal shrieks. “Necromantical Screams”, (great Celtic Frost cover), shows off some superior drumming skills from Amorth that keeps this track chugging along at full speed.

Astrofaes is a band that keeps that old school black metal sound alive and well. If you have not heard these guys before (like me) or have not had a chance to check out Dying Emotions Domain (like me). I definitely recommend that you give this a listen!
 

ENTRAILS

Dark Descent Records, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Returning once again to give us a taste of their extreme brutality, Swedish death metallers Entrails presents sophomore album The Tomb Awaits, which stands tall and proud next to their debut Tales from the Morgue which didn’t come out until 2010 even though these guys have been around since ’91 due to the fact of them splitting up and not reforming again until 2008. The Tomb Awaits contains a fresh raw sound that will rattle you to your core. Joakim Svensson unleashes a level of ferocity with his vocals that fills my black little death metal heart with a sense of satisfaction that has not been met in awhile. Jimmy Lundqvist and Mathias Nilsson intertwine melodic skill with ferocity on guitars while Adde Mitroulis just completely devastates on the drums.

There is a sense of power behind each track that a lot of bands try to recreate these and unfortunately fail. Not Entrails, every time you think they reach a certain level of brutality but they just keep on raising the bar. The self-titled track starts out a mellow acoustic intro before the gates of hell are released upon us with “Unleashed Wrath” that has an intensity behind it that’s accompanied by Joakim’s guttural shrieks. There is a driven wrath of darkness that takes hold of you and doesn’t let go until the very end. “To Live is to Rot” starts out as a slow moving, ominous track that just oozes out rotting matter with every note before it gathers up speed towards the middle and has you banging your head along with it. “Remains in Red” strikes forth with a sense of vehemence that can be heard in Jimmy and Mathias’ shredding guitars as well as Joakim’s insane vocals.

I am completely impressed with The Tomb Awaits and can tell that Entrails will have no problem leaving their mark on the Swedish death metal scene. You will be missing out if you don’t give this album a listen!

THE HORDE

StormSpell  Records, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Following their 2008 EP, From to Ashes, The Horde continues to combine old school thrash metal with black metal vocals. The band calls themselves “viking metal” but I would argue that that’s not totally accurate, not that it matters. Their music and lyrical content sounds like they’re continually going into battle with their heavy riffs and powerful vocals. The closest I can come to in describing their sound is a combination of Slayer, Testament, Iron Maiden and Dio that gives the album that old school feel to it. Starting out in 2006, The Horde shows a decent amount of diversity on Thy Blackened Reign so the listener is not bored to tears after the third track. Not being all too familiar with these guys I have to admit that I impressed with the amount of skill they have behind their music. It’s very easy to get your music put into one category and one category only but these guys change it up enough to keep it interesting.

Duncan’s vocals are part of what impresses me the most, they’re gritty and hold a massive amount of ferocity behind them, going back and forth between black metal and something along the lines of Mille Petrozza’s vocal technique. Tim can shred on guitars but also has a great technical quality to it that keeps the music tight while the drummer adds in some nice rhythm instead of just pounding away and still keeping it heavy.

The Horde shows a lot of promise on the first full-length and if they keep going in this direction they will be making a lot of metalheads very happy. I definitely recommend you pick up a copy!

MORBID ANGEL

Season of Mist Records, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Lucifer be praised they have returned!! Illud Divinum Insanus has possibly been one of the most highly anticipated album not only by the diehard Morbid Angel fans, but questions have been going around in all the metal circles to see what exactly Morbid Angel are delivering after eight years. Armed with their new guitarist, Destructhor, and Dave Vincent back on vocals, the legends were more than ready to release this unholy hell upon their fans. Tim Yeung steps into the fold to record drums for the album as well as tour while the legendary Pete Sandoval recovers from back surgery. Tim proves that he can more than step up to the task of filling in some pretty huge shoes. So what should you expect?

