Author: Andrew Risch

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HELLRAIZERR- Life After Death – REVIEW

Here is another ass kicking release courtesy of our fine fiendish friends at Reaper Metal Productions. Hellraizerr is the new solo project from Cursed Moon’s Sal Hellraizerr.  “Life After Death,” is full of 80’s soaked speed metal with a touch of blackened thrash resulting in a surprisingly melodic approach to a usual chaotic assault. As the name would suggest, most songs are inspired by horror films such as 1987 classic, Hellraiser.  Does anything go better together than metal and horror? The first half of the album will leave you banging your head to the blistering solos and early thrash inspired vocals. Retro styled thrash and speed metal have been quite popular in recent years but not many bands have added another well loved 80’s element; synth. “Hellbound” is an incredible instrumental that fully feels and sounds like it was pulled from a mid 80’s Italian splatter film. The second half of the album brings back more balls to the wall speed metal with a little more variation. Chris Hellking who laid down much of the drums for this recording, provided some excellent clean vocals on “Seeing Red,” that contrast perfectly with Sal Hellraizer’s gruff vocal delivery. Overall this is a great release that is full of speed laden hooks, blistering solos and some great synth mixed in for a fist pounding journey in nostalgia.

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MOTHER OF GRAVES – In Somber Dreams – Review

Mother of Graves is an Indianapolis based band formed by of extreme metal veterans in 2019. This is the kind of output you get when you have a lifetime of experience between members….Metal Magic! This is Melodic Death/Doom at it’s finest. “In Somber Dreams,” is an incredibly powerful listen with some standout performances throughout. The production is slick with the occasional clean guitars and atmospheric piano and of course, some punishing doom loving riffs. “Nameless Death,” is the prefect track to listen to if you want to get a real feeling for this release. From the opening notes, it is crammed full of heavier than hell doom riffs, while keeping an extreme somber and melancholy feel, then the vocals and piano undertone drive the song home.

If this EP is any indication to where metal is heading in 2021, we are on the right path.
To get your little hands on this ep, head on over to WISE BLOOD RECORDS

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NAV- Necrotic Voices from the Ether – Review

Most of the nation is gearing up for a tumultuous snow storm that may keep us encased in our tombs for the next couple days. Sounds like the prefect time to brew a pot of Trve Kvlt, kick back and turn up the Black Metal. Nav are the prefect soundtrack to a snow filled apocalypse. The vocals are sharp and cold, the guitar tones cut deep into the soul and the drums keep the storm raging. For just a 3 song EP, the duo behind the band put in a tremendous amount of musicianship into their blackened tales of Slavic folklore. With the opening track, “Drowning the Winter Goddess,” Nav start the EP with a blistering and filthy frenzy. “Blood Harvest,” is a real standout with eerily moving guitar beat, echoing vocals and perfectly layered and haunting electronic layers. It comes across as both dark and majestic at the same time “Altar of the Black Flame,” puts a nice cap on the release ending the EP with plenty of power while not sacrificing any quality. The production here is great without feeling “too polished.” This will be a group to keep your eye on to see what they do next.

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GRAVE DESECRATOR – Sign of Doom – REVIEW

Our second review for the month also borrows their sound heavily from Brazilian legends Sarcofago and early Sepultura. Also hailing from Brazil, (whatever is in the water there, is sure doing a great job of producing Metal bands) Grave Desecrator are ready to fuck shit up with their 2008 full length release, “Sign of Doom.”  Nasty and raw are two words that can sum up the sound happening here. There is plenty of sacrilege and chaos going in the music and lyrics to get even the most jaded Metalhead’s dark blood pumping. The pacing of the album is the perfect blend of speed without being too fast that it becomes a wall of noise or treads into Grindcore territory. It plods along with a nasty (and fulfilling) blasphemous fury. Lyrics are barked out in a filthy, venomous fury in the Old School Extreme South American Metal tradition.

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HEXORCIST – Bestiarum Vocabulum – REVIEW

 

If you are into down and dirty old school Metal, Hexorcist have you covered with their debut demo, “Bestiarum Vocabulum.” It’s fitting that the artwork provided for the album is for a cassette release. Listening to this makes you feel like you were a part of the early tape trading days. This recording will bring you back to the beginnings of extreme Metal with a sound that is familiar to early Sarcofago with a hint of pre “Reign in Blood” Slayer.  Even at three tracks Hexocist leaves much to be appreciate on this demo. The vocals have a great Black/Thrash quality to them and the guitar and drum work gels perfectly together. This is a prefect listen for the old school fans and the kids just being introduced to the scene.

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Reaper Metal Productions

 

We are doing things a little different this month at Trve Kvlt Headquarters. Instead of getting your monthly fix as a digital download, we will be sending physical copies of music with your orders thanks to our friends at Reaper Metal Productions. Who you will receive is totally random but with such acts as Lady Beast, Wormit Angel and Faithxtractor, it is safe to say that you are in for something good.

