Hey guys, got an early album review for you! One we are all super stoked for ,and that I have already pre ordered…
That’s right, the brand new Inanimate Existence album ‘Underneath A Melting Sky’ which comes out this Friday, August 25th!
Inanimate Existence line up:
Cameron Porras – Guitar & Vocals,
Scott Bradley – Bass & Vocals,
Ron Casey – Drums
Barely a year after Inanimate Existence’s 3rd album ‘Calling From A Dream’ was released, they unleash their The Artisan Era debut. This is also their first release as a 3 piece and damn, Inanimate Existence is not fucking around. They explore new horizons with each release and they seem to absolutely master each new direction they take. This album combines the dark brutality of ‘Liberation Through Hearing‘ as well as the fantastical soundscapes and atmosphere of ‘A Never-Ending Cycle Of Atonement‘. This is a very different album from its predecessor (I personally really enjoyed ‘Calling From A Dream‘).
There is plenty of apparent keyboards and synth that is mixed in perfectly. The synth is done very different than ‘Calling From A Dream‘. Here there are several different tones used throughout and some really fantastic melodies as well. The vibe created this time is entirely different and rather epic. The guitar leads are immaculately written and just soar with the music, and if you thought you liked the bass tone and work in ANECOA, wait until you hear this! Tracks like Forever To Burn, The Old Man in the Meadow, and The Djinn will blow you away! The riffs and overall songwriting is phenomenal here though. The riffs are some of the catchiest in the Death Metal subgenres that I’ve ever heard, and the quality doesn’t drop for a second. There is no lame filler riffs and it all flows really damn well.
There are also some deadly grooves in this album. The title track, In Moonlight I Am Reborn, Blood Of the Beggar & Formula Of Spores all have outstanding groovy parts that will have you keep coming back and will be irresistibly stuck in your head. They leave you no choice but to get right into the music.
Ron’s drumming is completely insane as per usual. I particularly like the grooves he lays out on this album. Super creative with excellent cymbal work. It fits the guitar amazingly and the listener can easily got lost in his sick tightness and creativity. His cymbal and ride and hi hat work in particular just mesmerize me.
Every song is simply outstanding and completely unique. Not only this, but the album flows song to song absolutely perfectly. This album is an absolute masterpiece. Add the amazingly well thought out story behind the albums lyrics and the quite possibly best art I have ever seen to coincide with them, Inanimate Existence has the full package right now. This album is everything they need to solidify their name on some of the sickest tours and get the respect a hard working band like them deserves. Absolute album of the year contender!
There’s still time to pre-order the album!
For fans of The Zenith Passage, Decrepit Birth, Soreption, Virvum, Arkaik
9.9/10 \m/
Music and Lyrics by Cameron Porras
Engineered, Mixed and Masted by Zack Ohren at
Shark Bite Studios in Oakland, CA
Artwork by Justin Abraham
Rapid fire blast beats, and guitar sweeps set the song up with just shy of fifteen seconds of that chaotic yet intriguing set up. Until the vocals start spitting lyrics. I absolutely love this song; they sink their hooks into you within the first minute of the song. It has a solid tempo, but the guitar work is impressive. Check out the guitar riff around the :53 second mark, the riff itself has a solid set up, and the actual tone is fitting with their popular concept of nuclear armageddon. The more I listen to this song, the more I realize they set themselves up for something killer several times before the song is halfway through right around the 1:19 minute mark is a cool set up, and then “We are the Same” and then the brutal groove begins. For about thirty seconds they deliver on a steady groove from the guitars and drums. Meanwhile “we are the same, condemned to perish” can be heard, all the while the song begins to build off of that. Eventually they hit a peak and the rapid fire blast beats and riffing begin to burn a hole in you from the intensity. Right around the 3:00 minute mark the song hits the apex of the song. The section that will repeat, and build until the song reaches the end. That solid minute long end is brutal, ESPECIALLY at the 3:48 mark when you hear “MASSIVE RADIATION DETECTED” and the drums are playing a bulldozing groove, that fucking fits like nothing else could. HOLY SHIT is this what the whole album will be like? If so I am ready for some technical brutality that will be sure to mutate me with the massive radiation detected.
Chaos Cascade
The song begins with a single guitar, a bit of drums and then a quick set up with the vocals before the blasting begins. This beginning sequence sets up the song well, it leaves the listener ready for how they end up breaking out into the first verse. Right around the one-minute mark, they head into a chorus like section. Simple yet catchy and then hits us with some guttural vocals, before transitioning into another section, this time a bit more intense than the last. I find myself really enjoying this album with each transition throughout all songs. This song is great for that, right around the 1:21 mark coming out of that catchy chorus. The blast beats begin and the guitars sink their hooks in with ease. While the vocals continue to bludgeon with well-timed attacks that jive with everything going on. This is one of the things I find myself enjoying more about this album that previous ones. Grimo uses them a bit more sparingly with this album, but the delivery and the timing are on point. Right around the 2:40 mark, the song rolls right into the same section a little over a minute before only to blast that out in short time before hitting the point of wrapping things up. The last thirty seconds of the song tie everything up well. They manage to make ninety percent of the song technical, catchy and impressive and the last ten percent is a slower paced section with some groove and still packs a punch. I love it, but I am sure that the title track is going to be following the trend and raising the bar some more.
