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Fir Bolg - Paganism
Record Label: Schwarzdorn Production
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/firbolgtruepagan
Record Label Website:
www.schwarzdorn.de
Reviewer: Crin |
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French Celtic Black Metal that is more straight forward
Black Metal without and Celtic influences. The Firbolg were
an ancient race of people that ruled Ireland before the
Tuatha de Danaan. This mcd is the re-release of the bands
2008 demo of the same name.
Musically this veers little from
the guitar/ drum and harsh vocal format used by countless
other bands. The brief flirtations with acoustic passages
that leap from each song add a little atmosphere but it
cannot save this release from wallowing in the average. The
productions a bit muffled but that’s the joy of rough and
ready demo’s for ya. The final track The Passage to a Second
Life, with its more subtle symphonic approach and violin
parts manage ignite some life and purpose into this
otherwise mediocre mcd. If the band continue with the last
tracks body of ideas then they will indeed have something to
offer and no doubt they will. I find it amazing the volume
of one man bands with horrid programmed drums [if these are
not then they sound like it] can even get a label deal, but
that is a sign of the times I suppose. |
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Grave - Burial Ground
Record Label: Regain Records
Band Website:
www.grave.se
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/gravespace
Record Label Website:
www.regainrecords.com
Reviewer: Dave Schalek |
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OSDM, particularly the Swedish variety, has really exploded of late with
new bands playing the style seemingly popping up all over the place. Not
to be outdone, some of the progenitors of the genre, namely Grave and
Dismember, are still going strong with each band releasing numerous
solid albums over the last few years. Burial Ground is the latest album
from Grave, and is the band’s third full-length in the last four years.
OK, you pretty much know what you’re going to get from Grave at this
stage of the game, as the band is long past their semi-experimental days
of Soulless and Hating Life. As expected, Burial Ground is full of down
tuned riffs, a galloping pace, and rough vocals from the always-reliable
Ola Lindgren. Riffs fly at you fast and furious, percussion hits you
like a jackhammer, and the tempo varies from a solid dirge with crunch
to a near blast. Also noteworthy is the production on Burial Ground,
which is particularly rough, giving the revisited Sunlight Studios sound
of the guitars a slightly buzzing sloppiness. The songwriting on Burial
Ground is more than adequate, the cover art is excellent, Karl Sanders
appears for a solo, and Matti Kärki pens a few lyrics. What more could
you want?
Burial Ground is yet another solid album from Grave, no more, no less. |
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Hacavitz - Metztli Obscura
Record
Label: Moribund Cult Records
Band
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/hacavitz666
Record Label Website:
www.moribundcult.com
Reviewer: Dave Schalek |
Mexico’s Hacavitz are a vicious beast, indeed. Cull various member(s) of
Disgorge (Mex.), the now defunct Ravager, and the monstrous Impiety, add
a blackened touch, and use some Dia de los Muertos imagery, and you have
Hacavitz with their third album, Metztli Obscura, on the ever horizon
expanding Moribund Cult Records. Venganza, the debut from a few years
back, was a sloppy, all out assault of blackened death metal that
immediately had everyone sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, the
follow up, Katun, was a bit of a letdown and didn’t last very long in my
rotation. I suspect that will change with Metztli Obscura.
First off, Metztli Obscura firmly straddles the line between black and
death metal with a generally clear production, but with a bit of
fuzziness just lurking at the edges. The music is generally fast with
lots of riffs, blasts, and raspy growls. Certainly, comparisons to
Impiety can be made, but Metztli Obscura feels a bit tighter than the
output from Impiety. Black metal with a local flair comes in the form of
the aforementioned Dia de los Muertos-styled imagery and aesthetic.
The musicianship, and songwriting, is good with lots of catchy songs
with variations in tempo, so much so that the album is immediately a
marked improvement over Katun, giving the album greater “staying power”.
Styles range from the all out assault to a few slower paced moments, and
even some “rockin’ out” passages that sort of feel, unexpectedly, a bit
like Motörhead.
In short, Metztli Obscura is a solid album all around, and Hacavitz
will, once again, cause you to sit up and take notice. Recommended. |
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Iron Fate - Cast In Iron
Record
Label: Massacre Records
Band Website:
www.ironfate.net
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/ironfateband
Record Label Website:
www.massacre-records.com
Reviewer: Julian Handley |
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Iron Fate are a power metal quintet hailing from Germany, who’s
foundations are based on solid metal traditions set out by the likes of
Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, creating the essential
ingredients required for metal hungry hordes to gorge themselves upon. Throw in the added spice that is a nod in the direction of the likes of
current faves Nevermore and Iced Earth and the feast is set.
With this their debut album Iron Fate have
remained true to themselves and the genre, portraying all the
credentials needed to achieve the recognition that they truly deserve,
boasting a tight rhythm section with Jan Abraham pulling the strings on
bass and Sasha Wendler pulverising the skins of his drum kit into brutal
submission. The axe wielding, twin guitars add the meat to the bones
with Harms Wendler and Martin Pflugmacher in perfect synchronisation,
until the opportunity arises for them to out solo one another.
Completing the line up is Denis Brosowski who has a killer set of lungs
capable delivering the full vocal range as dictated by the bands
demanding ferocity.