Illud Divinum Insanus starts out with a haunting and morbid background that’s followed by Vincent’s harsh screams and low chanting, bringing more of a sinister vibe to the listener. “Too Extreme” lets you know that they have been stepping into a new direction which almost had me going to the off switch but decided to give it another chance. You do have to question how extreme you are if you make that the title of one of your tracks. The brutality is then instantly released on the third track “Blades for Baal”; this is one of my favorite tracks that show Morbid Angel going back to some of their classic roots. Yeung’s drumming technique is completely insane that drags you along at a neck-breaking speed before you’re thrown into a mosh-like tempo during the chorus. Trey gives a ripping solo while Thor shows that he has some major skills as well. “I Am Morbid” goes back into the more industrial area but has a pretty decent rhythm, again almost went for the off switch but decided to keep going. “Destructos vs. the Earth” is a track that holds some humor to it telling how we’ve pretty much fucked up the entire planet and how the aliens are basically coming down, destroying the race of man and taking over, which is pretty much how it’s going to go down. “Nevermore” breaks through with insane blast beats with Vincent unleashing more of his brutality with Trey showing some more of his inventive riffing. The only serious letdown is “Radikult”, I’m not sure what the hell the thinking was on this one but it seriously doesn’t fit anywhere on the album and why would you try to cross hip-hop with metal? It’s never worked and just sounds ridiculous. Come on guys, what the fuck was that? You’re better than that. They do manage to redeem themselves with the closer “Profundis-Mea Culpa” with a finale of blast beats and shredding guitars.

They’ve obviously gone into a new direction with more of an industrial sound to the album which will probably not sit well with a lot of fans. Not sure if Dave brought that from his Genitorturer days? There are some decent tracks on Illud Divinum Insanus that I say you should at least give a listen to before making a final decision. The skills are there and the passion, just a new sound. Besides there are much worse releases out there today that you’ll have fun ripping to pieces on your Facebook page.

MORTA SKULD

Pavement Music, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Morta Skuld is one of those bands who have rarely been mentioned or credited but have made a huge impact on the death metal scene since they started out in the late eighties. They all had one simple goal and that is to make their music as dark and brutal as possible and I would have to say they succeeded in that area. Coming out of Wisconsin, they came together in 1989 and steadily grew a firm fan base and career that included shows with the likes of Morbid Angel, Napalm Death, Obituary and many others. Through the Eyes of Death shows off a number of their early demos that will hopefully remind metalheads out there of Morta Skuld’s raw skill and be able to reconnect with that old school death metal sound again.

On this album you’ll hear remastered versions Morta Skuld’s very first two demos on here, “Gory Departure” and “Prolong the Agony”, both done in 1990 that if anything just enhances the band’s menacing vibe. Dave Gregor’s vocals are a sinister force creeping through the guitar riffs and drums. You can tell that these guys connect well together because everything flows without interruption. “A Senseless Killing” does nothing less than crush with an uncompromising sense of brutality while “The Feast Within” has a chugging riff that holds that true metal vibe and have you banging your head throughout the entire track. Kevin Zeitler has some quality skills on guitar as well his band mates Jason Hellman (bass) and Jesse Rofritz (drums).

Through the Eyes of Death also has a great Metal Church cover of the same name, these guys definitely know what it means to keep to their roots and not let go of their ideas. This album has something every metal fan will enjoy. A re-release that is definitely worth your time checking out!

SALIGIA

Independent Release, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

So, those who know me know that I am always happy as hell when a new band comes out of the Norwegian black metal scene. So when I heard that Saligia was coming with their debut album Sic Transit Gloria Mundi of course I was nothing less than chomping at the bit but when I sat down to listen to it my reaction was rather strange. It wasn’t anger or disappointment or that I wanted to automatically to delete it from my playlist but really a reaction of “That’s it?” “Seriously?”

Here’s the thing, if you’re going to claim that you are pure Norwegian black metal, your debut album needs to be strong or at least something that will set yourself aside from the others and Saligia did neither. It’s not a bad album it’s just not that impressive. Azhari is different in the sense that he sings rather than growl out those black metal vocals but with the lousy production they are put so far in the background that you can hardly hear them at all. Here’s my other thing, if your tracks are going to be six or seven minutes long, you need to put some variety in it not just the same endless riffing and blast beats that drone on and on. “Upon the Altar” is the only track that holds some sense of variety in it.