Gammageddon
The song begins with an almost chaotic yet brief three second set up from the guitars and drums before starting the first verse with the vocals joining in. it actually reminds me of something Despised Icon would have done in their earlier albums. The song will certainly generate some head and body movement as this verse plays out. By the time we get to the 1:25 mark we get a section with a killer riff and the intensity of the song builds up. I mean now I am ready for anything. That amps me up big time, and it lasts about fifteen seconds. But man the song isn’t even half over yet, they continue to completely destroy me sonically with this killer track. They hit you at the 2:11 mark with that same killer riff and blasting section to satisfy my withdrawals from the moment before. This is such a killer track, I’m sorry the rest of this review is going to be hell after this song. The last little drum solo is sooo very simple, and yet that’s all it needs to be. In that moment you can hear the drums crystal clear, I feel as though I was in the same room. Now that, I find impressive they have posted a few studio videos and they did the recording at. But the sound on this album is one of the more impressive aspects of this album.
I feel as though this is a good time to insert the video for Gammageddon so you can see what I mean.
Chernopolis
Now this song right here is the song that has gotten the most spins by me all around. When I first listened to this album I had it on random and this is the first song to play. Just listen to that beginning. It has this ominous set up, with just enough progression from the drums and guitars to give the listener the feeling that this song is going to beat them to a pulpy mess of body parts. For a solid forty-seven seconds the beginning sequence just sets up the tone, while they come out of that with about another twenty seconds of even more buildup to transition to the first verse. I have listened to this beginning several times alone, how this song makes me feel is that I can’t stop the song before that beginning sequence has played through its entirety, and then by that time, I am now invested in the song completely. What a killer way to start this song off. It’s a bit more calculated and slower paced. But the intensity of the drums, with the guitar riff makes this a no brainer that this is going to become a fan favorite. The vocals join in around the 1:11 mark and they have the low guttural delivery before bulldozing the first verse with lows. This song is a slower pace but it has a groove about it, that will have many moving to the rhythm. But not before reaching the1:57 mark where the guitars pull of another riff that sets up the next section perfectly, only to have that section build up even more. What I am finding more and more from this album is the natural progression of the songs. I love it, everything is mapped out well and has me amped up to extreme levels. Not to mention the guitar solo at the 2:48 mark. Damn I want that guitar solo to play when I get a call or text. That solo is badass, it’s not a flashy solo, but it is a sweet lick that holy shit if that doesn’t cut right through you and have you ready to throw some horns up and hit the pit. Right around the 4:19 mark the guitars hit us with another badass lick that gives off an alarm vibe but still has a badass feel to it. They set up a section of complete and utter filthy gutturals that make me turn the radio up louder roll down the windows and welcome all the surprised looks I get. This song has renewed my faith in Cytotoxin, as the last album just did not have as much of an impact on me as I had expected. They deliver a soulful guitar solo around the 5:46 mark before wrapping the song up and ending it to transition into Deadzone Outpost seamlessly
Deadzone Outpost
Dead zone outpost is just a track that offers some imagery to the album. They do a killer job with this as it’s not just something to skip through. Not every album needs a track like this to offer theatrics, or imagery. But I find that if done well, makes an impact on the album. I will admit at first listen I was just too eager to wait, I saw the time and realized it wasn’t a song. But the fact that Deadzone Outpost rolls right into “Redefining Zenith” which features Svencho as a guest vocalist.
Redefining Zenith
And it begins with a signature sound found often with Belgium blasters @Aborted, this is an unmistakable introduction by Sven De Caluwe. They hook us with that driving rhythm from the guitars and the blasting drums. Just shy of half a minute they begin to transition in to the first verse. Which is going to have the listener head and or body moving, because goddamn that’s catchy. Right around the :38 second mark. Sven lays down his first line of the song. And it compliments Grimo very well. Fast forward to the 1:55 mark where the song is getting ready to transition again. There is this moment when Grimo lays down a phrase, and then Sven responds with his line. The back and forth as well as the blend of the two vocalists sounds awesome. I’m not entirely sure what I like more the majority of the song which is fast paced lots of blasts and fast guitar lines. Or the heavier slower sections of the song. I sure as shit hope they have Sven as a guest again for future albums because this track is catchy as hell. Not to mention how they finish this song up. The last line spit around the four-minute mark with a few growls but the guitars and drums sound sick. But I have to say, this track is so good. It may not be my favorite off the album. But just to clarify, this song is so damn good it would score a 9/10 due to the compatibility of the two vocalists and my ear drums.