Owned and operated by Crucified Mortals frontman, Reaper, RMP has been a dark force working in various forms releasing several Vinyls, CDs throughout the years. For much more info on what RMP is up to check out there biweekly Podcast, Hellcast.

Comment below on who you received this month and tell us what you think!

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Halftone Horrors: The History of Horror Movie Comic Books! Kickstarter going on NOW!!

Most fans of Metal music are more often than not, fans of horror Movies. It seems like a match made in Hell as horror has been associated with Metal since the early beginnings with bands as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Venom. A great Metal song is much like a great horror flick; it’s exciting, chaotic and liable to rip your face off in a moments notice.

The makers of HorrorHound Magazine, lifelong comic and horror fans (as well as Metal) have gone through the Herculean task of putting together a hardbound, full colored book that is set to be the most comprehensive guide to horror movie based comic books.

 

The book is a 240 page behemoth of horror movies as they are have been told through comics throughout the years from the early days, the slasher and icon filled 80’s until today. Some of the featured films are Dracula, Night of the Living Dead, Hellraiser, Nightmare on Elm Street and Puppet Master. With over 600 different titles, you are sure to discover something new within these pages.

Now this is the part where you come in to save the day and slay the dragon. This project won’t happen without your help. The fine folks from HorrorHound are in their final stretch of their Kickstarter campaign and need just one more push to make this nightmare a reality.

Click Here to go to the Kickstarter.

 

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ASSIMILATION – Tainting the Purity – REVIEW

Unrelenting Death Metal that sounds like it came straight from the early nineties AND a King Diamond cover?! Who said 2020 had to be a total shit show? With the first glance of the album art, you get a pretty good feeling on what you are getting yourself into. Fucking brutal chaos is what. Assimilation are back with their second album with plenty of blood thirsty, ripping and technical Death Metal. With pummeling blast beats, frenzied guitar work and some great vocals to tie it all together, this is a pure tumultuous Death Metal bliss.

This album is stuffed full with incredible musicianship. The technical guitar riffs and screaming solos stand out amidst the general chaos created here. Even though Assimilation are striving for a well established old and familiar sound, they still manage to feel “fresh” and that may be one of the album’s strongest points. Well, aside from an incredible King Diamond Cover. (don’t worry they keep plenty of falsettos in) 

“Tainting The Purity,” feels much like a long lost discovery from Death Metal’s classic and humble beginnings with plenty of high speed thrash intensity and brutality. Don’t expect any world changing or politically themed lyrics here either. With song titles like, “Immortality Through Consumption,” “Open Hospitality,” and Deformed Musculature,” this is an unapologetic classic old school Death Metal album. Breakdowns need not apply. 

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HANGING FORTRESS – Darkness Devours – REVIEW

If there is at least one great thing that has come out of Ohio (besides Trve Kvlt of course) is some damn fine quality Metal. Hanging Fortress formed in the city of Toledo in 2018. They play mostly traditional Death Metal for the most part with heavily Doom influenced guitar riffs and hardcore chuggs.

The band has been pretty busy during their relatively short existence already releasing two EPs before their first full length album here with “Darkness Devours.” While most of the musical output is in the slow to mid range with plenty of doom soaked guitars and coming across rather sludgy, this is not necessarily a Doom Metal album.  There is still plenty of rage and Death Metal influenced aggression here. The vocals are oozing, sick and guttural blending in perfectly with Hanging Fortress’ Overall sound. No high speeds here, but plenty of brutality. 

“Burned Alive,” serves as a great opening track as it starts things off slow and dark with pounding drums, a powerful rhythm section and ugly, unhuman vocals. “Blood Mountain,” does manage to bring the tempo up a bit into blast beat territory leading into a fantastic groove that was made to get heads banging. 

If you like your Death Metal well produced, heavy AS FUCK with plenty of Doom to spare, be sure to give this one a spin. 

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SVEDERNA – Hard – REVIEW

SVDERNA are a Black Metal band out of the frozen bleak depths of Sweden. On their third full length release, “Hard”, the band focuses their maniacal might to make a mark in the already crowded Scandinivian Metal scene. The first track ,”Den Arkaiska Rotan,” hits hard with blast beats and some blood pumping grooves that does a good job of setting the tone for the rest of the album. For the most part, this album is traditional, tried and true Black Metal. For those of you looking for something fresh and new, you won’t find it here. Which isn’t a band thing. While this may not be something “new,” this is still something good. SVDERNA fly the traditional Black Metal flag high and proud. There are some incredible riffs included throughout this release. The guitar work here is ‘Hard’s” strongpoint and will have you come back for more.The vocals work well here ranging from to tortured screams to angry shouts all fiendishly delivered in their darkened native Swedish tongue. Throughout the ten tracks here the band remains consistent and tightly knit. Perhaps the only thing that doesn’t follow the Black Metal playbook is the album’s production. It does not sound like it was recorded in leaky basement with a tape recorder. The production is very clean by traditional Black Metal standards and really brings out those killer riffs more.