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CELESTIAL SANCTUARY – Soul Diminished – REVIEW

 

To start off the band bills themselves at the top of the game in  “The New Wave of British Death Metal,” In addition, the group’s name comes from a track off of the legendary Bolt Thrower’s 1992 masterpiece, The IVth Crusade. Before even starting to listen to the album, Celestial Sanctuary come across hard and heavy with some rather boastful claims. Thankfully, the album lives up to the hype. Having formed only recently in 2019, this is a surprisingly solid debut release that is full of killer brutality from start to finish. If you dig skull splitting, knuckle dragging classic Death Metal, make sure not to let this one slip past you. All the songs are killer with absolute no filler. Opening track, “Rid the Gormless,” comes out with  hard old school, mid tempo Death Metal brutality that instantly hooks you in. “Wretched Habits,” is a great showcase in the slower is usually heavier way of thinking and has some immensely  savage riffs. “Mass Extinction,” is perhaps the standout track here that really showcases the band’s strengths with brutal riffs and savage vocals that will leave you wanting crank it up well past 11. It’s refreshing to hear that Celestial Sanctuary still manage to make their sound their own even as they pay heavy tribute to bands like Obituary and Bolt Thrower. If you are still curious if the underground is able carry the torch and continue the sick mission of classic Death Metal, give this one a spin.

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FLOOD PEAK – Fixed Ritual – REVIEW

Fixed Ritual is an epically heavy EP. The songs contained in this release are full of crushing riffs that submerge the listener into their dark, depressive and gloomy world. While this release may not be for everyone, anyone who enjoys their metal drenched in sludge and dread, this makes for a satisfying listen. You want some Doom and Gloom to go along with your first up of Joe as you begin your work week? The boys in Flood Peak are are ready to take you for a ride in a sludgy sonic scape of misery in their sea of despair. The EP barley clocks in at 30 minutes but you’ll swear this musical journey you are taken on with this listen lasts even longer. The vocals have an impressive range going from haunted howl to mid range melodies. The guitars perfectly blend in a world both absolute bleakness and chaos. Just when you think a song is going to hammer a riff right through your skull, the music becomes calms down to a crawl.

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POISON WIND – Virus! – REVIEW

As we inch closer to shows opening back up and the year anniversary of Covid shutting everything thing down in the first place, we actually starting to see new  projects and albums come emerge from this rather bleak period of time. Poison Wind bills itself as a “Quarantine Band.” The group was formed in the earlier stages of the pandemic by Brian Magar (Cultic, The Owls ANWTS) who brought together some of his musician friends from other groups to remotely compose and record 8 tracks which would become “Virus!” Mager laid down the groundwork with the drum tracks then passed the recording off to the rest of the group who supplied the guitars, bass and vocals. The band did not know who or which members they were working with at any time

With such a unique method of recording it has captured an extreme metal album the encompasses many different elements ranging from Doom, Sludge, Black, Death, Grind and even some Thrash elements. The songs themselves riff of the chaos that has been the last year with such titles as, “Branch Covidians,” “Get me out,” and “Wear a Fucking Mask!”

All of this adds up to a satisfying listen full of diversity ,some killer experimentation and good ol’ fashioned cooped up quarantine fury. More than a novelty album, this is proof something good can come out of a lockdown.

 

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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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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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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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CURSEWIELDER – Arma Christi – REVIEW

 

Not much is known about the mysterious Cursewielder. The group hailing from South Ireland, released their debut demo EP, Arma Christ via Fomorian Hate Recordings earlier this year. With only 3 songs, it’s a short but powerful listen. The recording is extremly raw, dark and murky as fuck. Just the way we like it!  This demo is covered in plenty of harsh vocals, crushing riffs and an enveloping and ever present darkness. Orifice Mysticism brings the speed and fury mixed in with some evil ambience for good measure. Hordes starts off with a sludgy doom like pace before killing it with the blast beats and going back to the sludgy style. Cursewielder does a great job transitioning smoothly between styles. Evulsion Spectre closes out the demo with some killer some classic thrashy and old school sounding Black Metal.

Cursewielder has already gone into a second printing of this release at the time of this review as they are already begining to cause a stir in the extreme underground. It will be interesting to see what they have in store for us when the release a full album.