Corium Era
I will admit that there are songs with a beautiful roll out on the drums before bludgeoning us with heavy hitting double bass and blistering blast beats. The type of roll out that could be simple, it could be complex, but it’s perfect. And the sound quality of the drums is so clear. It only lasts about one full second, and then guitars come in. So I have just played a loop of the first ten seconds of the song for about a minute and a half. Wow, what an introduction to the nuclear madness that these guys unleash upon the listener. In just a short period of time they hook you, the guitar riff in the beginning continues for the first verse, and the vocals have some mean lows in a few accented areas. The guitars are impressive on this song, the riff around the 1:03 mark is a great example of the caliber riffage they are slinging on this track. Just when I think they can’t play something as infectious as the last section, they gut you at the 1:55 mark with a section where the guitars are playing this cool rhythm, drums are emphasizing the footwork for a solid thirty seconds. The whole time if this is being played anywhere, I am pretty sure it could summon a circle pit in any location, at any time. I mean, teeth are probably going to be knocked out at many shows to this song. they come out of that with a solid final verse. Then around the 2:42 spot they hit us with the final solo of the song. A wisely placed squeal to set up the last thirty seconds of awesomeness, and the song ends. I have played this song so many times because of the beginning and then by the time the song ends. I was just in metal head mode stuck in that “awe” feeling when you hear something so badass. I am loving this album so far.
Antigenesis
Julien Truchan from Benighted guests on this track so I am interested in the vocal delivery and blend of Grimo and Julien on this. The chaotic guitars in the beginning give you that sense of alarm that they seem to be projecting into the music. Adding to the imagery of the music, the band pulls off guitars like this and its impressive how the delivery is. This song is the shortest song with vocals, and I can respect the fact that I have not been let down with this album yet. I just got hooked by the guitars and drums of this song, I wanted more of those. But to be honest I wasn’t feeling the vocals as much as I had anticipated. I dig the rapid succession squeals around the 2:21 spot but it was because they really flowed well with the other instruments. The song as a whole is badass, I ended up gravitating towards the instruments more than the vocals on this track. Nothing wrong with them, I was just more impressed by the instrumental aspect of the song. Contagious just like the first half of this album has been.
Outearthed
Some low vocals set up the song with a killer riff that follows and a cool rhythm that just lays down a killer groove with that solo. Grimo delivers a few more squeals in this song, and early I might mention. Not even half way into the song and executed those rhythm matching high pitched eardrum splitters. I like the section of song around the 1:38 spot. The song builds up, the vocals have a cut up section and then, they assault you with this heavy section that is probably the easiest for them to play. simply put, it just grabs you, they did a great job on this song, and this album. Another few squeals around the 2:20, a growl and then a guitar solo. The song throws down the gauntlet with the change at the four-minute mark. This is the song ending sequence right here. probably the best part of the song for me, i really enjoyed the second half more than the first.
Sector Zero
This song is an instrumental track that delivers heavy doses of image inducing riffs and killer drums. This song will have anyone within earshot, moving to the song. and what’s that some sort of sound like an alarm around the 1:08 mark. I like this subtle way of ending the album out, it really adds up. They hit us with things like “Massive Radiation Detected” Dead zone Outpost, and then this alarm sound. I love this album.
I love this album, while I didn’t get moved as much by Outearthed or Antigenesis as much as the other tracks. this album has so much packed into this album. It is catchy as hell and I am sure it can make some AOTY lists with ease. I feel as though they took a look at their sound and style after signing with Unique Leader Records, and determined that the only thing to do is continue to hone their craft with every note being scrutinized and investigated to determine the worth of that one note, because they sure as fuck made sure to make this album a gem. The guitars on this album are incredible, I am impressed with this album. The drums are crisp and sound great. The actual sound quality of this album is something to be happy with. These guys put a lot into Gammageddon, the production is great, and there really isn’t anything I am not happy with or didn’t enjoy. You only have about less than 23 hours to get on the pre-orders for this album so if you don’t want to miss out on any of those, you can find some links below for getting your copy of this absolutely killer album.
The EP begins with an ominous build up. A drum fill begins the music in “The Silent Prophecy” and takes us into the high paced and catchy riffage with powerful and heavy vocals. Not too brutal, but deep for sure. They beat us apart for the first fifty seconds until we get our first taste of real melody, (besides the touches used in the riffing). Then really nice soaring lead. We get brought back into the catchy fast paced riffage. About a third of the way through the song we get some more really nice melodic touches over the riffs. The vocals seem to go along with the music really well. As this lead part with vocals ends, we get somewhat of an interlude like section, that is spacey and ambient. Slowly they build back up starting with the bass and then a pick scrape into the slower heavy riff. This section is quite dark. It feels brooding, and it flows into the next, brief faster section really well. As that section ends we get another interlude section similar to the one in the middle of the song but it begins with an acoustic guitar. It is a nice way to end the song and also flows perfectly into track 2.