The only downside to the album is that it runs at
a mere 40 minutes, which is barely enough to quench the thirst of the
listener longing to be drenched in the aural delights contained within
the molten metal cocktail that is ‘Cast In Iron’. The whole package
harks back to the good old days of the early Eighties with classic album
artwork teasing in the intrepid listener before unleashing what lies
within. As mentioned before Denis Brosowski’s range is up there with
Bruce Dickenson and Rob Halford, indeed his screams are an instrument of
their own as is evident on stand out tracks Iron Fate, Lightning Bolt
and the excellent War in the Streets. With pristine production this
effort is Metal as Metal can be. |
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Kickhunter - All In
Record
Label: AFM Records
Band Website:
www.kickhunter.com
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/kickhunter
Record Label Website:
www.afm-records.de
Reviewer: Julian Handley |
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First and foremost Kickhunter are certainly no Power Metal act, so
anyone picking up on Markus Grosskopf of Helloween’s inclusion in the
band don’t hold any assumptions that he is a one trick pony. Kickhunter
are pure rock ‘n’ roll with 60’s pop rock overtones, due to heavy
influences from the likes of Fleetwood Mac and The Faces. The album ‘All
In’ is a breath of fresh air as it is such an easy listening no brainer,
with an upbeat rhythm steering you through from start to finish with
wonderful harmonies, jolly Hammond organ, pumping bass, ardent wah – wah
slide attacks, throw in pulsing drums, snappy guitars and the addition
of a raunchy female choir accompaniment and the mix is complete.
Although the bands own material is pretty impressive, it’s the two cover
versions on ‘All In’ that really kick in the good time party vibe with ‘
Blondie’s’ “Call Me” and the Victory classic ‘Checks in the Mail’. The
production was handled by Dennis Ward of Pink Cream 69 having done a
sterling job. The album also features some of Germany’s finest rock
musicians with guest performances from keyboarder Axel Mackenrott and
bassist Jan S Eckert from Masterplan playing on a couple of tracks, as
well as Accept guitarist Hermann Frank doing the business on the Victory
track “ Checks in the Mail”.
All that is left to say is that Kickhunter kicks ass, albeit in laid back
fashion. |
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Kreator - Hordes of Chaos - Ultra Riot Box Set
Record
Label: SPV Records
Band Website:
www.kreator-terrorzone.de
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/officialkreator
Record Label Website:
www.spv.de
Reviewer: Steve Earles |
This box set is a clear case of the icing on the cake. I’ll get to the
icing (the packaging) shortly, but first I’ll turn my attention to the
cake (the music).
It has been a few years since I last listened to Kreator, having happy
memories of an incendiary performance I witnessed on the Coma of Souls
tour (with its Bosch-inspired backdrop). Now we have been inundated with
a plethora of bands from that period reforming (and often tarnishing
their legacy) for no reason other than to milk the poisoned teat of
nostalgia. I feared Kreator might be joining those bands in destroying
youthful memories. Thankfully this is far from the case, as Kreator have
been going with this line-up for a long time and are in no way part of
the thrash revival. I have to say, approaching Kreator with fresh ears,
I am astonished at how fantastic Kreator sound. This is easily the best
line-up of the band, effortlessly melding the aggression of their youth
with a purely European melodic sensibility. Flawless modern thrash
metal. Mille has become a seriously good and distinct singer, while all
the band are flawless musicians, and the all-important songs, the light
and shade, are of the highest standard. Terrific thrash metal that I
recommend without hesitation.
Now, onto the icing (the packaging) and very tasty it is too. Opening
the superb box and its fantastic artwork, you find a digi-pack of the
aforementioned album, a CD of demos and covers (Slime and Bad Religion),
which is worth the purchase price alone. There is also a poster,
sticker, voucher, and new sleeve notes from Kreator expert Joel McIver.
And a dedication to the much missed Denis D’Armour, these things matter
to some of us.
If only all albums were this good in both the music and presentation
stakes.
A pleasure to listen to! |
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Xerión - Cantares Das Loitas Esquecidas
Record
Label: Schwarzdorn Production
Band Website:
www.otronodexerion.com
MySpace:
www.myspace.com/xerionbm
Record Label Website:
www.schwarzdorn.de
Reviewer: Crin |
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Spanish pagan black metal that tries hard [and succeeds] to break free
of the monotonous shackles the genre has been afforded by the likes of
Nomans Land, Ordroerir, Thrudvangar, etc. These aforementioned bands are
more Pagan/ Folk in texture than Xerion, and yet the quality of the
music here is quite jaw dropping. Hailing from Spain and not playing
grinding death metal or terrible black metal is a welcome change. This
is a highly entertaining and competent band with some great songs to
evoke the mail clad raiders of the north. Like a Gothenburg deathly
clarity meets Dissection compositional complexity blasted through a
melodic pagan aligned atmosphere. This is a guitar heavy album with a
heavy leaning towards the old riff and solo melee of Dark Tranquillity,
In Flames, Nocturnal Winds, Sarcasm and the aforementioned Dissection.
So we have a pretty Swedish sounding band here and yet there is that
Finnish epicness weaved throughout the music’s core. From the rousing
opener, The Awakening of Xerion, [which is reminiscent of Moonsorrow at
their best] to the slow brooding, Where Victory Awaits, the song-craft
will enchant the ears. I am extremely impressed with the way the music
unfolds and again the mighty Moonsorrow appear though the clarity of the
production. The riffs are addictive, the choral vocals embrace the harsh
snarls and are balanced to perfection. The band also cover Taunusheims "Nebelkämpfe",
a strange choice but one that compliments the album well. The flute adds
a true pagan folk flavour and leads you to the final track, Putrid soul
of ours, and what a way to end an album. You will be swept off your feet
by pure Xerion in full attack mode. Fast snares, wild riffing and a
catchy arrangement [like all this album is full of] drives the song to
its conclusion. |
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