Saligia does offer that raw sound that might peak the curiosity of black metal fans out there but unfortunately there is just not enough on this album to hold it for very long.

SEIDR

For Winter Fire
Flenser Records, 2011

Reviewer: Karma E. Omowale

Permafrost and Louisville, KY are not synonymous but you damn well better believe Seidr fused the coldest and murkiest kind of doom/death metal back to the Americas from Iceland and beyond with the band’s latest offering For Winter Fire which marks the band’s first full-length on independent label, Flenser Records. This lush voyage kicks off with “A Vision from Hlidskjalf” as this song takes you on a journey to lands far beyond the imagination can even stretch. The gruff vocal style of A. Lundr and Jack Hannert adds to the layer of polar majesty wrapped around the musical mastery of Lundr’s cello playing alongside of J. Bradford’s audio engineering prowess.

For Winter Fire weaves a majestic aural Nordic soundscape for the listener, especially if you decide to partake with earphones with “Sweltering” as you hear water and wind swilling through your ears.  You seriously may want to grab a coat and a pad of paper to jot down your experience and share it with your fellow metalheads!

The album comes to a surprising lull with the gem, “In the Ashes,” which is like a bolt from the blue, a radical departure from the previous three songs. Vocal harmonies with Hannert and Lundr are a shocking welcomed break. The mandolin work harkens you in the days with Vikings enjoying their downtime round a roaring fire and icy breath coming forth from their bearded mouths.

Seidr is definitely a band to watch for, with the dexterities that were displayed on For Winter Fire, they have a bright future ahead of them. In the meantime, pick this up, nary a disappointment shall be had with this matchless treasure!

VADER

Nuclear Blast Records, 2011

Reviewer: Kate Wilcox

Now that’s how it’s fucking done! Hey, guys in Morbid Angel are you paying attention? This is what needs to be brought to the table on your next album instead of that industrial-techno crap you decided to bring; now you go sit in your room and you think about what you’ve done! Sorry everyone, I had to get that out of my system before I even started this review. Holy shit!

Well respected among the masses and a huge influence throughout the years, Vader has managed to outdo themselves with their latest release, Welcome to the Morbid Reich. These guys have always managed to unhinge a more than satisfying amount of brutality amongst us metalheads and even though I may not have always liked every release they gave us I never stopped being impressed with the amount of skill they possess. This release has completely blown me out of the water, 2009’s “Necropolis” held a great deal of anger and hostility but this album goes way beyond that. Armed with a completely new lineup, Vader shows once again why they are the gods of Polish death metal.

“Ultima Thule” starts the album with a morbid and symphonic feel before entering into the second track “Return to the Morbid Reich”. Peter shows us that his raspy vocals are in top form as usual while Spider lets us know that he can more than just shred on guitar. He has a very technical style that is very tight and in control instead of flailing all over the place. “The Black Eye” holds an insane amount of drumming from Pawel Jaroszewicz while Peter’s massive roars send chills up and down your spine. “Come and See My Sacrifice” is probably one of fastest tracks on here but with a very fluid solo from Spider and I don’t understand how one man can drum like Pawel can. It borders along the lines of ridiculous on how talented he is. “I Am Who Feasts Upon Your Soul” is a little more subdued with chunkier riffs and symphonic background while still maintaining a high level of pure evil. They take it back up again with “Decapitated Saints”; Peter’s growls are combined with high shrieks, all done at the usual top speed. The closer, “Black Velvet and Skulls of Steel” probably surprised me the most by carrying a slower groove on it than any of the other tracks with a melodic solo from Spider in the middle. I have to say it still holds strong with the others.

This is classic Vader in its rawest form, fusing together old school death metal with a more modern technical style and skill. With Welcome to the Morbid Reich, they have once again reclaimed their throne! If you appreciate true death metal then this needs to be a part of your collection.