“Ethereal Majesty” begins with an almost white noise building up type ambiance with some more sounds that really remind me of Nomatic era Fallujah. Just after a minute they begin this riffage. It also begins brooding and slower, there is a doomy vibe almost. The vocals are killer and heavy as fuck here, then a nice pause into a sick good paced riff. The drums are constantly switching it up and really keep this section’s pulse. They briefly pause and transition with what sounds like some sitar and go into a slammy riff/ tremolo back and forth riff and the drums continue to switch it up and keep us on our toes. They slightly simplify it near the middle, but not for the worse, its pretty groovy and catchy, right before they pick it up to full force briefly again. This is indeed brief as they fade down to a drawn out chordy part with a really lovely lead, into an almost blackened chordy part with equally almost blackened vocals into – WOAH – definitely a breakdown. They just morphe so many genres and totally killed it. The breakdown does do the classic ‘more dirty’ part and then they nicely flow into a prefectly head bobbing riff to end the song. They slow it ever so naturally and open fade into the last song ending perfectly.
“The Nebulon Abhorrency” begins a lot sooner than the others. The open fade soon brings some synth and eerie screams. They make us know some change is coming and begin the high paced and catchy verses. There is some sick melodic double picking riffage going on! I absolutely love it. This song seems to have the most notable synth though it is in every song. This one has almost synth leads at times. After one synth lead part over a cool riff we have a sweet groove! They then slowly let it breath with more synth and then totally melt our faces with fast technical ridding and powerful in your face vocals. The drums have some wicked blasts and are coming at a good pace with the blasts and thrash beats. There is also some really killer guitar fills in that section. They then slow it down to a more doomy vibe once more before the end. Fast double kick and powerful slow riffing which fades into synth that takes us to a close.
Godeater has made a strong impact with these three songs. They are catchy and well structured and have enjoyable production. I can tell there is room to grow but I have no quarrels with this EP whatsoever.
For fans of Fallujah, Bleak Flesh, The Odious Construct, TETHYS, Vale of Pnath
Mike Low – Mixing
Zak Denham – Mastering
Justin Abraham – Artwork
I am thrilled to bring you guys my review of the highly anticipated debut Virulent Depravity album, Fruit Of The Poisoned Tree.
The line up for Fruit Of The Poisoned Tree is; Colin Butler – Composition / Guitar / Bass / Vocals
Malcolm Pugh – Guitar
Kévin Paradis – Drums
I believe for the next album, the lineup will remain the same, with different guest appearances to look forward to. This is some of the most complexly composed material I have ever heard. The riffs are unreal, but retain catchiness, and are melodic in their own, incredibly technical way. Lots of great harmonizations and riff counter points.
Some songs with particularly great riffs are; “Beyond The Point Of No Return”, there is a SICK harmony melodic riff that repeats. Definitely one of my favorite riffs I have heard in a long time. The solos are insane. Some very creative licks and a unique, but epic feel utilized. All of the solo tones sound awesome, and fit, but sound individualized, especially the difference between Colin and Malcolm’s tones. Malcolm’s seems to sound more melodic, similar to his “A Loathing Requiem” tone, but still fit for this project. Where Colin’s tone seems a bit more alien in sound. The guest solos are all rather distinct as well. Mark Hawkins (Devolved) rips the first solo on the entire album with a very crisp tone right into a killer solo by Malcolm and a sweet melodic solo by Colin. The most similar of all the guest solos to Colin’s tone is Elijah Whitehead, who performs a killer solo after Colin on “Mechanized Defilement”. One of my favorite solos on the album by far as well.
This album isn’t just technically proficient though. Your mind will be blown with its feel and passion as well. “Only Human” begins with a beautiful, clean section into an almost classically influenced lead, into the brutality. It comes back to awesome soulful sections later on as well, one, after an awesome guest solo by Craig Peters (Deeds OF Flesh, Destroying The Devoid, ex-Arkaik), flowing incredibly with a nice bass part into a sweet groovy riff and beautiful solo by Colin. The song has some more badass verses, a chorus and a few more killer solos by Colin. The ending is very soulful as well and goes back to that Neo-classical vibe.
The closing track, “Crushed By Futuristic Filth”, is one of the most well-rounded. It is crushing and beautiful and so much more. It has an amazing soft section with a keyboard solo by Jimmy into a completely heart wrenching, beautifully written, emotional but uplifting solo by Malcolm. It is really fantastic! After smoothly going back to brutality it then sounds like it is over at about 5 minutes in and it kind of spirals into a beautifully written guest solo by the young virtuoso, Sims Cashion, over a soft section with keys and more beauty as well.
