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    Crematoria – Demo(lish) (2009)

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    In the last few years most of the new kids playing Death Metal (or at least trying) have managed to completely miss the point and get a solid grasp on the genre. We can guarantee that most of those bands have gone and changed into playing Metalcore or dissolved. However, there are always a very limited number bands that truly get it and release bad-ass demo’s, Crematoria is one of them.

    Hailing from Denmark, the band formed in 2008 and released their first demo in 2009. This 3-song release is aptly titled “Demo(lish)”, featuring very solid songs that punch you right in the face. With some Trash foundations on their riffs the band has crafted these songs very nicely, and while they might not be revolutionary, they are solid and very catchy.

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    Bitter Frost – Bitter Frost (2010)

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    Out of all the self-released albums we get, we have never received such an impressive release as Bitter Frost’s self-titled debut album. With an amazing musicianship, crystal clear production, solid songwriting, and impressive guest appearances, “Bitter Frost” will surely be our favorite Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal album of the year.

    Featuring 73 minutes of impressive music, the one man band Bitter Frost takes us through many different genres of metal laid on top of a Black Metal foundation. With all the ideas and creativity behind this release, we only feel sorry for all the unsigned bands that even when combined together will never put out a release as impressive as this one.

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    Arsenic Addiction – Requiem of the Fallen (2010)

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    With the current boom of female fronted bands where the girl does the harsh vocals, it’s almost impossible to find a band that is good enough when comes to mixing both clean and harsh vocals. Arsenic Addiction is probably one of the few bands that fit this description and that we can stand for more than 10 minutes.

    While most people think that Kittie and bands like Otep, Walls of Jerico, etc. were the first bands to use harsh female vocals, they cannot be more wrong. We remember back in the day, getting a demo CD from an American band named: Forty Days Longing, and if you heard the album you would be easily convinced the singer was a very brutal dude, but surprise to us, it was Zdenka Prado a female vocalist (she also provides screams for Garden Of Shadows, and currently for Estuary (ex-Estuary of Calamity).

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Posthuman – Rise from Ruins (2010)

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    Being huge fans of Melodic Death Metal bands we always love when we receive an album of this genre. Posthuman recently sent us their latest release titles “Rise from Ruins” featuring 10 songs and around 45 minutes of very interesting and creative Melodic Death Metal music.

    Featuring a very complex sound, the band is out to make a name for themselves in the very crowded Melodic Death Metal scene. Combining the traditional MDM elements with some Electronic/’futuristic keyboards’ hints and even some Progressive Metal elements, Posthuman has a very unique sound that will surely turn heads of quite a few people.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Serenity Dies – Hacksawcracy (2010)

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    Hailing from the Maldives, Serenity Dies is a Trash Metal band that takes its roots form the greats such as Slayer, Megadeath, some Metallica, and a little itty bit of Exodus. “Hacksawcracy” is the band’s latest EP release, and it’s ready to compete with the big stars right off the bench.

    Keeping the music fresh, we have the traditional Trash foundations with some more modern grooving riffs and clean vocal harmonies that might put down the purist of the genre, but we think they are very well crafted and mixed into the band’s sound. For almost 30 minutes this up and coming band makes a powerful statement with “Hacksawcracy”.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Daylight Misery – Promo (2009)

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    While checking our ‘to review’ folder of digital promos sent by bands we happened to stumble upon this little gem that was hiding underneath the piles of albums we get every month. Daylight Misery is a band from Greece that plays a mean combination of Death/Doom Metal with some Gothic Metal influences.

    Highly focused on the guitar work rather than the keyboards, the band creates a very depressive atmosphere (the part we love the most from the genre). When the keyboards are used, they are like the icing on top of an already delicious cake. This 3-song promo is probably one of the best we have received in quite a while and their upcoming release “Depressive Icons” sounds like it will be even better.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Violet Sun – Loneliness in Supremacy (2010)

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    Featuring a very bombastic (and futuristic) sound, today we have Violet Sun, an unsigned band from Italy. The band does a very good job in creating Symphonic Power Metal songs that are as good as any other signed band that plays similar music. But Violet Sun adds a wide variety of different elements to the mix, creating a very peculiar sound of their own.

    Our first comparison that comes to mind is with Edenbrigde. Both bands rely on a Symphonic Power Metal foundation accompanied by Female vocals. However, Edenbrigde relies more on ‘massive’ arrangements and some guitar virtuosity all courtesy of Lanvall. Violet Sun has more Progressive Metal elements in their sound, as well as clean Male vocals that sometimes hit the spot, but in other occasions sound a bit off.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    hYPNOTIC hYSTERIA – Feed On Me (2010)

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    With a very interesting mixture of Alternative Metal/Rock with some Post-Metal/Rock influences we have hYPNOTIC hYSTERIA from Italy. The band does a great job at sounding like nobody else does by borrowing many influences from ‘commercially’ stable bands as well as the brilliant underground pool of Post-Metal/Rock bands.

    One thing we immediately agree on is that the band creates very hypnotic atmospheres that are very well crafted. This shows great songwriting skills from the band and makes “Feed On Me” a very interesting release to have. We must say that this band can generate a following from both the ‘commercial’ world and the underground.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Scuffproof – Demonstration Of Strength (2010)

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    Hailing from the small town of Tübingen, Germany, today we have Suffproof with their four songs EP. The band plays traditional neck breaking Death Metal. While they do not provide anything original or super brutal to the genre, “Demonstration Of Strength” is a pretty solid first release for the band.

    Kubo, the band’s vocalist, kicks off the release with a very ‘nice’ message to all the special people in his life, and jumps straight into a crunchy DM riff and some growls. Immediately you can notice some issues with the recording quality of this release since the vocals standout WAY too much as the guitar fills the background and the drums are just a distant banging sound.

    • Posted By: Dark Emperor
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    Great Awakening – Hit n Run (2009)

     

    Jumping on the Trash revival bandwagon we have Great Awakening from the USA. Having formed in Florida in 2006, the band does a great job in bringing the good-old days of Trash back. Great Awakening’s music is very decent for a Trash Metal release, but they do not offer any edge that would allow us to consider them a force to be reckoned with.

    Their 2009 demo titled “Hit n’ Run” showcase 3 very decent songs Trashy songs that have the old-school vibe, but are missing some soul and originality to them. While we don’t expect every band to re-invent the wheel, we do expect some level of originality when it comes to playing a genre that has been around for over 20 years.

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