Unsigned

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Hod – The Uncreated (2013)

    cover

    Packing in a lot of fire power in three songs, today we have Hod and their 2013 demo “The Uncreated”. Delivering relentless riffs, tight drumming, and hellish vocals, this band has what it takes to take you by surprise and command you to headbang from the beginning to the end of this nifty release.

    Opening with the sheer power of “Beneath The Mountains of The Scorpions”, this nearly six minute long opus delivers high-octane energy and plenty of killer riffs, showcasing the band’s brutality and musical abilities. The vocals are quite entertaining and keep things fresh, but what hooks you is the massive drumming surrounding the catchy riffing. The band does a great job in keeping the song fresh and diverse by switching up tempos very graciously.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Forlorn Chambers – Unborn and Hollow (2013)

    cover

    Founded in 2012 and already with a killer demo out in 2013, Forlorn Chambers is one very promising Death Metal band from Finland. Featuring three tracks, this release shows a very mature band with a knack for melodic passages and killer drumming. Having a vibe combining Swedish Death Metal with some more Melodic elements, we are quite shocked about how good this mysterious band in.

    Opening with the crushing “Unborn and Hollow”, this demo starts on a very high note due to the excellent quality of the band’s music. The drumming is superb and the riffing is very well structured, the vocals are a bit odd for the way the music sound but they have that old-school vibe similar acts like Nebiros (Mexico) and such. Thanks to the killer production, this track (and the rest) sound exactly like something that any big-name Scandinavian band would be able to produce.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Arsenic Addiction – Echoes of Mourning: Communion with the Damned (2012)

    cover

    Nicely refining their skills over time, today we have Arsenic Addiction and their latest release “Echoes of Mourning: Communion with the Damned”. Hailing from Salt Lake City one of the Mormon capitals of the world, it is quite refreshing to find a band with such an aggressive yet melodic sound and imposing stage presence. Claiming to be Gothic Victorian Metal, the band nicely combines Gothic Metal elements with heavier Black/Death Metal influences all delivered by their female growler: Lady Arsenic.

    Opening the release with the imposing “Aphotic Rite”, the band showcases even more Gothic touches than on their previous release. As an intro, this track really gets the listener interested in what is to follow. “Crown of Glass” goes into full swing with the band’s trademark signature and a constant struggle between hellish growls and soaring clean vocals. The band’s sound has that early 2000’s vibe of Gothic Black/Death Metal that is still widely used (and loved) these days.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Minutian – Repercussions (2011)

    cover

    With a slight alternative rock edge to their sound, today we have Finland’s Minutian and their very entertaining release “Repercussions”. Delivering seven tracks of super catchy rock tunes with some Progressive Rock/Metal elements, the band showcases their knack for epic melodies and intricate passages arranged in a very approachable and engaging manner.

    Opening with the playful “Hole”, the band sets a very light mood for this release. Mikko Heino does a great job delivering emotionally charged vocals on top of the very mellow music. The progressive touches are more present on “In Circles”, a track that reminds us of a more Rock version of King Crimson with very dreamy melodic passages. Things get a bit heavier with “Cold & Tight” one of the best tracks in this release thanks to its very intricate instrumental passages.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Okular – Sexforce (2013)

    cover

    Coming along with quite a set of positive reviews for their earlier work, today we have Norway’s Okular and their sophomore release “Sexforce”. Playing an interesting mixture of Progressive Death Metal with some Melodic DM elements, this band is full of creative and unique ideas, too bad they can’t seem to really work them together in a cohesive manner. Besides the obvious musical quality, this release features guest appearances by Athera (Susperia) on seven tracks and Vintersorg on one song.