The bass isn’t overshadowed either. Often in albums when it is performed by the primary composer who is a guitarist, the bass gets the role of simply “holding down the low-end”. Not here. Not only does it have an “EXCELLENT” tone, but Colin steps in and out (mostly out) of the guitar work and throws in a lot of perfectly placed, totally sick fills. He mixes up the technique a lot as well. Between finger picking, slap parts and cool tap licks. The bass has it all on this album. All the tracks have awesome bass. We’ve established this, but some songs have especially great parts that are worth mentioning. Such as “Only Human” has a great bass part during a soft instrumental section in the middle of the song. “Mechanized Defilement” has awesome fills, strategically placed to grab your attention through the entire song, and there is a stop with a nice bass sweep which everyone loves when done right. In the last song, “Crushed By Futuristic Filth”, following the guitar solo is a piano solo with an amazing bass line under it. Not overly shred-dy, just so good. The piano continues after the rest of the instruments stop to give a bleak, but slightly hopeful sounding end.
The vocals are just “WOW“! He utilizes so many different tones as tasteful accents, while the main tone seems to be a low mid to a low that are very aggressive. The delivery is what really gets me here. Most of it is well enunciated and while crushingly brutal and technical, still fairly easy to understand. At other times he uses what I call, “vocal artistic integrity” and just massacres us with some of the sickest deliveries I have ever heard. Especially during certain techy riffs, the speed and ability to manipulate words slightly to fit perfect, is incredibly impressive. The vocal speed and delivery in “Serpentine Messiah”, some of the line in “Your Demise” and, the vocals in “Beyond The Point Of No Return” are ridiculous and some of the verses in “Crushed By Futuristic Filth” are nearly inhuman. Simply astonishing performance. Hard to keep up to even reading along at times. “Your Demise” also has some really great delivery in lines that are not incredibly fast. My favorite being “as you sleep in your cocoon of ignorance, night approaches and we are coming for you” before Malcolm’s solo. The delivery is simply sinister and perfect. The whole song has excellent vocals, not to mention the whole damn album.
The drum performance is also totally crazy. Ridiculously fast blasts with meticulously placed but sporadic at the same time fills. He is capable of basically any type of beat he demonstrates. He tastefully and strategically places occasional gravity blasts, but mostly keeping to jarring blasts and crazy bursts and fills. The snare beats and kick bursts in the first verse of “Serpentine Messiah” is just nuts. Incredible doubly kick speed and stamina through the whole album. especially on that song, “Spineless Obedience, Your Demise”, “Bad Drug”, “Beyond The Point Of No Return”, and “Only Human”. As well as super tasty cymbal word with the changing between crashes / Chinas / splashes and even super tasty hi-hat use between hits. It is my understanding that Colin composed all of the riffs, and wrote general ideas for the drums, but it was all basically Kevin. He even records in his home studio. Which is a huge plus to me. The drums have a very refreshingly organic sound, which can especially be heard during the softer instrumental sections. The cymbals sound amazing and are panned great. Everything about the drum performance, engineering and mix is completely stellar in my opinion.
One thing I really love about the album is that while being absolutely mind-boggling-ly technical, it remains cohesive, and often even has a psychedelic vibe. At times the lead tone helps achieve this, such as the solo in “Spineless Obedience” and a lead section, in “Desecrating Eden”, which comes back at the end also and I just love it and the way the guitar mixes with the Keyboard solo in the middle. This is a largely unexplored sound in the genre and it has been demonstrated magnificently here. With classical level intricacy in the composition and a modern spin to the technicality and riff style mixed with the perfect levels of brutality and passion in the right places. There is even some Neo-classically influenced licks. If this isn’t one of the most creative and well-rounded albums in Death Metal history, then I must have a lot to learn. Definite contender for album of the year! Get on this people! Soon! … I want vinyl.