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DAWN OF OUROBOROS – The Art of Morphology – REVIEW

 

The San Francisco Bay Area has always been a hot spot for Metal from the early 80’s Thrash scene to today. Dawn of Ouroboros proudly carry on the tradition of bringing fresh and exciting new exteme music to the masses with their debut release, “The Art of Morphology.”

This album is somewhat difficult to review but I do not mean that in any bad way whatsoever. In fact it is quite the opposite as this is an extemely great listen. Let’s start off by taking everything you know about Black Metal and toss it aside. Yes, I know that is a cliche thing to say but that principle completely applies here. From the gentle opening chords of “Revivied Spirits,” the album sets an deep atmospheric tone then hits hard into blast beats, harsh vocals and buzzsaw guitars for the second half of the song. The next song, “Pinnacle Induced Vertigo” also starts in the same kind of matter but this track has a more melodic feel. The clean vocals are really effective here as well. Vocalist Chelsea Murphy has some incredible range and talent. Normally I hate when bands mix vocal styles with a  passion but somehow it the folks in Dawn pull it off.

“Gateway to Tenebrosity” is a short piano instrumental that leads perfectly into “Lunar Cathexis.” Here Murphy blends vocals styles again, going from sweet to demonic on a more Black Metal sounding track. This is the theme throughout the entire album and what leads into it’s difficulty to review. Dawn of Ouroboros are constantly changing their sound and style. The change, however, is never jarring and flows well with the rest of the song. This is a highly recommneded listen as it takes all of your preconceived notions and flips them on their head. I am sure after a few more listens, I will pick up on more subtleties and complexities.

I’ll just close this by saying, “Go forth and listen now!”

 

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AKURION – Come Forth to Me – Album Review

 

From Montreal, Canada comes Akurion and they are here to kick your ass with some brtual Death Metal. No matter how you like your Death Metal; technical, melodic, blackened, etc, this debut album is worth a listen for any fan of exteme music. It come as no surprise here as Akurion features members of Cattle Decapitation and Cryptopsy, you know you are in for a treat of killer riffs and brutal melodies.

From the opening track, Leave them Scars, Akurion, comes off with a vengeance with growling vocals courtsy of Mike DiSalvo and the pounding bass of Oli Pinard. Pedals from a Rose… slows things down a bit but does not skimp on the brutality. Souvenir Gardens is an epic piece clocking in at a little over 11 minutes. It begings with an incredible atmospheric piece that has classical feel to it that is rounded out quite well with some acoustic guitar work. Year of the Long Pig is an unapologetic crushing piece that comes off as raw and chaotic and one of the best tracks featured here.

Come Forth to Me is an enjoyable debut from a Death Metal, “super group” that does not feel it was just piece together as a side project as most of these types of collaborations can often feel. This album was made for multiple listens with it’s raw, gritty, melodic and atmospheric riffs ,pouding and grooving bass lines and crushing vocals. This is a well crafted album that will perfectly fit in your library.

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ETERNAL ARMAGEDDON – In Light In Dark In Hate – Album Review

 

Black Thrash Bastards is the perfect opening track for this debut album from the Bangladesh trio Eternal Armageddon. It kicks you hard in the teeth from the get go with thrashy guitars, raspy vocals and punishing drumming. They sound and feel like a bunch of Black Thrash Bastards. Seriously. This is pure trashy classic Bay Area inspired Thrash sprinkled with heavy does of Black Metal and cooked to perfection. Fans of Midnight, Venom and Sodom will want to pick this one up quick. Hell, fans of Metal should check these guys out.

Vocals are filthy, guitars are buzzing and drums are blasting, yet this is an extemely captive listen with plenty of octane to keep you coming back for more. Hazam the Black Reaper manages to slow things down for just a moment before going for an early NWOBM sound. It is just as awesome as it sounds. The guitar work for the rest of the album is very heavily Thrash influenced but works oh so well. Once the plague of COVID-19 is over, I can see huge circle pits forming anytime this band takes the stage.

In Light In Dark In Hate is a solid listen from start to finish. Incredible hooks, slick production and enough raw energy to put them at the top of their tier.