    After many listening to this promo countless times, we are torn about not really being able to like it as a whole. The album is quite complex and has plenty of layers to it, but they mostly feel like several things going in different directions and never really coming together properly. On the one hand, we have killer guitar work on songs like “Not Separate” and “Sexforce”, but some of the tempo changes are confusing and the vocals go in different directions.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Picture Ann - Cinema Screen Sadism (2010)

    cover

    As we are used to reviewing Metal albums, whenever we get something that is a bit out of our comfort zone we always embrace the challenge and try to do justice to the music. Today we have a one-man project titled Picture Ann and ‘their’ 2010 release “Cinema Screen Sadism”. In this two-track EP we have combination of hypnotic atmospheric elements with some distorted guitars and very somber vocals.

    Opening with “Film Window”, we are treated to a very minimalistic song that is quite entertaining and equally eerie. The atmospheric elements are quite intoxicating and the clean vocals greatly enhance the overall creepy experience. The distorted guitars are quite distance but equally gratifying providing depth to the track.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Tales of the Old - The Passageway from Hell to Earth (2012)

    cover

    Presenting three very bombastic Symphonic Metal tracks, today we have Tales of the Old and their EP “The Passageway from Hell to Earth”. With a style combining elements of bands like Therion and older Nightwish, this band excels in creating very dark atmospheres around lush vocals and powerful guitars. For around 12 minutes this band gives you the perfect introduction to their dark and somber world.

    Opening with a very somber piano intro, “Dark Witch” immediately explodes into a full-fledged Symphonic Metal anthem with excellent keyboards and punishing guitars. The clean-male vocals reminded us a bit of Snowy Shawn from Therion, but what pushes this song over the edge for us is the super creepy children’s choir arrangements. The female vocals of Androniki Skoula are very powerful and nicely complement the atmosphere of this track.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Haiduk – Spellbook (2012)

    cover

    Arriving from Canada in full force, today we have Haiduk and their debut full-length release titled “Spellbook”. As a one-man project, Haiduk is one of those bands that deliver simple yet powerful music that will send you into a headbanging rampage since the first listen. Featuring ten tracks filled with guitar acrobatics blended with Death and Thrash Metal influences, this album packs a lot of punch in its short duration.

    Opening with the catchy “Lich”, Haiduk immediately showcases a furious speed that only a handful of bands can pull off and not sound extremely pretentious. The overall atmosphere of the track is intense and very melodic but aggressive at the same time. The growls are pretty standard, but sometimes sound a bit uninspired when contrasting the powerful music. In another Death/Thrash 101 lecture, “Stormcall” is a very straight forward track that has an entertaining bass guitar line and efficient drumming.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Amiral! – Persona Non Grata (2012)

    cover

    As the perfect break from listening to countless hours of Metal every day, today we have Amiral!’s debut full-length release “Persona Non Grata”. With very few Metal influences this ambient/instrumental rock release delivers 11 tracks of eerie atmospheres and beautifully crafted melodic passages. Being a one-man project, this release is extremely well produced and perfectly executed, showcasing the superb musical abilities of the mystery man behind Amiral!.

    Opening with some audio from George Romero’s “Diary of the Dead”, “Chi Kung” sets the mood for an ethereal musical experience. “Petites frappes en enfer” creates a very eerie atmosphere with dreamy guitar work and a hypnotic pace. Things get a bit weirder with the Trip-hop infused “Timisoara”. This track reminds us of Ulver and their current experimental phase, but with some sweet guitar leads.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
    • Comments: 0

    Of Men and Angel’s Flesh – Ethnospheric Decay (2012)

    cover

    We receive many press kits at Infernal Masquerade every week, but when you get one with a bunch of pictures of dudes doing a photo shoot in the beach, one immediately wonders what kind of sick stuff the band is into. After the initial shock, the band’s name (Of Men and Angel’s Flesh) pretty much gives it away that we are in for a rollercoaster ride of brutality and weirdness.

    Delivering seven tracks of Brutal Death Metal with some Grindcore and Deathcore influences, OMAAF’s debut EP “Ethnospheric Decay” is one hell of a rookie release. Blasting away since the opener “Satellite (DyingThroughts)” the band immediately shows their riffing power and intricate songwriting skills. Filled with crushing Deathcore style growls and less-growly screams, the band’s sound is brutal and very well crafted at the same time.

Pages

Recent Image Galleries