For fans of Spawn Of Possession, First Fragment, Anomalous, Archspire, Inanimate Existence, Ending Tyranny
9.9/10 \m/
Guest Musicians:
Jimmy Pitts – Keys (Track 4, 10)
Mark Hawkins – Solo (Track 1)
Nick Padovani – Solo (Track 6)
Craig Peters – Solo (Track 8)
Elijah Whitehead – Solo (Track 9)
Sims Cashion – Solo (Track 10)
Nathan Bounds – Guest Vocals (Track 10)
Fabio – vocals
Davide – guitar
Daniele – guitar
Lorenzo – bass
Paolo – drums
Today the devil has dropped something strangely interesting and dark. It’s the first full length album by Italian noise makers Noise Trail Immersion. I feel as though their name should have included “Therapy” on the end because that’s what this album is like, a caustic yet effective form of music, that to some could cause epileptic seizures and others like myself find a lot of peace within the music. They are a really unique band with elements of blackened metal, mathcore, and extreme metal mixed together to create a blunt and chaotic sound that is actually very appealing. Yet melodic in some areas. It’s a sound that you have to hear to understand, but from listening to this album every little element from the mathcore, to the blackened metal, I mean it all stands out. they go from one end of the spectrum where they are playing a really smooth melodic riff, to going into some dissonance and poly-rhythms. All in a matter of seconds and no warnings either and with fierce delivery. You still get plenty of catchy riffs and moments in tracks like Organism. its not all dissonant, dark, noise. They have a rhyme and a reason, and you will have to go into this album knowing that you are going to have a lot of unexpected sounds and things happening all at once and from different angles. If you are looking for something different, something dark and chaotic. or maybe you are looking for something that walks the balance between dissonance and catchy rhythms look no further. Noise Trail Immersion is the everyday carry utility tool consisting of many different elements and giving you the hardcore fuck you attitude as they deliver their brand through your speakers. I have really enjoyed listening to this and being surprised at what they pull off with their music. 7/10 \m/
There is also this video for one of or favorite tracks “Organism” check it out
Head on over to their FACEBOOK page and give them the ol’ thumbs up
Check their BANDCAMP page out to pick up your copy of Womb
Luc Lemay – Guitars / Vocals
Kevin Hufnagel – Guitars
Colin Marston – Bass
Patrice Hamelin – Drums
Today the Devil has brought us pure gold in the form of a truly unique, dark, experimental dissonant, and technical death E.P. Extreme Death pioneers Gorguts dropped one hell of an E.P. titled Pleiades’ Dust back in the spring. This E.P. is straight fire, its a one track, thirty three minute song that makes up the entire E.P. Gorguts did it again and made something that has people talking about them. they continue to put out incredible music that raises the bar on their own creativity and sound. Pleiades’ is the musical release that has taken Gorguts to a higher level than they had been on previously. The song explores so many different sounds and styles all mashed up into this song, but the beauty of it is the song is spread out for thirty three minutes which makes every transition flow so much smoother. This E.P. is one of the greatest E.P. releases of 2016 we have gotten so much play from this one song. you genuinely need to listen to the entire track to understand. 8/10 \m/
If you want to pick up this one of a kind E.P. Click Here to go to their BANDCAMP page
As always head over to their FACEBOOK page and give them a like to stay current on all things GORGUTS!
You can also check out their website for more news and merchandise by clicking HERE
Today the Devil has brought us a a dark and primitive extreme black metal self titled album by the German metal trio Ctulu. This album is filled to the brim with catchy riffs, drivng rhtyms, dark lyrics, and blistering blast beats. some fucking killer blackened metal! This album surprised the shit out of me. I really dig the album art too, its dark and cult like. its like a page from some H.P. Lovecraft tale. Track after track they really impressed me, the first song was a bit on the slower and darker paced side of things. But it sets up a lot of imagery within the music. I mean the more I listen to it, the more I wonder why I haven’t heard this group before. However the second track follows up with faster pace and and fucking bad ass beginning. The guitars and drums really set up this song and it’s a fucking catchy track right from when the vocals begin. The third track begins to compete with the previous track in speed and contagious choruses and vocals in general. The guitars are a a driving force, even with how straightforward the riffs may be. This level of blackened hasn’t been on my radar for a while. The album has only two dark and slow tracks and those being Serce krwawe and Rozgoryczona, rozczarowana, a gotowa na wszystko. The rest are all a fast paced, with the guitar really grasping out you while the drums are so precise and blistering fast. This is what I love about finding a band I haven’t heard before. When it has a “WOW” factor and really impresses you. This gem came out just about a month ago and has been getting a lot of play these past few weeks. Our top played tracks are Totenhauswinde which means death house winds. And yea the song is about as badass as its name is. Von Mondeswächtern und Menschverächtern is also a killer track. This album is 100% worth being check out and luckily for you its on bandcamp so check it out below. For some really dark, and driving blackened extreme death metal that will certainly impress many of you. 7/10 \m/
If you like what you hear, you can pick this blackened German gem up over at Ctulu’s BANDCAMP page
Also show them some love on FACEBOOK by giving them the thumbs up so you can stay up to date on news.
You can find cool Ctulu merch and other MDD artists by clicking HERE \m/
Today the devil hath brought us a dark, and brooding album to listen to titled “The Obscene Rite” the third release from Pennsylvania experimental black/death metal band Veilburner.
Veilburner
The Obscene Rite
released September 30, 2016
Mephisto Deleterio – All musical compositions/performance, engineering/mixing, and backing vocals
Chrisom infernium – Main vocals, lyrics/themes, and album artwork
Now this is an album that came out back in September and while trying to review this album in my own regular format (track by track) due to the nature of the album. This is not an album you can really breakdown the way I do on most reviews. But after giving this album many spins it was apparent that to get the true and full effect you actually need to listen to this album from start to finish without stopping or skipping. To listen to each track and focus on one is taking away from the album as a whole. The songs blend right into each other and it really needs that continues play through to get the big picture. This is the third release by these guys and holy hell is it dark and intriguing. The first track (Postmortem Excordium) is the one that is going to set the pace of this album because when listening to it you really get the full spectrum of what they are going to be hammering you with for 9 tracks. The vocals are the closest thing to a pure evil entity summoning a dark and malevolent being. Yea it’d kind of like that, its dark and ghastly to listen to. The lyrical content follows very dark and thought provoking theoretical situations about the human race and evolving past physical and mental limitations. I mean lets just take a moment to understand their lyrics for a moment. They are writing songs with lyrics that are based on humans evolving beyond our limitations, if that’s not enough to get you interested I don’t know what is. I mean any band could make lyric content about the typical themes, gore, and the like. But Veilburner focus on a different (if not darker) point of view and the music relays that. Vaterchen is a great example of this, because the darker the content the music is going to reciprocate the feeling. This is where they excel, really pulling out the big guns to make this some of the darkest music you have heard in a long time. fans of Deathspell Omega, Akercocke, and I’d say Dodheimsgard will really appreciate this album. If you like your metal dark, sinister, straight up mind bending evil sounding, Veilburner have just what you need with their latest album. 8/10 \m/ But don’t take our word for it, have a listen for yourself by listening below.
Bonus: since the album really should be played start to finish, and their previous releases are just as compelling as this one and it is cool to listen to Noumenon, and then The Obscene Rite from start to finish and back to back. But I must warn you, it’s probably going to fuck with you on various levels so make sure you are in the right frame of mind before you do. Other than that get ready to have your mind warped from the brilliant and mysterious Veilburner. Also it is worth mentioning that when The Obscene rite came out they were unsigned. And shortly after the release they signed to Transcending Obscurity Records.
If you like what you hear then head on over to their BANDCAMP page and grab your copy of The Obscene Rite
Also if they offer up a sound you can really dig, then give them a like on FACEBOOK and stay current with Veilburner news.
Today we listen to the third album from the NH based metal band Solium Fatalis titled “Neuronic Saw” and it is one hell of an album, very dark and very heavy. So lets get to it shall we
Solium Fatalis
Neuronic Saw
released November 11, 2016
Jim Gregory – Guitars
Jeff DeMarco – Vocals & Bass
Ryan Beevers – Guitars
Jeff Saltzman-Drums
1) Nuclear Messiah
This song is a quite chilling and visual song giving the title of it, and the classical style of the song. Jim Gregory the mastermind behind Solium Fatalis has done it again. This song is not just another intro track, it’s the bar they just raised. Now you’re going to have to buckle yourself in and get ready for the riffage.
2) Symbiotic Plague
Well this song starts out very cool, solid intro with the guitars and drums playing and building things up and vocals join in before the thirty second mark. I dig the rhythm of this song, it has an impending and sinister feel about it. And I am really digging the drums on this track so far. It is worth mentioning that there is different drummer than on the previous albums, and based on how the drums sound. I am liking Jeff Saltzman behind the set for Solium. This is a cool song, very catchy, and I should mention the guitar solo right around the 3 minute mark. This song has a lot of that blackened melodic death feel to it. I like this track because it has new blood on the drums. Being able to compare this track to the previous albums and seeing how Solium has evolved. This is a great track especially to be coming out of the intro with.
3) Fractured Divinity
This song has a slightly more moderate pace about it, but none the less the track kills it. Vocals remind me of older century media, Earache and Nuclear blast bands. You know what I am talking about, old Arch Enemy, Carcass etc. They have a darker delivery that’s more of a primitive form that is very effective with the imagery of the music really. At three minutes and thirty one seconds this song cuts right through you with ease. Its not a long drawn out tune, they just steamroll right on through. The song is a killer track, it sinks its claws in to you with the guitar solo around the 1:50 mark and keeps you hooked. I mean listen to the guitar solo and tell me you aren’t interested in what Solium has to offer.
4) Myopic
This song has a short fade in before that rhythm takes a hold of you and the 175 bpm gets you locked in for the ride that this song is going to take you on. But damn does it get you moving before the vocals even join in, and I like the cymbal accents Jeff is playing on the ride. The one thing I will say about Solium Fatalis, is they have a “take no prisoners” delivery to the music. I mean take the vocals right at the :47 second mark, no fucks given right there. They don’t hold back anything, ever. And that’s what I like, zero fucks given from these guys. They formulate a song that’s as catchy as it is visual and when listening you find yourself to be lifted to your chill zone because you zone out almost hypnotized from the music. It flows in a way that is very appealing, straight to the point and catchy.
5) Hymn To The Infected
Well if that’s not a kick ass beginning, than I don’t know what would constitute as one. Just shy of thirty seconds and that set up was killer, fucking riff-nado, and a hailstorm of blasting drums. I like this track so far, it’s profoundly dark in tone and delivery. From the album art to the music it’s all pretty dark, and its catchy as hell. Not to mention the guitar solo about halfway through the track really hits the spot. I like when a band throws a guitar solo in the song, Solium Fatalis are good for that. You have a lot of talent in the band, and then to not display what they are really working with would be an injustice to their music and fans. When listening to this song I have to admit, the talent that’s packed into this group is amazing. Its songs like this I get the distinct feeling that Solium Fatalis will become a more familiar name with the release of Neuronic Saw, and anticipate their fan base will continue to grow rapidly if they keep making songs like this one.
6) Retch Atma
This song has more of an old school feel to it, and that beginning is awesome. When listening to this track you will undoubtedly be moving your body somehow, be it tapping your feet nodding your head or just losing it completely and throwing haymakers. This song has a feeling of satisfying your bloodlust. Yea it’s like that, this is like the soundtrack for a criminally insane charismatic cult leader planning on opening the ninth gate. But before you know it the song is over, they packed so much into three minutes and eight seconds that kept you captivated the entire time and when you realize it you are reaching for the back button to listen to it again.
7) Harvested to Necrosis
Alright, so this is the song right here. For Solium Fatalis, they have put out three albums full of solid tracks, but there is always that one track that has just a little more to it. The song has just a little more meat to it. It’s the song that many will deem their favorite, well let us be the ones to say it first. This is our favorite track off the album. After listening to the album in it entirety a handful of times this song is it. This song is the gem that is the one you should listen to first if you are going to formulate your first impression of Solium Fatalis. If you aren’t moving to this song when you have gotten to the one minute mark then you aren’t listening to the same thing I am, this song rips. The 1:53 mark they kick it into high gear with filthy guitar riffs and ravenous blast beats. They made a statement, they came for blood and now you got a taste of it yourself. Do you keep listening to the album or spin this track a few times, we had to listen to this track a few times ourselves because it crushes.
8) The Carrion Feast
They start things off heavy for the first ten seconds and then take it up another level when the vocals come in. This song is a slightly slower tempo again, but for each BPM less they make up for it in the dark angry delivery of the music. And I am really enjoying those backing vocals on this track, this song is going to have to be my number two. There is something very visually detailed about this song, and if that’s what they are going for, then the guitar solo starting at the 2:38 mark seals the deal. You can’t listen to this track and wonder why Solium Fatalis isn’t coming out of the mouths of so many more metal heads out there.
9) Contagion
Cool perpetual guitar riff sets up the blistering blast filled drums and the vocals are right alongside them. This song has a lot of built up animosity. This track is savage as a fucking primitive beast with a thirst for blood and its feeding time. This is another great example of how they do not hold back. This song rips on so many levels, it makes a statement. The ferocity of this track is undeniable, the need to listen to this track also undeniable. The beginning rips right from the get go and then following the drums and the rhythm. They hit us early in the song with a killer guitar solo around the 1:31 mark. This is one of those songs that when you listen to it, it gives you the mean face. You know what I’m talking about. This is an example of mean face right below. Jim gets it, be like Jim and shred some serious metal.
10) Serpent Crown Redux
The final track off of the album, and while we would love to break this one down. You really ought to do that yourself. We have to save this one for you to man an opinionated decision on your own.
This album is brilliant, Solium Fatalis are such an underrated band. The production of this album was stellar, not to mention it had Chris Donaldson of Cryptopsy working on this at his studio The Grid. You don’t go to the grid and get a bad product, you don’t go to the grid if you don’t have something awesome to be recording. I listen to this album and every time I do I find I could sit and just loop tracks over and over. This album gets the job done from tracks like Nuclear Messiah, to contagion, the album has a lot of range, a lot of dark and savage range. But couple that with the talent those guys have is what makes this album a hit. Check this shit out, you won’t be disappointed if you do. 9/10
Check them out on FACEBOOK by clicking here, and don’t be a dick, throw them a like while you’re there.
Jean-Daniel Villeneuve (guitar and lead vocal)
Stéphane Simard (guitar and back vocals)
Pierre-Luc Beaulieu (Bass)
Antoine Baril (Drums)
If you haven’t had a chance to check out Deviant Process’s album that came out back in March titled Paroxysm than you didn’t really didn’t get out from under that rock you have been under in months. This album is sick, I mean you have Augury’s Antoine Baril on this album and boy does that have an impact. This is a tech death / Progressive death metal. The opening track title “Unconscious” is fucking undeniably badass. When the song starts you have a cool intro for a solid minute and then when the vocals kick in you know you just opened up a kickass can of metal you are going to wish you had opened sooner.
This is album will appeal to many tech death fans and progressive metal fans. They really raise the bar with this release and its albums like this one, that when you hear it. You know, you want more of what these guys are delivering. Tracks that really stand out are Unconscious, Persecution, and Dysfunctional Therapy. All the songs kick ass and this is a must have for many of you reading this article. . It’s just too damn good, to not listen to this in its entirety. One complete spin of this and you will understand why we are giving this a 9/10 \m/ rating
Since the album dropped they have made lineup changes so we wanted to also detail the current lineup.
Current Lineup:
Jean-Daniel Villeneuve (guitar and lead vocal)
Stéphane Simard (guitar and back vocals)
Philippe Cimon (Bass)
François C. Fortin (Drums)
The Metal Breakdown 